Career Project...

Non-Traditionally Powered Corvairs
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ncwitte
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Re: Career Project...

Post by ncwitte »

I do hope you post lots more pictures even if it makes me feel completely inadequate.... :)

For what it's worth, I am also following a resto thread on a 1960 Sea Ray SR600 over on the Club Sea Ray forum. Really nice restorations or well thought-out mod projects always attract an enthusiastic following. Everyone learns and is inspired to work on their own projects. I have done this a couple of times with my own projects and learned that the best compliment you can get is that someone decided to go back to work on their own car due to your diligence and progress. Projects like yours fire my imagination and remind me to try to reach a little bit beyond what I think I can do. So please do keep the pictures coming. It's a blast to watch and much better than reality TV.

These are my favorite stories and they always have a happy ending.
Norm Witte
Lansing, Michigan
'65 Corsas: 140 coupe and 180 convertible
http://www.wittelaw.com/personal
viewtopic.php?f=52&t=4208
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Am-Iron
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Re: Career Project...

Post by Am-Iron »

Wow, I just saw this, with my bike build etc. I have been away from my Corvair project but I am getting close to getting back on it. This is a great motivator! I have a Crown V8 that will come after my Corsa convertible and this really gets the ideas going. If you have those molds still I know some people would be interested in the hoods and deck lids, me for one! I have a carbon Yenko deck lid now but I will need another for the Crown car. Beautiful work!

Here is the caveman way I stiffened it and made it functional with hinges, etc.

Image
Check out my FB Page! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Corvair-O ... 0804308827" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Rick Calcitrant
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Re: Career Project...

Post by Rick Calcitrant »

It was my original intention to keep the molds "just in case" and to make dups in the event someone else wanted some but alas they didn't make the move from SoCal to Oregon. If anyone's interested, I'm happy to share a quickie technique to make one-off molds inexpensively from plaster. The hard part is vacuum bagging and cookin' the carbon. If you want multiple parts out of the mold you really need to make it out of Epoxy FRP (best due to minimum shrinkage) or Polyester FRP but they're both $$$. The "plug" (pattern) prep is nearly identical between plaster and FRP versions. Just let me know.
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Rick Calcitrant
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Re: Career Project...

Post by Rick Calcitrant »

I spent several days going through all the suspension pieces I'd accumulated only to discover how much mounting hardware was missing or unusable. Some of the stuff had to be sourced from salvage while others could be purchased new online. I learned very early on that OE Corvette prices were simply not acceptable to my budget so a significant amount of time was invested in searching sources. Consequently, what I originally thought was going to be a weekend of assembly turned into two weeks of procurement and then a weekend of assembly, discovery of more needed parts, yet more searching, bla, bla, bla. The following photos illustrate assy. of one rear corner to confirm clearances and fit. More to follow.
Lower control arm mounted.
Lower control arm mounted.
Assy. showing front "ABS" style knuckle used at rear.
Assy. showing front "ABS" style knuckle used at rear.
"ABS" knuckle with Shelby adapter and rear drive hub attached.
"ABS" knuckle with Shelby adapter and rear drive hub attached.
Assy. with insertion of custom drive shaft yoke machined for 930 Porsche CV joint interface. (note that this photo is actually of the assy. on the other side of the car)
Assy. with insertion of custom drive shaft yoke machined for 930 Porsche CV joint interface. (note that this photo is actually of the assy. on the other side of the car)
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ncwitte
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Re: Career Project...

Post by ncwitte »

Very cool. Is caster just adjusted by shimming the upper control arm?
Norm Witte
Lansing, Michigan
'65 Corsas: 140 coupe and 180 convertible
http://www.wittelaw.com/personal
viewtopic.php?f=52&t=4208
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Rick Calcitrant
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Re: Career Project...

Post by Rick Calcitrant »

Yep. The OE Corvette arrangement uses bolts that are keyed to the front crossmember such that one wrench is all it takes to loosen/tighten the mounting bolt nuts to insert or remove shims. Unfortunately, the OE bolts weren't long enough in my configuration so it takes three hands to adjust. Something that won't be required too often, I hope...
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ncwitte
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Re: Career Project...

Post by ncwitte »

I'm very impressed with this project, and if I am completely honest, more than a little bit jealous. :) Thanks for keeping us posted. This is going to be one impressive car when it is done.
Norm Witte
Lansing, Michigan
'65 Corsas: 140 coupe and 180 convertible
http://www.wittelaw.com/personal
viewtopic.php?f=52&t=4208
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Rick Calcitrant
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Re: Career Project...

Post by Rick Calcitrant »

Time for some good news (new pictures) and to share some bad news, at least from my perspective.
The good news is she's up on all four and rolling around the shop floor. Today, the front and rear tie rods are getting TIG welded together so I'll be able to steer her for the first time (since stock) too. The suspension, such as it is, aligned just as the CAD and engineering drawings predicted. Other than some manageable interference with the front wheel houses on turn in, clearances are good. The coil-over shocks have been substituted with solid strut rods until the vehicle's front and rear weights are known. The only other "apparent" issue is that the front wheel well lips need to be "rolled" as the wide rubber (215-45 x 17 front, 245-45 x 17 rear) will contact them under jounce from 3/4 to full lock. The rear brake rotors are AWOL at this time as, for some unknown reason, I can't find them in any of the parts boxes. Not really a big loss as they would've been replaced, along with the front rotors, for some lightweight drilled and slotted versions anyway.
Now for the bad news. For some time, I've had in the back of my mind that this was coming but was ever hopeful that circumstances would improve to alleviate the problem. Not the case however. I will be completing a few more items on the car over the next several days or perhaps a week and then she'll be going up for sale. I can tell you that since 1972, I've had a real "jones" for a mid-engine Corvair, but it's not to be. FYI, I'll be posting the car at this forum and several others that I'll identify here once they're known. Cheers, Ted (Rick Calcitrant) Shaffer.
Rear wheel mounted w/o brake rotor.
Rear wheel mounted w/o brake rotor.
Front suspension showing strut rod and revised wheel house opening on trunk side.
Front suspension showing strut rod and revised wheel house opening on trunk side.
Rear suspension showing mock-up shock "rocker" and attendant strut rods.  The proper rocker will have an offset fulcrum to allow greater motion without contacting the frame at either side of the rocker.  This arrangement helps reduce unsprung weight and provides clearance for the halfshaft.
Rear suspension showing mock-up shock "rocker" and attendant strut rods. The proper rocker will have an offset fulcrum to allow greater motion without contacting the frame at either side of the rocker. This arrangement helps reduce unsprung weight and provides clearance for the halfshaft.
Another shot of the rear suspension from the inside.
Another shot of the rear suspension from the inside.
View from the OE engine bay.
View from the OE engine bay.
Looks pretty cool from the rear I think.
Looks pretty cool from the rear I think.
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Scott H
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Re: Career Project...

Post by Scott H »

Sorry to hear you have to sell her Ted. This has been a great project to watch come together.
Scott
1960 Monza Coupe
1965 Evening Orchid Corsa Turbo (project)
1961 Rampside (project)
1964 Spyder coupe (patina car, running)
1964 faux Spyder (project/parts car)
1964 Monza (parts car)
1963 Monza (parts car)
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hrm2k
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Re: Career Project...

Post by hrm2k »

I'm sorry to hear that you have to sell it as well. This thing is a work of art !
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Rick Calcitrant
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Re: Career Project...

Post by Rick Calcitrant »

Thanks guys. I truly appreciate your kind comments and your appreciation for the work that's been done. For me, this build should've been started twenty years ago, but hey, hind sight is 20-20. But because I've become such a fan of this forum, I'll no doubt continue following other builds and new projects that come along. It's incredibly inspirational to see and read about so many different and creative solutions that the forum members develop for their cars.

In the meantime, I'll be posting some final pics over the next few days prior to posting the car on a few sales sights. It's been my original intent to use the car as an auto-crosser so that's how I'll market her.

Cheers,
Ted
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ncwitte
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Re: Career Project...

Post by ncwitte »

Ted, I am so sorry that you will be selling this car. It's been one of my favorite threads to follow. I can't imagine how it must feel for you to give up this project. I hope you get what you need out of it, and please encourage the lucky buyer to continue this thread.

Thanks again for sharing with us to this point and good luck with the sale.
Norm Witte
Lansing, Michigan
'65 Corsas: 140 coupe and 180 convertible
http://www.wittelaw.com/personal
viewtopic.php?f=52&t=4208
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Rick Calcitrant
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Re: Career Project...

Post by Rick Calcitrant »

Will do Norm, and thanks for your kind comments and support.
Cheers,
Ted
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Rick Calcitrant
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Re: Career Project...

Post by Rick Calcitrant »

Got the steering hooked up and the seats installed, gave her a good wipe down with a damp cloth and this is the result. I can only tell you that sitting behind the wheel was a double edged sword...
004-a.jpg
007-a.jpg
011-a.jpg
013-a.jpg
016-a.jpg
Even though the seats are a one-piece design, the backrest inclination is adjustable...
Even though the seats are a one-piece design, the backrest inclination is adjustable...
019-a.jpg
020-a.jpg
021-a.jpg
That's all folks...
That's all folks...
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Vair-8
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Re: Career Project...

Post by Vair-8 »

That's all folks...
"NO"! I agree with Norm, this has been one of my favorite threads. Am always waiting for more pictures. I have a crown that I've been working on for over a year and just been amazed of the work you put into your project. I hope someone continues in your footsteps on the car and makes you proud. Thanks for the inspiration.
Charles Troutman Sr.
Charles Troutman Jr.
Glendale, AZ

66 Vair-8
68 Vair-8
65 Convertible
Corvair Society Of America Member "Corsa"
V-8 Registry Member
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Rick Calcitrant
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Re: Career Project...

Post by Rick Calcitrant »

Thanks guys. She's now posted under "Vehicles for Sale." I hope she goes to a member of this forum or at least ends up here after purchase. I'd truly hate to loose track of her. I'm going to post at several other sites and will list them here after posting.
Cheers,
Ted

Just posted at eBay under 1966 Chevrolet Corvair,
'66 Autocross project Coupe
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