Avanti Rescue

[SeventhSon]

So it's been a little over a year since I checked in. I still have the Avanti, and have even moved it closer to where I now live. So it's 5 minutes away instead of 20 or 30. I have been driving it periodically - not as much as I used to but life and work keep me too occupied the last year or so. I had the old rocket ship out a couple of weeks ago and I hadn't been out but 5 minutes when I gunned it coming off a green light. She came on up the road like the champ she is, I had my right hand resting on the passenger seat when I felt like it was raining inside the car. A quick look showed at the heater control valve finally gave out altogether and the faster the RPM's turned the faster the coolant sprayed. Luckily the unit had been dripping a little coolant before this so I had a plastic tub already under the spot to catch coolant. I was able to limp on back to the storage unit without much more coolant coming out - as long as I took it easy and didn't act like I was waiting for green on the tree at the 1/4 mile track.

 

That night I ordered a replacement unit from one of the Avanti parts distributors. I knew it was not NOS, not even for a domestic car, but I believe a Toyota. Ha, who knew that a Toyota part would end up in a Studebaker? The description with the part in the online catalog states, "Will replace original valve with minor modification". I'm not sure what sort of minor modification is needed, as no instructions for the minor modification were included with the part. And examining the part offers no easy or clear idea about said modification.  No matter, after pulling the original part today and comparing it to the "replacement" I decided that the new part would be a temporary fix until the original unit can be either rebuilt or replaced. So I stuck the new unit in and moved the hose clamps into place. I didn't even bother trying to hook up the operating cable as I saw how easy it will be to just reach over under the dash and push the lever one way or the other, depending on if I want heat or not. I didn't have time to try it out, but next week I will give it a run and see if there any leaks. BTW, the date is incorrect on the pictures - I didn't change it to today's date.

Edited October 18, 2020 by SeventhSon (see edit history)