New in Mass

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Bruins_Fan
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New in Mass

Post by Bruins_Fan »

Hello,

I've just recently started looking at Corvairs. Never owned one, though my father did back in the mid 60s! Anyway, glad to be here.
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Re: New in Mass

Post by cad-kid »

Welcome to the site! Corvairs are cool and fun :tu:
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Re: New in Mass

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cad-kid wrote:Welcome to the site! Corvairs are cool and fun :tu:
Thanks
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Re: New in Mass

Post by bbodie52 »

Welcome to the Corvair Forum! I was first stationed in Massachusetts and Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford from 1977 to 1980. I initially lived in Acton for about a year until I could move into base housing. I had a 1965 Corsa convertible back then, and had it repainted and a new top installed at a shop out in Watertown. Although I live in North Carolina now my wife and I still love the New England area and hope to visit there again (with our 1966 Corsa) sometime next year.

If you decide to take the plunge and buy a Corvair for yourself, I urge you to be very careful if you look for cars in your area. Rust is the biggest enemy for a 40 to 50 year old car, and it is hard to locate a clean Corvair in a region that has a lot of snow and road salt. You might find it to your advantage to include the southern climates in your search for a clean Corvair, because a southern car, like a car that has existed in California, Arizona, New Mexico, etc. has a much better chance of having a clean body with minimal rust. Rust can be the hardest thing to deal with! Mechanical repairs and improvements are much easier and cheaper than having to deal with body rot. In any case, I do hope that you decide to become a Corvair owner someday. The more time you spend educating yourself about Corvairs on the Internet, the better chance you have of a successful quest for buying your first Corvair. Again, welcome to the Corvair Forum.
Last edited by bbodie52 on Wed Aug 08, 2012 8:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Brad Bodie
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Re: New in Mass

Post by flat6_musik »

Bruins_Fan wrote:Hello, I've just recently started looking at Corvairs. Never owned one, though my father did back in the mid 60s! Anyway, glad to be here.
Welcome to the forums! Corvairs are great cars!......and they will usually make you a great mechanic too! ::-): You'll get more looks than most any SS396 chevelle on cruise night. Let us know what exactly you're looking for, and we can keep our eyes and ears open for something decent. Cheers!
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Re: New in Mass

Post by Vaircooled »

Welcome! I agree with flat6, I have a 67 firebird and I get more attention from my 65 monza.
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Re: New in Mass

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flat6_musik wrote: Welcome to the forums! Corvairs are great cars!......and they will usually make you a great mechanic too! ::-): You'll get more looks than most any SS396 chevelle on cruise night. Let us know what exactly you're looking for, and we can keep our eyes and ears open for something decent. Cheers!
Thanks! I've been learning alot perusing the Forum and elsewhere on the internet. I'm most interested in a convertible. I like the EM best, but still would be very happy in the right LM. At this point I'm not overly picky about PG transmission vs. 3-4 speed. I'm most concerned about finding one in great shape with very little or no rust and in good running condition that I can use for a daily driver (I don't drive many miles anyway, I doubt I would put more than 5k per year on it, probably less). That said, things like a leaky top or no heat, etc would all be a problem. I basically think I want a Corvair vert where everything works, looks good (though certainly don't expect show quality!).

There are a few on the market here in the Boston area. I have yet to get a look at them. I'm hoping to do this for $6k or under, but not sure if that is realistic for what I'm seeking? I see a '64 that looks great on CL, http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/cto/3191575262.html but is $8,500. Not sure if that's a great buy or not at $8,500? If I did go that high, my wife would not be happy :nono:

I saw a '63 vert listed in Gloucester, but I saw somewhere (another board, I think) where someone thought the seller is not being truthful (i.e., trying to sell it as a Spyder, when it's not, etc.).

So if anyone sees a nice one say $6k or less in the northeast, do tell!
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Re: New in Mass

Post by bbodie52 »

That 1964 Monza that you found on Craigslist certainly looks to be worth investigating, especially if the low mileage claim appears to be believable and the car appears to be rust-free! The 1964 was the best of the early Corvairs, with a 164CI engine and some significant refinements over the earlier years. The trunk looks clean (be sure to look for rust under the mat at the bottom of the trunk -- this is a notorious place for moisture to be trapped under that mat -- causing rust. It might pay to have a reputable mechanic put it up on a lift so you and the mechanic can walk around under the car and look for rust or other flaws. This also provides an opportunity to pull the wheels and look at the brakes too. Beware of rusty, corroded steel brake lines! Engine appears to be clean and well-maintained. Since the owner claims to be only the second owner, see if original sales records and maintenance records are available. This historical documentation can help a lot. Overall, this car appears to have been well-maintained by owners who appreciated the car and took pride in it. In New England, finding a clean, low mileage rust free early model Corvair can be very difficult. I know that the price is a little higher than you wanted to go, but this is a 48 year old vehicle! A clean, well-maintained 1964 with no body rot can pay-off big-time in the long-run, by greatly reducing those "hidden costs" of ownership that you might encounter with a cheaper, less than prime car that you might purchase at a lower initial cost. Rust can cost you a fortune, as can a poorly-maintained car where numerous hidden mechanical faults can surface after you get it home. If you do decide to go ahead with this car, try to keep it out of the salt in the winter, and carry on the apparent tradition of taking good care of a rare species!
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Re: New in Mass

Post by flat6_musik »

Boy, that '64 looks amazingly nice!
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Re: New in Mass

Post by Bruins_Fan »

Any comments on this one. http://newhampshire.ebayclassifieds.com ... z21fxZpwuv. Easily within my price range. No clue what kind of $ to fix the bad #2 cylinder? Any thoughts on that?

Thanks for all the help! Loving this Forum :tu:
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Re: New in Mass

Post by bbodie52 »

Top is down in all photos so can't tell the condition of the convertible top. It top is a power top I believe it is a hydraulic system, so be sure to check its operation. This is a 1964 but looks like it has a 1963 front grill trim -- could have had prior front end collision damage, so check on the reason for the 1963 front grill. Dead #2 cylinder could be anything from an ignition issue (unlikely, since that would be easy to fix) to a dropped valve or valve seat or a melted hole in the piston. If it is a valve train issue the head must be reworked at a qualified machine shop. If a melted hole in the piston caused by detonation (this is a turbocharged engine, so that can easily happen -- cause could be a faulty pressure retard device on the distributor, incorrectly set timing, low octane gas combined with extended time on the turbo, etc.) If zero compression on the #2 cylinder the head must be removed and the faulty component identified and repaired/replaced. If the piston is melted through the original cause of the detonation must also be determined, or it could happen again. The pressure retard device (looks like a vacuum advance on the distributor) could be the cause. Turbocharged engines are a little picky and need special care to ensure that they stay in proper tune. Please note that the 1964 turbo head is different from the 1963 and earlier turbo head, and all turbo heads may be a little hard to locate a proper replacement, should the head need replacement if it is damaged and not repairable No way to tell about rust from these photos or comments. All New England cars must be suspect for body rot and carefully checked for rust and salt damage. You already know that the gas tank and mounting strap has been replaced -- probably due to rust. Good luck with your search, but unless you are a mechanic and are prepared to do the work, you could be in for some immediate serious expenses to get this car running again. The first car purchase price is higher, but it may be a much-better overall car. Also, the non-turbo engine on that car may be easier for you to maintain and may be more reliable. Good luck!
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Re: New in Mass

Post by TikiRalf »

Welcome and i hope you find a nice one , you gonna enjoy it :wave:
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Re: New in Mass

Post by Bruins_Fan »

Brad,

I think that's some pretty solid advice, makes sense. Really appreciate your input!
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Re: New in Mass

Post by bbodie52 »

Thank you. I sincerely hope that my opinions prove to be useful to you. I have been involved with Corvairs and owned Corvairs since the 1960's, and I've read a great deal of Corvair-related material during that time. My current 1966 Corvair is Corvair number 10. I'm simply trying to pass on to you exactly how I would look at each of the cars you have considered as if my own money were on the line. I've simply found that, in general, you get what you pay for, and true low-priced bargains are usually few and far between. That is why I felt the first Corvair you were considering might be the true bargain -- even with its higher initial purchase price. It just might bring greater overall satisfaction of ownership at a lower overall cost to you in the long-run. Just be certain to try to confirm everything you can when inspecting a car for possible purchase. Ronald Reagan used to like the Russian phrase "Trust, but verify", and I think that certainly applies here! :checkeredflag:
:emfront:
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Re: New in Mass

Post by Leon Tombong »

Welcome to the site mate! :welcome2:
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Re: New in Mass

Post by bbodie52 »

I just spotted that same Corvair Monza that you first asked about (Craigslist) on eBay.

eBay item no: 330775894966

That looks like one clean 1964 Monza convertible!!! There are numerous additional photos on the eBay listing of the underside of the car, tires, etc., in addition to the main photos. The original washer fluid bottle, factory sticker on the underside of the trunk, and other tags and labels are apparent around the car -- all indications that the stated low mileage is likely accurate! The appearance of this car in Braintree, excellent clean condition, and extensive closeup photographs all point to an honest seller and a premium example of a 1964 that is pretty rare! If I lived in your area and could afford this car I would be looking at it and giving serious consideration as to how I could swing the deal for myself. Unfortunately the current eBay bid ($9000 with 12 bids from five bidders with 3 days and 18 hours left on the auction) is reflective of what you must be willing to do to snap up a premium-condition classic like this!

I also found my recent purchase -- the blue Corsa convertible shown below -- on eBay, and I had to jump through a lot of hoops to orchestrate the deal (I am in North Carolina, 100 miles north of Atlanta and that Corsa was in Lakeland, Florida -- 586 miles south! When I finally sorted out the negotiations, funding, etc. (a few weeks work) I had purchased this car based only on the detailed eBay photos and info (including some maintenance records from the original owner) and discussions on the phone with the seller. I jumped on a Greyhound bus for an all-nighter to Lakeland, having purchased the car without ever having seen it in person. I was that convinced that this was an excellent car! I paid a premium price for it (quite a bit more than the current bid on the 1964 Monza you are looking at) but I had a high confidence that this was a car I HAD to have! After a little paperwork and looking over the car for the first time in person, I jumped in the car and drove it straight through to my North Carolina home :pray: -- 586 miles in a 46 year old car that I had never seen before in person. The entire trip passed without mechanical incident or trouble, and with a lot of admiration and positive comments from strangers in every fast food stop, gas station, rest stop that I stopped at, and even at a traffic light while I was waiting for the light to change! :tu: But I had been looking for the "right Corvair" for some time, and I really felt that this was it, and if I didn't make every effort to make it mine I would be mad at myself for a long time to come! That was several months ago, and as it turned out I still have no regrets.

As you stated , this particular example may be out of your affordable range. It is unusual to find such a clean example so early in your search. I just wanted to make you aware of the eBay listing and extra photos, should you want to view it.

Love it :LMs rule:
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