The Bucket List Dream Project

[SilverHawkDan]

OK Everyone,
I had one amazing day.
First I had the pleasure of meeting HDCadet in person.
Chuck is a great guy. Not only did he take my wife and I to see the storied Burke Avanti but he also let us get close to and admire his R3 Avanti.
If you have not seen this car I have to tell you it is Awesome.
I walked into the garage and I was 11 years old again and standing in the showroom of Frost and French Studebaker in Santa Monica and looking at my first R3.
This car is museum quality in every aspect.
The detail in the engine compartment was beyond anything I have personally witnessed. This car is the standard by which other restored to stock cars should be judged.

Then we went and saw the Burke Avanti. I only have time to post one picture tonight and so I thought I'd go for a little jealousy and envy


Yes, that is yours truely sitting behind the wheel and reaching up to pop the chute of one of the most famous Studebakers to ever fly across the salt.
I can feel the envy! LOL I will have more to say and more pics tomorrow if time permits.
Sleep will be impossible for me tonight.
I can still smell the salt on the car.

Silver Hawk Dan

[Reverborama]

Very Cool! Post more pictures!

[Dave Bloomberg]

Dan you look great in that most famus Avanti to ever hit the salt. Looks like you are going 200+ mph, Dave

[sbca96]

Is it XM equiped?

Tom

[SilverHawkDan]

Hello Everyone,
I am still flying from my day yesterday. Again, I would like to publicly thank Chuck for being so gracious to Kathy and I.
We got to see two very impressive Studebakers in one day.
I want to encourage each of you to be sure and make it a point to see Chuck's beautiful R3 if your ever in the area.

Now for the Burke car update.
I am going to try to post a slide show link on this post for all to see.
The pictures do not do the car justice but you will get the idea.
I could have spent all day looking at all the details of this car.
While it is not up to today's standards for a clean build the car is very well built and engineered.
Obviously if in 1979 it averaged over 220 at Bonneville.
The car is in remarkably good shape considering it's 36 years (1963 to 1997 according to the stickers) of service in Bonneville racing.
I couldn't help but be in awe of the car.
I have seen many articles over the course of my life that were written about this car and it's accomplishments.
So you have to know that I am both honored and consider it a priviledge to be offered the chance to restore this car to it's true purpose and glory.
This car deserves to be reunited with the salt.

So now the task of putting together a plan and a program to make this dream come true.
I would like to take this opportunity to ask my fellow Studebaker racers if they would like to be a part of this great undertaking.
As I see it there is a car, a trailer, an engine and a lot of work to be done.
While I am confident that I can get the manpower needed to do the work there is a long list of things that will be needed to make this dream a reality.
So please consider the project and if you feel that you want to have a part in it, (lending parts or ?) let me know.
You can send me a message and I will get back to you.
If you wish to talk to me in person just leave your contact information in your message.

So barring a screw up here are the pictures from yesterday.
Enjoy and remember drool on the key board can cause a short circuit and possibly ruin your computer.

(slideshow)

or
[/url]http://s125.photobucket.com/albums/p56/ ... 0fcf97.pbw[/url]

Just click on the picture and sit back and enjoy. There are 45 pictures total.

Silver Hawk Dan

[mbstude]

Good luck Dan. This is my new favorite thread.

[Alan]

There are some serious safety issues around the rear shackles, spring eye and eye bushings. That car has seen some serious modifications since I last saw it in 1969.

[SilverHawkDan]

Alan,

Yes there are some thigns that will need to be corrected but that is about the most serious one that I was able to see with the car on the trailer. I will know more when it's on a rack and can get a good look at it. Do you remember any details about the last time you saw the car? Where was it and was it at Bonneville? How fast did it go? Who was driving it? Just looking for information about the car. Thanks.

Silver Hawk Dan

[Alan]

Dan, I worked for Paxton from Aug. 66 till April 69. During that time I removed the 229 and put a 331 Chrysler in it. The Due got the Cammer.

[sbca96]

Love the "speed tape" on the passengers side rear quarter glass. Though
it looks like a good base to start with for sure. We are cheering for yah!

Two good things to buy for your project is a nice digital camera, I've found
my Canon Rebel XT to be a great all around camera. Its also an SLR so if
you have some lenses from a film SLR you can use them too.

The second item is a good video camera to document the process. Canon
has a nice mini DV camera that shoots both wide screen and 4:3 in digital.
Get a good camera mount, or add a mount to the roll cage for your runs.

Stay away from Sony.

Tom

[SilverHawkDan]

Alan,
I would love to know more. Chuck filled me in on the first three engines.
It must have been something working on that car when it was fresh.
It looks like someone didn't want to spend the money for narrowing the differential and moving the springs inboard.
So they put the spring shackles, air shocks, and a helper spring set up that you use for a truck when your towing a trailer.
Pretty mouse but it will not look like that when we get done with it.

Tom,
I think your right about the camera and video camera.
I plan to get my brother to come down and take some real pictures and then he can teach my wife and I how to use the camera we have.
When used right it takes some awesome pictures.
So we hope to get that fixed before we start on the car.
I already started the book/journal.
This is going to be awesome.

Silver Hawk Dan

[sbca96]

This is the Canon Mini DV camcorder we got :

http://www.handycamcorder.com/canon-min ... h-1mp-ccd/

It also doubles as a mid level digital camera if you buy the memory card.



Tom

[SilverHawkDan]

Tom,
That is a cool looking camera. Do you think there are any deals out there right now on those? About what do they go for?

Dan

[SilverHawkDan]

I have to tell everyone about the incredible moment I had while checking out the Avanti. When I climbed into a drivers seat and looked out the window I was immediately transported back to 1969. Sitting in the back seat because of the engine being under the dash it reminded me of the Flower Power Barracuda. It was a AA/GS (double a gas supercharged) car with a 426 Blown and Injected Hemi. It held the NHRA national record at one time, 8:67 at 186 MPH. I was the transmission builder, not bad work for a 17 year old kid. I was building short shaft torqueflites for him and a few other racers. You can't imagine what it is like to go from 0 to 180 mph in 8 seconds. It's both exhilarating and scary. The Avanti has the box where the dash should be, the throttle petal with the toe return hook and a handle brake set up. When I reached up for the parachute handle I got goose bumps remembering what it was like. I can't wait to take this hot rod for a ride. Only a few more obstacles standing in the way but we are very close to closing the deal. Stay tuned.
Dan

[SilverHawkDan]

I thought some of you might like a closer look at the rear suspension. Very interesting.


There are the usual elements. Sway bar, leaf springs, ladder bars and then some oddities. Notice the heavy duty chain with the bolt through it. Also the add on ad-a-leaf set up and air shocks. The shackels, add-a-leaf and air shocks I think were added to get clearance for the 18" wheels and land speed tires. The pictures of the back of the car are a little deceiving as the right front tire is flat. That lifts the left rear up a bit. But all in all the only purpose I can see for those items is to lift the back end up. Any other thoughts are welcome.

Dan