Hi all. New Corvair owner here.

[classicchevyowner7]

Hi all, Just bought a 1961 700 4 dr yesterday. I love the car. Im looking forward to learning more about these wonderful classics
-Allen

[Corvair.crazy]

Hello, and welcome to the forum and more importantly to Corvairs!
I am guessing this is your first? How about some pictures?
You can find out everything you wanted to know about Corvairs but was afarind to ask Here!

[classicchevyowner7]

Here she is.

[Corvair.crazy]

WOW!
That is a beauty! I like the '61s front emblem.
Even has the factory Hub caps. Those are a 60-61 year only.

[classicchevyowner7]

Thank You! I like the chrome that goes all the way around the car. I keep getting looks and waves everywhere I go in her.

[bbodie52]

Welcome, Allen, to the Corvair Forum!

I have some fond memories of a 1961 Corvair, because it was the first Corvair in our family. It was a brand-new 1961 Monza coupe. I was 8 years old, and it was 1961. It was the first in a long line of 10 Corvairs tht extend in my family from 1961 to this day. I look forward to hearing more about your new Corvair and your impressions of it. In a way, 1961 was a transitional year for Corvairs. The 1960 Corvair was an introductory development for Chevrolet, and after that first year many changes were introduced in 1961. Much of the 1961 version of the Corvair remained through the 1964 model year. 1961 was still somewhat of a work in-progress, in that it was the only year with a manual choke mechanism. After that a an automatic choke was introduced in 1962 that remained through the end of Corvair production in 1969. The distributor used in 1960-1961 also disappeared in 1962. The 1961 distributor cap, rotor, etc. all changed in 1962, and the 1962 redesign remained through 1969. You need to keep that i mind when performing ignition tune-up work, since the parts for the 1961 distributor are a little hard to find. If you are interested, the 1962-69 distributor can be directly bolted into the 1961 engine, and the later design can also be upgraded to eliminate the ignition points and condenser — replacing them with an electronic low-maintenance ignition that uses either a magnetic sensor or an optical LED system to control the ignition timing and ignition coil.

The mechanical fuel pump also changed in 1962-69. It looks the same, but the pump push rod length is different. If your 1961 still has the original fuel pump, and if it ever needs to be replaced, the pushrod will need to be replaced also to match the newer design. There were some other minor redesign changes over the years too, but the next major redesign occurred in 1965, with a new body style and a completely redesigned rear suspension.

The following Corvair Forum link can provide you with a list of useful websites that should be helpful as a Corvair owner...

Common and Useful Corvair Websites

Corvair Forum viewtopic.php?f=225&t=6007

Here are some Corvair production statistics you might find interesting...

I would like to invite you to expand on your initial post and tell us more about yourself, your Corvair, and your goals for your 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 and your Corvair will help us to write comments to you that are tailored to your needs and experience.
Pictures are great too, because pictures of your Corvair will help us to visualize where you are with your Corvair and its condition at the present time. Knowing your location is also useful, because knowing where you live can sometimes suggest possibilities to resolve some issues or problems.

[Nickshu]

Looks awesome! I had an old Porsche 911 before my Corvair. No one ever waived or paid attention to me. With the Corvair I can't go anywhere without getting stopped by people who want to talk, give a thumbs up, etc. Great fun car!

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

[Corvair.crazy]

Looks awesome! I had an old Porsche 911 before my Corvair. No one ever waived or paid attention to me. With the Corvair I can't go anywhere without getting stopped by people who want to talk, give a thumbs up, etc. Great fun car!

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

[classicchevyowner7]

Thanks Guys! I live in Georgia. There are not tons of corvairs around here, but there is a club in my town that i plan to join. Its strictly corvairs. I do want to ask. Was ralph nader just trying to make a name for himself when he talked about corvairs? I personally think he was a quack. I feel like he did that just to get popularity with the media. What are yalls views on it?

[Corvair.crazy]

You know funny story, my friends bought me the book "unsafe at any speed" and Ralph spent one chapter talking about the Corvair but He wasn't really "after" the Corvair but the car manufacturers in general. It is just GM didn't handle it very well and got the most press coverage.

You could speculate that He did it for notoriety but who is to say. He did speak at a Corvair convention years back when He was running for President.

He mentioned the VW as well because of its swing axle, but the bug didn't go fast around corners.

[classicchevyowner7]

I have always had a thing for Corvairs. I have always wanted to have one about like the one I have. They are sadly one of the most unappreciated cars in american history. I own a 57 chevy as well that I am doin a restoration on. I bought the corvair so that I could have a classic to drive. Needless to say... I think I have Corvair fever...

[classicchevyowner7]

You know funny story, my friends bought me the book "unsafe at any speed" and Ralph spent one chapter talking about the Corvair but He wasn't really "after" the Corvair but the car manufacturers in general. It is just GM didn't handle it very well and got the most press coverage.

Sadly, people believe anything that the media says. Even if its totally wrong.

[bbodie52]

I just finished posting a welcome while you were posting pictures.

BEAUTIFUL!!!

It looks to be very all-original and in excellent condition. I love the hub caps and wheel trim, which is pretty rare. It looks like this Corvair was very well-maintained by the previous owner. Do you have any owner history on the car?

Where do you live in Georgia? I live about ¼ mile north of the Georgia/North Carolina border, on Lake Chatuge, about four miles north of Hiawassee, Georgia.

If you are interested, there is a Corvair get-together schedujled for next month in Helen, Georgia...

http://www.corvair.org/index.php?option ... t=1&id=104

Springfest in Helen GA

Hosted by Corvair Atlanta, Heart of Georgia Corvairs, Queen City Corvair Club
Autocross and hospitality party on Friday. Saturday concours, people’s choice, valve cover races, and more. Clark’s Corvair Parts will be attending. Host Helendorf River End, 706/878-2271, $89 per night, two nights minimum for riverside, $69 per night for standard; Best Western 800/435-3642, $69 standard, $89 suites; Super 8, 800/535-1251, $55. Make reservations before March 15.

When: April 18th, 2014 12:05 AM through April 19th, 2014 12:05 AM
Location: Helen, GA

See the attached flyer for more informtion...

Springfest 2014 Flyer.pdf

Springfest 2014 Flyer

(112.85 KiB) Downloaded 17 times

[classicchevyowner7]

Brad, You may know the owner who sold it to me. It was Al Hilderbrand. Its very original. The only thing not original is the radio. It even has the original owners manual.

[classicchevyowner7]

I dont really know too much about the history other than the fact that the previous owner got it from a friend in South Carolina.

[Nickshu]

Thanks Guys! I live in Georgia. There are not tons of corvairs around here, but there is a club in my town that i plan to join. Its strictly corvairs. I do want to ask. Was ralph nader just trying to make a name for himself when he talked about corvairs? I personally think he was a quack. I feel like he did that just to get popularity with the media. What are yalls views on it?

The facts speak for themselves, unfortunately all most people remember is Nader.

From Wikipedia:

First-generation (1960–1963) Corvair handling characteristics became the subject of controversy when Ralph Nader addressed them in his 1965 book, Unsafe at Any Speed. A 1972 safety commission report conducted by Texas A&M University concluded that the 1960–1963 Corvair possessed no greater potential for loss of control than its contemporary competitors in extreme situations.[25] The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a press release in 1972 describing the findings of NHTSA testing from the previous year. NHTSA had conducted a series of comparative tests in 1971 studying the handling of the 1963 Corvair and four contemporary cars—a Ford Falcon, Plymouth Valiant, Volkswagen Beetle, and Renault Dauphine—along with a second-generation Corvair (with its completely redesigned, independent rear suspension). The 143-page report reviewed NHTSA's extreme-condition handling tests, national crash-involvement data for the cars in the test as well as General Motors' internal documentation regarding the Corvair's handling.[1] NHTSA went on to contract an independent advisory panel of engineers to review the tests. This review panel concluded that "the 1960–63 Corvair compares favorably with contemporary vehicles used in the tests...the handling and stability performance of the 1960–63 Corvair does not result in an abnormal potential for loss of control or rollover, and it is at least as good as the performance of some contemporary vehicles both foreign and domestic." Former GM executive John DeLoreanasserted in his 1979 book On a Clear Day You Can See General Motors that Nader's criticisms were valid.[citation needed]Car and Driver magazine criticized Nader for ignoring drivers' failure to adapt their driving and vehicle-maintenance practices to the characteristics and requirements of the Corvair.[citation needed] None of the issues Nader raised were problems among owners of the Porsche 911, which had the same layout and similar suspension, nor with the less powerful Volkswagen Type 1 Beetle.[citation needed]Journalist David E. Davis, in a 2009 article in Automobile Magazine, noted that despite Nader's claim that swing-axle rear suspension were dangerous, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen all used similar swing-axle concepts during that era.[26]