Avanti 4338 Too Good to be Parts Car?

[Fourward]

I just got this car to help me put mine together. Avanti number 4338 from the Washington, Fort Washington MD area. Did some research on it and from the invoice it looks like it was originally given? to Indiana Senator Birch Bayh. He then sold it to Benjamin Bartolome, an illustrator for the Washington Post sometime around 1967 to 1973? Bartolome sold it to a friend of mine in NJ around 2010, I bought it two weeks ago. Complete! Not started in 12 or 15 years. 78k on it. I thought I'd try and start it. Engine frozen but it responded to a breaker bar on the crank and 3 days of slowly working it. Frozen or rusted valves? Plug wires hooked up seemingly randomly, I straightened them out. I am now  going to pour gas down the carb and give it a go. Two points, no title. Was there ever a title given when a Senator gets a car to drive? Bartolome didn't give my friend a title and he never pressed for one. Bartolome is now deceased, his family doesn't respond to my texts. No keys. One of the pieces of documentation lists numbers for ignition and glove box keys. Is that enough information for a locksmith to make keys? 

   If anyone has any information on this car I'd love to hear from you. 1963 R1 # 4338. Gray with black interior. A/C PS PB PW 78K.

[1963r2]

Any competent locksmith can make keys to suit your barrels with or without the key numbers.

 

[Skip Lackie]

Both Maryland and DC demand/issue titles, so the car must have had one at one time.  Presumably, Senator Bayh received enough paperwork to register it and get a title, too.  The Stude Natl Museum can provide you with a production order that might indicate that the car was set aside as a special gift for a VIP.  Not sure that would help much though.  Registering a vehicle without a title always depends on the laws of the particular state.  They all have different procedures.

[Dwight FitzSimons]

It seems to be hard today to find a local locksmith that has the old books needed to make keys from the manufacturer's codes.  But, the attached company advertises that they can make keys from the key codes.

Whether R-4338 is worth saving would depend on several things:

1) Condition of frame & hog troughs, interior (especially the dash), engine &trans., etc.  Ultimately, the feasibility of fixing it up would depend on the cost and availability of free labor (your own).  I, personally, hate to see Studebaker Avantis parted out.  But, R-4338 is well equipped for what we old Stude fans want today.

2) Availability of a title.  In VA one can get a title for an untitled car.  A local friend did just that for a '56 Power Hawk.

It would probably be a good idea to change the oil, then bring up oil pressure using a drill and a rod inserted in the distributor hole, before trying to start the engine.

--Dwight

 

[Nelson]

So, how is this problem progressing. It will be interesting to see how it turns out.

[Fourward]

I got in touch with an ex son in law of Bartolome. He said the car sat in a garage as long as he knew it, from 1980. So, it probably only has 78K on it, but hasn't been started in over 40 years. Always garaged. Underside is very nice, hog troughs very nice.  Dash and interior not too great. Needs paint. The starter gave out as soon as I tried a second start. I replaced the starter with one that I got from a member here. Works nicely with the ignition cylinder in my hand, connecting the wires. None of the plug wires that I checked have continuity so I have a tune up kit coming. Engine spins nicely though. Gonna get the car driving. Master cylinder coming also.

[Fourward]

I know, the brakes have to be frozen.

[Fourward]

Can't get it started. When looked at from the front, is the spark plug wire to the right of #1, #8? I notice there is no braided ground wire from the points to the breaker plate in the distributor. No start because of this? Replaced points, condenser,  rotor, cap, wires and plugs. Coil checks out with an ohm meter, so does resistor, but, what do I know?

[Nelson]

Number one is the furthest cylinder to the front. It is on the driver’s side front. Number two is right across from number one and is the front cylinder on the passenger side. Three is next to one and four next to two and so on. Firing order is 1 8 4 3 6 5 7 2. The rotor is pointed toward the back of the carb when the firing order starts. The rotor is pointed at the number one plug wire on the cap when the timing mark is at the pointer on the compression stroke. Note: it is at the top dead compression once every two revolutions. 

I think I would see if you are getting any spark Pull any plug wire and plug a spark plug into it. Lay the plug on the block and turn the engine over while looking for a spark. Don’t put it on the valve cover as it won’t be grounded if the cover has good gaskets and o rings at the hood downs. Try cleaning the points with solvent. Do you have 12v at the coil when you try to start the engine? You might try just hot wiring the coil right to the battery as a last resort.

[Fourward]

Getting 12v at the coil. Took a spark plug out and jumper wired it to ground. No spark. Took the breaker plate out. I couldn't get one set of points out as it had a cap on it over the pivot stem. Had to dremel it loose! I see a tiny portion of that braided wire that is missing attached to the breaker plate. I think I am going to have someone attach a braided ground wire for me.