1988 Specs?

[mmw]

Can anyone tell me what chassis the '88 was built on? And, is it basically that entire car underneath? (for repair & replacement purposes). Looking at one for sale and have never contemplated a post Stude or Altman model. There's no manual with this one - anything to be wary of?

Many thanks!

[WayneC]

Can anyone tell me what chassis the '88 was built on? And, is it basically that entire car underneath? (for repair & replacement purposes). Looking at one for sale and have never contemplated a post Stude or Altman model. There's no manual with this one - anything to be wary of?

Many thanks!

Caveat: I'm not an owner of these later cars, although I did have one for a few months (sold for financial reasons unrelated to the car, and the car was trouble-free)...

There is no manual.

The '88 uses a mid-80's Monte Carlo chassis and driveline (engine, trans, differential, suspension, brakes, and steering), with the Avanti body adapted to fit it; I think the chassis was also used on Buick GNX series cars. Finding a shop to do mechanical maintenance should be very easy, and a GM chassis manual for the Monte Carlo should cover it if you're a backyard mechanic. Chassis parts are readily available from GM or the aftermarket.

The Studebaker shop manual will cover the body pretty well, leaving the dash and the electrical system, especially power options, as the only part of the car that may need some exploration/research when repairs are needed; I believe there is a booklet available (hand-drawn by an Avanti owner-enthusiast) that covers many of the circuit diagrams (although not showing the wiring routing through the car), but there may be problems identifying and finding specific parts, like power window motors or parking brake cables or mirrors or light fixtures, for example.

You might try contacting the Avanti company http://www.avantimotors.com/ to ask about the availability

(or non-availability) of parts for the car.

I can't tell you any specific items to be wary of. Check it out thoroughly, inside & out, top & bottom, as you would any used car, and all should be fine as long as you can find a good electrical technician and a GM repair shop you trust. Owning a late model Avanti doesn't present the kind of parts/maintenance problems you'd have if you bought a Clenet or a Panoz.

[IndyJimW]

Can anyone tell me what chassis the '88 was built on? And, is it basically that entire car underneath? (for repair & replacement purposes). Looking at one for sale and have never contemplated a post Stude or Altman model. There's no manual with this one - anything to be wary of?

Many thanks!

My '87 is built on a Monte Carlo chassis, I have been told that the Avanti Co. purchased complete Monte Carlo and El Camino cars to built their Avanti's. They used the complete chassis on mine, if it's inside the body it could be anything. Chevrolet quit building the G-body in '87 so I'm not sure what a '88 Avanti may be built on? Maybe a left-over '87 G-body or the Impala chassis like the later Avanti's? Parts for the chassis are easy to come by, including performance parts. Nothing to be wary of that I have noticed.

Jim

[mmw]

Thanks very much for your time and information. I just don't know about this car - it's so different from the older versions and this one happens to be one of the 50-25th anniversary cars so it's that much more "over the top." Stretched a little more, dark red leather, lots of wood grain and those digital gauges!.... On the other hand, a supercharged 5 liter, easier chassis to fix/find parts, and you still won't see another on the road in a month of Sundays! Oh well, decsions, decisions....

Thanks again.

[Twnchgr]

Thanks very much for your time and information. I just don't know about this car - it's so different from the older versions and this one happens to be one of the 50-25th anniversary cars so it's that much more "over the top." Stretched a little more, dark red leather, lots of wood grain and those digital gauges!.... On the other hand, a supercharged 5 liter, easier chassis to fix/find parts, and you still won't see another on the road in a month of Sundays! Oh well, decsions, decisions....

Thanks again.

Hi there, I have one of the Anniversary cars. #21 of the 30 they made.It has been trouble free for the most part. Thier were only two cars with red interior. so they say. First two.The rest had black interiors.Manual came with the car.included wiring diagrams mostly. and some misc. info.From the thins I have had to buy. I believe my car is on an El Camino Chassis. Karl Sparks

Edited September 21, 2006 by Twnchgr

[kerakl]

Hi there, I have one of the Anniversary cars. #21 of the 30 they made.It has been trouble free for the most part. Thier were only two cars with red interior. so they say. First two.The rest had black interiors.Manual came with the car.included wiring diagrams mostly. and some misc. info.From the thins I have had to buy. I believe my car is on an El Camino Chassis. Karl Sparks

I just found this website. It's quite interesting to me, as I worked in the Youngstown plant for about 7 months. I believe your Anniversary is probably on a Monte Carlo chassis. I didn't see an El Caminos when I was there. I started shortly after production began in Youngstown. I believe the #28 anniversary car was the last one I worked on. I was a body finisher. The right half of the car was mine to finish before it went into final finish for paint prep.

[Ernie]

1989 is the first Avanti's built on the Caprice chassis. Nine inches were cut from the frame, under the backseat floor, to reduce the wheelbase.

Your Anniversary 1987 is on a Monte Carlo chassis, and could be a Monte Carlo SS. Any "old-time" GM mechanic can look at the underside and tell you anything you need to know.

[avantidavid]

I have a 1988 Avanti Convert. As far as the converts they were 2 different chassis in 1988. They used what they had left of the Monte Carlo's while switching over to the Caprice chassis in 1988. If your gas cap is on top behind the rear window it is on a Monte Carlo frame. If your convert has the gas cap on side then it was on a Caprice chassis which they used the full fiberglass ground effects front, back and side to cover the chassis. My covert was ordered with the front and rear ground effects but the side ground effect is just a black piece of plastic not the full fiberglass side ground effects as if you checked the box on the order form in 1988 titled "New Avanti" which you got the Caprice chassis. In 1989 all the convert cars are on the Caprice frame. I believe that the El Camino frame was used on the other Avanti models in 1988. All the Avanti's in 1987 1988 1989 came with a 305 Chev motor.