800 Miles Just Completed Trip

[jg61hawk]

I drove my 1961 Hawk from New Jersey to the Northeast Zone meet in Portland Maine...it was about 400 miles each way. I stopped to eat and gas up twice so the trip took 8 hours in each direction. The car ran flawlessly, as one would expect from a Studebaker. I added 8 ounces of Marvel Mystery Oil and one bottle of Gunk Lead Substitute to every fill up. Not a drop of oil was used. I run Valvoline Racing Oil 20/50 and one pint of STP.

At the meet one Avanti shut off and would not re-start. It needed the Electronic Control Module (modern ignition put in). Turns out an O'Reilly's Auto parts was literally next door to the host hotel and had the part. Another Avanti drove in with the voltage regulator not working, but Dave Thiebult had one for sale. One Lark needed either points or condenser because after they were installed it ran pretty good after not being able to accelerate. So carry parts, but what parts to carry is the mystery!

In speaking to several drivers it did occur to me that we need to be certain the owner's manuals are being followed with regard to service. I spoke to several who have never oiled inside the distributor (didn't know it was called for). If any newer drivers are reading this the owner's manual is the easiest way to learn simple ways to truly maintain your "new" Studebaker. Just because the miles are kept down things still age. Filters get dry, anti-freeze gets acidity and rubber hoses get brittle and old. Remember the hose too from the tank to the gas line at the rear of the car.....with this new gas that one is sure to dry out.

[lschuc]

Great tip about the fuel line hose from the tank to the line. When replacing any fuel line hose, be sure to specify fuel injection type hoses, which will not break down from the alcohol or ethanol in today's fuel.

[PeterHawk]

I, too, drove 498 miles to the Zone Meet. Unfortunately I suffered a kidney stone attack on Saturday went to the Emergency Room and was unable to attend a wonderful banquet. But the real point of all of this is to recognize Paul Shuffleburg and Charlie/Nancy Davis. They were able to secure my car and get it to Paul's house where he even performed a small repair to the transmission. Then I rode in the pouring rain to Syracuse with Charlie and Nancy. My family picked me up there and brought me back to Buffalo. Spare parts are good to carry, try not to drive solo but most of all, remember all the good people of SDC are there for you.

[JoeHall]

Sounds like both of y'all were using them for what they were made for! Did either of you calculate gas mileage?

Darn, Peter, what a time to get a kidney stone

Thanks,
Joe H

[PeterHawk]

I got 16 mpg with an untuned WCFB. Unfortunately that was only one way!

[Greenstude]

Our 1947 Champion got 21.1 mpg (Imperial) = 17.6 mpg (US) = 13.4 litres/100 km --- travelling 885 miles (1,424 km) from Moncton to Portland and return. No doubt fuel mileage was hurt by the car overheating going to Portland, and travelling in heavy rain and high winds most of the way coming home. Having to use a couple of tanks of ethanol fuel while in the U.S. also hurts fuel mileage.

...... Peter, best wishes for a speedy recovery ... that's tough luck when you should be enjoying that beautiful Hawk!

[plwindish]

June 18th, I and my wife left our South Chicago suburb driving our 76 Avanti through torrential rains to St Louis to start the Great American Tour in Kirkwood MO. The tour and Great American Race followed Rte 66 to the western end, Santa Monica Pier, 2400 miles down the road. The tour had 23 vintage cars ranging from a 31 Model A Sedan to an 02 Avanti. As one would expect with older cars, some problems were encountered and repaired along the way. A 55 Ford Country Squire wagon lost a head gasket in NM and did not continue. The rest of the cars made it to the finish on the 28th. Our 76 lost the overdrive from the 200R4 in Williams AZ, but finished with the other 3 speeds. I had the car shipped home, not wanting to have the trans torn into in CA, but drove the 02 Avanti back to Chicago as a favor for the elderly owner who split my shipping cost of the 76. The car got back safe and sound, the trans issue turned out to be a stuck throttle valve which was cleaned and a trans service done with everything working fine now. In the 19 days we were gone, I drove my Avanti 2700 miles and around 3000 miles on the 02, adding in a trip through CO and some additional vacationing. This next weekend, we are driving the 76 to Annadale MN for the Upper Mississippi Valley Zone Meet.

[JoeHall]

June 18th, I and my wife left our South Chicago suburb driving our 76 Avanti through torrential rains to St Louis to start the Great American Tour in Kirkwood MO. The tour and Great American Race followed Rte 66 to the western end, Santa Monica Pier, 2400 miles down the road. The tour had 23 vintage cars ranging from a 31 Model A Sedan to an 02 Avanti. As one would expect with older cars, some problems were encountered and repaired along the way. A 55 Ford Country Squire wagon lost a head gasket in NM and did not continue. The rest of the cars made it to the finish on the 28th. Our 76 lost the overdrive from the 200R4 in Williams AZ, but finished with the other 3 speeds. I had the car shipped home, not wanting to have the trans torn into in CA, but drove the 02 Avanti back to Chicago as a favor for the elderly owner who split my shipping cost of the 76. The car got back safe and sound, the trans issue turned out to be a stuck throttle valve which was cleaned and a trans service done with everything working fine now. In the 19 days we were gone, I drove my Avanti 2700 miles and around 3000 miles on the 02, adding in a trip through CO and some additional vacationing. This next weekend, we are driving the 76 to Annadale MN for the Upper Mississippi Valley Zone Meet.

I recognized you before, after reading another of your trip reports, as a Stude owner who takes driving it seriously. Sounds like your misfortune resulted in your being able to help out the older gent who was looking for an alternative to driving his back home, so sort of a win-win. I believe I'd have drove the 76 on though, w/o overdrive, rather than admit defeat and call a tow truck.

[plwindish]

Joe, the trans was also doing a funky job of going from 2nd to 3rd and downshifting to 2nd. Not that I don't trust out of state trans shops, but I didn't want to pay for a complete rebuild if it didn't need it. The car finished the tour and drove up onto the Reliable carrier without needing a tow truck. I didn't want to really screw up the trans by driving it another 3000 miles so driving the 02 helped both of us out and also made me appreciate my 76 much more. My wife and I both feel the 76 is much more comfortable to travel in than the 02. We needed to stop every couple of hours and walk around to get the kinks out of our legs and lower back when driving the 02. Comments were interesting with both cars. The 02 had the unmistakeable Camaro/Firebird look about its shape and people recognized right away. The 76 garnered many more positive comments and questions than the 02. We are going to do a 500 mile trip to the Upper Mississippi Valley Zone Meet in Annnandale MN this next Thursday in the 76 so it will get a little more exercise. With the Zone meet next week and the IM in August, I'm thinking I'll have around 9000 - 10,000 miles of Avanti driving this summer.