Purchased my first Studebaker in July, a 1963 Avanti R1 with S/N R2060. I have done a lot of reading and research on line, including this forum and the AOAI tech forum. I began to get suspicious when I noted that the Avanti engine color is black, whereas the engine in my car was orange. I have purchased a build sheet from the Studebaker Museum but it hasn't arrived yet. I believe the chassis and body number will match but the engine has no serial number. It does have a partial keystone stamp at the same site with a partial number inside. Further, the heads are blue! The keystone stamp and the blue heads can be seen in the photos I have attached. So, this is what I think from my reading. The engine (short block) is a replacement or "crate" engine. Based on the casting number, of which there is a photo, it would be a heavy duty (truck!?) block with a variety of changes that distinguish it from an R1 engine. There is however no "cloverleaf" stamp. The only reference I can find for a blue engine color is a 1955 289 V8. So, is this some sort of cobbled-together hybrid? I have extensive service documentation from previous owners but there are gaps, some years long, and no mention of an engine swap. The previous owner had the car stored for almost 20 years and did not work on it at all. Any insight would be appreciated.
John Thomas
John Thomas
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