Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Vintage built R2 race engine value?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Vintage built R2 race engine value?

    In my youth I made some stupid moves, this was one of them. I still make lots of mistakes, just not the same ones! Thought I would let the forum members dissect this and, tear into me!

    The engine came out of a successfully stock class drag car of the seventies. Some old timers may remember it when "Rip" Stephenson, competed the engine in a green, 1963 wagon. I bought the engine/trans and put it in my original R1, 1964 Avanti, in about 1980. Got the car running, but never driven and put away for the winter. I thought that the car had been winterized, but when got it out of storage I found that it had about a four inch external crack in the water jacket. Then in quick succession the blueprinted supercharger was stolen. Put the car back in storage where it remained until the other day when I pulled it out. The car will be going to my nephew. He's wanted the car for as long as he can remember, and as the best mechanic that I know, I think the match will be a good one.

    My nephew Jon will be getting a bargain regardless of valuation of the engine/trans parts, this is just intended to satisfy my curiosity. I fully realize that much work has been done over the last forty years on upgrading the competitiveness of these engines, and these are original parts and the engine was built to seventies standards. Maybe none of this is worth anything today, but it's not for sale anyway.

    The engine was built in conjunction with "StuV" products, after it was moved to Tacoma.
    This is what I remember, and all that I remember:
    1)1963 R2 block-not Avanti with stock 289 bore.
    2)Balanced, blueprinted and CC'd.
    3)Hard chromed crank, clearanced .003 on both rods and mains.
    4)R3 heads with head work?
    5)High output oil pump.
    6)Original Avanti Aluminum timing gear.
    7)Original R3 headers.
    8)As I remember it had a high capacity oil pan.
    9)Super T10 four speed.
    10)Heavy clutch with some work done on the linkage to make it drivable.
    11)Stainless steel flywheel with no scatter shield?

    You won't hurt my feelings! The pain has long since subsided.
    .

  • #2
    I found that it had about a four inch external crack in the water jacket. Then in quick succession the blueprinted supercharger was stolen.
    So as is, a well-built-by-'70s-standards, missing the supercharger, with a cracked block?

    You didn't mention which cam, because there were three or four possibilities.

    Bottom line, parted out, it could bring some bucks, but your question mark indicates you aren't 100% certain there are R3 heads on there. Those are the only really valuable pieces. The rest of it, after being raced and rested for forty years may or may not still be usable as is.

    jack vines
    PackardV8

    Comment


    • #3
      So it IS a JTS Block? That Engine Serial # can easily be checked.

      It does have R3 Heads? That also can easily be checked by the Casting Number over the Center Exhaust Port.

      The R3 headers would not have been Original "Stock" on a JTS or RS Avanti, but optional.

      The "High Capacity" Oil pan is 6 Qt. Pan?

      All of this sounds like a perfectly good build for the time it was done, and not bad for Now either after a replacement block is added to the mix and the Compression is determined by whatever Pistons are in it, maybe just grind the Popups off, at least good for Race Fuel.
      Last edited by StudeRich; 07-06-2016, 12:41 PM.
      StudeRich
      Second Generation Stude Driver,
      Proud '54 Starliner Owner
      SDC Member Since 1967

      Comment


      • #4
        It's all about those heads,...if they are real R3 heads, anyone trying to build a 'tribute' R3 would need them to make it right.....and they are simply not available.....Real R3 heads, in good shape, are worth about $6,000 the pair.
        Last edited by SN-60; 07-06-2016, 02:42 PM.

        Comment


        • #5
          If the block isn't broke to bad it could be repaired. On most blocks it's not worth the effort but in this case it maybe. Something like a numbers matching block in a high dollar car or one where blocks don't exist most times are the only one anyone will put that kind of work into.

          Comment


          • #6
            Gentlemen,
            Thanks for responding, much as I expected. I really didn't provide enough information, the car is close enough that I could do a proper search for head casting numbers and engine number. I have some other things going on so it may take a few days.

            In bygone days when this engine was built and the car competed, it ran in a stock class. That required that everything be off the shelf equipment from Studebaker. Unfortunately, I never saw the car run so I can't speak to whether it was run on stock tires, or if slicks were OK. I believe that it did run in the 12's fairly regularly, and until a rules change made it noncompetitive, it was quite successful. I would love it if anyone who remembers the car, and has some anecdotal information would respond.-Bill

            Comment


            • #7
              I know that the car ran slicks. I used to have the skinny pie-crust slicks on yellow Studebaker wheels off of this wagon. There were also some widened steel wheels with larger slicks.

              Comment

              Working...
              X