need a water pump in montana

[mapman]

We are returning home from the AOAI meet in Kansas City and the water pump started rattling after we left Bozeman, Montana. We made it to Three Forks and will be needing a new Avanti water pump. If anyone knows of one (new or used, Avanti or V8) nearby please let me know. Any help would be appreciated.
Rob

[drrotor]

I have a new (or rebuilt, can't remember) here in Seattle... could ship it tomorrow morning if you want... you'd have to let me know before I leave for work in the morning. If interested, PM me your phone #. I know it's not close, but if you don't have any other options... BTW it's a V8 pump, not specifically Avanti. Are they the same?

[mapman]

Thanks, The pumps will work but the regular one doesn't have the reinforcement ribs for the heavy pully and fan setup. I am hoping to find one in the area as there are a number of members nearby.
I will let you know if I need it. I am trying to drive it home.
Rob

[StudeRich]

The Center of the Pulley hub is deeper on Avantis to accept the Viscous Drive and H.D. Fan, so V8 Pumps do not work on Avantis, which is why in addition to the reinforced Bearing area in the casting, they ARE different and not interchangeable.

I do have a case of them here, but USPS would take at least one or 2 Days with High Dollar Priority Express Mail.
Rich. @ Studebakers Northwest

[DieselJim]

Always carry a spare water pump for the R2 Avanti just for that reason.

[TWChamp]

That's interesting because I'd never think one needs to carry a spare water pump, especially these days. I can see it if they use plain water and it turns to rusty water, but with antifreeze I'd not expect to have to replace the pump on the road.

In 1969 I was driving my 1950 Commander home on leave from El Paso to Minneapolis, and the water pump went out in upper New Mexico. I saw a few drips of water when I bought gas, then within 100 miles the pump was so loose it was ready to go through the radiator. Luckily a guy in the small town I stopped at used to sell Studebakers, and he had a bearing and seal kit to put in my pump. Except for the 10% ethanol crap gas taking out my fuel pump two years ago, that was the only breakdown I've ever had in my Studebakers.

[mapman]

Thanks Rich, good to be set straight ahead of time. Now I am thinking I will be ahead just to haul it home. I know it has a different fan and the viscous drive may be different. So who knows what may have been done to it. We are also kind of pushed for time as Shan has a flight out to Alaska Thursday and we are still 400 miles from home.
Rob

[Green 53]

[mapman]

I like living on the edge I guess. I brought an extra distributor and several point sets. I already replaced 2 sets of points on the road. The rubbing block broke then the new set came apart at the rivets.
Rob

[mapman]

We arrived home safely with the car in tow. Sadly time constraints wouldn't allow me to fix it and finish the drive. We managed around 3100 miles with the Avanti travelling at 80 for more than half of that. It was a great trip to a fun meet. Thanks Kansas City. The Avanti may have gotten better mileage than the uhaul.
Rob

[Mrs K Corbin]

@ TWCHAMP...... Ft. Bliss, right? Spent a rough year there. I broke down in a Mudstang in Alamagordo on the way back from a 4 day pass and it got expensive as I had a car load of people to get home.

[52hawk]

In '06 I drove my Lark to The Omaha meet. Half way there I checked under the hood and found a line of coolant splattered across the under side of the hood. Made it to Omaha,and bought a water pump from a vendor at the swap meet. I put the new one in the trunk,and drove all the way home with no more leakage! So,I've always thought having a spare in the trunk makes the one on the engine last longer!

[TWChamp]

@ TWCHAMP...... Ft. Bliss, right? Spent a rough year there. I broke down in a Mudstang in Alamagordo on the way back from a 4 day pass and it got expensive as I had a car load of people to get home.

Yes, Fort Bliss, and some of the guys said "ignorance is Bliss". LOL We did have the worst first sergeant in the Army.
I used to drive my 1950 Commander to Cloudcroft, NM on weekends to go camping. That was like a piece of the Black Hills in the middle of a vast wasteland. It even had a small waterfall from a spring where I got my drinking water. When I drove through Alamogordo to Cloudcroft then a bit further to the camping site, there was an old small house with lots of neat junk all around. There was a mid 20's Studebaker Touring car in the yard that looked very complete and had nice metal. It needed paint and upholstery, and I thought about what a cool car that would be to restore. I stopped several times, but never could find the owner at home. I wonder what ever happened to that car?

I'd like to go back for a visit because I like the dry warm climate of the southwest.

[GrumpyOne]

I've had a half dozen or so water pump failures during my Studebaker lifetime and all but one came with little or no warning. I would not drive any farther than AAA no cost towing range without one as a spare. My spare parts list include...

1. Water pump
2. Fuel pump
3. 2-3 feet of heater hose
4. Ready-to-go distributor and coil
5. Extra oil and coolant
6. Aluminum floor jack
7. Complete travel tool box

Failure of any of the above will bring your trip to an abrupt and expensive end...

[Mrs K Corbin]

Yeah, I might have seen the same car in the 90s.....
My love affair with Black Cherry soda started on Cloudcroft....