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Avenger build
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jspbtown
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PostPosted: Sun May 11, 2008 7:10 pm    Post subject: Avenger build Reply with quote

Well I finally got caught up on some shop clean up (new sand blaster gloves and viewing glass, new solvent in the parts washer, etc) and was sitting there wondering what to do,....so I dragged the Avenger in to take a peek what was inside.

Its a mess. It has some interesting things like the CNC brake/clutch systems with hanging pedals, 4 week disc brakes and what looks like a dropped fiberglass floor.

The bad: the doors are just hanging by the latches. The window regulators are all rusted up. The 3 body pieces need some serious work. And there is NO interior.

Oh well...I like a challenge.

Some questions on some things I pulled out from inside:

1. It looks like it had a type 3 motor in it. The heads look great. Will they fit a 1600? The pistons say something like 90 on them. Is that the bore? They also have a black skirt...anyone know why?
2. They pushrods are black and don't look like the ones I am used to. Are the type 3s different?
3. It has two Dells. They are pretty much locked up with corrossion. How bad is too bad to be rebuilt? They also have the shorter manifolds. I assume type 3 again?
4. It came with a chrome 050 distributor that has been dis-assembled. Is it worth while to getting it rebuilt?
5. It has an Oberg tattletail (I think thats what it said) filter. Any good?

Here are some pics:

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vw505
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PostPosted: Sun May 11, 2008 7:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

nice to see an avenger on here, so is this the start of your build or are you just poking at it to see whats there? it looks like you have a lot of nice stuff on yours, some one spent some money on it back in the day.
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jspbtown
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PostPosted: Sun May 11, 2008 7:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well it really depends on my client. He owns the car. I am supposed to be getting his father's 48 Chevy "roadworthy" for him, but we haven't nailed down when it will be coming up. So until it does, I needed something to play with. I might start doing some sanding & repairing now. I don't really have room to split the body from the chassis (the way I like to do it) with the Chevy coming, so I might just work on the doors, or the front or rear clips.
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681tonburb
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PostPosted: Mon May 12, 2008 2:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks like a good avenger to start with. Its good the pans are dropped already for the seat that will give you a lot of options with out the pans dropped you have to have the seat leaned back to be comfortable to drive on less your 4ft tall. Looks like it has the same steering column I used in mine I use one from a 86 firebird. Its nice you have the wind shield chrome that stuff is getting hard to find but it sux you don’t have the rear its imposable to find not a lot of 66 mustangs around to get it from any more. The doors should be easy to work out but you may want to stiffen the glass up ware they attach it want thick enough from fiber fab I add some supper dense foam that is used to make boat transoms to mine for support. For window regulators I used a universal set for hot rods so I could have power windows.
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oldvolksguy
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PostPosted: Mon May 12, 2008 3:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If the pistons on the motor have a 90.45 (or 90's, as they are called,) the heads will not fit a 1600 cc motor. They have been flycut to the larger size.
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vw505
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PostPosted: Thu May 15, 2008 5:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

so you get any thing done?
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jspbtown
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PostPosted: Thu May 15, 2008 5:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not yet. Just been looking at what was in it and soaking things in PB Blaster before I start to disassamble things. I got a nice set of Dell DRLA carbs that I think I will get rebuilt. I als o got some pretty decent looking items that I am unsure if they are worth saving or trashing.

I did start to look at the doors and they suck. The striker plate area looks awfully weak. The hinges where they attach to the body appear pretty strong, but where they attach to the doors look very weak again. Both areas I think will need some strengthening. I also did some research on power window kits.

The chassis seems to have some pretty thick perimetyer steel and dropped fiberglass pans. The front bulkhead seems very thin and weak so I am going to have to reinforce it alot. The pedal assembly is going to have to be modified as I think the pedals are way to far apart, and the support that they hang from is too big.

Lots and lots of stuff to do.
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madmike
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PostPosted: Thu May 15, 2008 5:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll give you 4 cords of Farwood for it Very Happy Looks way better shape than the project I had,Madmike
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76 Drag/Street bug 2180cc 'Turbo' 11:85 @113 mph"If I go any faster I'll burn up the Hamster" ,gets 28 mpg. also 10/09/22 11.90 @115 mph
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jspbtown
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PostPosted: Thu May 15, 2008 6:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Madmike...
Firewood...sure I could always use firewood! Thats only one pile from the spring cutting. 2 years ago I cut down a ton so I could build my shop. My neighbor heated his house all last winter from my pile. I flip a switch and get instant fire in my gas fireplace so the only wood I use is for my wife's firepit out back. She expressed her "concern" that she wouldn't have enough wood this summer so I went out and chopped down a couple trees for her. Now she has a smile on her face again.

JSP
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bungi
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PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2008 6:31 pm    Post subject: Always like the Avengers... Reply with quote

I've been working on my uncles neighbor for going on 15 years for him to sell me his Avenger, always check when I visit, still sitting in the same corner of his garage covered with boxes....

Always liked this one.

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or this one: http://members.cox.net/rarevair/gt40.htm

Keep us posted on the progress

Rick Bender
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jspbtown
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PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2008 8:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Did the old "1 man body lift" tonight:

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My $70 Harbor freight hoist comes in handy when the Red Sox AND Celtics are on TV and I can't get my wife or son's help.

Placed it on my body dolly:

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Interesting pedal set up. I will need to bend them to make them more user friendly:
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Chassis has a 3" square perimeter frame with fiberglass dropped pans. I have something in mind for them I think:
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So the plan is:
Chassis: Get everything cleaned up real good. I need to replace some metal. The front hump needs some attention, but the tunnel is solid as a rock. I am going to try to move the shifter and e-brake. Rebuild everything, new shocks, ball joints, re-do the brakes, new lines, etc. Will need to engineer some steel for the front and rear supports. Plan is for some linear actuators.

Body: Doors need lots of work. Power windows seem to be the way to go. I am going to reinforce the doors hinge area and striker area. The body hingers look very solid. Will of course need to fit the body panels. The front firewall is fatigued. I am going to add some glass, then an aluminum or steel plate to support the pedals. They need to b re-worked too.

Anyone who knows me knows this just ain't talk. My standard 1 year timeframe is the goal. Finish the chassis, get the bodywork done, still have a life, and paint n the spring.
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Cujo3131
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PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2008 8:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

WOW Shocked

That white and blue paint scheme pops.... and that looks so clean. Nice build indeed!


Cujo
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681tonburb
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PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2008 11:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If your going to keep the booster I would look in to a late 80s early 90 camaro or firebird they have the small 8in boosters that would open up a lot of room for you to be able to move the peddles closer.
My fiber glass had the same problems thin so a friend of mine that build boats got me the foam they use in structural areas on boats stuff is awesome light weight and super strong. Im redoing my hole car now too and Im trying to get him to get me a hole sheet of the stuff or tell me ware to get it from If I get a supplier for it Ill let you know it may come in handy when you reenforce the doors and the bulk head.
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vw505
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PostPosted: Thu May 22, 2008 9:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i wanna get home and start on mine.
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madmike
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PostPosted: Fri May 23, 2008 6:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey JSP, Come up here I'll let u cut all the trees you can handle Very Happy , I need 25-30 cord per-season,I'll supply the chain saw, gas &oil,LOL,Madmike
_________________
'Black Ice'Drag Buggy 'Turbo'
Rail Buggy 1915 turbo
76 Drag/Street bug 2180cc 'Turbo' 11:85 @113 mph"If I go any faster I'll burn up the Hamster" ,gets 28 mpg. also 10/09/22 11.90 @115 mph
"If I'm ever on Life Support,UNPLUG Me, Then Plug me back In see if that Works"
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jspbtown
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PostPosted: Sat May 31, 2008 7:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Got some "destruction" going last week.
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Pulled the tranny, axles, front arms, floor pans and brakes off:

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The started relocating the shifter and e-brake assemblies. I got about 8" movement back towards the rear:
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681tonburb
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 4:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

looks like your off to a good start . Those htdrolic peddles must move your seating position back a good bit i moved my shifter back 5in and thought it may be to much but I had stock Bug peddles
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jspbtown
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 1:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Have made some additional progress. Replaced the Napolean hat as it was a little rusty, filled in some holes in the frame (the body mounting holes were drilled straight through), and did some repair on the pan under the frame head. I also cut the lip in the rear where it rises up and welded in a new metal lip to make the floorpans sit perfectly flat.

One interesting thing I noticed when I flipped the chassis over was where they mounted the rear section of the 2x2" box frame. You can see it if you look close at the frame pics I posted previously. What they did was cut two mounting tabs off of the torsion bushing cover, as well as some of the arched dome on the cover AND shaved the bushing itself. So each torsion bushings is being retained with two bolts and a good chunk of the bushing is exposed to the elements. Nice huh? I thought of a re-design that I am going to try tonight.
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xirxious
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 12:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A friend of my dad had one 25 yrs ago I coulda had for a song, kicking myself now....
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dune limo
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 8:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks like a nice project car and fun to rebuild

Previous owner must have spent some $$$ on it, looks like he got some custom alloy rear caliper mounts made for the type I arms apart from the other good stuff on the car

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