Avanti Upgrades

[Jaybot]

What are considered reasonable upgrades for better performance of a 63 Avanti? I found out mine has an after market cam so it runs a little stronger. Is it worth upgrading the brakes? Anything to improve handling? It is a solid rust free car with only 71,000 miles on it.

[JBOYLE]

One easy way to improve handling is to reduce front weight.
You can replace stock pulleys (I was surprised at how heavy they were when I had mine off)with lighter aluminum components (available from Studebaker parts sources like Lionel Stone and perhaps others..see Turning Wheels and the Avanti club's (AOAI) Avanti magazine for ads) and relocate the battery to the trunk.
Also, rear disk brake kits are available. Again, look for the ads in Turning Wheels.

Also, ask the guys on the AOAI's Forum, there are a lot of modified Avanti owners there.

63 Avanti R1 2788
1914 Stutz Bearcat
(George Barris replica)

Washington State

[Gunslinger]

Install a dual master cylinder...always a good upgrade and increases safety. You can go to the Turner Brake conversion but only if you feel your stock brakes aren't doing the job. The stock brakes are adequate for most needs. If you intend to really modify your car or for more "sporting" driving, the conversion is a good upgrade and there are lot of quality brake pads available for the upgrade.

As already said...take weight out of the car...particularly the front end. Move the battery to the trunk, install as much aluminum parts as you reasonably can, though lightweight parts are not that easily found and are somewhat expensive. Installing aluminum pulleys reduces rotating mass and makes a difference. They are out there...such as pulleys, intakes, heads, etc. I have no experience with them but I understand they often need machine shop work before they're usable enough to make a difference.

Install an aluminum driveshaft...it removes a lot of weight and reduces rotating mass. You can install composite leaf springs on the rear. The weigh like eight pounds apiece instead of fifty pounds each for steel springs. The downside to them is it's the front of the car you want to take weight off, not so much the rear. I have composite springs on my Avanti and am very happy with them.

You can install the quick steering arms on the car. They cut lock to lock turning a bit, but it's not a huge difference. Also...make sure your entire front suspension is in top shape. If there's any slop it affects the crispness of your steering.

Install aluminum wheels...taking off unsprung weight is always good. Quality radial tires makes a difference. The best performance tires today come in the larger sizes...16", 17", 18" and even bigger. You can consider them with a wheel upgrade, but you can find good handling tires in the original 15" sizes. Even the best tires won't help handling much if your suspension isn't up to it. In fact, high grade tires will expose all the shortcomings in a less than optimum suspension.

You can improve your ignition system...add an electronic ignition, though most available won't improve your performance in and of themselves...they will maintain the engine's state of tune for longer than a points ignition, but not necessarily make it better than a well maintained points system. While you're at it, have your distributor curve matched to your cam...it will pay big dividends in performance, whether points or electronic. You can add a capacitive discharge ignition such as the MSD 6A, or equivalent Mallory or other brand. Many swear by them and many say they're not necessary...your choice. I have an MSD on my '69 Corvette 427 tri-power and it hasn't made for an improvement in performance that my "seat of the pants" dyno can feel, it does start better than before.

Depending on whether your car has an automatic transmission or a manual, there are things you can do, but this can get real expensive, as if some of what I've already mentioned isn't. With an adapter such as Mike Myers of Myers Studebaker makes, you can install a GM 700R4 or 200R4 overdrive automatic transmissions if you have a Borg Warner Power Shift, or a Tremec 5-speed if you have a manual. All would probably require a modified driveshaft so that would be a good time to get an aluminum unit.

There's much you can do to help performance. Make a plan...whether to take weight out, improve ignition, etc., and follow your plan, not just take a shotgun approach. Make sure whatever you do works in concert with one another...not simply parts thrown together. The best quality parts not matched to one another will not help or maybe even hurt.




Poet...Mystic...Soldier of Fortune. As always...self-absorbed, adversarial, cocky and in general a malcontent.

[okc63avanti]

Jaybot,

I think the first question to ask yourself is do you want to restore as original, restore as modified, or maintain as driver-unrestored. I wrestled with this for sometime and finally decided that my 63 would be restored (frame off) but modified for performance, safety, and comfort as I want to be able to drive it whenever I want to and to be able to drive it wherever I want to even if its half way across the country. That being said due to my career and family demands I decided to have my work done by someone else. In February, 2009 I towed my Avanti from Oklahoma to Ohio to Myer Studebaker. Michael Myer has started the restoration work with all machine shop on engine finished and the body now prepped and sanded for primer and painting. I am hoping to have the car back in time for the Nationals in Phoenix next summer.

Here are the plans and modifications as they stand now. My car 63-R2386 was originally an R1 white with tangerine interior, AC, PS, PB, PW, AM w/ front/rear speakers, and PowerShift automatic. The car will be reborn as an air conditioned R2+ with a Tremec TKO 5 speed. We are doing a frame off restoration with frame being sand blasted and powder coated.

Engine - Bored 0.060", Hypertonic Pistons, Heads reworked (ported SS valves, grinded out combustion chamber, R3 exhaust headers, Edelbrock AFB, Mopar electronic ignition, Paxton SN-60 Supercharger. Michael has done this before and the engine on a dyno puts out about 330 HP. Transmission converted from auto to Tremec TKO 5-speed and rear end gear ratio changed from 3.31 to 3.73. The original York AC comes off and a Sanden r134a compressor will be installed with r134a style condenser leaving original AC equipment in the interior.

Chassis - frame sand blasted and powder coated, 4 wheel disc brakes, dual master cylinder and complete suspension rebuild.

Body - stripped, sanded and then primer, sealed and then painted, PW motors and windows rebuilt, wiring harness redone

Interior - gauges rebuilt, new upholstery including higher back bucket seats, shoulder safety belts, hidden stereo system leaving original AM & speakers working as is and separate from new system, cruise control, and alarm system.

I will gladly share progress with these as the work progresses off of the forum my email.


<div align="left">John</div id="left">

<div align="left">'63 Avanti, R1, Auto, AC, PW (unrestored)</div id="left">

[Jaybot]

I'll start first with upgrading to electronic ignition. Which is recommended between Mallory and Mopar type. Also what type of distributor or adapter kits do I need?

[PackardV8]

Hi, Jaybot,

Welcome to the SDC forum. x2, moving the battery to the trunk is the single most cost-effective modification.

Hi, John,

quote:Hypertronic pistons

just for the sake of clarity, you probably meant hypereutectic pistons.

Your Avanti is going to be a fabulous driver and we look forward to following along as it progresses.

quote:I will gladly share progress with these as the work progresses

However, better not share the costs of a Meyer frame-off; too many of we old CASOs have weak tickers.

thnx, jack vines



PackardV8

[okc63avanti]

Jack,

I've seen "Hypereutectic" spelled a number of ways on various forums but your're right thanks for the correction.

All CASO's your weak tickers are safe as I don't believe that pricing and cost should be openly discussed for services on a forum. If anyone really wants to know they can call Michael and discuss it with him. I looked at my options locally with car restoration / hotrod shops etc. and decided that since Michael specializes in Avanti and Studebaker cars and has done several that his labor cost would be worth it versus someone who may waste time and money not knowing the in and outs of restoring an Avanti.



<div align="left">John</div id="left">

<div align="left">'63 Avanti, R1, Auto, AC, PW (unrestored)</div id="left">