Questions about avanti

[Cbitz23]

Has anyone on here done any aftermarket stuff such as brake conversions, suspension and springs controls arms rotors ect ect on their avanti? If so, I am curious about what parts and brands will work. 

[Avanti83]

Turner Brakes makes a disc brake conversion to more modern parts, Fatman makes a front suspension sub frame upgrade and Morrision and a couple other make complete frame and suspension upgrades. Google can be your friend. Also remember the Avanti rides on a Studebaker Lark Vert frame up to 1985 when looking at chassis mods.

There's been a ton of discussion on the SDC forum about home brew suspension and rack and pinion conversions but with mixed results.

For starters, Bob

[Gunslinger]

I have the Turner front conversion kit on my '70 and composite leaf springs on the rear.  Both are worthwhile changes.

[plwindish]

I have the Turner conversion set on my 76 for the fronts, got the Turner's for the rear but mounting brackets would not work on the Dana rear. so I had the drums rebuilt.

[Avanti7]

I replaced the original bucket seats in my 70, which were very uncomfortable. Bucket seats from Camaro's 1997 to 2002 are almost a direct bolt on. The seat rails side to side are exact line up for the bolt holes. The front of the seat rails need  an extension added to fit over the floor riser. Very easy, just copy those on the original seat rails. The seats themselves are the same size and shape of the originals. But with bigger bolsters. I had my Camaro seats recovered to match the original covers. Much more comfortable. Other Avanti II owners could not tell the difference.

 

[drat]

The turner brake conversation is great, it’s the first thing I did. I also put a wilwood master with a 10psi residual valve inline and a generic 8 inch booster for a firm pedal.   I also Modified some bilstein shocks to work, taking the old shock tower cross bars out and puttin new bushings and pressing the old ones in the new shocks, I think they wer a Camero part number, replaced every bushing I could with dureling or Poly urethane everywhere, new zerks, (zerqs) ? and LUBE.. the front end requires lots of grease maintenance. Onvce to twice a year,depending on how much you drive, I had some front springs made, just have them copy yours... mine are shorter and stiffer , it lowered the car 2 inches front and I blocked the rear, had custom exhaust made to work with sanderson ceramic block huggers and clear the control arms with it being that low,...Etc etc. 

nothing is ever plug and play on my rqa319. Lots of trial and error, and this forum have got me by so far. I’ve done motor work, moden fuse box and wiring loom, hid headlights,  electric cooling fan, alarm, pro sound, 18in wheels, suspension, electronic ignitiion, exhaust, a 700r tranny conversion, posi rear end, (I destroyed th Dana/stude spider gears, and replacing them with more readily available parts seemed prudent). Basically anytime anything breaks I research and find or engineer or have engineered an easier better or more available part. 

 

Id just search this forum and the SDC forum on what you want do first and go from there.

 

 

[A83]

Gunslinger where can I get composite springs and will they fit an 83?

 

thanks A83Kevin

[Gunslinger]

Contact Flex-a-Form.  They make them and the leaf springs are the same fit from '63-'85.

[silverstude]

On 5/16/2018 at 12:56 AM, drat said:

The turner brake conversation is great, it’s the first thing I did. I also put a wilwood master with a 10psi residual valve inline and a generic 8 inch booster for a firm pedal.   I also Modified some bilstein shocks to work, taking the old shock tower cross bars out and puttin new bushings and pressing the old ones in the new shocks, I think they wer a Camero part number, replaced every bushing I could with dureling or Poly urethane everywhere, new zerks, (zerqs) ? and LUBE.. the front end requires lots of grease maintenance. Onvce to twice a year,depending on how much you drive, I had some front springs made, just have them copy yours... mine are shorter and stiffer , it lowered the car 2 inches front and I blocked the rear, had custom exhaust made to work with sanderson ceramic block huggers and clear the control arms with it being that low,...Etc etc. 

nothing is ever plug and play on my rqa319. Lots of trial and error, and this forum have got me by so far. I’ve done motor work, moden fuse box and wiring loom, hid headlights,  electric cooling fan, alarm, pro sound, 18in wheels, suspension, electronic ignitiion, exhaust, a 700r tranny conversion, posi rear end, (I destroyed th Dana/stude spider gears, and replacing them with more readily available parts seemed prudent). Basically anytime anything breaks I research and find or engineer or have engineered an easier better or more available part. 

 

Id just search this forum and the SDC forum on what you want do first and go from there.

 

 

 How about some pictures

[Av4nti]

On 5/18/2018 at 7:42 AM, silverstude said:

I also Modified some bilstein shocks to work, taking the old shock tower cross bars out and puttin new bushings and pressing the old ones in the new shocks, I think they wer a Camero part number, replaced every bushing I could with dureling or Poly urethane everywhere, new zerks, (zerqs) ? and LUBE.. the front end requires lots of grease maintenance. Onvce to twice a year,depending on how much you drive, I had some front springs made, just have them copy yours... mine are shorter and stiffer , it lowered the car 2 inches front and I blocked the rear, had custom exhaust made to work with sanderson ceramic block huggers and clear the control arms with it being that low,...Etc etc. 

12

If I understand that correctly, you replaced the old stock shocks to Bilstein? Have you experienced any difficulties when you modified the shocks?

[SBCA96]

I designed my own system back in 2006 using a modern caliper, a slide over 11 rotor and an option of a 13 inch rotor.  Its all over each of the Studebaker forums if you do a search.  I havent been posting much recently, but I have lots of content once I start again.  My brake setup was featured in a few articles in Avanti magazine.

https://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/forum/your-studebaker-forum/tech-talk/83439-rad-ideas-mustang-gt-and-cobra-brake-adapter-bracket-update

I still have some in stock.

Tom