When one publishes a book, it is inevitable that some of its information will be dated before the book comes off the press. This book is no exception. New problems will surface and new solutions will be devised, old solutions will be improved upon, new information will supercede old information, and new repro parts will become available and new interchanges will be discovered even as other parts become unavailable. This UPDATES section will cover all of this and more. Each UPDATE will be introduced with the date on which I post it, followed by the topic and the page # on which that topic is discussed in WHAT THE SHOP MANUAL WON'T TELL YOU.
11/24/00 RIMS: SIZE AND SUBSITUTES, p.71. I have always heard that the special rims used on Avantis and other Studebakers from '63-'64 equipped with disk brakes were 5" rims. In fact, that is the measurement for these rims that I give on p. 71. But recently I discovered the proper way to take that measurement, and as it turns out the Avanti rim is more like a 4 1/2" rim (the meansurement is taken between the two bead sealing surfaces of the rim). That is wider than conventional Studebaker rims and P205 75 R15 radial tires will work on them. But the substitute rims I mention on p.71 will work even better with radials.
There is a problem, though. In the "rust belt" it is getting harder to find a complete set of 4 of any of the potential substitutes in salvage yards. And I recently discovered that 2 salvage yard rims that looked identical actually had slightly different off-sets from the center line of the rim and that one weighed 5 pounds more than the other. Also, some of these salvage yard rims are showing the affects of age. Rims that have been weakened by rust and the constant flexing from long use often cannot hold a wheel cover in place--they will either "walk" or pop off when cornering or hitting a bump. My conclusion is that the best solution is to buy new rims--something that is easily done at your local rim and wheel shop or a good tire store. I recently replaced 4 Avanti rims with 4 Ford rims. The Rim and Wheel shop here in Grand Rapids actually had them in stock, and to them it was no big deal. I believe there are two major aftermarket producers of rims, National Wheel and Rim Association and Kelsey-Hayes. According to a recent issue of Turning Wheels the NWRA # is 40273 and the K-H # is 82552 for the Ford 15 X 6 rim. My local shop had the NWRA rims and that is what I bought for $35 each. I thought that was a good deal, not all that much more than the rims I got from the junk yard but cannot use! Well, live and learn, and in this case I lived it and you can learn from it.
Here is how the Ford 15 X 6 NWRA 40273 rims compare to the Avanti rims. Offset from the center line of the rim: Avanti, 7/8"" and Ford 1/2". Bolt hole pattern is identical. Ford bolt holes are a little larger, and you may want to use the larger Ford nuts (they require a 13/16" socket rather than a 3/4" socket. Width between bead sealing surfaces: Avanti 4 1/2" (supposedly 5") and Ford 5 7/8" (officially it's a 6" rim). Weight: Avanti rims weigh about 16 lbs., the Ford rims about 21 lbs. The advantage of the greater weight is that the rim will flex less. But there is a slight disadvantage that may or may not be noticeable. The extra rim weight increases the "unsprung weight" at each spring by 5 lbs., and that will make bumps slightly more noticeable when you hit them, though I have to confess that I have not noticed a difference.
Your wheel covers will fit just fine on these rims, and the only way that others might be able to tell that these are not stock Avanti rims is that the 205 radials will appear to fit on them better.
I have not checked out the Kelsey-Hayes number above, but if anyone does, I would appreciate it if you would email me the actual width, offset, and weight.
2/1/01 ENGINE SUPPORTS, FIFTH POINT, p.46. I mention here that the AVANTI PARTS CATALOG shows and mentions something that is nowhere to be found in the AVANTI WORKSHOP MANUAL--there is a 3/8" spacer that goes between the left rear motor mount (which attaches to the torque converter housing) and the frame crossmember. This spacer is found and mentioned on p.7 of the PARTS CATALOG. There is one problem, though. When you go to p.7 and look at the exploded view of the parts, it appears that the spacer actually is on the right side. But do not let that fool you. Look at the note that comes after the part number. It says it goes on the left side, and I assure you that it does. If you put it on the right side you will have even worse clearance problems than you would if you left it out altogether! Got it? LEFT SIDE!
2/11/01 PARKING BRAKE, FRONT CABLE, p.19. This cable is attached to the floor pan in the area of the accelerator pedal with a "J" bolt. The "J" bolt can easily get lost in the process of a restoration, even if it did not break when you removed the rusty nut over the rusty threads. I cannot find this part listed in the parts catalog although it is mentioned in the SHOP MANUAL as the "conduit clip." The "J" part of the bolt hooks over the grooved brass fitting at the rear end of the front cable conduit, the threaded end and the "J" end go through the two 1/4" holes in the floor pan, and on the inside the two bolt ends fit through a small 1/8" thick metal place about 1 1/4" square with two 1/4" holes drilled in it on 9/16" centers. If this reinforcing plate is lost, it is easy enough to make one of those. But where do you find a "J" bolt? You won't. What you need is a "U" bolt bent to 9/16" centers. But do not look for one in the "U" bolt section of your local hardware store--there is not likely to be one there that small. Instead, go to the twisted wire cable section and find the wire cable clamps. You need one made of 1/4" stock. These clamps consist of a small "U" bolt and a yoke like device, kind of like a miniature exhaust system clamp. The 1/4" "U" bolt in this package will be bent almost exactly to the 9/16" centers you need. Trim each side to the necessary length to fit around the brass fitting on the conduit, through the floor pan and through the reinforcing plate, with enough threads on the long side for the nut. Of course, you could leave it as a "U" bolt, but that would not be like the original would it? You never know when some nosey judge might pull up the carpet to see if it is a "J" bolt or a "U" bolt!
4/05/01 STOP LIGHT SWITCH, pp. 18-19. On these pages I recommend that anyone using silicone brake fluid install a mechanical stop light switch and I give complete instructions on how to do it. This is necessary because it is well established that the conventional pressure activated switches do not normally last more than 6 months when subjected to silicone fluid.
A recent issue of TURNING WHEELS contained a report from Barlow Soper of a new switch that is specially designed to work long and well with silicone brake fluid. I am in the process of installing this switch on two different silicone filled systems, and I will give a report later on how my test of the switches goes. I can tell you this, if this switch lasts more than six months it is better than the conventional switch.
In the meantime, here are the full details on the switch if you would care to try one yourself. It is available from Ron Francis' Wire Works, ph. 1-800-292-1940. Their web address is www.wire-works.com. The number for the switch is SW-32. The instructions that come with the switch say that it has a design load rating of 4 amps, and that if you are using halogen bulbs or more that 3 standard bulbs you should also order and use brake relay switch BR-66. However, since I converted my back up lights to tail lights and stoplights, I use four bulbs back there. When I asked about that, I was unofficially told that should not be a problem. Apparently an overload causes the contact points to prematurely fail. So, since I want to test the limits of this switch, I am not installing the relay switch. The stop light switch costs $19 and the relay switch costs $30.
SW-32 looks like a conventional Studebaker stop light switch with one difference: It does not have the expected male bullet connector terminals.
Stay tuned for my take on how good this switch is over time. If you decide to try it too, let me know the results of your test.
4/14/01 LOWER AND UPPER CONTROL ARMS, OUTER PIVOT PINS AND BUSHINGS, p.50. The outer ends of the upper and lower control arms are to be spread .015" with Spreader Tool J-2044. No one seems to have a source for this tool, so on p.50 of my book I suggest it would not be too difficult to make one. But thanks to a suggestion from Jack Vines on the Avanti e-groups discussion list, it is even easier than I imagined. Taking his suggestion as a starting point, here is the tool I made using materials from my local True Value Hardware store.
Here is what you need to buy: 12" of 1/2" square key stock. You will find this in the section that also has threaded rod, angle iron, etc. 1 bolt, 3/4" x 1 1/2", with 1 nut and 2 flat washers.
Cut the 1/2" square key stock into two 6" sections. Put the 2 washers onto the bolt, with the nut, slip the two 6" pieces of square key stock between the washers on each side of the bolt and position the bolt at the approximate mid-point of the two pieces of key stock. Tighten the nut slightly more than finger tight.
The bolt serves as a fulcrum. So, you place one end of the pair of 6" pieces of key stock at the strategic point on the outer end of the control arm and apply pressure to the other end of the pair of key stock pieces. This is the only tricky part. How do you squeeze together the outer ends of the key stock with sufficient pressure to spread the other end and the outer of the control arm .015"? I used a heavy duty cast iron C clamp. It worked, though it was a little tricky as the screw end of the clamp wanted to walk off of the key stock as I screwed it tighter and tighter. Finally I wrapped a vise grip around the screw foot and the key stock and held it in place that way. There may be better kinds of clamps to apply the pressure with, but you have the idea of what needs to be done. Now, measure and proceed as described in the WORKSHOP MANUAL.
7/20/01 FUEL PUMP, p.58. On this page I mention that one can take the performance version of the fuel pump by Carter (M 6270) made for Mopar small block V-8s and easily convert it to use on the Avanti R- engines. I recently had occasion to buy a Carter pump, and I could not find one locally. If you have that same problem, go to the website for Summit Racing. They have them, they accept credit cards for online orders, and I have found their service to be very fast.
9/12/01 WHEEL ALIGHNMENT, p.53 and REAR SUSPENSION AND REAR AXLE, p.63. I am in the closing stages of finishing a custom restoration of a '53 Commander HT. Since its front and rear suspensions are basically the same as an Avanti, I want to share with owners of all Avantis built on the Studebaker frame my experience with wheel alignment. Years ago I bought a cheap and rather crude triangular device with a bubble scale on it for setting the caster and camber for front alignment. It is a very simple device and supposedly allows one to do their own front alignment. My only purpose in buying this tool was to get the alignment close enough to be able to easily and safely drive the car to an alignment shop to be done really right. But I decided this time to see just how close I could get it with this tool by being very meticulous. So I did just that, even making sure that the car was level from side to side and front to back. To achieve this I used wooden shims under the appropriate wheels, using a long bubble level to get it just right.
When I thought I had it I drove it to the shop I have frequented for over 20 years--a family owned and passed down business, someone I could trust to do this right. I discovered they had a brand new alignment rack that had just been installed and tuned in. So, just for the kicks of it, I asked them to check how close I had come with my alignment before they made any changes. A few minutes later the owner came into the waiting room with a grin and a surprise on his face reading a computer print out--with my crude equipment and set up I had managed to get caster and camber within acceptable specs on both wheels! Now with their fancy equipment they were able to fine tune it even more. But you might want to buy a similar device from someplace, like J. C. Whitney, and try aligning your front wheels yourself.
I did learn another thing that seems pretty obvious once they told me but that do not recall ever seeing addressed in any Avanti literature or Studebaker workshop manual. They determined that the rear axle housing was not mounted parallel to the theoretical axis of the front wheels. In other words, the left rear wheel was 1 1/2' closer to the front than the right real wheel. I told them to leave it alone and I would see what I could do on my own. So when I got home I checked for myself with a tape measure from the center point of each end of the rear axle to the same fixed point on the left and right frame rails. Sure enough, the left end of the rear axle was 1 1/2" closer to the front than the right end.
So, what did I do? I loosened both ends of all four U bolts and used a cable pull to pull the left side of the axle to the rear, and the right side to the front. I was able to reduce the 1 1/2" difference to 1/2". You might want to check this out on your own Avanti. Why has no one ever raised this issue before. We just assume that when one installs the axle assembly on the rear springs it will just automatically line up correctly in relation to the front. But it obviously ain't necessarily so.
10/1/01 CONVERTING TO A SOLID STATE VOLTAGE REGULATOR, pp.30 and 87. On these two pages I give complete instructions for converting your original voltage regulator with the coils, point, etc. to a modern solid state VR without changing the external appearance. The trouble with what I said there was that the small module that went inside the original can, a Transpo 590, was no longer available about 8 months after I published the book. So that was not much help. Now I have discovered a module that is small enough to fit inside the original can, has the same specs and applications, and hooks up just like the Transpo unit with the same color wires. It is even adjustable like the Transpo module. Here is the information: WAI (that is the name of the company that makes it) # 35-113.
This unit is only available from auto electric rebuilders, not at normal retailers. If you do not have a rebuilder close to you, the one I use here in Grand Rapids, MI can help you: Floyd's Electric Service, Inc., ph. (616)534-8691. When I bought one last week it came to $32.33 with tax. Floyd's Electric does stock this item, they do accept phone orders with a Visa or MC credit card, and they ship UPS. I have already hooked mine up, and it works just fine. I did not really need a new unit, but I wanted to make sure it worked fine before making this information available.
10/31/01 INTRODUCTION (Distributor Wrench), p.12. The special wrench that makes it easier to reach the 5/16" screw that holds down the distributor lockplate works not only for Studebakers but also for AMCs, Mopars, Ford products, and Internationals. In a recent visit to Sears I discovered there is a new Craftsman # for this wrench: #947682. The bends in this new wrench number are slightly different than the number I listed in the published book, but it works just as well as the earlier model. It's not really necessary to use a distributor wrench, but it sure makes it a lot easier to loosen or tighten down the distributor for removal, installation, or setting the timing.
12/15/02 APPENDICES, p.96. On this page I have a picture of a decal used to restore the painted lettering on the stainless steel serial number nameplate. Since writing my book, that decal has become NLA. However, last summer I acquired some adhesive backed foil labels that restore the lettering on this plate. I am not aware of any other source for these labels, and when the ones I have are gone, they are gone until someone else reproduces them. I am selling mine at $15 each, ppd, as long as the supply lasts. My supply is very limited, so if you need one, order at once. And please do not order extras so that these can go around to as many people as need them for cars actually being restored. See my Order Information page on this website for my address. A check for $15 will get you one. I will remove this notice from this page when they are gone.
4/8/03 1st GEAR START IN DRIVE?, p.67. On the Avanti@yahoogroups internet discussion list, Richard Morris asked me to describe in more detail how I created a 1st gear start in Drive on my Avanti Powershift automatic transmission (AT). He had read the brief description I gave in my book, What the Shop Manual Won’t Tell You: Studebaker Avanti Restoration and Maintenance. Here is how I responded.
As a starting point, I assume all of you realize that the Powershift actually starts out in 2nd gear when it is in Drive. If you want a 1st gear start you must manually shift into low. Some of us find that irritating.
But before moving on, I must give a disclaimer. John Metzker created this modification, not I. In fact, 11 years ago he walked me step by step through the conversion I will describe below. He is the Studebaker expert who answers AT questions in the Co-Operator column in TURNING WHEELS. His knowledge of even the details of ATs is amazing
First, there are two ways that one can achieve the same result. According to John, each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages, but either one works well. John says he decides which route to take based on which donor AT is more readily available in the local salvage yards at the time he needs one.
Keith Brooks has mentioned on this list several times that 1st gear start in Drive can also be achieved with an FMX transmission from the late 60s or early 70s. The FMX was the Ford version of the Borg-Warner transmission, but was built by Ford, not by Borg-Warner. When Keith has mentioned this, I have questioned whether or not that was really so. But in a recent phone conversation, John confirmed that Keith is quite right that the 1st gear start can be achieved with the FMX. In an email written to this list 2 1/4 years ago, Keith described the conversion as basically taking the FMX valve body, the FMX case and guts, but using the Powershift input and output shafts. This also requires running a vacuum line to the vacuum shift modulator. John agreed that this is basically how it is done with the FMX, though it works better if a TransGo shift kit is also used. Use of this kit has something to do with a weakness in the FMX setup. I believe the valve body. If you want more info and detail on the FMX option, I am sorry that I cannot help you. But it appears to be very similar to the next set up.
The approach I took, under John’s tutelage, was to start with a Borg-Warner AMX AT. These were used behind AMC V-8s from 1967-71 (either the M-11 or the M-12) and represent the next generation of iron case Borg-Warners after the Powershift. You install the Powershift coarse spline input shaft and front pump in the AMX unit. Install the Powershift manual lever in the AMX unit, but do not use the throttle pressure lever that originally went through the center of the manual lever. Instead, plug the hollow center of the manual lever shaft with an expansion plug and sealant.
Be careful not to carelessly mix the AMX and Studebaker parts unless these instructions specifically tell you to do so. Especially, DO NOT use the Powershift piston in the front clutch; you must use the AMX piston. I mention this because the Studebaker and AMC parts have the same casting number and superficially look identical, but they are not. The AMX version has a check ball in it.). Now if you want to use the AMX output shaft and tailpiece you are done. But it will not look even close to stock. And you will need to have a drive shaft custom made because AMX output shafts have different lengths than the Powershift.
I did not want either of these, so here is what is required to get around that problem after you toss aside the AMX output shaft, spacer at the rear of the AT, tailpiece, and associated parts. You need to install the rear pump (but without the drive key and gears), governor, speedometer gear with drive ball, and output shaft and thrust washer from a Powershift. You also need the oil collector tubes from the Powershift. But before doing any of this, drill out the holes for the oil collector tubes in the AMX case to 5/16” so they will accept the Powershift oil collector tubes.
The rear pump, which no longer has its guts, is now just a spacer and a support for the Powershift output shaft (the AMX does not use a rear pump). Somehow you need to get lubrication to the bushing in that Powershift rear-pump-turned-support. Do this by drilling and tapping a hole into the lubrication circuit of the AMX valve body to accept a 90 degree brass elbow with compression ring fitting. This fitting in turn accepts a cut-down Studebaker tube (part number 1541251) routed to take lubrication to the output shaft bushing in the now-empty Powershift rear pump housing. There is no way to better describe thisonly a picture can adequately depict it. See the accompanying photo on the Photos page.
After all of this is installed, attach the Powershift tailpiece or extension housing. This leaves one last little detail. Screwing in a new AMX vacuum shift modulator on the lower left side of the AMX case. Ooops, you can’t do that because the Powershift tailpiece is in the way! But you can solve this by some very careful and precise grinding of the tailpiece case with a Dremel tool and its cutting/grinding disks. (See photos on the Photo page with the area marked where it was necessary to grind material away). When enough is ground off the case to achieve clearance for the modulator, install the vacuum modulator. But remember that there is a rod that is inserted first that goes from the modulator to the valve body; if that is missing or bent, make your own from a 1/8” steel rod with rounded, polished ends. The finished length should be either 3.444” or 2.944”, depending on whether you are using the longer (early) or shorter (later) modulator. (See photo on the Photos page with the parts assembled).
12/6/03 DOOR HINGES, p.78. If you have door hinges that have worn through the nylon bushing and enlarged the hole in the hinge part that attaches to the door, there is another possibility that you might want to check out. Phil Harris recently began advertising that he repairs Studebaker door hinges by using Oilite bushings and new pins. I have not used this service, but I have contacted him and he says that he can do Avanti hinges. The price will vary from $20-$40 per hinge, depending on how badly the hinge is locked up with heavy rust. Phil can be contacted at [email protected] or ph. 937-878-7712.
12/6/03 STEERING GEAR, p.51. Things keep changing in the on-going search for an appropriate substitute for Kendall C-999, the semi-fluid grease originally called for as the lubricant in the Avanti steering gear box. Reports are that all three substitute lubricants listed on p. 51 are no longer available. But two new suggestions have emerged, both of which seem to have merit.
The first is an Exxon grease called Dynagear. It comes in tubes and is a semi-fluid, extreme pressure grease used on heavy equipment.
The other suggestion is that constant velocity (CV) joint grease could be used. It would seem that any grease that can stand up to the demands of lubricating a CV joint should easily be able to lubricate a steering gear.
But remember, I have not tried either of these proposed substitutes (I still about 15lbs of Kendall C-999 on hand!). But if you need to find a substitute lubricant, no one is proposing anything that makes more sense than these two.
12/24/03 LOWER RADIATOR HOSE, p.26. Yes, it is Christmas Eve as I write this. My shopping is done, most of the presents are wrapped, so here is my Christmas gift to you. Well, not quite my gift alone; John Ricketts passed this info on to me a couple of weeks ago, and he deserves some credit for it. Here is a sub for the lower radiator hose, Studebaker part #1555929. It is Gates #20957, trim to fit.
12/28/03 THE OILING SYSTEM, p.38. Speaking of John Ricketts, what he called me about was that his oil pan seemed to be a bottomless pit. He had put in something like 6 1/2 quarts of oil, and it still registered a quart low on the dip stick. This reminded me of something I had been warned about years ago, but that I forgot to put into the book. Two things can cause the oil level on the dip stick to register lower than it really is. First, you could have the wrong dip stick--some past owner might have liked that shiny chrome handle of the Avanti dip stick and put it on another Studebaker engine and replaced it with a dip stick from another Studebaker engine, thinking they were all the same. Well, that just is not necessarily so. So in John's case, I trudged through the Michigan snow out to my frigid barn where my Avanti is stored for the winter, and by phone we compared the measurements on his dip stick against mine. He, by the way was in Florida and I suspect went out to his barn in a Tee shirt and shorts. Everything checked out exactly the same, so what about the second possibility? The Avanti dip stick tube has two sections, the top section telescoping into the bottom section. The top section has a small bracket spot welded on to it, and this bracket goes in place under one of the head bolts and that holds the top half of the tube in place. But if the spot welds have broken, or if the bracket is bent, the top half may not be fully seated into the lower half of the dip stick tube, and the level on the inserted dip stick will read too low. This was John's problem--the bracket was bent. So to correct the situation, he bent it back straight and checked to see that the level registered on the dip stick truly reflected the amount of oil actually in the oil pan. You can bend the bracket and push the top half of the tube up or down to get an exact oil level reading on the dip stick.
1/4/04 STEERING SHAFT JACKET ASSEMBLY, p.53. There is a rubber disc that serves as a coupling between the lower end of the steering shaft and the steering gear. Let's be realistic, that disc is now 40+ years old and should be replaced even it it looks OK. Your ability to steer the car depends on the integrity of that disc. Some people call this disc a "rag joint," though the technically correct name is "steering coupling disc." The disc used on GM products works for this application. The number in the HELP product line is 31000, and the NAPA part number is 630-1008. Replace the disc soon, "whether it needs it or not."
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