Newby to Corvairs

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MarkD
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Joined: Mon Feb 05, 2018 8:46 pm

Newby to Corvairs

Post by MarkD »

So Im new to Corvairs, but not to building old cars and trucks. I picked up a 65 Convertible a little while back and stuck it in the barn. It was going to be a few projects down the list. I wanted something my wife and I could tour around in when we retired (just a few years down the road). But I got to thinking time is sneaking up on us pretty fast, maybe Ill drag the Corvair home and at least get it mechanically sound. Ill get to asking questions on the board.
Jerry Whitt
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Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 2:42 pm

Re: Newby to Corvairs

Post by Jerry Whitt »

Welcome! Lots of folks here happy to help as various questions arise.
Jerry Whitt
ASE CERTIFIED MASTER TECHNICIAN
Retired
Hemet, Callifornia
65 Monza, purchased new
65 Corsa convertible
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bbodie52
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Re: Newby to Corvairs

Post by bbodie52 »

:welcome2: :wave: Welcome to the Corvair Forum!
MarkD wrote:Tue Feb 06, 2018 2:31 pm

So I'm new to Corvairs, not new to building old cars and trucks. Pushing 60 pretty hard here and been dragging stuff home since I was 14, I'm sure a lot of you are the same. I even did a few year stint playing with VW bugs when I was a kid.

I bought a 65 Corvair convertible, what I'm thinking is a base model, Corsa? I basically bought it and stuck it in a barn for a future project so I'm not as versed on this now as I will be in the future. Its a non runner (one of the cylinders) but it is rust free, complete, and with very minor body work needed.

My end game for this car is to be able to hop in it with my wife and take off. Around here (PNW) or a cross country trip. I don't car about blistering performance, but I need it to keep up with traffic, and be able to climb our mountain passes with ease. And be ultra reliable.

After reading a little bit about the engines and the belt system (etc) it got me to worrying about reliability. My version also has the PG trans. Which I really don't have a problem with, I don't want to have to shift. I read where some people have put a Chevy G body chassis under a Corvair body and installed a 350 up front. This appeals to me because of the reliability of the small block 350, and the more modern drivetrain underneath. Its a lot of work, and not for the weak of heart, but I kind of like it. I have no want for a rear engine V-8, we have grand kids and it would be fun to drag them around with us now and again.

I'm getting ready to start another project, but before I do I got to thinking about the Corvair. Maybe update the suspension a bit, disks in front, and with a professionally built engine and trans ... Maybe it can be what I'm hoping for? I don't build engines and transmissions, I leave that to the pros. Like I said, I want reliability first. Maybe I should make the Corvair my next project? Make it great underneath, and do the cosmetics while we have a little fun with the car.

I'm pretty sure most of the members here are purists, so try to remember Corvairs are all new to me, no insults intended. Open to all thoughts. Also open to any ideas on where to get a complete ready to bolt in engine, with warranty if possible. I can get the transmission taken care of myself, I have a guy I use. Thanks for the thoughts and tips.
I have driven a Corvair Corsa convertible (140 hp 4x1) all over the USA since I was sixteen and tested for my first drivers license in one in 1969. Driven on several coast-to-coast trips with a family of four and fully loaded. Towed other Corvairs hundreds of miles using a bumper hitch and a tow bar without incident. Driven on the Autobahn in Germany while stationed there for three years (1980-1983). In all that driving I had one rear wheel bearing failure. Not a bad record!

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The 110 hp dual carburetor engine has a good reputation as a reliable workhorse that does well in Corvair passenger cars, vans and trucks. Corvair engines have been adapted for use in dune buggys, inboard and outboard boats, and is reliable enough that it is adapted regularly for use in single engine aircraft! The 140 hp engines are also reliable, but as they have aged a problem with loosening valve seats in the aluminum heads has surfaced over the years. The turbocharged engines are a little more difficult to tune and somewhat less-reliable if pushed too hard. The fan belts became more reliable with new belt production improvements, and the introduction of the lightweight magnesium fan with belt guides in 1964 improved reliability. 1964 and later 110 hp and up engines were fitted with a harmonic balancer crankshaft pulley. The inner hub is secured to the outer rim with a press-fit rubber component. There are slippage marks between the inner hub and outer ring to check for decay.

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Manual transmissions and differentials are pretty reliable, but the differential is a little weak (especially Positraction carrier). The Powerglide transmission is very reliable if the fluid level is properly maintained. The vacuum modulator on the Powerglide can fail after about ten years (watch for fluid in the vacuum hose indicating a ruptured diaphragm). It is only a two-speed transmission, so not a real performance transmission — but a good reliable unit. The brake systems are reliable, and the 1965 and later drum brakes are stronger. Flush and replace the fluid every few years to prevent rust and corrosion in the cylinders and steel brake lines. A dual master cylinder was introduced in 1967, and can be retrofitted to 1962-1966 Corvairs. Rubber brake lines can swell up internally and decay with age. Watch the parking brake cables and pulleys. They can fail without warning as they age, and the Corvair Powerglide transmission has no PARK system to lock the transmission! Suspension is reliable. Weak points are the sealed rear axle bearings which tend to be neglected and can dry up over the decades. The universal joints in the rear axles also tend to be neglected — especially if the u-joints are not fitted with grease fittings. The Pitman Arm bushing between the steering box and the steering linkage will rot and disintegrate with age, leaving a lot of slop in the steering linkage.

1965 and later Corvair bodies have more rust and body rot problems than the earlier Corvairs. Road salt exposure is deadly! Convertibles in particular can develop severe weakness in the rocker panels around the door frames.To test, open the convertible top a few inches from the windshield frame. Apply up and down pressure on the open doors while observing the gap between the windshield frame and the top. If the unibody chassis is weak, you may observe a lot of body flexing.

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:dontknow: I would like to encourage you to expand on your earlier posts and tell us more about yourself, as well as about your Corvair. If you can provide 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, your 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.

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

:welcome:
Brad Bodie
Lake Chatuge, North Carolina
Image 1966 Corvair Corsa Convertible
MarkD
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Feb 05, 2018 8:46 pm

Re: Newby to Corvairs

Post by MarkD »

Thanks for the info guys ... I have to say I love the mag wheels a ton. I have a lot of mags stuffed away in my shop and the in-laws barn, but they are all five and six lug versions for 67-72 Chevy trucks.
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