Chrome piece on the hood gunsight

[plwindish]

Same area, different idea...   Before I had my '76 repainted in '15, for several years I had some tasteful pin striping on the location for the gun sight..

[Zedman]

I've been musing over putting one of these hood ornaments on my '81.  Looks like I'm not alone on this score after all ! Well done on the Loewy nod, Footer ! 👌

[Footer]

Thanks Zedman. I put the pirate buckles on the sides also, but just left them black. This car has has a lot of changes over its life. Gone is the moonroof, the rear luggage rack, and Johnstone’s Avanti registry has a photo of the engine with a blower installed. One of the former owners, Mike Valent, used to post on this forum but it seems he has passed and I haven’t been able to track down any solid history and there doesn’t seem to be any original paperwork to be found. Seems like so many of our cars have a story after so many years. Mike

[Footer]

[pantera928]

8 hours ago, Footer said:

Thanks Zedman. I put the pirate buckles on the sides also, but just left them black. This car has has a lot of changes over its life. Gone is the moonroof, the rear luggage rack, and Johnstone’s Avanti registry has a photo of the engine with a blower installed. One of the former owners, Mike Valent, used to post on this forum but it seems he has passed and I haven’t been able to track down any solid history and there doesn’t seem to be any original paperwork to be found. Seems like so many of our cars have a story after so many years. Mike

How did you figure out where to place those pirate buckles and how did you secure them. I was trying to figure out where they were on the Stude Avantis

[pantera928]

8 hours ago, Footer said:

Thanks Zedman. I put the pirate buckles on the sides also, but just left them black. This car has has a lot of changes over its life. Gone is the moonroof, the rear luggage rack, and Johnstone’s Avanti registry has a photo of the engine with a blower installed. One of the former owners, Mike Valent, used to post on this forum but it seems he has passed and I haven’t been able to track down any solid history and there doesn’t seem to be any original paperwork to be found. Seems like so many of our cars have a story after so many years. Mike

I believe but not 100% that he passed in October of 2012.

Does your AC still work with the supercharger? How much boost are you running?

Do you have any more details of the installation?

[Footer]

The car no longer has a supercharger, so I have no idea how effective it was on a 305. According to Bob Johnstone’s registry, it had a double gunsight hood that I assume was to accommodate the supercharger. There is a photo of the engine there, along with a few others, but right now it keeps crashing my iPad when I try to load it. The car has a history, just can’t find much about it. 

Not sure if the factory had a template for the pirate buckles, it would be interesting to compare to see if they are placed consistently.  Mike

[Footer]

I used push in barrel nuts to mount the pirate buckles. Haven’t had any problems with them holding. Not sure if there is a “official” location or how the factory placed them. Not quite as easy as the hood emblem, but you could probably get pretty close if you scope out a 63 or 64. Mike

[mfg]

Studrbaker furnished three holes in inner construction to allow palnuts to be secured onto pirate's buckles studs....

I'm sure later Avanti ll's have those same three holes.

[pantera928]

2 hours ago, mfg said:

Studrbaker furnished three holes in inner construction to allow palnuts to be secured onto pirate's buckles studs....

I'm sure later Avanti ll's have those same three holes.

Guess I will have to pull an inner trim piece to know for sure

[mfg]

2 hours ago, pantera928 said:

Guess I will have to pull an inner trim piece to know for sure

Well, if you can find the correct size barrel nuts, you can do the entire install from oitside your Avanti.

[pantera928]

2 hours ago, mfg said:

Well, if you can find the correct size barrel nuts, you can do the entire install from oitside your Avanti.

Good idea. I probably have them somewhere

[Zedman]

Regarding the positioning of the "Pirate Buckles"- Andy Beckman at the Studebaker National Museum would probably be able to source a factory diagram for the exact location. A cost is involved , however.