1965 Corsa Coupe

[vairmech]

BTW, there is a number on the glove box lock, it just needs to be picked so it will come apart.

I think there are 2-3 of us here that can code cut keys.

[2LZ]

Was the manual in the car? Now I have to wonder if the original build sheet might still be under the back seat. Dennis

Nope. It was with a pile of paperwork. She did pull the rear seat and no build sheet.

[2LZ]

BTW, there is a number on the glove box lock, it just needs to be picked so it will come apart.

I think there are 2-3 of us here that can code cut keys.

Great to know! From doing research and reading old posts, another member has me covered on this, but thank you!

[2LZ]

Looks like a nice car all but the black exterior. I'm partial to the Evening Orchid! I had a 65 Corsa Evening Orchid car and put a built turbo engine in it, after that we called it Wild Orchid!!!!

As this CSI project unfolds, and I find more and more clues, and I'm starting to think that this was a complete resto decades ago. I know the car sat in a barn for the last 20, at least according to the property Trustee i bought it from (step son?). The place had many Corvair's sitting in various states of disrepair and rot. Fortunately, many have already been sold to folks who will hopefully give them proper homes. I was a little disappointed to find out I missed a decent, ressurectable Ramp Side the week before.

I think it may be an older complete resto because there is zero sign of masking anywhere around any trim and everything I pull off it's black underneath, like the grill bar I pulled to get the trunk lock number. Also, when Mrs. 2LZ pulled the rear seat, it's completely insulated underneath. What small dings and dents where the black has chipped off, there is no sign of Evening Orchid. Just primer and black. Weird.......

[Dennis66]

That's a sign of a GOOD repaint. When I bought my second '67 500, I knew from the paint that it had been repainted. They had even removed the interior and carpet and painted all of that. I had that car twice. First time I bought it for 75.00 for the manual trans drivetrain to put in my '65 Monza. After I dinged up a front fender on the Monza, I got the 500 back and put the drivetrain and interior from a '66 Monza in it Drove it for a short time until a Buick Skylark ran a stop sign in front of me. Corvair was still drivable after the accident. The Skylark, not so. Dennis

[2LZ]

Had a great day today! Got a call from my young buddy. Wanted to spend the day with his "funcle". We got home and he wanted to check out the Corvair. At 26. he had no idea what it was but loved it. Thought it was very cool.

I wish I had gotten a better pic but the right rear corner was punked in from backing into something. Nice little dent, paint chipped off, stainless trim and it's mount was bent. I took the speed nuts off the inside, finagled it out and then we went after the dent with a custom cut piece of wood and hammer. I was holding and aiming the wood, he used his youth with the hammer part of the process.

For you purists, I'm not looming to make this car Concours or do a complete resto, I'm making it a clean, old driver. Anyway, after "adjusting" the piece of wood numerous times on the grinder, the dent came out "definitely nice enough".
I was able to reformat the pot metal mount piece for the stainless and my young buddy got out the Testers Gloss Black and did all the touch-up painting, including other areas that were chipped up, due to age and road use.

Funny thing.....I needed to repaint the mount piece after I straightened it and worked it over. I didn't have anything near the right color in my spray can collection. He has a 2014 Jeep Patriot in silver....and just so happened to have a brand new spray can of touch-up paint in it! After I primed the piece, that Jeep silver was a virtual match for the Corsa silver! Very pleased with today's progress.....and besides, it was a great day with the boy. He's a firefighter in "Helattack" and doesn't get home often. I was tickled he looked me up for a visit.

[KenHenry]

Looking good!! FYI, I believe all the bright cove pieces are bright anodized aluminum, so the color will change if you try to file and polish out dents. Ken

[2LZ]

Quick update. Got the new keys in and they worked awesome! Thanks Frank!
I did a bunch of touch-up paint today, since it made it all the way to 48'. If done "correctly", it would be a repaint/resto, but it's going to be a driver. I decided to do a test panel of the old black to see if it would come out ok. There are scars, scuffs, etc....for it's paint age, but I think it turned out more than acceptable for a driver. This was after a machine buff of Maguires Ultimate Compound and two machine buffs of Maguires Ultimate Polish. No wax yet. I think this will work.

[jimbrandberg]

It's been a while but I didn't see a reply to your brake fluid question. Yes silicone would be DOT 5.

[toms73novass]

Looking great! Shined up nicely.

[2LZ]

It's been a while but I didn't see a reply to your brake fluid question. Yes silicone would be DOT 5.

I have some in the shop from my old Harley. Guess I best get a newer bottle, just in case. I know Dot 5 doesn't soak moisture but this bottle is probably 25 years old.
It just surprised me that an old '60's car runs Dot 5. I'd imagine it came with Dot 3 from the factory and swapping to Dot 5 is an owners preference?

[2LZ]

Well, I guess the good thing about a polishing project is you get to touch the entire outside of the car.....and find things you normally wouldn't. Like loose, rattly, emblems. A fine example is the Corsa emblem, pictured.
I guessing it's probably speed-nutted on from the backside, but the backside is illusive. You can't get to it from the door jam, frunk, or the wheel well.

I'm thinking of putting a dab or two of black RTV on a small paint brush and brushing it on the backside of the emblem (It comes out about 1/8") and gluing the dang thing on. I just don't want it to rattle going down the road or worse, possible lose it. Ideas???

[RexJohnson]

It is behind the floor vent.

[2LZ]

It is behind the floor vent.

Thank you!

[2LZ]

Been days in a row of touch-up paint and buffing. Got her finished to an acceptable level today. Much like me, it looks like crap up close, but decent from a distance.
Going with the racing stripe to cover a bunch of crazed paint on the roof after I touched-up all that. Beats a full-on repaint. Again, it's a driver.

[2LZ]

BTW, Mrs. 2LZ found this wedged under the back seat. More clues. It's been a CA car for at least this long.