Hello Everyone

[gotthecorvairbug]

Well I am a Newbie to this forum and to owning a Corvair... So let me introduce myself and my new love... I am a 54 year old that has some mechanic skills and a decent shop and tools to work with. Never been an auto mechanic just tool and die maker, conveyor technician, Japanese sword polisher and master gem cutter. In other words jack of all trades and master of none.
I have always loved the Corvair and now I have a 1963 Monza 900 2 door coupe. It runs nice; it is an automatic transmission, has a lot of chrome but needs a lot of love and attention. The man I bought it from does a lot of restorations but this one got pushed to the back of the line for 12 years; now I own it...

I got it home today and she is in the shed; it really runs well but like I stated it needs new upholstery for the seats, overhead, etc. the rust I can handle but when I read about the plight of the car I wonder on things like the camber compensating bar, etc. and wonder did they make one for the 1963 model, etc...

I need some guidance as I did order the manuals the 1961 master and the 1963 supplement manuals. got the latest Clark's catalog, etc. I really have enjoyed reading many of the posts thus far and hope that I will not pester you experts too much...

Constructive advise is very welcome and I know I have a long road ahead of me but that is okay... I love the car already :)

Most Respectfully;

Dana ( a guy ) in North Carolina

[cad-kid]

Welcome! Post a pic or two - we love photos.

[gotthecorvairbug]

Sorry but these are all I have now; just got it today and the last owner had stripped all the chrome 8 years ago ; but I have it all and a extra windshield.

[bbodie52]

Welcome, Dana, to the Corvair Forum!

What part of North Carolina do you call home? I also live in North Carolina, but in a rural part about 100 miles north of Atlanta and 100 miles south of Asheville, on Lake Chatuge. The nearest towns are Hiawassee, Georgia (4 miles) and Hayesville, North Carolina (9 miles). The Georgia/North Carolina border is about ½ mile south of my home.

I have been around Corvairs since my parents purchased their first one — a new 1961 Monza coupe. I was about eight years old at the time. They later sold the 1961 coupe and bought a new 1965 Corvair Corsa convertible. I learned to drive in that car and obtained my first driver's license in it in 1968. During my high school summer vacation in 1969 I learned to overhaul my first Corvair engine in a 1963 Corvair 500 coupe, and rebuilt the Powerglide automatic transmission as well. Except for a gap from about 1995 until 2012, Corvairs have always been a part of my family. Our 1962 Monza (powered by that 1963 engine I rebuilt) provided transportation on my wedding day and honeymoon. My parents turned their 1965 Corsa over to me, and we drove it throughout my 24 years with the Air Force, all over the USA and in Germany. For our 40th wedding anniversary we purchased our current 1966 Corsa convertible.

In looking over your pictures of your 1963 coupe, it appears that you may have a 1964 or later engine residing in the back. The air cleaner assembly is a 1964-1969 style from a 164 cubic inch 95hp or 110hp engine. Corvairs were equipped with generators from 1960-1964, and switched to alternators from 1965-1969. The engines were 140 CI in 1960, 145 CI from 1961-1963, and 164 CI from 1964-1969 when they received a longer-stroke crankshaft.

The photographic evidence, however, is not conclusive. Many early Corvair engines have been updated with an alternator replacing the generator. The generator-style voltage regulator would not work with an alternator, so I suspect the voltage regulator in your engine compartment has been bypassed and that the alternator is functioning with an internal integrated voltage regulator. The engine serial number (near the alternator, between the oil filter adaptor and the top sheet metal shroud) will help to identify the engine. The cylinder head casting numbers (under the car, next to the valve covers at the end of the cylinder heads) will also help to identify the engine.

If your crankshaft pulley is a harmonic balancer (110hp engine) or a 1964-69 cast pulley (95hp) that would be another clue indicating a 1964 or later engine. A magnesium blower is also a component that was introduced in 1964.





You can download many shop manuals, supplements, and other useful Corvair technical manuals at no cost to add to your reference library using the following link...

Common and Useful Corvair Websites

Corvair Forum viewtopic.php?f=225&t=6007

There are four CORSA (Corvair Society of America) club chapters in North Carolina. The following link will guide you to their websites...

http://www.corvair.org/chapters/chapter271/index.html

The Corvair Forum is really great, but face-to-face contact with other like-minded Corvair owners and enthusiasts is "the other side of the coin" and can really enhance your new hobby. CORSA chapters are family-friendly and often host social gatherings like scenic drives, car shows, competitions, picnics, technical training sessions, etc. If there is a club close to your location, I would encourage you to check it out and see if you might like to join them.

Clark's Corvair Parts has been a highly successful and well-respected major Corvair parts supplier since 1973. If you plan on reconditioning and restoring the interior of your Corvair, you should browse pages 261D-275 for 24 pages of great DIY upholstery restoration items. http://www.corvair.com/user-cgi/catalog ... &page=261D. Pages 277-282 provide 8 pages of similar support for carpeting. http://www.corvair.com/user-cgi/catalog ... N&page=277

The following Corvair Forum link will offer you a truly amazing and encouraging tour of Clark's Corvair Parts in a series of video presentations. I find it helpful to know that our efforts to restore and maintain these aging classic cars are backed by suppliers such as this. I would encourage you to take a few minutes to view these videos...

viewtopic.php?f=81&t=6004

I hope you will keep active on the Corvair Forum and post pictures of your Corvair to document your progress and to ask any questions you might have. I believe you will find good support for your project Corvair here.

[flat6_musik]

Welcome to the forum, Dana! Yeah, we've ALL got the corvair bug here! You're among friends.......

Looks like it might just be a somewhat easy job to get it up and running. At least the engine's together. Got some oversize tires on that baby, huh?

[County98]

Welcome buddy!

[cad-kid]

Thanks for the pics Looks like a fun project (I'm a bit jealous )

[gotthecorvairbug]

Thank you all very much for the warm welcome...

Thank you Mr. Bodie for all the wealth of information you have given me thus far... I will check out the items you mentioned as I am sure it will all help when trying to buy parts for her... I am in Madison just 20 minutes north east of Greensboro NC...

I am looking forward to getting her back to her former glory as she is just a lovely little thing :)

I see it is going to be a long journey but one I hope that is filled with making new friends like you all on this forum.

Thank you again;

Most Respectfully;

Dana

[gotthecorvairbug]

Well I think I found the engine tag and this is what it says...

T082IRD

I hope that makes sense :)

Most respectfully;

Dana

[gotthecorvairbug]

Hello All;

From doing research from this fabulous site /forum I came up with what I think may be right ???

It is a either 65,66,67 year engine and that was by the RD number but in what I saw of the listings it was a MT manual transmission but this one has an automatic???

Looks like I may have a mix-match little Lady ;) LOL

Tell me Oh Guru's of the Corvair what do I have :) LOL

Most Respectfully;

Dana

[bbodie52]

T0821RD

T = Tonawanda, New York (GM Tonawanda Engine Plant)
http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/comp ... wanda.html
0821 = Engine manufacturing date of August 21 (The year is never included in this date, unfortunately)
RD = indicates a 1965-1967 164 Cubic Inch Displacement 110hp Manual Transmission engine that was orignally installed in a 1965-67 Monza or 500 Corvair. This engine serial number suffix code is unique to those three model years.

The 110hp Corvair engine is considered to be among the most-reliable workhorses, offering decent performance, torque and good reliability. It has the same camshaft and bottom-end as the 140hp engine, and the same compression ratio. The cylinder heads have smaller valves, dual carburetors instead of the 140hp four-carburetor configuration, and a single exhaust. The 140hp exhaust configuration used exhaust tubes and exhaust manifolds that were slightly larger and less restrictive, and the 140hp engine was equipped with a dual exhaust system.

Any manual transmission engine can be easily reconfigured for use with the Powerglide automatic transmission. The necessary changes include:

• Change the aluminum clutch bell housing to an aluminum torque converter housing.
• Remove the clutch pilot bushing from the end of the crankshaft.
• Remove the clutch assembly and replace it with a torque converter and torque converter flexplate.
• Replace the engine vacuum balance tube with one that includes a vacuum connection for the transmission vacuum modulator.
• Most 1965-1968 110hp distributors (P/N: 1110319) had the same timing advance curve, regardless of transmission type. There were some engines that were equipped with an Air Injection Reactor (AIR — SMOG PUMP) that required a different distributor.
• Once modified , the Corvair engine can be bolted to a Powerglide transaxle.

[gotthecorvairbug]

Thank you for the wealth of information Mr. Bodie

Most Respectfully;

Dana

[bbodie52]

I'm glad I can help. I just try to answer the questions I might have if I were new to Corvairs and just getting started.

If you can post a picture of your Body Tag (engine compartment) and perhaps the VIN (driver side door jamb) we might be able to tell you a little more about your Corvair's heritage.


Sample 1963 Corvair Body Tag

[gotthecorvairbug]

The one in the door is missing and this is the one in the engine section...

[bbodie52]

I will decode the body tag for you...

Here is a breakdown of the information on the body tag you provided...
BODY TAG INFO:

11A
Body Build Date: 11 = November, A = First Week
The first digits are numbers 1 through 12, indicating the month of manufacture. The letter is A-E, indicating the week of the month. If the letter is an "A" it indicates the first week of the month.

STYLE 64 0927 WR 19336 BODY
64=1964
Model 0927 — 2-Door Club Coupe, 4 Passenger, 09 = 900 Series Monza, 27 = 2-Door Club Coupe,
WR = Willow Run, Michigan, Production Sequence No: 19336
1964 Monza 2-Door Club Coupe - 4 Passenger, Total Production: 88,440.



TRIM 712 = BLACK
This 3 digit codes represents the interior color and seat type.

PAINT 936
936 = White "Ermine White" paint

936 = "Ermine White" Lucite No. 4024L, Rinshed-Mason No. A1199, Ditzler No. DDL 8259

ACC: W2M3C5V

The Letters are listed in groups. Letters following a number are in that group.
1st Group
W = RPO A02 — Tinted Windshield Only

2nd Group
M = RPO M35 — Powerglide Automatic Transmission

3rd Group
C = RPO B70 — Padded Dash

4th Group
None

5th Group
V = Custom Deluxe seat belts no retractors RPO A37 (before Feb 1, 1964)

========================================================================

If the VIN tag is missing from the door jamb, you may have trouble creating the title and registration in your name. This may be less of an issue if you bought the car from a seller in the same state. When I bought my Corvair in Florida and retitled it in North Carolina a DMV officer had to come to my home (by appointment) to verify the identity markings on the car. The documentation they created had to be sent on to Raleigh and a new title was issued. With no VIN identity tag on your car you will have to check with the DMV to determine the procedures needed to title and register your car.

The VIN tag is located in the left door jamb. An example is shown below...



In addition to the metal VIN tag that the factory riveted to the door jamb, there is a hidden duplicate VIN location.

This is the EM (Early Model, 1960-1964) hidden VIN location — behind the front crossmember on the driver side.





Note that the hidden VIN number only includes the manufacturing plant ID letter (W, for Willow Run) and the Vehicle Number. The first portion (model year, trim, and model) can be extracted from the manufacturer's Body Tag in the engine compartment. In your case, the complete VIN number would be:

40927Wnnnnnn

with the final six digits copied from the hidden VIN number.

Corvair VIN Decoding Detail

Early Car VIN Detail

(1960-1964)

[gotthecorvairbug]

Thank You so very much Mr. Bodie...

As I was doing my research which was directed by you as you are a great source of knowledge on this issue I was getting that feeling... I have a Virginia 1963 title with 1964 body tag and a 1965-67 engine... Wow was this a hodge-podge of parts... Not to mention the VIN tag removed from the door panel and I will check the underneath for the hidden number ...

I bought it from a car dealer that does restorations and that might have been why it kept being thrown to the end of the line and they may not know as well as the 80+ year old gentleman seems very kind and I just do not feel he knew it...

So would you suggest that I.... find the proper VIN underneath and then contact the DMV to see what they think I should do????

Oh well; I seem to not have a 1963 after all... Still like the body style I do have .. Just hope I will be able to get it on the road as I did not want to resale it ... just enjoy it..

Thank you so much Mr. Bodie as you are a wealth of information that is so very useful to us all that love the Corvair...

Most respectfully;

Dana