First Corvair Hunting

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Dobber1234
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2017 8:36 am

First Corvair Hunting

Post by Dobber1234 »

My son and I are looking to take on a project. I have some auto restoring experience and want to share with him. He noticed the "Corvair" . We found a 1966 Corvair Monza 110, PG for for sale nearby. The body is in good shape except a couple of spots around wheel wells. Owner says it has a fuel leak. Everything is complete. It was a daily driver 5 years ago. I'm looking for advice on what the car is worth. Ive included a few pics. Only one catch. There's always a catch! He can't find the key, Hmmmm. So I can't hear it run or test drive it. Any advice on worth and finding a new tumbler and key. Thanks.
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Apittslife
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Joined: Sat Oct 28, 2017 9:15 am
Location: Clark County, Indiana

Re: First Corvair Hunting

Post by Apittslife »

Looks better then mine. The pealing paint isnt a big issue, since the quarters have to be repainted anyways due to the rust in the wheel openings.
The fuel tank can be repaired or replaced. Drivers mirror is the same as a chevelle. As for hearing her run, you can unplug the connector from the ignition switch & use the ignition switch from the pontiac next to it. Price?

Make sure the parking brake is still in working order. If not, it will have to be fixed. since there is no PARK

Goodluck!
64powerglide
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Re: First Corvair Hunting

Post by 64powerglide »

How bad are the floors? Looks like major rust in the rear. From the photo's & not knowing how rusty the floors are $1,800 tops if it runs.
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64Powerglide, Jeff Phillips

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bbodie52
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Re: First Corvair Hunting

Post by bbodie52 »

Dobber1234 wrote:Sat Dec 02, 2017 12:25 pm

My son and I are looking to take on a project. I have some auto restoring experience and want to share with him. He noticed the "Corvair" . We found a 1966 Corvair Monza 110, PG for for sale nearby. The body is in good shape except a couple of spots around wheel wells. Owner says it has a fuel leak. Everything is complete. It was a daily driver 5 years ago. I'm looking for advice on what the car is worth. Ive included a few pics. Only one catch. There's always a catch! He can't find the key, Hmmmm. So I can't hear it run or test drive it. Any advice on worth and finding a new tumbler and key. Thanks.
:welcome2: :wave: Welcome to the Corvair Forum!

My father took a similar approach with me to teach me automobile restoration. Back in 1969 he purchased a sick 1963 Corvair 500 with Powerglide transmission for me to play with during my high school summer vacation. He provided me with Corvair shop manuals, jack stands, a hydraulic floor jack, a good supply of hand tools, and a garage to work in. Unfortunately he was transferred from Northern California to Southern California so I did not have the benefit of his presence to guide me as I slowly worked my way through a powertrain removal, an engine rebuild, and a Powerglide transmission overhaul. I was 16 years old and learned many things during my summer vacation that remain with me to this day. I never lost the desire to own Corvairs and Corvair ownership has followed me all over the world during my Air Force career and beyond from the 1960s to the present time. I hope you and your son have a great time together exploring your Corvair and working to restore it.

The 110 hp engine has a good reputation for broad application, reliability, and a good power band. Although it lacks the top end of the four carburetor 140 hp engine, it is a little easier to tune since you only have to deal with dual primary carburetors and no secondaries. The 140 hp engine probably spends 90% of its operating time running on two carburetors anyway, since many owners don't drive the car using full throttle, so the progressive throttle linkage never sees much action. :tongue: :whoa:

The Powerglide automatic has a good reputation for high reliability, as long as the fluid level is properly maintained. (It is a little anemic in the performance, or "sportiness" department, though, as it is only a 2-speed transmission). The transmission fluid should be clean and red in color, and should not have a burnt smell or a brown discoloration.

The vacuum modulator on the right side of the Powerglide automatic transmission has a limited lifespan.
Clark's Corvair Parts wrote:If your modulator is more than 10 years old, you are really on borrowed time. The inner reinforced rubber diaphragm is really VERY THIN (0.017-0.019) and is weakened by hot PG fluid and constant flexing.
:link: http://www.corvair.com/user-cgi/catalog ... w_page=135
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If you suspect that automatic transmission fluid may be drawn into the engine via the vacuum modulator, you can raise the car and place it on jack stands, and then crawl underneath to inspect the vacuum modulator. Try disconnecting the rubber hose that connects to the vacuum modulator and check it for oil content inside the hose. The hose should be dry and the vacuum modulator should not be allowing transmission fluid to pass from the transmission to the vacuum hose.

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The information below may help you to sort through your ignition switch problem. It is easy to jumper the starter solenoid with a remote starter switch, as illustrated below. You can also easily apply power to the ignition coil with the jumper wire between the battery positive terminal and the positive terminal on the ignition coil. (Some Corvair distributors have been fitted with an electronic breakerless ignition system in place of the ignition points. If you have such a system in your distributor you would also have to ensure that power is available to the electronic module).

Removing your car from storage/Reviving a Dead Corvair
:link: http://www.corvairforum.com/forum/viewt ... 225&t=5030

:link: https://www.corvair.com/user-cgi/catalo ... IN&page=89
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In using a screwdriver to apply voltage to the solenoid "S" terminal you are creating a temporary bypass circuit that would be the same as using a remote starter switch that would be attached to the solenoid terminals.

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The schematic wiring diagrams found using the following link may prove to be useful. The late-model diagrams are for a 1965 Corvair, but should still prove useful. You may find differences in the wiring color codes used in 1966.

CORVAIR COMBINED WIRING SCHEMATIC DIAGRAMS
:link: viewtopic.php?f=225&t=12968

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

:link: viewtopic.php?f=225&t=6007

:dontknow: I would like to encourage you to expand on your earlier posts and tell us more about yourself. 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 specific location is also useful, because knowing where you live can sometimes suggest possibilities.

:welcome:
Brad Bodie
Lake Chatuge, North Carolina
Image 1966 Corvair Corsa Convertible
Dobber1234
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2017 8:36 am

Re: First Corvair Hunting

Post by Dobber1234 »

Thanks everyone for the advice and information. I am a Chevy guy. 1990 S10, 2009 Silverado and 1985 Jimmy. But no experience with Corvairs. My son picked the corvair to look into for a mutual project. I have done minor body work, am stronger at mechanical. The corvair is different. This will be a learning experience for both of us. If I acquire a corvair many questions will follow shortly. Thanks again.
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bbodie52
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Re: First Corvair Hunting

Post by bbodie52 »

bbodie52 wrote:Classic cars had a different way of doing things in the 1950s, 1960s and earlier, when compared to modern techniques utilizing sensors and computer technology to control fuel injection and ignition systems. There was a series of books that were published in the 1960s and 1970s that focus on basic principles of automobile design and function. These books covered basics associated with carburetors, ignition systems, suspension and brakes systems, etc. When I was a teenager I read through many of these books and they gave me a good understanding of the principles and functional designs that were common in the cars that I was interested in, including the Corvair. Once I read through these books, the shop manuals made a lot more sense to me as I began to understand how things function and what I was trying to accomplish in working on my Corvair. This series was published long ago (1960s-1970s) by Petersen Publishing Company, which was also associated with Hot Rod Magazine. With titles like Petersen's Basic Cams, Valves and Exhaust Systems, Petersen's Basic Ignition and Electrical Systems, and Petersen's Basic Carburetion and Fuel Systems, I was a teenager that found myself devouring much of the series to teach myself the basics that could be applied to most 1970s and earlier vehicles. The material in those books are now somewhat dated because of the change to computer-controlled electronic fuel injection and other sophisticated technologies that have been introduced in the subsequent decades. But I do feel a Corvair owner or any classic car owner could benefit from the material in these books. Many of them are listed as available on Amazon.com. If you would like to consider the possibility of reading through some of this material, the following link may help you to find what you're looking for. The cost of these books is low, and the investment in time that you might make in reading them may help you to develop a foundation of knowledge that will help you to leap ahead in your DIY maintenance efforts on your Corvair.

:link: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss ... pany+basic

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You will find that working on the Corvair engine is a little like working on a motorcycle. You're dealing with the soft threads associated with an aluminum engine, so you will find that the use of anti-seize compound on bolt threads, screwing bolts in by hand before tightening, and making use of torque wrenches are all highly recommended. Like many motorcycles you are also dealing with an air cooled engine and an engine that utilizes older technologies and multiple carburetors. But overall working on the Corvair is fairly easy to learn as long as you follow the guidelines and instructions in the shop manuals. You also had the benefit of the Corvair Forum and many experienced Corvair owners and mechanics who can provide a great deal of support and guidance as you work on your Corvair. If you discover that you have a local CORSA (Corvair Society of America) club chapter in your area you can also benefit from joining that club chapter and socializing with local Corvair owners.
Brad Bodie
Lake Chatuge, North Carolina
Image 1966 Corvair Corsa Convertible
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