Hot Avanti ll!

[mfg]

Comparing 'Road and Track' and 'Car Life Magazine' road tests, a 1966 Avanti ll (327--3.54 axle--automatic) handily outran a 1969 Avanti ll (350--3.54 axle--automatic).....True?

Speaking of top speed in 1/4 mile here!

[VtMike]

False

[Gunslinger]

I would say false as well.  Both the base 327 and 350 engine were rated at 300 hp but the 350 had an edge in torque...380 vs. 360.  Also...the 350 wasn't available until the RQB series for 1970.  I haven't seen any documentation the 350 was installed in RQA cars.  

[mfg]

VtMike & Gunslinger are both correct here.....The answer here is FALSE!

92.2 mph compared to 85.7...edge going to the 350....the '66, however, was 150 lbs heavier.

 

[VtMike]

I would have guessed the 327 would have been faster based on the Corvette reputation alone, but I have been reading old road tests and think I saw the comparison.

Question:  Was the 1969 the fastest Avanti II?  If so, it is officially my favorite.

[studegary]

1 hour ago, VtMike said:

I would have guessed the 327 would have been faster based on the Corvette reputation alone, but I have been reading old road tests and think I saw the comparison.

Question:  Was the 1969 the fastest Avanti II?  If so, it is officially my favorite.

I do not believe that there were any 350 cid 1969 models.  

Some (particularly the 1972) of the 400 cids may have been faster than the 327/305/350 variety.  I would think that the fastest lies in the 2001-2007 time frame. 

[VtMike]

I did some Googling of the 1969 Avant II and only found data for the 327 motor.  

[studegary]

1 hour ago, VtMike said:

I did some Googling of the 1969 Avant II and only found data for the 327 motor.  

That is correct.

[mfg]

Not necessarily boys!....I owned RQA0298...a 1969 Avanti ll built on 9/14/69..that was factory equipped (and still has) its original 350 CI Chevy engine!

[Gunslinger]

14 hours ago, VtMike said:

I would have guessed the 327 would have been faster based on the Corvette reputation alone, but I have been reading old road tests and think I saw the comparison.

Question:  Was the 1969 the fastest Avanti II?  If so, it is officially my favorite.

The 327/300 was the base Corvette engine as was the 350/300 beginning in 1969.  Avanti Motors used the current base Corvette engine as standard until they went to the 400 in the early '70s.  Avanti advertising referred to it as a "Stingray" engine.  I've always heard claims of some Avantis being factory equipped with LT-1 350/370hp engines on special order but have never seen any documented as leaving South Bend that way.  

[studegary]

10 hours ago, mfg said:

Not necessarily boys!....I owned RQA0298...a 1969 Avanti ll built on 9/14/69..that was factory equipped (and still has) its original 350 CI Chevy engine!

That was very near the end of what are considered to be 1969 models.  Was that a one off prototype/test mule or did the few 1969 Avantis after that one also have 350s?  I know that some early 1970 RQA models also received 350s.  I believe that all 1970 RQB models were 350s. 

[Gunslinger]

Since GM had discontinued the 327 in favor of the 350 sometime during the '68-'69 time period it would make sense for Avanti Motors to slip the 350 into their production as soon as 327 engines in inventory were used up.  There's no reason to believe the 327s in stock ran out just as the RQA line ended, so its logical at least some RQAs received the 350 prior to the RQB series.  It's certainly possible the RQA series was extended longer than it might have otherwise due to wanting to use up all the 327 engines inventoried...just speculation on my part.

I've seen speculation that Avanti Motors was going to continue the RQA series as a more or less "base" Avanti and the RQB series was an upgrade...but that was speculation and no first hand evidence to that has ever been demonstrated to my knowledge.  For such a low production vehicle it made complete sense to center on strictly the RQB and drop the RQA.  Enough changes...both by  forced by government regulation and upgrades due to market forces...justified a change to a new series.  Avanti Motors was also facing the inevitability of running out of leftover Studebaker parts inventory and having to either source new items or manufacture some parts themselves added to the decision.

[mfg]

Interesting thoughts,and may I add 'well said' Gunslinger.

A side note....I'm looking at the P.O. for RQA0298....Avanti Motors was apparently still using Studebake -like body numbers at this time, as the P.O. for this Avanti ll indicates it had body number RQ4838....A photo I have of the engine compartment also shows the Stude-type body tag in the usual location.

[mfg]

I would also add that the 9/14/69 date I mentioned above was the "Date Written'......There was no final assembly date entered on RQA0298's P.O.

[Gunslinger]

Body numbers and the plate were discontinued beginning with RQB1516.  There was no real need for them since there was only one body supplier.  Avanti Motors may have simply run out of leftover Avanti bodies that had body numbers applied by Molded Fiberglass.