Author Topic: Restoring the Burke Bros Avanti  (Read 33010 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline dw230

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3165
Re: Restoring the Burke Bros Avanti
« Reply #15 on: April 14, 2010, 09:37:24 PM »
What if the car is on the roof?

DW
White Goose Bar - Where LSR is a lifestyle
Alcohol - because no good story starts with a salad.

Don't be Karen, be Beth

Offline Avanti Dan

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 52
  • Going to Bonneville to fill my Bucket List item #4
Re: Restoring the Burke Bros Avanti
« Reply #16 on: April 28, 2010, 02:19:07 AM »
Sorry it has taken me so long to get back here. I have been distracted by the return of my cancer. They found another tumor and we have been discussing how to best treat it. It looks like radiation treatments are in my future. A lot has happened on the car. High Gear Ranch has been busy restoring the frame. The engine is being dyno'd in Modesto. I just completed the front suspension rebuild.









As for entry and exit. You enter through the right side door. The door is funtional and wide. The steering wheel is removable. The cage allows for reasonably easy exit and entry. The only issue is the distance from the seat to the door. I find I can open the door with my foot. The handle lifts up and then I don't have to bend over to open it. I am over six foot tall so bending over with the door closed is not the easiest thing to do but can be done. In an emergency you could crawl out the drivers side but it would be somewhat difficult. I haven't pracitced that yet but plan to now that I have the driving suit.

More to come soon.
Dan
Bucket List Dreamer

Offline theazoldcrow

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 843
  • Yup!
Re: Restoring the Burke Bros Avanti
« Reply #17 on: April 28, 2010, 09:45:12 AM »
 :-D  Dan, good luck with your therapy.  It can be beat!  You will be in our prayers.  also, the car is coming along !  looking forward to seeing it on the Salt soon.    Crow.
The Earth, is an intergalactic insane asylum.!

Offline hechtrod

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 78
    • MyRideisMe.com
Re: Restoring the Burke Bros Avanti
« Reply #18 on: April 30, 2010, 04:16:34 PM »
Wow, what an inspirational story.  I will keep you in my prayers!  Can't wait to watch the progress.  See you on the Salt brother!
Chris

Offline landsendlynda

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 949
Re: Restoring the Burke Bros Avanti
« Reply #19 on: May 01, 2010, 06:17:48 PM »
Dan,

In my Prayers and in my heart!!  I'll think nothing but positive thoughts for your recovery and your build!  See you on the salt.

Lynda
Volunteer roadblock at Land's End! Yes, you need your stinkin badge! I'm your Dream Keeper, I protect your dream on the asphalt so you can chase your dream on the salt!

Offline Avanti Dan

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 52
  • Going to Bonneville to fill my Bucket List item #4
Re: Restoring the Burke Bros Avanti
« Reply #20 on: May 04, 2010, 02:41:17 AM »
I want to Thank all of you for your kind words, prayers and thoughts. I am waiting word from the doctors as to when treatment will start. I told them I was available after the 16th. (El Mirage). One of my doctors is Doc Jeffries. Some of you know who he is. Record holder at El Mirage and Bonneville. I think he knew why.

This past weekend we had the car at the Morro Bay car show. It attracted a lot of attention. The car was delivered to the shop the day before the open house on Friday and the new fender skirts were delivered just as the open house began. They still had wet paint. We are not getting many "that car will never pass tech" comments since the frame was reapired and restored. The car looks solid and strong. Just have to get 300 little things finished before the 14th. Still waiting on the engine. Seems Gene Winfields engine got put in front of ours. Can you imagine. So here are some pictures from this past weekend.








It is good to have the frame done and the car back on the ground and rolling. I got a nice ride around the block with the help of four young horses (Teens). I even pulled away from them on the downhill stretch. It is so nice to have the steering working like it should. Amazing what removing the rust and corrosion will do. So now we have to set up the front suspension and then the rear. Should have the engine by weeks end. Just in time for the Estella War Birds Museum and Vintage Car Show is Paso Robles. Hope to showcase High Gear Ranches excellent frame and engine mount work. Parnelli Jones will be there and I hope to get him to sign the car. Maybe we will get some more support to finish the project.
Dan
Bucket List Dreamer

Offline Avanti Dan

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 52
  • Going to Bonneville to fill my Bucket List item #4
Re: Restoring the Burke Bros Avanti
« Reply #21 on: May 12, 2010, 01:54:12 AM »
Well more success. The car and driver are now official members of the Gold Coast Roadsters Club. By this weekend we will be registered in SCTA and BNI and will have gotten the first inspection performed on the car. While it is not race ready we are taking it down to EL Mirage to meet with some potential sponsors. While there if time permits we will have the tech officials look it over. The car has been transformed from it's rough form to a safe and solid car. We will have the engine in the car and if all goes well it will move under it's own power. Still missing the fire suppression system and belts ect. We will have the car ready for the El Mirage race on June 13th.

Last weekend we had the car on display at the 2nd annual Paso Robles "Warbirds, Wings and Wheels show. Here are few pictures.


We added 38 signatures and raised a few dollars for parts. The highlight was when Paula Murphy's son came by and I got him to sign the hood with a note about being her son. Hopefully I can add her signature soon. So to those of you going to El Mirage to dirt race look us up. I would love to meet each and every one of you.
Dan
Bucket List Dreamer

Offline Avanti Dan

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 52
  • Going to Bonneville to fill my Bucket List item #4
Re: Restoring the Burke Bros Avanti
« Reply #22 on: May 15, 2010, 12:06:21 AM »
Hello Everyone,
Well we are disappointed but reality wins. The car is just not ready for this weekend. The engine is still on the dyno in Modesto. The car needs the engine to finish the set up. So it is not to be. We will begin work on Monday to be ready for June 13. That should give us time to make sure it is ready. So I am going to El Mirage anyway to check things out and meet people and learn. I will be sporting a black Huntsman World Senior Games jacket if warranted and a Clay Smith grey shirt after the jacket comes off along with a white safari hat. So look for me and be sure to say Hi. I will be spending most of my time with Dave Bloombergs Avanti. It's the Gold #1963 car. See you on the dirt.
Dan
Bucket List Dreamer

Offline Avanti Dan

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 52
  • Going to Bonneville to fill my Bucket List item #4
Re: Restoring the Burke Bros Avanti
« Reply #23 on: May 20, 2010, 02:55:59 AM »
Finally found it!
After trying to figure out what was going on with the engine some good old detective work paid off. Turns out the replacement cam gear was mis marked and is off by one tooth too advanced. That explains a lot of things. Still I am amazed that Karl was able to get 400HP with the cam 13.5 degrees advanced. Keep in mind this is a 47 year old 304 CID Studebaker engine with 39,000 miles of street driving and weekend drag racing under it's belt. So when the parts arrive and the testing resumes we are looking for some respectable numbers. Then the engine comes to the Central Coast and goes back in the car for the set up of all the control systems. Then it's off to LA for an evaluation. I'll post some pictures and info as they become available.
Dan
Bucket List Dreamer

Offline Avanti Dan

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 52
  • Going to Bonneville to fill my Bucket List item #4
Re: Restoring the Burke Bros Avanti
« Reply #24 on: June 13, 2010, 12:58:56 AM »
Sorry it has taken me so long to get back here. Been very busy with the car, Relay For Life in two weeks, fighting with my doctor, my wife has been sick. Ya, life got in the way. We have made progress with the car. Here are some photos from todays work session.


Fabricated some pipes for the cooling system.


Fabricated the passenger side exhaust system.


The drivers side exhaust.
Then started it up to hear how it sounded. Man the video doesn't do it justice but it still sounds great. It's awesome sounding in person. Not bad for an engine designed and built 47 years ago. It may have 39,000 miles on it but it's still tight and sounds very powerful. Looking forward to racing it at El Mirage on July 11. It should be a fun ride.

Enjoy and I'll try to keep a little more up to date.
Dan
Bucket List Dreamer

Offline t russell

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 579
Re: Restoring the Burke Bros Avanti
« Reply #25 on: June 13, 2010, 05:32:28 PM »
Great stuff.
terry

Offline Geo

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 563
Re: Restoring the Burke Bros Avanti
« Reply #26 on: June 13, 2010, 07:19:42 PM »
Dan,

Glad to have a report.  Thanks for posting.  I know  how life gets in the way.  There has been a two year delay in my build.  I just raised the car on the lift for the first time.  Looks good underneath.  Back to work topside.

Geo

Offline Avanti Dan

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 52
  • Going to Bonneville to fill my Bucket List item #4
Re: Restoring the Burke Bros Avanti
« Reply #27 on: July 14, 2010, 03:09:29 AM »
Hello Everyone,
Well it finally happened. I was able to make 1 1/2 passes at El Mirage this weekend. After a 24 hour thrash to make the tech inspectors happy we got the yellow sticker and went racing. We discovered a trans problem on the first pass. Figured it out and had a fun and challenging pass on the second. We were one of the last cars to run and the track as all marbles at the end. The car drifted left close to the cones so I let off and brought it back center. Got back on it and it slowly drifted left and wiggled a little when it hit the soft spots. Unfortunetly about 300 to 400 feet from the finish it drifted close to the cones so a backed out and coasted through the lights. Recorded a 122 and change pass. According to the data I was at 147 when I backed it down. I figured I shouldn't take the chance that the car could get loose and the car hit the lights. I figured that might make me unpopular with the SCTA guys. So we have some things to work on but a solid base. The Bonneville engine is in progress and hopefully will be ready for Speed Week. I'll keep you posted. Here's some photos from this weekend.





Dan


Bucket List Dreamer

Offline basher13

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 87
Re: Restoring the Burke Bros Avanti
« Reply #28 on: July 14, 2010, 08:47:41 PM »
Great job Dan! Can't wait to look it over and watch you run at SW.
 :cheers:
Dan
118.780mph in a stock(ish) Studebaker

Offline Avanti Dan

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 52
  • Going to Bonneville to fill my Bucket List item #4
Re: Restoring the Burke Bros Avanti
« Reply #29 on: July 26, 2010, 02:39:01 AM »
Finally got a copy of a video that was shot at El Mirage. No telephoto lens but good anyways. Turn up your speakers becasue that Studebaker V8 sounds good going through the gears. Hit the rev limiter half way down (6000 rpm @150 mph) and backed of and slowly got back in it. What a blast. Can't wait for Speed Week. Need some more money to come in to go but hoping for a miracle. Like the one that got me to El Mirage.

Enjoy. Dan
Bucket List Dreamer