Real R3!

[mfg]

Did Studebaker put any ‘R3’ identification on the nine production R3 Avantis?

( Besides the unique mechanical, body mod, and dashboard features found on those cars)

[regnalbob]

[mfg]

  On 1/4/2025 at 10:47 PM, regnalbob said:

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Yes…on the pressure box top… A nicely done piece I always thought!

[Mark63Avanti]

But no external marking on the car that it was R3. You would have to look under the hood or peek at the dash (tachometer).

[Dwight FitzSimons]

Or, notice that the front of an R3 car sits a little higher than an R2 car.

--Dwight

[mfg]

  On 1/5/2025 at 4:20 AM, Dwight FitzSimons said:

Or, notice that the front of an R3 car sits a little higher than an R2 car.

--Dwight

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That clue was ruled out in the text of the original question Dwight…”body mod”

[mfg]

  On 1/5/2025 at 3:46 AM, Mark63Avanti said:

But no external marking on the car that it was R3. You would have to look under the hood or peek at the dash (tachometer).

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Yes… however peeking at dashboard was ruled out in text of this question.

[Mark63Avanti]

so the answer is "no" or "false" or some other negative.....

[mfg]

  On 1/5/2025 at 1:52 PM, Mark63Avanti said:

so the answer is "no" or "false" or some other negative.....

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I see the answer as YES…. Unless one considers the ‘R3’ plate on the air chamber cover as a mechanical item.. which would be ruled out by the question’s text… However, that really wasn’t the intent of the language!

[Geoff]

The crappy thing is, if you want to get a new one today it looks like this:
https://vortechsuperchargers.com/products/vortech-maxflow-carburetor-enclosure-box-assembly?variant=35229934986
because Vortech and Paxton merged.

With laser scanning and modern practices like 3D printing, Vortech/Paxton should be able to make repro's of the better looking original ones.

[mfg]

  On 1/6/2025 at 6:27 PM, Geoff said:

The crappy thing is, if you want to get a new one today it looks like this:
https://vortechsuperchargers.com/products/vortech-maxflow-carburetor-enclosure-box-assembly?variant=35229934986
because Vortech and Paxton merged.

With laser scanning and modern practices like 3D printing, Vortech/Paxton should be able to make repro's of the better looking original ones.

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Agreed…..Ugh!!!!!!!

[mfg]

Geoff….. 63R1025 has the ‘R3’ type access plate covering the mixture screws… doesn’t it?

[Geoff]

  On 1/6/2025 at 6:35 PM, mfg said:

Geoff….. 63R1025 has the ‘R3’ type access plate covering the mixture screws… doesn’t it?

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Affirmative. With a black crinkle paint finish on the lid.

[Nelson]

I wonder if they could have had something in the works to identify it but just ran out of time. The badging was there for Larks and Hawks. 

[mfg]

  On 1/8/2025 at 8:00 PM, Nelson said:

I wonder if they could have had something in the works to identify it but just ran out of time. The badging was there for Larks and Hawks. 

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That may have happened… In my opinion though, Studebaker should not have identified their supercharged cars with exterior ‘badges’…. That’s my ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ mentality!!

[R5335]

So an interesting topic and Dwight mentioned early in this discussion that caught my attention. His comment was that the R3 body was slightly elevated vs the R2/R1. This is the first I've heard this.  I've read that when the Avanti II's came out with the corvette engines, the body was raised a few inches. So how much was the R3 raised above the R2/R1? I'm somewhat new to the Avanti ownership, and purchased a 64 Avanti in the spring. It had been modified extensively from an R1 originally to an "R2" but the air box is not an R2 hat but an R3 type box. With that, I've noticed that it "just" touches the underside of the hood and I've been trying to decide how to fix. The 3 options seem to be, a) change the engine mounts to something a little lower, b) add shims to raise the body like an R3 (if that is what they did) or c) replace the R3 type airbag with an R2 hat.  Looking forward to the feedback

[mfg]

  On 1/12/2025 at 5:33 PM, R5335 said:

So an interesting topic and Dwight mentioned early in this discussion that caught my attention. His comment was that the R3 body was slightly elevated vs the R2/R1. This is the first I've heard this.  I've read that when the Avanti II's came out with the corvette engines, the body was raised a few inches. So how much was the R3 raised above the R2/R1? I'm somewhat new to the Avanti ownership, and purchased a 64 Avanti in the spring. It had been modified extensively from an R1 originally to an "R2" but the air box is not an R2 hat but an R3 type box. With that, I've noticed that it "just" touches the underside of the hood and I've been trying to decide how to fix. The 3 options seem to be, a) change the engine mounts to something a little lower, b) add shims to raise the body like an R3 (if that is what they did) or c) replace the R3 type airbag with an R2 hat.  Looking forward to the feedback

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You’re lucky to have the R3 box… They are something of a rarity, and frankly a better setup than the R2 sealed carb with ‘bonnet’ on top of the carb factory setup……..

Yes, Studebaker shimmed up the fiberglass Avanti body off the frame, similar to what the Avanti ll folks did… Studebaker did that for air box clearance… They also removed the horizontal underside hood brace and used thinner ‘R3’ type front engine mounts… Good luck with your interesting Avanti!…. Ed

[R5335]

  On 1/12/2025 at 5:44 PM, mfg said:

You’re lucky to have the R3 box… They are something of a rarity, and frankly a better setup than the R2 sealed carb with ‘bonnet’ on top of the carb factory setup……..

Yes, Studebaker shimmed up the fiberglass Avanti body off the frame, similar to what the Avanti ll folks did… Studebaker did that for air box clearance… They also removed the horizontal underside hood brace and used thinner ‘R3’ type front engine mounts… Good luck with your interesting Avanti!…. Ed

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Thanks for that quick response. Do you know how much the R3 was shimmed up?  If I recall correctly, the Avanti II's was raised about 3" for the corvette engines. 

[mfg]

  On 1/12/2025 at 5:56 PM, R5335 said:

Thanks for that quick response. Do you know how much the R3 was shimmed up?  If I recall correctly, the Avanti II's was raised about 3" for the corvette engines. 

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No… I don’t exactly… I always thought about 1 1/2 to 2”…. If R3 guru Brad Bez joins in, he could probably tell you exactly.

[mfg]

Avanti R3 owner Nelson Bove may also jump in here!

[64studeavanti]

R3 motor mounts were also shorter.

[Nelson]

I don’t remember anymore but the 1 1/2 to 2 inches sound about right.

[R5335]

Thanks all for your quick responses. Greatly appreciated

[brad]

Closer to 1 1/2" 

[Dwight FitzSimons]

Shimming up the body 1.5", in addition to using thinner motor insulators, is much more than necessary for the carb enclosure to clear the hood.  Both of my R3 Avantis used only the thinner insulators and the enclosure cleared the hood.  Not by much, though.

--Dwight