Engine: Assuming arguendo.....

[Hawklover]

We have a Studebaker Avanti with a well tuned standard R-1 engine. Add to the equation a 3.07 final drive.

I "portend" said car will be able to hit 130 mph.........what say you??

[Skybolt]

Look here for some idea of what to expect if your car was in testing trim:

http://www.theavanti.net/performance.html

http://www.theavanti.net/r1.html

[PackardV8]

We have a Studebaker Avanti with a well tuned standard R-1 engine. Add to the equation a 3.07 final drive.

I "portend" said car will be able to hit 130 mph.........what say you??

We all wish your portent was fact, but while the Avanti looks swoopy, it has a relatively high drag factor; 240 horsepower will only push that upright windshield so fast. I'd think 115-120 would be more likely.

jack vines

[Hawklover]

But Jack!!! what about all the sales talk back in the day about the Avanti having a slippery body and a very low cd!!!! But with a 3:07 rear end it has to be higher...indeed some reports from back in the day listed R2 models with 4:09 at a top speed of 117, and with 3:73 to be 120.

We all wish your portent was fact, but while the Avanti looks swoopy, it has a relatively high drag factor; 240 horsepower will only push that upright windshield so fast. I'd think 115-120 would be more likely.

jack vines

[r1lark]

But Jack!!! what about all the sales talk back in the day about the Avanti having a slippery body and a very low cd!!!! But with a 3:07 rear end it has to be higher...indeed some reports from back in the day listed R2 models with 4:09 at a top speed of 117, and with 3:73 to be 120.

But with that 3.07:1 rear axle, you have to have the horsepower to push the car to that speed. (Remember that drag goes up as the square of the velocity.) The R2 has more horsepower.

[Hawklover]

Duly noted!!

But with that 3.07:1 rear axle, you have to have the horsepower to push the car to that speed. (Remember that drag goes up as the square of the velocity.) The R2 has more horsepower.

[Flat Ernie]

Now my '53 shovel nose coupe...

[Swifster]

What about all the sales talk back in the day about the Avanti having a slippery body and a very low cd!!!!

That was for 1964 where a brick had a lower CD than most cars on the road...

[Dan Timberlake]

What transmission does your car have?

The theoretical maximum attainable Top speed is achieved when the engine's max power occurs at top speed.


One Test of a R2 supercharged car with 3.7 rear axle achieved 133 mph.
The same test said the 3.7 ratio resulted in 22.6 mph/1000 engine rpm, which translates to 5900 rpm at 133 mph.
Perhaps that is 100s of rpm above peak HP rpm for an R2 or even more likely an R1.

Using that info results in 27.3 mph/1000 rpm if using a 3.07 rear gear. At 130 mph the engine would only be revving about 4760 rpm.
If estimates are correct the peak R1 HP is about 240 at 5200 rpm. At a mere 4760 rpm the HP would likely be down a bit, perhaps to 220 HP or so.

A top speed test (using GPS) of the 3.07 axle and an accurate tach would allow a better estimate of which final gear ratio would allow the highest top speed on level ground.

[64Avanti]

You would most likely reach top speed with a 3.31 ratio rear axle. I would agree with Jack that the top speed would be about 120 mph. With a good R2 car and the right gear ratio you might reach 130.

[Hawklover]

Dan my car is 4-speed

What transmission does your car have?

The theoretical maximum attainable Top speed is achieved when the engine's max power occurs at top speed.


One Test of a R2 supercharged car with 3.7 rear axle achieved 133 mph.
The same test said the 3.7 ratio resulted in 22.6 mph/1000 engine rpm, which translates to 5900 rpm at 133 mph.
Perhaps that is 100s of rpm above peak HP rpm for an R2 or even more likely an R1.

Using that info results in 27.3 mph/1000 rpm if using a 3.07 rear gear. At 130 mph the engine would only be revving about 4760 rpm.
If estimates are correct the peak R1 HP is about 240 at 5200 rpm. At a mere 4760 rpm the HP would likely be down a bit, perhaps to 220 HP or so.

A top speed test (using GPS) of the 3.07 axle and an accurate tach would allow a better estimate of which final gear ratio would allow the highest top speed on level ground.

[Hawklover]

Dave, that was not my "postulate".....I asked about a an R-1 in good tune with a 3.07 rear end.

You would most likely reach top speed with a 3.31 ratio rear axle. I would agree with Jack that the top speed would be about 120 mph. With a good R2 car and the right gear ratio you might reach 130.

[SN-60]

Dave, that was not my "postulate".....I asked about a an R-1 in good tune with a 3.07 rear end.

Cheer up.....sometimes my prostate acts up too!

[SN-60]

Cheer up.....sometimes my prostate acts up too!

WHOOPS!!....Sam wrote 'postulateo' NOT 'prostateo'...........Sometimes that Italian lingo gets a bit confusing!........No 'arguendo' there ...Right????

[GrumpyOne]

We have a Studebaker Avanti with a well tuned standard R-1 engine. Add to the equation a 3.07 final drive.

I "portend" said car will be able to hit 130 mph.........what say you??

My old Avanti R1 with a 35x rear would easily do 130... I don't recommend doing it too often on public highways though!