Jump to content

Avanti Restoration Project


mtrehy

Recommended Posts

Hi All,

I hope you are all well!

Nice to have found this forum and already obtained some very useful info - thanks.

I've found myself embarking on a significant restoration / rebuild of an Avanti in the UK. The car has not been on the road for many years - the previous owner was a huge enthusiast and had made a start on the restoration and has accumulated a vast amount of spares which I haven't yet got to grips with in terms of auditing (numerous boxes etc). I've taken on the restoration part time but it's had a few different people working on it over the years and it's not a car I am at all familiar with. The good news is that the car is sound and with all the parts available there's every chance of getting this Avanti back on the road!

The first job I am working on is the wiring and I was really hoping that some one here could help me with some questions....

The previous owner had acquired a new main loom and someone has made a start with installing it - the old loom has been removed (quite brutally) and the new loom is 50% installed. I've got the wiring diagrams and I think I'm pretty much there with it. There's a couple of odd things though that I was hoping for some advice on.... There is a heavy mechanical cable that is attached to the steel bar that crosses the instrument panel - it's just to the left of the radio as viewed by the driver. I have shown it labelled "1" on the picture attached. I'm assuming it's an earth strap - can anyone confirm this and where the other end should connect to? Also under the instrument panel there are 3 toggle switches that look like they have been added by someone - I can't see any wiring for them. The back of one of these is shown on the same picture, labelled "2", the other 2 are on the far left end of the underside of the instrument panel (when viewed by the driver) - any idea what they maybe for?

Another odd question is regarding the alternator - I found the alternator in a box with a bracket attached. Looking at the engine it appears to bolt up to the left (drivers) cylinder head. Is this correct? I have looked at a few Avanti pictures and most show it in the position shown?

While I think I'm nearly there with the main harness, someone has ripped out all the wiring backward of the main harness - apparently they thought that the new harness included all of this. Unfortunately it appears to have been fairly brutally removed and I also think some of it is now missing as I can't jigsaw puzzle it all back together. The harness is 1557426 from mystudebaker.com am I right in thinking that connector #4 which on the drawing is labelled "To Tail/Stop & Dome" and includes wires 43, 29, 28, 5-1, 47-4, 37G, 36-1 & 6 would connect to the rear harness? Has anyone purchased a rear harness and can recommend one?

I'm sorry for all of the questions but would be really grateful for any help!

Have a great weekend.

 

Matt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20170908_161643.jpg

20170908_164534.jpg

20170908_164544.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good luck with your project.

The Avanti appears to be a 1964.  Is it a factory R3, an R3 that was installed post-build or just an R2 with an R3 air box, etc.?  

I see that the brakes have already been converted to a dual system. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, the alternator mounts next to the supercharger and should not be located as shown.  The switches are perhaps later additions by someone.  Purpose unknown???  By coincident I have my dash out for restoration and found one switch on the lower side just below the clock area and another switch hole but no switch installed in a near identical spot as you show.  May be perhaps a rear speaker control.  You say the other piece is a mechanical cable.  Where does the end go???  Looks like an add-on.  

Engine has the dressings of an R-3.  What are the cylinder head numbers?  That would tell you for sure.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks guys, I will get the vin and engine numbers next week. I'm not totally sure of the origins of the car.

The other end of this mechanical cable is not attached to anything, but it's about 3 feet long and looks like it goes through the firewall.

Thanks for confirming the alternator - that means there must be another bracket somewhere!

What does a "Dome" light look like - it's shown on the wiring diagram and I assume it's an interior light at the rear of the car but not sure what I'm looking for in my boxes of junk...

Finally (today) - the long hoses that go from the heater control water valve should attach to the water pump (according to the manual). The connectors on the pump appear to have been blanked off - any idea what they are called or where I could get them?

Tom - is there any chance you could describe or show pictures of how the rear harness runs - i.e where it connects to the front harness (is it behind the dash or centre console), how it runs through the car, past the tank and into the boot (trunk)?

Much appreciated.

Thanks.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The alternator bracket is built into the main bracket that holds the blower.  You can see the hole mount in your photo.  There is a second small bracket that connects from the alternator ear tab over to the water pump thermostat housing.  That bracket controls the tension on the alternator belt.  But the main support bracket is on the blower mount.  

The rear harness connects to the front harness near the steering column base.  It runs down by the driver seat tunnel (under carpet of course) and you should see the tie wrap clips and screws along the path.  Crosses over under the rear seat, then takes a turn parallel to the fuel tank and enters a small hole that feeds it into the trunk area.  Comes out in a hole back near the tail light but up on the panel.  

I'll get some photos up to you for clarification.  That coil is an Acell Racing High Voltage coil.  They normally are yellow from the factory and that one appears to be painted.  They normally are mounted vertically and not horizontally.  May not matter as long as the inner oil cools the wiring.  

Not sure what that cable might have controlled if it went into the hood area.  There seems to be another large hose hanging loose over by the blower.  Is that a line to a blower oil cooler????  Factory R-3's had cold air induction.  I don't see that mod.  But the rest does look like an R-3 install by the owner perhaps.  

Will get some pictures out to help you along.  (tom c)

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Guys. Tom - does the rear harness wiring go into the trunk via the same hole as the trunk release cable? Pictures would be great if you've got any. 

The car has the cold air induction modification - I'm not sure of the exact provenance of the car but will get all the numbers next time I see it (Thursday).

 

Cheers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some photos of the rear cable.  It follows the antenna path most of the way but once up inside the tank area shield I believe they both enter into a entrance hole panel section near the wall (up by the fuel tank inlet area).  The trunk release cable has its own separate and hole path.  Not the same.  My tank area is sealed up now and can't recall exactly from memory.  Some photos.   Dash had some switch holes like yours.  Previous owners switching something (who knows).  

IMG_0175.JPG

IMG_0176.JPG

IMG_0177.JPG

IMG_0178.JPG

IMG_0179.JPG

IMG_0180.JPG

IMG_0181.JPG

IMG_0182.JPG

IMG_0183.JPG

IMG_0184.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, mtrehy said:

Thanks Guys. Tom - does the rear harness wiring go into the trunk via the same hole as the trunk release cable? Pictures would be great if you've got any. 

The car has the cold air induction modification - I'm not sure of the exact provenance of the car but will get all the numbers next time I see it (Thursday).

 

Cheers

If you at referring to the Console Cooling Kit, it was standard on square headlight Avantis, except those with A/C, and it could be retrofitted to earlier models.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tom - that's great, much appreciated. I wouldn't have realised that the antenna cable was missing and would have refitted the interior without the antenna cable in place without your help! Now I need to find myself an antenna cable. 

Studegary - by cold air induction, I mean that the air filter has been relocated at the front of the car and that the hose between that and the supercharger loops through the inner wing. You can see the large grey vacuum hose on this pic.

 

 

20170908_110928.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Matt,  you might want to purchase the AOAI's 1963-1964 Avanti Authenticity Manual. It is over 350 pages with color photographs on most every page, and can show the correct routing of hoses and wires,  as well as how various things mount to the engine and on the rest of the car.  You can get it online here: https://www.aoai.org/shop/product.php?productid=45&cat=0&page=&featured=Y

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi All,

I received the Authenticity Manual - thanks for that advice it's been pretty helpful.

I've got most of the wiring done - someone else had started installing a new front harness but made a bit of a mess of it. I've got it all re-positioned and connected up as per the manual now. Very time consuming rebuilding all the light sockets etc. The rear harness wasn't available but I've made plenty of harnesses in the past and the back part is very simple so I made this up and got it connected. It's 99% there with the wiring but need to get a few missing bits - trunk light & tilt switch, antenna & cable, courtesy light, glove compartment switch, number plate light assembly, red light bulbs for the dash, hi/lo horns.

Someone has fitted (hung in the engine bay) a screen wash bag but there's no wiring, no pipework and no washer jets... Did all Avanti's come with screen washers? If not I'm inclined to not install it on this one. 

I've attached a pic of the waterpump/housing. Am I correct in thinking that the elbow (blue arrow) is not used on the Avanti and is replaced with the header tank - I've seen some pics where the header sits in this position and others where the top hose is attached here?

Also I assume I need to connect the heater hoses to the 2 blanked off plugs shown with the yellow arrows. I'm not sure what I need to buy to fit into these positions - could anyone point me in the right direction? Is this the correct water pump housing? I have attached a pic that shows a set-up with a red painted header tank but it seems like the heater hose connection (green arrow) comes directly from the pump housing...?

Sorry for all the questions! There's only 9 Avanti's in the UK (5 road registered and 4 off road) so not much info this side of the pond!

Thanks

 

20170908_110928.jpg

post-48480-143139289775.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...