Newbie in Boston

[Jake]

I'm awaiting delivery of my 65 Corvair Corsa convertible this weekend.
It was originally a 180 Turbo car (according to the body tag) and now has a 2 bbl 110 hp engine.
I'm actually pretty happy to have the 110 as the turbo feels like a bit much for me and my wife. I know the engine leaks a bit but I had a pretty exhaustive inspection done before I bought it so I'm somewhat confident I'll be receiving a decent runner that looks pretty good.

Like quite a few new owners here one thing I'n concerned with is leg room. The only other corvair I've ever driven was a 62 coupe and I could barely fit in it.
I'm about 6'1 260 lbs.
I've already got a set of clarks seat rail extenders but I'd love to be surprised and not need them!

I've been told that 65's and up are a bit roomier than the EM's.
I'm also concerned about putting in the extenders, being conformable and my wife suddenly being unable to reach the pedals.

You guys have a ton of info here. I'm looking forward to putting some of it to use.

[Jake]

I've had tons of interesting cars from a couple of 66 Barracudas, 72 VW Thing, Checker Marathon, 67 Dart, 72 Scamp and my daily driver is a 2009 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with 60,000 miles on it.

I'm not really a mechanic though I spent most of my teens and twenties working on cars with my friends. After I got married and started working all the time there was always something more pressing to spend my money on but now that I'm 53 I decided the hell with it. I've been denying myself for long enough and my wife always loved driving my old cars when we were dating and first got married. so she's pretty excited about getting back into our old car ways.

I was mostly a mopar guy but I've always been intrigued by the Corvair.
I'm planning on spending some time and money making this car as solid and dependable as I can.

Sure wish that car transport truck would show up right now!

[66vairguy]

I always liked the 66 Baracuda. At one time I was going to buy one and upgrade to a 340 and install the subframe re-enforcemnts, etc. Just never got around to it with all the other project cars I did.

Mid life is a good time to get into old cars. The numbers show most folks just don't have the time and money until they get past their mid 40's.

Enjoy your Corvair.

[Jake]

Thank you, cant wait!

[bbodie52]

I'm awaiting delivery of my 65 Corvair Corsa convertible this weekend.
It was originally a 180 Turbo car (according to the body tag) and now has a 2 bbl 110 hp engine.
I'm actually pretty happy to have the 110 as the turbo feels like a bit much for me and my wife. I know the engine leaks a bit but I had a pretty exhaustive inspection done before I bought it so I'm somewhat confident I'll be receiving a decent runner that looks pretty good.

Welcome to the Corvair Forum!

I was stationed with the Air Force in Massachusetts at Hanscom AFB (Bedford) from 1977 to 1980. So my first winter in Massachusetts included the Blizzard of ’78. Since I was raised in California, that winter was quite a shock!

I've been riding in Corvairs since 1961 (I was 8 years old). My parents bought a new 1961 2-door Monza coupe (4-speed). They upgraded to a new 140hp Corsa convertible in 1965...


My father and me with our new Mist Blue 1965 Corsa convertible at an Edwards AFB, California air show.


This 1962 Corvair, powered by my first engine rebuild, carried me to my wedding and honeymoon in 1972 (Thousand Oaks, CA)


The same family 1965 Corvair Corsa Convertible, 140hp 4x1 - Spring 1980 (after being repainted in RED and receiving a new convertible top at a shop in Watertown — Base Housing - Hanscom AFB, MA

I shipped this Corvair Corsa from the port in Bayonne, NJ to our next Air Force assignment near Ramstein Air Base in southwest Germany. We were in Germany for three years, and had a lot of fun cruising the Autobahn at about 80-90 mph with the top down!

At age 70, these are my current personal Corvair daily drivers...



Your primary concern about your 1965 Corsa convertible is avoiding any exposure of the thin-skinned unibody Corvair to road salt! Convertibles are likely the most vulnerable to body rot and road salt damage because they lack a hard roof and had to be reinforced within the body structure around the door frame perimeter. Rust and corrosion inside the body structure can weaken the chassis and cause flexing of the car body. Most mechanical problems with the powertrain, brakes, suspension, etc. can be repaired by the DIY home mechanic. But body decay can get expensive, and severe cases can become irreparable. Hopefully your Corvair has not been driven in winter climates or exposed to road salt.

Keep an eye on the universal joints in the half shafts. Hopefully yours will have Zerk grease fittings that allow the u-joints to be greased periodically. If they don't have grease fittings, you may want to replace them with good-quality universal joints that have Zerk fittings. The rear axle bearings are sealed and difficult to overhaul.


https://ssl.corvair.com/user-cgi/catalo ... w_page=167

The aging transaxles must also be well-cared for. The transmission and differential share the same gear lubricant. Never use GL-5 lubricant in the transmission or differential. This type or gear lube is corrosive to "yellow metal" synchros in the manual transmission. Also, changing the transaxle gear lube is somewhat difficult since there is no drain plug. A form of suction tool can be used to draw most of the old gear lubricant out so that it can be refreshed. Hopefully, your transaxle is in good condition, as overhauling the transmission or differential can be difficult and it is getting harder to find parts for them.

viewtopic.php?p=128012&hilit=yellow+metal#p128012

viewtopic.php?p=123592&hilit=yellow+metal#p123592

The 110hp engine has a good "bulletproof" reputation. Most share the same camshaft that was used in the 4-carburetor140hp engine. It was equipped with smaller valve cylinder heads, but shared the same 164 CI displacement found in all 1964-1969 Corvair engines. The 9.0:1 compression ratio was also found in the big valve 140hp engine. It was fitted with a single muffler exhaust, rather than the dual exhaust system found on the 140hp engine.

You should have a harmonic balancer. It is a component of all 1964 and later Corvair engines, with the single exception of the low-horsepower 95hp engine. It is a good idea to inspect the harmonic balancer for slippage. Does the harmonic balancer appear to be intact without any signs of outer ring slippage? The balancer is a 3-piece assembly consisting of a center hub, an outer ring, and a rubber ring component pressed between the inner and outer metal components. As the harmonic balancer ages, slippage can occur between the inner and outer pieces. If this occurs, the harmonic balancer must be replaced, as it will ultimately fail and come apart. There is usually a slip-check reference mark, as shown below, to assist with verifying that the balancer is intact. If any slippage has occurred, the timing mark on the outer ring will no longer be accurate. You should check the harmonic balancer to confirm the accuracy of the timing mark BEFORE you check and adjust the timing with a timing light.

Mid-grade or Premium fuel is usually needed to avoid pinging or detonation in your 110hp engine.

I would like to encourage you to expand on your initial post. Can you describe your Corvair interests, and your goals for your Corvair? Helping us to know more about you will help us to write comments to you that are tailored to your needs and experience. Photographs tell us a lot — so if possible, could you post some detailed images of your Corvair?

The link below will provide you with a list of useful websites that are Corvair-related. Some of the links will lead you to an extensive technical library that will allow you to download shop manuals and other technical references in Adobe Reader format at no cost. You will also find a list of essential Corvair parts suppliers. Clark's Corvair Parts in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts is the biggest and oldest Corvair supplier in the world. You will find a link that can provide you with a series of video presentations that amount to a tour of the Clark's Corvair Parts facilities. Parts suppliers such as this truly make our Corvair hobby possible.

Common and Useful Corvair Websites

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



The engine serial number suffix codes for the 110hp engine variations can be found in the attached CORSA Corvair Technical Guide 1+2 - Corvair Code Numbers, Page Code Numbers 4. The serial number begins with a "T", for the Tonawanda engine manufacturing plant, followed by a month and date four digit code, and a two letter suffix code. The engine serial number is located between the upper sheet metal shroud and the oil filter adaptor, and to the right of the alternator.



The cylinder head type may be identified by the cylinder head casting number. These codes are listed in the attached CORSA Corvair Technical Guide 1+2 - Corvair Code Numbers, Page Code Numbers 5.

[Jake]

Great info, I really appreciate it

[Rick4130]

Certainly look up the Bay State Corvair club, it is very active! Welcome