Fuelish Avanti!

[mfg]

According to a (then) major auto magazine, a new Studebaker Avanti equipped with R1 engine, auto trans, p/s, and air conditioning…..In ‘normal’ driving, averaged …..?….. miles per gallon of gasoline.

1) 10-12…..2) 13-16…...3) 15-18…..or…..4) 17-22

[Nelson]

#2 13 to 16

[Stacey]

I going to guess with a light foot #4 17-22

[mfg]

8 hours ago, Stacey said:

I going to guess with a light foot #4 17-22

With the A/C off and in good tune ( and, as you say, a light foot) I would have guessed that… however, the magazine road testers said different!

[mfg]

12 hours ago, Nelson said:

#2 13 to 16

Yes… that was the magazine road testers results!

[Geoff]

I'm surprised at that 13-16 figure and it begs the question, couldn't a manual transmission equipped R1 Avanti fare better?

I have an example to share. Three Avantis left the SF Bay Area headed to Seattle for the 1992 regional meet. I was supposed to go also, though with split parents my mother vetoed the trip for 14-year old moi.

The three cars were a family friend's R2 4-speed, 1025 (R3 auto), and an R2 auto. My uncle Doug thought for awhile before 1025's poor fuel economy was due to Ron being heavy footed. The truth came out during that journey though. I heard all three would fill up, then only 1025. Repeat as necessary over the 1600 miles there and back. If I'm recalling correctly, 1025 was getting no better than 9 MPG, even at steady highway speeds. Actually, the new owner of 1025 has a fuel records booklet left in the center console. I kept track of gallons in, miles traveled, and cost while it was my daily.

I am very tempted to pay for A2 wind tunnel time (once I reach the appropriate phase) and test my build to discover where I should place my desired body tweaks: louvers, vents, inlets, and otherwise. I must pay for a minimum of 2 hours anyway and speculate my findings could be complete in 45 minutes. If other SDC / AOAI members were to meet there, with the remaining time we could finally get Cd numbers for four or five other Studebaker and/or Avanti cars: a '55 Speedster, a Studebaker Avanti, a stock Blake Avanti, and the 1990 sedan.

[mfg]

1 hour ago, Geoff said:

I'm surprised at that 13-16 figure and it begs the question, couldn't a manual transmission equipped R1 Avanti fare better?

I have an example to share. Three Avantis left the SF Bay Area headed to Seattle for the 1992 regional meet. I was supposed to go also, though with split parents my mother vetoed the trip for 14-year old moi.

The three cars were a family friend's R2 4-speed, 1025 (R3 auto), and an R2 auto. My uncle Doug thought for awhile before 1025's poor fuel economy was due to Ron being heavy footed. The truth came out during that journey though. I heard all three would fill up, then only 1025. Repeat as necessary over the 1600 miles there and back. If I'm recalling correctly, 1025 was getting no better than 9 MPG, even at steady highway speeds. Actually, the new owner of 1025 has a fuel records booklet left in the center console. I kept track of gallons in, miles traveled, and cost while it was my daily.

I am very tempted to pay for A2 wind tunnel time (once I reach the appropriate phase) and test my build to discover where I should place my desired body tweaks: louvers, vents, inlets, and otherwise. I must pay for a minimum of 2 hours anyway and speculate my findings could be complete in 45 minutes. If other SDC / AOAI members were to meet there, with the remaining time we could finally get Cd numbers for four or five other Studebaker and/or Avanti cars: a '55 Speedster, a Studebaker Avanti, a stock Blake Avanti, and the 1990 sedan.

Wow!… Very interesting!

[Nelson]

13 hours ago, Geoff said:

I'm surprised at that 13-16 figure and it begs the question, couldn't a manual transmission equipped R1 Avanti fare better?

 

I am very tempted to pay for A2 wind tunnel time (once I reach the appropriate phase) and test my build to discover where I should place my desired body tweaks: louvers, vents, inlets, and otherwise. I must pay for a minimum of 2 hours anyway and speculate my findings could be complete in 45 minutes. If other SDC / AOAI members were to meet there, with the remaining time we could finally get Cd numbers for four or five other Studebaker and/or Avanti cars: a '55 Speedster, a Studebaker Avanti, a stock Blake Avanti, and the 1990 sedan.

That would be cool to finally get some comparison numbers. Renting a wind tunnel can’t be cheap. I was in Ford’s wind tunnel one time and it was huge. I imagine the technology has changed since then. 

[Geoff]

A2 is $595/hr. and they have a 2 hour minimum. I'd pay for my time and would gladly pay the second hour if it meant finding Cd for other cars we all enjoy.

It was an article in Car Life magazine where the author guesstimated Avanti was "in the high point threes." It would be pretty cool to actually gather some data points.