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First drive in the new Avanti.

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  • First drive in the new Avanti.

    This is the black '63 I bought from Bob Peterson.

    I decided to clean the carb out so I could drive it off the trailer. Took the carb off, and took the lid off the carb. Fairly varnished up but not seriously corroded inside. The accelerator pump plunger is toast; the leather cup is hard and crisp, and the plastic stem of the plunger got melted when I put heat on the pivot screw to loosen it. Oops! I think a carb kit and bead blasting would make this carb good again.

    Anyway, I opened up the box with the 600 CFM Edelbrock I bought on sale, and proceeded to mount that, using the spacer plate and gaskets I'd used earlier to mount an Edelbrock on my GT Hawk. That worked pretty well, and I had no difficulty hooking up the fuel and vacuum lines, the electric choke, and the throttle linkage.

    Got it started and backed off the trailer OK, and drove it over by the shop to get things sorted out a bit. The alternator wasn't putting out. I took it apart, and found the un-grounded field brush was disconnected. Installed a new brush from my stock, and noticed this alternator has a brand new stator in it. Still had no continuity through the field, and it turned out to be an open field winding. I robbed one from a core alternator, and got it back together. Still wouldn't put out, unless I fed juice to the field terminal.

    Checked the fancy adjustable electronic regulator. It has 3 terminals on it: NEG, POS, and FLD. So I connected NEG to a ground wire that was hanging nearby, POS to a wire that had been taped up, and FLD to the wire going to the alternator's field terminal. That did it; it appears to charge fine now.

    Now I have all working gauges, except for the tach and the vacuum/boost gauge.

    Each time it starts, it starts easier. I drove down to the corner, and back up the road to my neighbour's place. Maybe 3/4 mile in total, hit maybe 40 MPH on the gravel road. Seems to steer OK; no massive slop or heavy pull, anyway. Not a huge amount of low-end torque, but it will break the wheels loose on gravel. Power brake booster is definitely NOT working; the pedal is very hard, but it does stop.

    I pulled a spark plug, and determined that the pistons are flat topped, and that the stroke is a touch over 3 inches. So it would appear that this engine is a 259 (3.25" stroke). Heads are casting number 1557570. Which heads are those?

    If this is a 259 with standard heads, then installing a supercharger would not require any internal engine modifications, provided the engine is sound. Haven't yet done a compression test, but the oil pressure remained at about 60 PSI when it was warmed up.

    Next task is to go through the braking system, and fix any safety-related defects in the suspension.

    Gord Richmond, within Weasel range of the Alberta Badlands
    Gord Richmond, within Weasel range of the Alberta Badlands

  • #2
    Gord, 1557570 casting number heads are for 63-64 cars and have 8.25 to 1 compression and are 54.5cc , used on R-1 according to Bob Johnstone's info.
    Frank van Doorn
    Omaha, Ne.
    1962 GT Hawk 289 4 speed
    1941 Champion streetrod, R-2 Powered, GM 200-4R trans.
    1952 V-8 232 Commander State "Starliner" hardtop OD

    Comment


    • #3
      Wow you have been busy. Now my question of if you were home yet has been answered.Nice report

      Mabel 1949 Champion
      Hawk 1957 Silverhawk
      Gus 1958 Transtar
      The Prez 1955 President State
      Blu 1957 Golden Hawk
      Daisy 1954 Commander Regal Coupe
      Fresno,Ca
      Mabel 1949 Champion
      Hawk 1957 Silverhawk
      Gus 1958 Transtar
      The Prez 1955 President State
      Blu 1957 Golden Hawk
      Daisy 1954 Regal Commander Starlight Coupe
      Fresno,Ca

      Comment


      • #4


        Just kidding, I like using that smilie[)] Some pictures of it would be good though!

        You've got quite a fleet... wish I was somewhat in your area, I'd con you out of that ol' Wagonaire

        Robert (Bob) Andrews- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys)
        Parish, central NY 13131






        Comment


        • #5
          It sounds like this Avanti went to the correct owner.

          Gary L.
          Wappinger, NY

          SDC member since 1968
          Studebaker enthusiast much longer
          Gary L.
          Wappinger, NY

          SDC member since 1968
          Studebaker enthusiast much longer

          Comment


          • #6
            Gord, Glad to hear you go over the boarder Ok., sounds like it might work out better than we figured, but you need to win some of the time, head #1557570 was used on a few different engines one is the R-1 and I think that is the reason people call them the R-1 heads 10.25-1, bob

            Bob Peterson / C & B Studebakers

            Castro Valley, CA

            Candbstudebakers
            Castro Valley,
            California


            Comment


            • #7
              quote:Originally posted by bams50

              Some pictures of it would be good though! Robert
              Sorry Bob-- I'd post some, but we didn't get any pics last Thursday while it was parked in Dad's driveway (or at MY Place) when Gord and Dick dropped in for a few StudeParts, some StudeTalk, and a StudeLunch... [:0] [)]

              Nice to have seen you again Gord. Glad to hear it's working out for ya.



              StudeDave '57 [8D]
              Ferndale, WA


              '54 Commander Regal 4dr 'Ruby'
              '57 Parkview 'Betsy' (she's a 2dr wagon)
              '57 Commander DeLuxe 2dr 'Baby'
              '57 Champion Custom 2dr 'Jewel'
              '58 Packard sedan 'Cleo'
              '65 Cruiser 'Sweet Pea'
              StudeDave '57
              US Navy (retired)

              3rd Generation Stude owner/driver
              SDC Member since 1985

              past President
              Whatcom County Chapter SDC
              San Diego Chapter SDC

              past Vice President
              San Diego Chapter SDC
              North Florida Chapter SDC

              Comment


              • #8
                The car definitely went to the right owner. What is the engine number, Gord? Any idea why a the reg's wires were hanging and taped up? Kinda odd. Doesn't work real well that way. [:0]

                Comment


                • #9
                  The engine number has a 3E prefix, which indicates a standard-duty truck 259. I will do a compression test eventually. As far as the regulator goes, remember that Avantis originally had a special voltage regulator with 4 terminals. And the standard Stude alternator regulator has only 2 terminals, plus it's grounded at its base. This electronic regulator isn't grounded through its base. but it does have 3 terminals. Looks to me like whoever installed it simply never completed the job.

                  Gord Richmond, within Weasel range of the Alberta Badlands
                  Gord Richmond, within Weasel range of the Alberta Badlands

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Nice going, Gord.

                    I'm guessing that one will be your daily driver in 2 weeks! [^]



                    Dick Steinkamp
                    Bellingham, WA

                    Dick Steinkamp
                    Bellingham, WA

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      quote:Originally posted by StudeDave57
                      ...when Gord and Dick dropped in for a few StudeParts, some StudeTalk, and a StudeLunch... [:0] [)]


                      All three were pretty gosh durn good [^]

                      (BTW, Dave's new "clubhouse" is to die for. [8D] He has raised the bar considerably for future Stude workshops. I'll be back up when the promised Keg-a-rator is installed )

                      Dick Steinkamp
                      Bellingham, WA

                      Dick Steinkamp
                      Bellingham, WA

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        When you does as much as Gord does who has time to post pictures. He'd need a profession photographer to keep up with him
                        quote:Originally posted by bams50



                        Just kidding, I like using that smilie[)] Some pictures of it would be good though!

                        You've got quite a fleet... wish I was somewhat in your area, I'd con you out of that ol' Wagonaire

                        Robert (Bob) Andrews- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys)
                        Parish, central NY 13131







                        Russ Shop Foreman "Rusty Nut Garage"
                        53 2R6 289 5SpdOD (driver)
                        57 SH (project)
                        60 Lark VIII 2dr sd (driver)

                        Russ Shop Foreman \"Rusty Nut Garage\"
                        53 2R6 289 5SpdOD (driver)
                        57 SH (project)
                        60 Lark VIII 2dr sd (driver)

                        Comment

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