Hey yall

[Deuce]

Of course I'm new so I'll cut to the chase and let you know a little about me. I built my first motor at 14, I'm a high school drop out, biker, Desert Storm Vet, welder fabricator,special effects coordinator/technician, vape shop owner, jack of all trades. I'm a Chevy fan (tattoo on the back of my head of a bowtie). Still have a small place in my heart for ugly cars, I like dodges too. I've been in Lowrider magazine with an competition S-10 I helped build. I've been in a film magazine with a camera car I helped build. That's about all of that. All my accomplishments happened by the grace of God because, I might have a little talent but only enough to screw things up. I'm just lucky.

I'm here because I'm lucky enough to come across a 63 corvair monza 900. In fantastic condition. Paint is faded and not original and carpet needs replacement the rest of the interior is crazy good. It needs some work on the fuel delivery and should be running soon. I can't wait!

[Deuce]

Just a few pics.

[Steve62]

Nice! Welcome!

[toytron]

That color looks good on that car. Welcome.

Ed Stevenson

[bbodie52]

Welcome to the Corvair Forum!

I would like to make one recommendation regarding your electrical system in your 1963 Corvair. When I looked at your engine and the conversion that had been made from a generator to an alternator, I noticed a discrepancy in the way that the battery ground connections had been wired. There are normally two ground connections that are needed in the Corvair. This is because the engine and transaxle are suspended by three rubber engine mounts — two in the front on either side of the transmission and one in the center-rear, near the crankshaft pulley. The rubber mounts are intended to provide some degree of isolation between the vibration of the engine and the car chassis. However, these rubber mounts also cause an electrical isolation between the powertrain and the car chassis. In the 1963 Corvair engine compartment wiring diagram below, you will see a 6 gauge heavy cable connected from the battery positive terminal to the starter motor, and a thinner 12 gauge wire that is connected to the voltage regulator. The thicker cable is necessary to carry the heavy current draw to the starter motor. All of the remaining electrical support for the entire car is carried by the thinner 12 gauge wire. Electrically, it is important to maintain the same current carrying capability on the negative side of the battery. In other words, the thicker ground cable needs to be bolted to the engine, and the thinner ground wire should be connected to the car chassis. The same heavy current demand of the starter motor must have an equivalent ground return path back to the battery negative terminal. The car chassis ground only needs to be the equivalent of the wire that carries the current to the remainder of the car electrical accessories (12 gauge or greater). In your case, these two wires appear to be reversed — with the thicker cable connected to the car chassis and the thinner wire connected to the engine. Because the starter motor and alternator charging system are both grounded to the engine, the thin ground wire that is currently in place between the battery negative terminal and the engine is insufficient and becomes a limiting factor in the amount of current that can be carried back to the battery negative terminal. A long period of cranking the engine might even cause that thin ground wire to get hot and possibly even melt the insulation.

The picture below shows an original braided style flat ground cable that was originally used in the early Corvairs. This cable was daisy-chained from the battery negative terminal to the car chassis and then on to the engine. It provided the heavy ground needed for the return path from the starter motor. In later Corvairs a two wire ground cable similar to the one in your car was utilized. This arrangement is appropriate as long as the thicker cable is connected to the engine. I would recommend switching the connections on your wiring set up to match the needs of the electrical system.

1963 Corvair Engine Compartment Wiring

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. There is also a link that will help you to locate nearby CORSA (Corvair Society of America) club chapters. While the Corvair Forum can be very helpful as you work on your Corvair, having local friends and contacts in your region who are knowledgeable about the Corvair can also be very helpful. These family-friendly CORSA chapters often offer picnics, group scenic drives, technical training and assistance, car shows, and competition events that can greatly enhance your enjoyment of Corvair ownership. You will also find a list of essential Corvair parts suppliers. Clark's Corvair Parts is the biggest and oldest Corvair supplier in the world. You will find a link that can provide you with a series of videos that amount to a tour of the Clark's Corvair Parts facilities. I think you will be amazed at the quality of the reproduction components they offer — particularly the interior carpeting and re-upholstery items. Parts suppliers such as this truly make our Corvair hobby possible.

Common and Useful Corvair Websites

http://www.corvairforum.com/forum/viewt ... 225&t=6007

I would like to encourage you to expand on your initial post and tell us more about yourself, your Corvair, and your goals for the Corvair. If you can describe your personal assessment of your mechanical skills and abilities, that would help a lot. Members of the Corvair Forum love to be helpful in assisting other Corvair owners with technical support and advice, but it helps a lot if we have some understanding of your technical background and mechanical abilities, Corvair-related knowledge, etc. Helping us to know more about you will help us to write comments to you that are tailored to your needs and experience. Knowing your location is also useful, because knowing where you live can sometimes suggest possibilities.

[Deuce]

I could have been more specific, I guess, as far as my abilities.

I am pretty good. Im a welder/fabricator. I've drag raced, and circle track raced. I've built show cars, race cars, 4 wheel drives, cruisers, low riders, and stunt cars for the film industry.

My plans for this car is to be the shop car for my vape shop. That really doesn't explain much I know. Basically it will be a daily driven "restified" car. Something that if I hit the local small car shows I can enter and compete. I can't leave well enough alone so it'll only get bigger badder and better as I go.

I just got the car so I have had the chance to connect with it yet totally. It hasn't totally told me what it wants.

Thanks for the info, you have keen eye. I'll most definitely make that correction. I will need help with this, regular chevy's are one thing this one is another. Parts catalogs and the such are nowhere as abundant. With ya'lls help I'll get it figured out.

Thanks
Deuce

Ps. I live in San Antonio TX

[Deuce]

Well she's up and running and driving. Bbodie I checked the ground issue that you mentioned it is indeed grounded from the battery to the frame, what you can't see in the pic is that it's grounded from the motor to the same spot with a cable the same size as the battery cable. The thin 12ga wire isn't being used. It might have been connected somewhere before but I can't find any other loose wires. It charges fine and no heated ground wires.