Hose Trans cooler on 1967 Avanti II

[Dick M]

Last fall I purchased a 1967 Avanti II.  I had to replace the air intake heater core control cable (bowden cable).  In the process of routing the cable above the AC evaporator, I noticed that the "Hose trans cooler" on the passenger side had corroded and deteriorated to the point that it really was totally gone (just pieces).  I looked at the parts catalog, and found the attached graphic (shown as 2138-65) .  It really does not indicate where it connects at the top of the dash.  Before I dig deeper into the dash and console, I have several questions.  Where does it get the 'fresh air' from?  Are there any better pictures or drawings showing the connections?  I know it says it is a trans cooler hose, but is it just a convective air flow cooling system?  What are the consequences/risks of not replacing the hoses (left and right)?  If anyone has replaced these, any advice on the process would be appreciated.  By the way, it has a GM 3 speed automatic transmission.

Edited yesterday at 12:37 AM by Dick M

[Gunslinger]

It draws in outside air from the cowl of the car.  If you look outside at the base of the windshield through the intake grating you'll see two intakes under the square covers.  

[mfg]

Interesting!…. You have an Avanti ll equipped with air conditioning …..On the earlier Studebaker Avantis, I don’t believe that console cooling system was used on the late ‘square light’ Avantis equipped with factory air conditioning…. Apparently they changed that policy on Avanti ll’s.

[Kodjo]

2 hours ago, mfg said:

Interesting!…. You have an Avanti ll equipped with air conditioning …..On the earlier Studebaker Avantis, I don’t believe that console cooling system was used on the late ‘square light’ Avantis equipped with factory air conditioning…. Apparently they changed that policy on Avanti ll’s.

It has nothing to do with airconditioning but all with cooling of the autotrans. The hoses on my '69 Avanti II were gone too. Here's a pic, one hose is visible.

Edited 21 hours ago by Kodjo

[mfg]

4 hours ago, Kodjo said:

It has nothing to do with airconditioning but all with cooling of the autotrans. The hoses on my '69 Avanti II were gone too. Here's a pic, one hose is visible.

 

Yes… my point was Studebaker (as far as I know) did not install the console cooling kit on their late Avantis with A/C…. So I was a little surprised to hear that the Altman’s installed that twin hose console cooling setup on Avanti ll’s…. most all of which, like yours, were built with A/C!

[mfg]

The Studebaker Avanti twin hose console cooling kit was installed on non-air-conditioned Avantis with automatic or manual transmissions…..The main reason it was installed was to keep the shift lever at a tolerable temperature.

[Kodjo]

Well, I have aicon and this cooling kit on my '69 Avanti too.

[mfg]

28 minutes ago, Kodjo said:

Well, I have aicon and this cooling kit on my '69 Avanti too.

 Yes…another ‘Altman Avanti’ !

( You’ll notice on the Stude Avanti parts manual illustration above a non A/C console is used for reference)

[mfg]

I believe Studebaker felt the cooling kit wasn’t needed in A/C equipped Avantis for two reasons….. First, with the A/C in operation, the interior would naturally be cooler than in a non A/C Avanti…. and second, clearance issues between the twin cooling hoses and the console A/C evaporator…. (Although the Altman crew apparently figured that one out!!)

[Michael Phillips]

I replaced the hose with a plastic spiral hose that was sourced from an industrial hose supplier. Another source of unwanted hot outside air is to "flap doors" on the outside air supply plenum on the RT & LT toe board area. The soft rubber seal deteriorates and allows outside air to pass through. I fashioned new flaps from rubber sheet (the kind that plumbers use under shower pans). They were stapled to the pressboard door as was the original.

[Dick M]

13 hours ago, Gunslinger said:

It draws in outside air from the cowl of the car.  If you look outside at the base of the windshield through the intake grating you'll see two intakes under the square covers.  

Thank you for the information.  

[Dick M]

11 hours ago, mfg said:

Interesting!…. You have an Avanti ll equipped with air conditioning …..On the earlier Studebaker Avantis, I don’t believe that console cooling system was used on the late ‘square light’ Avantis equipped with factory air conditioning…. Apparently they changed that policy on Avanti ll’s.

Thank you!  It turns out the AC system was installed after the ordinal build, so the deteriorated hose must have just been left there when they did the AC install.  It sounds like there is no negative consequences for the loss of the hose's functionality, since it appears to have been there only to keep the auto shift controls cool.  Thanks again!

 

[Dick M]

1 hour ago, Michael Phillips said:

I replaced the hose with a plastic spiral hose that was sourced from an industrial hose supplier. Another source of unwanted hot outside air is to "flap doors" on the outside air supply plenum on the RT & LT toe board area. The soft rubber seal deteriorates and allows outside air to pass through. I fashioned new flaps from rubber sheet (the kind that plumbers use under shower pans). They were stapled to the pressboard door as was the original.

Thanks for your help and the photos!  

[Dick M]

Thanks to all that provided insight into this issue.  Since my AC was apparently installed after the initial build, the folks who installed the AC must have just left the hose in.  THIS IS A GREAR SITE FOR GETTING QUESIONS ANSWERED!