mfg Posted January 27, 2023 Report Posted January 27, 2023 OPINION!....If a buyer ordered a Studebaker Avanti with the R1 engine and three speed standard transmission, why wasn't the popular Borg Warner Overdrive offered as an option?
r1lark Posted January 27, 2023 Report Posted January 27, 2023 Clearance issues between the O/D components (solenoid, governor) and the tunnel and x-member? The Avanti wasn't being promoted as an 'economy' car, so how many would be ordered with overdrive? Would the sales potential offset the engineering time etc to adapt the trans, the electrical harness/components for the O/D, etc? Basically, a three speed O/D did not fit the Avanti 'mystique' that Studebaker was promoting!
Nelson Posted January 27, 2023 Report Posted January 27, 2023 I always heard it was fitment problems but I seem to remember a few had it added in the backyard.
pantera928 Posted January 27, 2023 Report Posted January 27, 2023 if the tranny dont fit, you cant use it... to paraphrase Johnny Cochran
mfg Posted January 27, 2023 Author Report Posted January 27, 2023 (edited) 2 hours ago, r1lark said: Clearance issues between the O/D components (solenoid, governor) and the tunnel and x-member? The Avanti wasn't being promoted as an 'economy' car, so how many would be ordered with overdrive? Would the sales potential offset the engineering time etc to adapt the trans, the electrical harness/components for the O/D, etc? Basically, a three speed O/D did not fit the Avanti 'mystique' that Studebaker was promoting! 1 hour ago, Nelson said: I always heard it was fitment problems but I seem to remember a few had it added in the backyard. Well, I agree with Paul that overdrive did not fit into the Avantis 'profile'... ..but as far as overdrive fitment goes, we know Avantis sat on a Lark convertible 'X' frame...and overdrive was a common Lark convertible (both 6 & V8) option. I believe factory installation of a t-86 with overdrive transmission into an Avanti would have been no problem! Edited January 27, 2023 by mfg
mfg Posted January 27, 2023 Author Report Posted January 27, 2023 43 minutes ago, pantera928 said: if the tranny dont fit, you cant use it... to paraphrase Johnny Cochran I think he was referring to tennis shoes Pan Man!
mfg Posted January 29, 2023 Author Report Posted January 29, 2023 I believe the Borg Warner overdrive was not mentioned, or even offered as an option, because economy just wasn't in the Studebaker Avantis sales pitch! 🤔
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