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Can anyone check out a Detroit R2 for me?


Mistro

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I'm in Chicago and have come across a 64 R2 4 speed that I'd like an expert to check out for me.  It appears to be decent but it has sat in a dry garaged area in Detroit for several decades. However the seller, the heir, represents it is now roadworthy and registered. But I am concerned about the overall mechanicals and possible rust. I need boots and eyes on a car to make a decision.

I would gladly pay to have an Avanti knowledgeable individual check it out.   And if I am posting in the wrong area for these kinds of requests, I'd really appreciate knowing that too. Thanks in advance. Rgds, Mike

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Seller reported it as R5083 . Doesn't seem to be anything in the directory, assuming I'm looking in the right place. And I just learned of the place yesterday, so I may not be looking where I could find info. Thanks.

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  • 5 months later...

To close out this thread, or maybe to restart it, I'll add that I bought the car in question on Sept. 8, 2018.  The car was listed on Cars.com since around Nov. 2017.  The seller received many calls about the car, but I'm the only person who went to see it.  My wife and I drove 600 miles from Virginia to north of Detroit to see (and buy) the car.  While it's not a "barn find," I would call it a "storage unit find."  It was in a storage unit since the early to mid-1980s.  It came out of storage around May 2017 after the seller inherited it from her cousin.  The car was cleaned up and put in driving condition in 2017.  It's a low-mileage (43K) turquoise/turquoise 1964 R2 with 4-speed.  In addition it has heavy duty springs and 4.09:1 Twin Traction (only 7 '64 R2 4-speed cars had this non-standard rear).  It originally had no windshield washer, but an aftermarket washer was added at some point in the past with the washer fluid bag hung on the wrong side (I will be removing it).  The turquoise interior is in amazing condition, including the driver seat (except for a small worn spot on the welting, but a roll of original turquoise vinyl came with the car and I do upholstery).  Carpets are totally intact but faded and a new carpet set came with the car.  Painted and plated surfaces in the engine compartment suffered during its long period of unheated storage, but it's very complete and original (and NOS valve covers came with the car).  Exterior paint is original and is 95% pretty nice (a partial quart of Avanti Turquoise lacquer came with the car).  The seller was honest on the phone about underside rust issues, which is probably why no one else came to see the car.  It will need hog troughs (especially driver side) and rear cross-member (a new cross-member came with the car), as well as some replacement of frame rail bottom plate.  I have previously done the latter two repairs (on my '54 Starlight coupe and an earlier Avanti II) and intend to do the hog trough repair myself using the Classic Enterprises hog troughs that don't require fiberglass surgery.  I'm excited to get started.  From time to time you can count on me asking questions and/or providing updates and more pictures.

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Very nice car. Good luck with the repairs, with your experience all should go well. It's unusual to find one this age that has been stored for years and the instrument bezels are no corroded and the dash pad is in excellent condition.

Great find

Edited by Avanti83
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That is a nice and very desirable Avanti.  I think that the needed rust repair is what would have kept many of us away from the car.  Labor is the big part of those repairs, so if you do the repairs yourself it is not as big a deal.   

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