New member - 1962 Corvair95 Rampside!

[Bartimer]

Hello Everyone!
This is Bartimer - I just acquired today a 1962 Corvair Rampside!
Currently sitting in Santa Rosa CA, I plan to fix what I can and seek for help on the parts I'm not comfortable with.
The car has ~30K+ miles on the odometer and I found it for sales on the side of the road: I passed by it almost every day fore a week thinking how nice and cool that car looks.
Until today, when I purchased it! Woohoo!

On the way back home (~10 miles), the clutch gave up on a hill, so my friend had to tow me back home, but I'm not even upset: I love this car and can't wait to make it as nice as possible.

So here am I, trying to learn all I can and looking for resources: that's how I found your website.
I realize this will be a journey, yet I'm very much looking forward to it: this will be a great project!

[jimbrandberg]

Someone else was asking about it but you beat them to it. Sounds like you talked them down from the asking price.

What happened with the clutch? Does it not engage like the friction material went bad or does it not disengage like there's trouble with the cable?

Rampsides are pretty nifty, I had one for several years. I used to haul a lot of lumber but a Van as a shop truck fits my needs better these days.

It's a nice truck worthy of some TLC and it's good that you're not discouraged. You'll get it figured out and have a good time with it. Cleaning the windshield at the gas station is the easiest thing ever.

Jim Brandberg
Isanti, MN
CorvairRepair.com

[OldnSlow]

That is such a cool ride! I have never even seen one up where I live, glad you were able to snag it. I am new here too, but it looks like great info and people on here. Enjoy!

[Phil Dally]

WELCOME!!!

[toms73novass]

Nice Score!

[cnicol]

Welcome to the Rampside world! Before you pull the power-pack, check the clutch cable. When the cable housing starts to collapse, there's not enough stroke to release the clutch. A short term fix is to overtighten the clutch cable to get partial use of the clutch. The downside to this "fix" is the clutch is partially released and will slip under heavy load. It's also very tough on the throwout bearing leading to that failure too. I'd check for free plat where the cable connects to the clutch fork. If there's free-play, the cable is probably fine and it is indeed a bad clutch or pressure plate.

[Dennis66]

Before you do ANYTHING, please be more descriptive about "clutch gave up on a hill". Did it start slipping? Start to flare (engine revs increase), suddenly just let go?
Now what about your experience working on cars or particularly clutches? We'll get you through it. Nice truck. Dennis

[Bartimer]

Someone else was asking about it but you beat them to it. Sounds like you talked them down from the asking price.

What happened with the clutch? Does it not engage like the friction material went bad or does it not disengage like there's trouble with the cable?

Rampsides are pretty nifty, I had one for several years. I used to haul a lot of lumber but a Van as a shop truck fits my needs better these days.

It's a nice truck worthy of some TLC and it's good that you're not discouraged. You'll get it figured out and have a good time with it. Cleaning the windshield at the gas station is the easiest thing ever.

Jim Brandberg
Isanti, MN
CorvairRepair.com

Well, what happened is that while diving up the hill, I had to downshift and suddenly the engine was not engaged anymore.
So I glided to the side of the road and my friend and I checked the cable first: this works OK- meaning that when the pedal is pressed, the cable pulls just fine.
I can shift, it just doesn't put it in gear anymore.

I love this truck so much: it's perfect for what I want to do with it (carry plants, some dirt bags ands on): light work on short distances.

LOL @ windshield cleaning easiness! Didn't think of that!

[Bartimer]

That is such a cool ride! I have never even seen one up where I live, glad you were able to snag it. I am new here too, but it looks like great info and people on here. Enjoy!

Isn't it!?
I shamefully admit I didn't know about it, until I saw it - fell in love instantly.
Welcome to you too, OldnSlow!

[Bartimer]

WELCOME!!!

THANK YOU! :)

[Bartimer]

Nice Score!

Thank you toms73novass!

The more I think of it, the more I can't believe my luck: Dave, if you happen to read this post, I want to thank you again for your trust in me and for selling me your beloved car - as promised, I will take good care of it.

[Bartimer]

Welcome to the Rampside world! Before you pull the power-pack, check the clutch cable. When the cable housing starts to collapse, there's not enough stroke to release the clutch. A short term fix is to overtighten the clutch cable to get partial use of the clutch. The downside to this "fix" is the clutch is partially released and will slip under heavy load. It's also very tough on the throwout bearing leading to that failure too. I'd check for free plat where the cable connects to the clutch fork. If there's free-play, the cable is probably fine and it is indeed a bad clutch or pressure plate.

Hi cnicol, thanks for your welcome message!
You know your message made me realize that perhaps the short term fix you mention was maybe already implemented.. hm

I have to investigate and, before that, learn some more - currently reading all I can.
The seller left me Clarks parts catalogues as well as shop manuals: these are fantastic!
I will find my way, but still a newbie..

[Bartimer]

Before you do ANYTHING, please be more descriptive about "clutch gave up on a hill". Did it start slipping? Start to flare (engine revs increase), suddenly just let go?
Now what about your experience working on cars or particularly clutches? We'll get you through it. Nice truck. Dennis

Hi Dennis66,

While going up the hill and downshifting, all of a sudden and without any noise or engine flare, it didn't get into gear anymore.
I can turn the engine on, it revs fine, the shifting pedal pulls the cable without issues, but doesn't engage to gear.
I have zero experience with clutches, all I ever did work on is small engines (like 49-125cc or so - like for small bikes), carburetors, and cables. Ah yes and a bit of electrics too, but that's about it.
Luckily, my buddy is well connected in the area (I'm kind of new), so I'll get some help! I would like to do everything myself to learn and to get to know the car, but perhaps this is something that requires a bit more experience.
Besides, I also need to buy tools omg the wife won't be pleased.

[Dennis66]

Okay, now we have some direction. Does shifter have any "feel'' to it when shifting gears (engine off and sitting still). Feel would be like you can feel when it goes into the "H'' pattern.
If it feels loose and sloppy, could be shifter pin to transmission broke or fell out (buy lottery ticket if so). Chock the wheels and slide under it and look for a rod (about 1'' diameter) that comes out near the front of the trans (sorry, don't have any pics of my trans).
If everything appears to be hooked up correctly, You could (POSSIBLY) have a broken input shaft (not the end of the world). Input shaft is about 2 feet long, plugs into clutch on engine end, runs completely through the transaxle and to a splined drive at front of transmission. We can get more into this later. Maybe take some pictures of the transmission while you're under there. (I started with small engines too - back when they had points). Dennis

[Bartimer]

Okay, now we have some direction. Does shifter have any "feel'' to it when shifting gears (engine off and sitting still). Feel would be like you can feel when it goes into the "H'' pattern.
If it feels loose and sloppy, could be shifter pin to transmission broke or fell out (buy lottery ticket if so). Chock the wheels and slide under it and look for a rod (about 1'' diameter) that comes out near the front of the trans (sorry, don't have any pics of my trans).
If everything appears to be hooked up correctly, You could (POSSIBLY) have a broken input shaft (not the end of the world). Input shaft is about 2 feet long, plugs into clutch on engine end, runs completely through the transaxle and to a splined drive at front of transmission. We can get more into this later. Maybe take some pictures of the transmission while you're under there. (I started with small engines too - back when they had points). Dennis

Well, the shifter has almost no feel to it: it seems quite loose and easy to change gear so to speak - to your words, it feels loose and sloppy indeed.
Great input, though: I will check the rod that you refer to, while I'm under the car - when I get back home, take some pictures and report back.
Is it right to think that, regardless of the cause of the transmission issue - given it's not the cable, that the engine has to be dropped to do the repairs?

[Dennis66]

If anything more that linkage, yes. We'll get to it, but it's best to drop the whole powertrain (engine / transaxle). On cars you can kind of cheat and just drop the engine, but on FCs (pickups and vans - Forward Control) is is very difficult to just drop the engine. Dennis (have my fingers crossed for you - hoping for that lottery ticket purchase!).