Avanti Hood clearance

[jtjim]

On my 64 Avanti, the supercharger output hose rubs the hood. Also the Carburetor bonnet hits the hood. Is it possible or advisable to use the available lower motor mounts? It appears that this would bring the oil pan very close to the tie rod ends, and the fan would be closer to the radiator. Is there anyone with experience on this. There is a spacer (gasket?) under the carburetor about 1/4" thick. Removing this would help.


1967 Riviera, 1964 Avanti R/2, 1953 Champion-R/1,4spd, Two 1967 Studebaker Gravely tractors

[ROADRACELARK]

Studebaker International...part # 800907 short style front V8 mounts. Maybe all you need.

Dan Miller
Atlanta, Ga

[img=left]http://static.flickr.com/57/228744729_7aff5f0118_m.jpg[/img=left]
Road Racers turn left AND right.

[WCP]

Sounds like you've got insufficient body shims toward the front of the car. You can add shims to raise the body at the front, but this adjustment needs to be tapered toward the rear. Add 5/16" at the rad cradle, 1/4" at the cowl, and 3/16", 1/8" & 1/16" progressing toward the rear. Best talk to a body man or someone experienced if you are not comfortable in doing this. Never close a gap more than 1/16" by tightening up the body bolts. When lifting the body, the shims should exert a slight upward pressure on the rad cradle to negate the inherent droop of the body forward of the cowl. Don't forget the body mounts in the foot wells. These can be shimmed with slotted shims.

[Colgate Studebaker]

I just finished a total restoration on my brothers 63 R2, and I used the shorter R3 motor mounts to get a little more clearance at the hood/bonnet. His was hitting slightly also and there is ample room now. I also shimmed the body slightly higher in the front when I reinstalled it on the frame,which also gave us a bit more room. Hope this will help you B.V.

[jtjim]

I am in the process of pulling the engine to detail the engine bay. The previous owner painted the inner fenders, cowl and underside of the hood black! I have a set of the short motor mounts and will try that first. That sounds a lot easier than shimming the body. Thanks for the advice.

1967 Riviera, 1964 Avanti R/2, 1953 Champion-R/1,4spd, Two 1967 Studebaker Gravely tractors

[64V-K7]

Be very careful when shimming or removing shims from the radiator support of your Avanti. The reason for the shims at that point were to level the body and support the weight of the nose clip. The next support point is the firewall.
Incorrect shimming at the core support, especially less than required will allow the body to flex enough to develop a crack across the top of the fenders at the firewall...


Bob Johnstone

https://www.studebaker-info.org

64 GT Hawk
55 President State Sedan
70 Avanti (R3)

[bige]

I tried short mounts in my car and the exhaust manifold would hit the steering box.

Even with the tall ones it takes shimming the l/s mount up a little. My supercharger hose hits the hood and the bonnet hits if I use a thick gasket carb to bonnet.

ErnieR

quote:Originally posted by jtjim

I am in the process of pulling the engine to detail the engine bay. The previous owner painted the inner fenders, cowl and underside of the hood black! I have a set of the short motor mounts and will try that first. That sounds a lot easier than shimming the body. Thanks for the advice.

1967 Riviera, 1964 Avanti R/2, 1953 Champion-R/1,4spd, Two 1967 Studebaker Gravely tractors

[WCP]

The time to adjust the shims is when you have the hood off and the engine out of the car. Also if the hood has been rubbing on the fan shroud, as is often the case, a 1/16-1/8" spacer or shim can be added to the top of the rad cradle where it is fastened with the 3 capscrews to the body nose piece. This adjusts the rad & shroud lower for clearance. Remove the equivalent thickness of shim from the lower rad cradle shims.

[jtjim]

The fan shroud is rubbing on the hood. I will try to correct that. I discovered that there are 4 base gaskets under the carburetor. I can lower it about 3/16" by removing 3 of them. I also found that the battery supporting fiberglass is broken. I will rebuild that area and check the shims on the radiator support. Thanks for all the help.

1967 Riviera, 1964 Avanti R/2, 1953 Champion-R/1,4spd, Two 1967 Studebaker Gravely tractors

[Retired]

Experts correct me if I'm wrong but, the thick "carb" gasket keeps that intake manifold heat away from the "carb". Just had the "carb" rebuilt on my '63 R-1 Avanti, replaced the old thick gasket with a new thick one, slight indentation in the hood pad but,no more then with the old gasket.

Richard

[bige]

I knew I wasn't clear enough on my gasket description...

In my case I use a homemade thin gasket between the R2 air horn and the carb.

ErnieR

quote:Originally posted by Retired

Experts correct me if I'm wrong but, the thick "carb" gasket keeps that intake manifold heat away from the "carb". Just had the "carb" rebuilt on my '63 R-1 Avanti, replaced the old thick gasket with a new thick one, slight indentation in the hood pad but,no more then with the old gasket.

Richard

Best so far 15.065 @ 91.84 MPH Island Dragway Great Meadows NJ Summer 2009.

[hotrodstude]

hood scoops guys

2006,f-150,2x4,v-6,5-speed manual,8ft bed, will post stude info when i get it on the road.

[nels]

If you have a dry climate car and the bolts will come loose easily, shimming the body higher on the frame is the right way to go....especially while the engine is out and things are easy to get to.

[Thomas63R2]

When I bought my R2 one motor mount was broken, and the other side had a broken motor mount plate! An easy fix I thought - just replace the broken parts. Once done the hood wouldn't shut completely. First I tried the short mounts, but that put my crank pulley too low onto the steering. So I compromised: one short mount on the passenger side, and one tall mount on the driver's side. Then the hood would close and the crank pulley was not too close to the steering - but the engine fan had a problem with the shroud, so I swapped the fan shroud under the top bracket on the radiator instead of over the top bracket. Definitly not like it should be, but everything fits and works.

Thomas

[WCP]

SI supply a '64 & up battery area support modification that mounts on the frame to carry the battery weight and take the stress off of the fibreglass. It is highly recommended. You can also fashion your own with 1/8" steel the width of the upper frame rail, fastened under the battery area to the left rad cradle mount and an existing rearward hole vertically through the frame. I slip a piece of rubber sheet (tire tube) between the support and the fibreglass under the battery to minimize wear of the glass due to vibration. I've also added this to my '63 as well as the fibreglass apron reinforcement that later '63's got.