Slowest vs. the Fastest

[Footer]

Now I’m just assuming a R3 from the factory would be the fastest Avanti. Maybe a 300 hp 327 would be right there. What would be the slowest?  400 2 barrel or my 305? Hard to get real comparable horsepower numbers.  Mike

[mfg]

1 hour ago, Footer said:

Now I’m just assuming a R3 from the factory would be the fastest Avanti. Maybe a 300 hp 327 would be right there. What would be the slowest?  400 2 barrel or my 305? Hard to get real comparable horsepower numbers.  Mike

I’d definitely say your 305 CI Chevy would be slower than an R3 Avanti or an Avanti equipped with a 400 CI…with either a two barrel carb or four barrel,

[Stacey]

Agree, a 305 is a boat anchor as far as the power goes.  

[Dwight FitzSimons]

Weren't some 305 HO (high output) engines installed in Avanti IIs?  Those made decent power.  I once had an '84 Pontiac Trans Am with this engine (BW T-5 5-speed trans) and it was reasonably powerful for the time.

[mfg]

5 hours ago, Dwight FitzSimons said:

Weren't some 305 HO (high output) engines installed in Avanti IIs?  Those made decent power.  I once had an '84 Pontiac Trans Am with this engine (BW T-5 5-speed trans) and it was reasonably powerful for the time.

I think they had 35-30 extra HP… a quick visual for those is the dual snorkel air cleaner assy.

[Gunslinger]

Contemporary accounts from the time indicate that while the supercharged Stude Avantis had the performance image...the early Avanti II 327/4-speed cars were better performers.  A lot can depend on other factors such as rear end ratio...whether the car had a/c or not...driver ability, etc.  But the early Avanti II/4-spd was the hot setup.  

I've always heard stories about Avanti Motors installing some Corvette LT-1 engines in some Avanti II cars which would have been the setup to have...but I've never seen conclusive proof it ever happened.  If there are any factory LT-1 equipped Avantis out there any present owners may have no idea of it...just wondering why their engine has such valve train noise due to the solid lifters.  So many Avanti II cars have been parted out, rebuilt or had some other fate we'll likely never know if such LT-1 versions were produced...or if the car still exists does it still have its original engine?  It could easily have been swapped out by an unknowing owner if they ever existed at all.  

Avanti Motors did promote an "Avanti Stinger" model as an optional high performance version...perhaps that was the source of an LT-1 engine option but whether any were actually produced is unanswered.  About the only way to find out would be to examine every production sheet for every Avanti II built during that time period and see the options listed and check what engine was installed.

 

[Footer]

In Bob’s Avanti Registry there are some photos of my car with a previous owner, Mike Valenti. Several changes have been made since then. One photo shows a supercharger on the engine, and the hood was customized with a second “gunsight” to provide space. Mr. Valentine lived in Florida, passed, and I have been unable to find any paperwork on the original car. Nostalgic has no record. Mine was one of the last built before Blake started the Anniversary cars, so sometimes wonder if there was some factory customization. If  the 305 does have the least horsepower, it still has enough power to go to coffee and a few local car shows!  
Happy Memorial Day. Mike

[mfg]

1 hour ago, Footer said:

In Bob’s Avanti Registry there are some photos of my car with a previous owner, Mike Valenti. Several changes have been made since then. One photo shows a supercharger on the engine, and the hood was customized with a second “gunsight” to provide space. Mr. Valentine lived in Florida, passed, and I have been unable to find any paperwork on the original car. Nostalgic has no record. Mine was one of the last built before Blake started the Anniversary cars, so sometimes wonder if there was some factory customization. If  the 305 does have the least horsepower, it still has enough power to go to coffee and a few local car shows!  
Happy Memorial Day. Mike

Yes, although some knock the 305, I find it to be a good reliable engine!..,My ‘83 Avanti ‘everyday driver’ has one, and it’s never let me down in thousands of miles……Happy Memorial Day!

[mfg]

More info on the  ‘HO’ engines..,

Most ‘83 model year Avantis were equipped with the ‘LG4’ code 165 horsepower 305 engine……

Late ‘83’s and most ‘84’s and all ‘85 Avantis (except the Touring Coupes) were equipped either the ‘L69’ 200 horsepower 305 engine.