SPEEDOMETER

[profaqualung]

This past Saturday my speedo quit working. I was able to pull the cable loose from the transmission, and determined that even though the gear on the end of the cable is fairly chewed up, the cable is spinning and activating the speedometer. So the problem would seem to be in the tranny.

I went thru the service manual [63/64 Avanti], and found speedometer info on the 3 speed transmission, and on the 4 speed tranny, but nothing on the automatic in my vehicle.

I have a 1970 II with a 2-speed auto. At first glance, it looks to be a major operation to get to the gear in the transmission - driveshaft removal, crossmember removal, support the trans, etc., etc.

Am I missing something, and is there an easier way to get the gear out ? ? ? ? ?

The cable is available, as are the gears in the trans [once I find out how many teeth it is (3.23 rear-end)].

Any input will be greatly appreciated.

Thank You

[Gunslinger]

Even though it uses a different torque converter, it's still the Borg-Warner Power Shift used in the Studes. I see no reason why the information in the shop manual on transmission service isn't applicable to your car. If you don't have the shop manual, you should have one.

[profaqualung]

GUNSLINGER -

In the shop/service manual, there is a section included in the "3 speed" and "4 speed" transmission parts that deal directly with the speedo and its gear. But not so in the part on the auto trans.

BUT - I took off my new bifocals, and read the whole auto-trans section and DID find a brief mention, and a picture. It is listed in the "housing extension" part.

And my worst fears were confirmed. Housing estension has to come off - drive shaft out, etc., etc.

But to every dark cloud, there is a silver lining. This now gives me a good reason while I have the driveshaft out, to shorten it and install the GearVendors overdrive unit I have.

Thanks for the input.

[SBCA96]

OK, first off you should have a 3 speed trans, the Avanti auto was a 3

spd until they used the 4 spd OD until in the early 80s. You should be

seeing a "Powershift" automatic in there, which is a Borg Warner unit.

Its possible that someone put a 2 speed Powerglide in there, though it

is very unlikely. From your description, it sounds like a "Powershift".

It is a very good transmission, and cream of the crop for Stude. It is

loosely based on a Ford trans, so many parts are available still. It is

highly unlikely that the gear INSIDE the trans is damaged. Most likely

the gear on the end of the cable, is skipping teeth on the gear in the

trans - which causes your speedo problem. It also could be a combo

of needing to pour some speedo cable lube down from the top side. I

would guess that if the gear from the cable isnt too badly damaged, it

would be possible to go to your local (preferrably one around for more

then a few years) and size up the gear with what they have. Once you

compare it to one, you should be able to find out how many teeth it

used to have.

I hope this helps.

Tom

[WayneC]

OK, first off you should have a 3 speed trans, the Avanti auto was a 3

spd until they used the 4 spd OD until in the early 80s. You should be

seeing a "Powershift" automatic in there, which is a Borg Warner unit.

<snip>

Tom

Was the chewed up gear you found a plastic gear??? Was the gear

actually on the cable, or on a steel cylindrical fitting at the end

of the cable?

My '71 has a GM turbohydro 400, so it's possible you have a GM tranny.

I don't know what was used in 1970, so I'm going to assume a GM tranny.

I think all GM transmissions have the same setup for the speedo cable,

and I've had some experience with GM manual transmissions.

I cannot recall exactly, but if you look at where the speedo cable

enters/attaches to the tranny, it should have a screw-on collar that

allows you to remove the cable from a cylindrical fitting that is housed in

the tranny. There is also a tab retained by a screw that presses/holds the

cylindrical fitting in the hole. If you removed only the tab to pull the cable

out of the tranny, the fitting would still be attached to the cable.

When you've removed the cylindrical fitting from the transmission, there will be a

plastic gear on a shaft, either left inside the tranny or more likely protruding from the

end of the cylindrical fitting... the plastic shaft on the gear nestles inside the fitting,

with the gear at the inside end of the fitting; the squared end of the cable slides

into the outer end of the shaft of that plastic gear.

The plastic gear mates to a steel drive gear inside the tranny,

so that steel gear is likely undamaged (the plastic driven gear is purposely sacrificed).

It is highly unlikely that something INSIDE the tranny caused the speedo failure.

That gear you removed is chewed up, and something chewed it up, most likely binding inside

the CABLE housing, so replace the cable. Check the speedometer, too, to make sure it's not

causing the binding; connect the new cable to the speedometer and spin the cable

from the tranny end, first by hand, and then with an electric drill, to run the speedometer

to be sure everything is turning freely with near-zero resistance, no funny clicking noises.

Clean out the fitting and the fitting cavity in the tranny to get rid of any plastic particles,

and lubricate the cavity lightly with white lithium grease.

On the GM trannies, the plastic gear comes in colors according to how many teeth

are on the gear (to conform to different rear end ratios). I think you can simply go to

a GM dealer and get a new gear in that color, and they are not very expensive,

probably around $10 - $15.

[profaqualung]

TOM

My trans is a definite 2-speed. Someone even went to the trouble of putting a "block" to prevent the lever being pulled back into the "1" slot. My trans guru says it appears to be an AMC [Javelin] 2-speed unit from the late 60's [or one similar in outward appearances].

The fitting on the end of the cable is metal - but not having a new one in my possession, I cannot accurately determine how much actual wear there is on the teeth. All I can determine for sure, are that some [maybe 10%] are severely worn on the leading edge. But the teeth are not worn down smooth - though they could be worn enough to not be making contact with the gear in the trans. Won't know that until I get a new cable in my hands.

When the cable is pulled loose, and the gear spun, the speedo needle reacts accordingly. So, based on your info, and an old time speedo repairman in Tulsa, who also agrees with you about the chances of the trans gear being the source of the problem, I am going to gamble on replacing the cable first and see if that cures the problem.

WAYNE C

I have, unfortuneately, more than a passing familiarity with Chevy trans and speedos, having replaced 3 speedometers, 2 trans, 2 rearends in my 69 427 Vette. I wish this problem was that easy.

I must commend you on the accuracy of your answer and clearly outlined instructions. When I had this problem on my Vette 9 years ago, you would not believe the the advice I got from the 'vette' forum I had inquired at. One response was 2 1/2 printed pages, and would have required a doctorate in mechanical engineering to figure out.

For clarification purposes, the cable fits in from the back of [what the shop manual calls] the "extension housing" and pushes forward [towards the engine]. It appears to engage a gear on the output shaft that is held on by a snap ring.

Thank you both for you help. I really was not looking forward to taking the back of the trans and driveshaft loose. And since I am going to replace the cable anyway, if this cures the problem, I have one less headache to worry about. My "trans guru" only bent down and glanced at it from the side [not in the air], and it will be interesting to find out what kind of transmission I actually have when we get it off the ground.

Thank you both again

Thomas Carey

[SBCA96]

Wow, an AMC trans??? I dont see how that could have happened. Regardless,

if you are running something that oddball, and its only got 2 speeds, and you are

planning this GearVendors OD unit, might I suggest a much easier swap? The

TH700R4 is a 4 speed auto trans, will bolt directly to your GM engine, and its an

all in one piece. Get one from 1987 to 1993 and you are good to go, make sure

you add a cooler if you dont have one already. If you want more longevity, have

a local shop add extra clutches to the 3/4 pack, and add a "Corvette" servo. Its

probably the single best upgrade you can make. My dad just did his 1969 Avanti

and loves it (thats your old baby Wayne! )

Tom

[WayneC]

<snip>

might I suggest a much easier swap? The

TH700R4 is a 4 speed auto trans, will bolt directly to your GM engine, and its an

all in one piece. Get one from 1987 to 1993 and you are good to go, make suret

you add a cooler if you dont have one already. If you want more longevity, have

a local shop add extra clutches to the 3/4 pack, and add a "Corvette" servo. Its

probably the single best upgrade you can make. My dad just did his 1969 Avanti

and loves it (thats your old baby Wayne! )

Tom

I'd second that suggestion, why fool with an extra overdrive unit, put in a newly rebuilt

TH700R4.... do it right and sell the overdrive.

Tom, I'd be interested in knowing what needed to be done to make that swap, in detail,

eg, driveshaft, mount, linkage, electrical issues... next time I need a tranny overhaul I'll

be thinking about using the TH700R4 instead. Was it covered in the Avanti Magazine and

I've forgotten? (it's tough getting old) If it hasn't been, it would make a nice article (hint).

I do have a short writeup I saved, perhaps from this forum (but I forgot to note the

name of the person that posted it); it mentions serious difficulty with adding a TV cable and

adjusting the cable by using a pressure gauge, but not really enough details given for a novice

to actually do the swap. It also mentions a kit from "Dave" (not sure who that is, Thibeault maybe?).

Other issues it mentioned were:

1. shifter rod pivot length may have to be changed, or a Chevy shifter used

2. driveshaft needs to be shortened and fitted with the proper mount ears for a Chevy yoke

(note: actually, I think you can buy special U-joints that allow a mismatch of yoke & driveshaft)

3. elongate holes in the crossmember to accommodate the tranny support

4. Modify the exhaust pipe on the left side to offset further left to avoid the TH700R4 pan,

and enlarge the "X" crossmember opening to accommodate that offset.

5. wire the torque converter lockup to function automatically (writer says this is a big deal

and that he not only has a manual switch for lockup, but he also used a temperature

switch to force lockup when tranny temp gets to 210!)

6. use the TH700R4 only with a numerically low axle ratio, unless the engine has a HP cam

and needs to run at high RPM

Someone added the observation that the passenger footwell needs to be altered a bit

to accomodate the 700R4 servo housing... that isn't an insignificant issue, since it may affect

the rug as well! This poster said the 200R4 tranny avoids some of the clearance issues.

(I'm vaguely remembering something about a replacement shifter dial available, maybe from

an 80's Avanti, that has markings for this swap, but darned if I know where I saw it).

Edited March 24, 2007 by WayneC

[SBCA96]

http://www.tvmadeez.com/article/index.html

The above link explains the proper TV cable adjustment. I didnt do the swap

for my dad, so I dont know how much trouble they had. He didnt report back

to me that they needed to cut anything. He just had a local garage in the tiny

town he lives in make what was needed. He used my 89 700R4 that I took

out of my Hawk. When I didnt my Hawk swap, I just went a salvage yard

and measured driveshafts until I found one the right length. You should also

be able to do that with the Avanti swap. I have read that others have had a

few issues with floor and servo contact, my dad didnt mention anything about

that being true with the 69, some claim after that the floors were changed?

The lockup converter is easy to take care of, B&M made (probably still does)

a converter lockup device that ran off the speedo cable, you put it between

the trans and speedo & adjust the converter to lock up at an indicated 45mph.

Very simple stuff. The TV Cable needs to have a spot on the carb to connect,

so you need to remedy that, I just bought an Edelbrock carb, and made my

own bracket to bolt to the intake. That was on a Stude engine, you have a

lot more options available for the GM powered Avantis.

Tom

[Gunslinger]

I had a 700R4 installed in place of the B-W in my '70, and there were no issues with clearance with the tranny tunnel. The stock shifter was used but the linkages had to be fabricated. The speed shop tech also had to fabricate a different arrangement for a neutral safety switch and back up light switch as there wasn't clearance for the stock set-up. Since a different driveshaft was needed I went with an aluminum unit to reduce rotating mass. I used the shifter indicator dial from Nostalgia Motors for an automatic overdrive...you need the shifter housing as well since it is different. It's the same parts Avanti Motors used when they went to the four speed automatics.

The transmission support was not a problem. A new standard support was mounted on the frame in the appropriate place for the 700.

Other issues that had to be addressed were mainly due to my having fuel injection installed with cable operation instead of the stock linkages. The accelerator pedal mounted on the floor would not work as the angles were all wrong for cables. A Lokar accelerator pedal that mounts on the firewall was put in. It required a steel plate contoured to match the firewall be installed on the engine side of the firewall for mounting security.

This thread has wandered from the original question about a speedometer gear, but I wanted to address the concerns regarding installing a 700R4.

[profaqualung]

GENTLEMAN -

Continue to 'wander away' from the original question as much as you want. This is most informative. One of the first things I looked into when I discovered/bought this car in December, was replacing the trans with a 700R4 - but some initial measurements on the tunnel, and the transmission, showed that there were going to have to be some serious modifications to be made.

Also measured the 200R4 in my El Camino, and it came up a little on the large side.

My vehicle is titled as a '70', but the build date was Sept. 69 - which may account for the physical differences in the trans tunnel - who knows? ? ? ?

Thanks again for all the useful information. I would be happier with an OD trans, but unfortunately live in an area where you can count the people competent enough to do the 'complete' job right on 3 fingers. And they stay busy all the time, and it would be a project that would be worked in when they have a spare moment or two. That would result in the car being tied up a minimum of 6 weeks - and that is not going to happen just yet. I am having ENTIRELY TOO MUCH FUN driving this thing. And answering peoples questions as to "what kind of car is that".

So far the guesses have been -

7 - Avanti [5 of which were women]

4 - Ferrari

2 - Jaguar

1 - Aston Martin

1 - Jensen Healey

2 - Maserati

1 - "Well it kind of looks like a Valiant from the back"

2 - "That James Bond car"

1 - Vespa

2 - "I don't know what it is, but it was made in Canada"

And my favorite "some kind of customized Cobra" - this was in part due to my having the "Belligerent Rabbit" on its yellow background - from Shelbys 'TERLINGUA RACING TEAM' as the center insert on my Magnum 500 rims, and on the valve covers where the Chevy logo would normally be.

GUNSLINGER, TOM, WAYNEC - thank you again - you have made the OD trans swap sound more appealing, and I shall do some re-measuring in case it is a swap I might consider this winter.

Thomas

[Gunslinger]

Thomas...

My guess, and it's just a guess by the "SWAG" method (Scientific Wild-Assed Guess), is since some have dimensional differences making swaps to 700R4 or 200R4's difficult, is maybe, just maybe, Avanti Motors made changes to the molds sometime during 1970 since they planned on transitioning to the GM transmissions anyway. I've never seen any documentation or reports to support my guess, but it does seem logical.

My '70 was assembled in August of '70, so it seems apparent that any modifications had to have been completed by that point since a 700R4 had no clearance problems when installed in my car. Mine is an RQB so maybe that is the starting point and not with the RQA's. From what information I have read the "B" models did institute a number of changes justifying a new designation. Maybe the changes to accept the GM transmissions was one of them.

The only other conclusion I can draw is that since there are dimensional differences between cars on its non-traditional assembly line, it's simply a car by car thing whether the tranny swap will create problems. While that might make some sense on RQA cars that came only with the B-W Power Shift or T-10 4-speed, it would create major headaches when Avanti Motors knew they were changing to GM automatic transmissions. That would introduce an intolerable situation on the assembly line modifying car bodies on an as-needed basis. It does seem far more logical they would change the molds to eliminate assembly line delays and tends to make be believe my first guess.

[profaqualung]

AND THE PLOT THICKENS -

What you say makes a lot of sense 'Gunslinger' - now let me add another piece to the puzzle, that came to my attention today.

Yes the trans is a 2 speed - yes, it was used in certain AMC products in the late 60's - BUT, it was more commonly known as the Ford "Cruisomatic".

And to top it all off, the consensus of opinion [bloomenthal Trans, Transaction] , is that the standard/stock cable [with 21 teeth on the end] will hook up and work. What are the chances of that ? ? ? ? ?

What rear-end are you running with your 700R4, and what kind of mileage are you getting?

Thomas

[Gunslinger]

The car is running its original 3.31 rear end...no fuel mileage yet as I don't have the car back from its body off recostruction yet. In fact, it got painted today.

When the speed shop that installed the new engine, fuel injection and transmission, they called in a transmission specialist who built the transmission to match the 3.31 rear, engine power curve and camshaft specs. The tech said the car should smoke the tires and still idle down the highway in overdrive.

After the body shop wet sands and buffs the car, they still have to reinstall all the trim, weatherstripping, glass, etc. After that it goes back to the speed shop for final tweaking then the upholstery shop for fitting of new door panels and carpeting.

I figure by the end of April or early May I'll have a new 1970 Avanti to drive and enjoy. It's been a long and bumpy road to get to this point, but I'm really looking forward to it.

[SBCA96]

I was running a 3:31 axle in my Hawk (lighter car) with a 700R4, and a built

Studebaker 289 - got around 25 mpg.

I think its MORE likely that your Avanti has a Flight-o-matic Stude trans, and

they blocked off 1st gear since the FOM only has a selectable "L" & "D". It is

a 3 speed trans, but it takes off in 2nd gear. Most people thought that the FOM

was only a 2 spd trans. It also shares many parts and looks with a Ford trans.

Tom

[WayneC]

Just a bit more information...

I was looking around my computer files and found a few previous posts I'd saved that

led me to a vendor (TCI) with some pertinent information on transmission swap issues...

1. They have a TV cable bracket for Edelbrock carburetors: #376710

(they have brackets for other carbs as well)

2. They have a tech writeup on adjusting the TV cable with that bracket: http://tinyurl.com/ywfev7

3. Installation Do's and Don'ts: http://tinyurl.com/2cnm36

4. Numerous parts to assist in electronic tranny swaps (4L60E, etc): http://tinyurl.com/272loc

5. FAQ's on tranny swap issues: http://tinyurl.com/297ppx

[profaqualung]

TOM

You have made the puzzle even more interesting. I have always felt that what I consider "LOW" gear was a little wimpy - sure, with some coaxing it will light up the 225R65's on the back, but it did not really start pulling until about half way thru first gear.

So, forgetting about the speedo cable for a bit [i have one coming to arrive tomorrow, and if it is not right, Jackson Speedo in OKC will make me one up from the old one, or just put a new 21 tooth gear on the old cable], here is what I would like to find out. If this trans is the Flight-o-matic, and there is actually a first gear in there that I am unable to access, what do I do to get all 3 speeds working? ? ? ? ? ?

I read your reply earlier today, and went by BOTH my trans gurus and had them recheck there findings - they still insist it looks like a Ford[AMC] - BUT they both admit, they haven't seen a Ford unit like that in a long time, and, they have NEVER had occassion to see or work on Stude F O M. As a result, they do not know what one looks like, and have never had occassion to work on one [one in business for 24 years, the other for 19 years].

Another problem, is that this is central Mississippi - not a lot of Studes or Avanti II's to compare with. All the surviving Studes [2 Lark Daytona Convert.'s], Avantis [2 63's], are 4 speed cars. The lone 78 II is a turbo 350. So, are there any identifying marks, castings, numbers [and where would they be] to look for?

Just when I think it could NOT get any more jumbled up, along comes another bit of info to help muddy the waters. But in this case, TOO much info is not a bad thing.

Just as a side note, has anyone ever undertaken the task of trying to catalog all the Avantis - serial #'s, options, engine, trans, etc., etc. - Like the Cobra owners registry, or the Pontiac Super Duty registry? Or has it become so 'muddled' over the years, that it would be an impossible task - plus I have no idea of what kind of build records were kept, and if they could be accessed. I ask, because I have a lot of spare time, and would be extremely interested in learning and cataloging the correct history of these cars.

Thomas

[Gunslinger]

Borg-Warner desgned automatic transmissions for several car manufacturers, or it's more accurate to say several car makers used B-W based automatic transmissions. Each was built to suit their particular engines with specific internals, bell housings, torque converters, etc. They may look similar externally, and may share a few internal parts, but won't interchange without problems showing up.

I imagine it might be easy to confuse them to someone only familiar with the Ford version, or possibly what AMC used. The Borg-Warner had a cast iron case and had no vacuum leads going to it like a GM Hydramatic would have. I believe the GM trannies had aluminum cases as well.

You said your transmission was a 2-speed unit. It does sound like you're describing the B-W Power Shift used in Studebaker Avanti's and Avanti II's until the end of the '70 model year. It is a 3-speed, but has a 2nd gear start in Drive. If you want it in first gear, you have to manually put it in first. Is that what you're experiencing? I never really understood the logic and reasoning behind that, but Stude and Borg-Warner must have had their reasons for it...or Stude specified it and B-W simply gave them what was specified.

There have been articles in back issues of AOAI on how to convert your Power Shift to first gear start. Maybe someone here knows what issue or can provide you with the information.

There is an Avanti registry on-line <www.theavanti.com/register.htm>. It's purely voluntary so there's no way of telling how accurate or complete it is.

As far as build records go, all records through about '87 or '88 are owned by Dan and Betty Booth of Nostalgic Motors. How difficult it would be for someone to go through them all and make some kind of data base I have no idea. No telling how complete those records are. It would also be an impossible task to determine how many are left and what changes have been done to them. When my RQB1574 is done, it will be very different from the car that left South Bend in 1970. Many, many Avanti's are far different cars from when they were new.

[profaqualung]

GUNSLINGER -

I keep refering to my trans as a '2-speed' - but from what I have learned in the past few days, who knows? There is a metal bracket bolted to the housing for the shifter that prevents the gearshift lever from being pulled back to "1" notch. What will happen if I remove that bracket, I don't know - but WILL find out very soon. Though I would imagine, as you suggested, there will probably be a lot more involved to accessing 1st gear than removing the bracket.

I have said it before, and will say it again - you and the other gentlemen have been a GREAT help. The more and better information I have, the better questions I can ask of others down the line.

I can't speak for you or the others that are in the process of restoring , or have restored their Avanti's, but it would have been a great help to me personally, to know exactly what I was starting out with - Dodge master cylinder, Ford power brake booster and so on. Mr. Booth has been my major supplier of the parts I have replaced on my car, and an excellent source of information. I know I will be talking to him in the next couple of days, and will bring up the subject of trying to compile a list of what each car originally came with - if possible.

Thanks Again

Thomas

[Gunslinger]

Avanti Motors adapted regularly available parts from many suppliers to their cars...and sometimes on an as available basis. They used the Bendix brake booster as did Studebaker, but other car makers used Bendix as well. Again...just because the parts might look alike and they may fit the same, doesn't mean the internal valving, etc., is the same. The parts are built for specific cars and if interchanged, MAY cause problems. Then again, swapping them many improve things as well.

Just because many have found parts swaps from other makes to our cars out of good intentions or expediency, it doesn't automatically follow the result will be safe or perform as desired. That's what engineering is about. I have a couple of older Corvettes and as popular as they are, and as great as parts availablility is for them, especially compared to an Avanti, Vette owners talk about watching out for "Bubba" working on your car. There's a lot of "Bubbas" out there who try and fix or modify their car out of expediency or lack of good judgement and the car (and maybe you) suffers for it. I'm sure lots of "Bubbas" have worked on Avanti's over the years...my '70 showed it when I bought it. Undoing what "Bubba" did doubles your work involved in getting these cars right...fixing what he did then fixing it right.

Both Studebaker and Avanti Motors, though small companies, put a lot of effort into properly engineering their products correctly to the best of their abilities and finances. The Altman's in particular, put a lot of pride in their engineering for such a small company, but then again. Stude did most of the engineering prior to them. That being said, it still left a lot of engineering work to transition to the Chevy engine, Federal safety mandates, new transmissions, a sunroof, etc., as time went on and market conditions changed.

I don't believe they made changes without a lot of thought and design time. Sometimes they did adapt rather than redesign, but that was probably a matter of economics more than desire.

Any changes you make need to be well thought out to make sure it won't have a negative effect on the car's safety and performance. Sometimes making changes requires more changes and then a project can get out of hand and costs escalate out of control. A more powerful engine can require more powerful brakes, which can require different wheels to clear the new brakes, which require bigger tires for the new wheels, and the engine puts out more heat which require a bigger radiator...you get the picture.

There's nothing wrong with changing things and making improvements to a 30-40+ year old car. It's your car and your money. I'm just suggesting every change needs to be thought through. The law of unintended consequences can bite hard.

[profaqualung]

GUNSLINGER -

You make a number of very good points. And as I live in the breeding grounds for the "Bubba mechanics", I am VERY careful on who works on my vehicles. Fortunately I came in contact with a gentleman about 15 years ago, who seems to be able to read my mind as to what I want/expect from my cars/boats - and has just enough of a warped sense of humor, to go along with my wishes to a certain extent.

Now, back to the trans. Cutting off the bracket [that appeared to keep the lever from going into the "1" slot], made NO difference. Something else is preventing pulling the lever back that far - and I wasn't able to determine what it was from the topside - yet. This makes finding the articles you mentioned even more of a priority.

Thomas

[SBCA96]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_Drive

"By 1955, Studebaker was forced to abandon Automatic Drive because of high production costs. Studebaker replaced Automatic Drive with a less expensive Borg-Warner unit built by the Warner Gear Division, ironically based on Ford's Ford-o-Matic, that Studebaker called Flight-O-Matic. Borg-Warner continued to build Studebaker's Automatic Drive and market the unit overseas. It was used by such British firms as Jaguar, Daimler, Humber and Ford Zephyr/Zodiac."

http://www.studebakerclubs.com/roughrider/techtip.htm

"The Flight-O-Matic transmission used in 1959-64 Vehicles is, for the most part, the same as that used on Ford vehicles of the same vintage. Often referred to as a "Ford Iron Case" transmission, the only major differences are the valve body & torque converter. A local transmission rebuild shop should have no difficulties in repairing one (especially if they have a staff member that has actually seen a Studebaker automatic). "

http://www.studebaker-info.org/tech/transm...n/FMX/fmx2.html

This is what it looks like :

Tom

[ernier]

You must have a Powershift and while it feels like a 2 speed it is indeed a 3. The Powershift is designed to start in second unless the pedal is mashed to the floor. I don't know of any 2 speeds used in AMC cars, they did have a version of the BW that is virtually identical to the Powershift. It would be unlikely that you have an AMC trans in that the changes necessary to adapt it would far exceed the trouble to rebuild the existing trans, should that occasion have arisen. I have attempted it, I know first hand what has to be done.

My 64 R2 has a 700R4, the changes to the tunnel are not visible fom the inside and are in the same area as a factory hole for band adjustment on the Powershift. Adapting a GM trans to your car would be a "piece of cake" and likely less involved than the Gear Vendor addition. As far as TV cable adjustment, there are kits that make it very simple. Add the Gear Vendor to a 4 speed automatic and you have an interesting combination, 8 speeds available, right?

Re: your original question, though. Replace the plastic gear and the cable. Sometimes the tips of the cable wear or break and while you can see the cable turning when it's disconnected once it's connected to the speedo it doesn't do the job. The plastic gears are plastic so they will break instead of the trans gear, don't waste your time going into the trans to fix the speedo.

I've spent a lot of time making my 700R4 swap work like it should. If you or anyone else has questions feel free to ask. My car shifts like an 80's Corvette, gets 20+ on the highway and is quiet enough to listen to the radio at less than full blast ( although I still do, on occasion ). Here's a picture of a correct TV set up on an Edlebrock carb that I adapted for use on my R2.

GENTLEMAN -

Continue to 'wander away' from the original question as much as you want. This is most informative. One of the first things I looked into when I discovered/bought this car in December, was replacing the trans with a 700R4 - but some initial measurements on the tunnel, and the transmission, showed that there were going to have to be some serious modifications to be made.

Also measured the 200R4 in my El Camino, and it came up a little on the large side.

My vehicle is titled as a '70', but the build date was Sept. 69 - which may account for the physical differences in the trans tunnel - who knows? ? ? ?

Thanks again for all the useful information. I would be happier with an OD trans, but unfortunately live in an area where you can count the people competent enough to do the 'complete' job right on 3 fingers. And they stay busy all the time, and it would be a project that would be worked in when they have a spare moment or two. That would result in the car being tied up a minimum of 6 weeks - and that is not going to happen just yet. I am having ENTIRELY TOO MUCH FUN driving this thing. And answering peoples questions as to "what kind of car is that".

So far the guesses have been -

7 - Avanti [5 of which were women]

4 - Ferrari

2 - Jaguar

1 - Aston Martin

1 - Jensen Healey

2 - Maserati

1 - "Well it kind of looks like a Valiant from the back"

2 - "That James Bond car"

1 - Vespa

2 - "I don't know what it is, but it was made in Canada"

And my favorite "some kind of customized Cobra" - this was in part due to my having the "Belligerent Rabbit" on its yellow background - from Shelbys 'TERLINGUA RACING TEAM' as the center insert on my Magnum 500 rims, and on the valve covers where the Chevy logo would normally be.

GUNSLINGER, TOM, WAYNEC - thank you again - you have made the OD trans swap sound more appealing, and I shall do some re-measuring in case it is a swap I might consider this winter.

Thomas

[profaqualung]

Mr. Booth at Nostalgic knew what I needed better that I did. Instead of the complete cable, all he sent was the 21 tooth gear - and that was ALL it needed. Old gear off - new gear on, and the speedo works. Took all of 7 minutes.

GUNSLINGER - I took my car over to the gentleman I bought it from this afternoon, to show him the new paint, rims, interior. Turns out he had a copy of the Gundry book which he gave me. After looking over the section on accessing first gear, it became quite evident that I DO NOT live in an area where I would feel very confident about the success of such an operation. My 2 transmission gurus are good at what they do, but they both admitted that this was something they would not feel comfortable attempting. This winter it will get the 700R4.

To GUNSLINGER, WAYNEC, TOM, ERNIER -

This has been a very enlightening experience - and I greatly appreciate your help and advice. So if you see a dark copper metallic 70 II, with light tan interior, no external nameplates, and 1/2" stainless wire mess grilles covering the headlights, flag me down - dinner is on me.

Again, thank you very much.

Thomas

[Gunslinger]

Thomas...

Congratulations on the easy repair. Everyone wishes things could always go so easily and inexpensively. Glad you got the copy of Gundry's book. It can be very helpful, as you've already found out.

If I spot you driving your car, I'll take you up on your offer for dinner. The same goes if you find your way out here to the east coast and you see a red '02 Avanti convertible or a '70 Avanti II in pearlescent cream...flag me down and I'll buy!

Take care.