1961 Corvair Lakewood 700

[Phayes85]

Can anyone help me with this? I want to decode the body tag so I may restore the car back to it original interior and exterior colors. I don't know if the tag will tell me that much. I also would like to know the origination information of the car. Can anyone tell me what year or setup this engine looks like? I know the only true way to find out is to break the engine down so you may find the VIN numbers but I will give this a try. I took a couple photos. Please help if you can...

[bbodie52]

LAKEWOOD 700 4-DOOR STATION WAGON... The only Wagon with plenty of cargo space plus a key-locking front trunk! The new Lakewood, with it's engine in the rear, combines the cargo-carrying capacity and versatility of a wagon with a 10-cu. ft. front trunk. In addition, it's freshly styled, beautifully trimmed and 6-passengers big. The Lakewood comes in two models, both with 4-door convenience, and features a one-piece liftgate. With second seat folded down the Lakewood has 58 cu. ft of load space. Available in 12 Magic-Mirror solid colors... 7 two-tone combinations.

Here is a breakdown of the information on the body tag you provided...
BODY TAG INFO:

STYLE 61-0735 BODY WR 553
4 dr Station Wagon - 6 Passenger ($2,330, 2,555 lbs)
Year and Body Type: 700 4-Door 6 Passenger Station Wagon
61 = 1961
Style 0735 - 07 = Corvair Deluxe 700 Series, 35 = 4-Door Station Wagon 6 Passenger, WR = Willow Run, Michigan, Production Sequence No: 553
1961 700 Station Wagon (0735), Total Production: 20,451.

Note: The Corvair Lakewood Station Wagon was only manufactured in 1961-1962. The 500 series was manufactured in 1961 ONLY. 5,591 were produced. The 700 series Lakewood was built in 1961 (20,451) and 1962 (3,716). In total, 29,758 Corvair Lakewood Station Wagons were produced.

Chassis Data
Model: Chevrolet Station Wagon
Wheelbase: 119 in
Overall Length: 209.3 in
Width: 78.4 in
Height: 55.5 in
Front Tread: 60.3 in
Rear Tread: 59.3 in
Tires: 7.00 x 13

TRIM (TR) 896 PAINT 963D
500/700 Series

TRIM: 896 = Gray

PAINT: 963 = White/Twilight Turquoise (I could only find a single reference to the code "963". It appears to be a dual color paint combination)

Ermine White (936) Lucite No: 4024L; Rinshed-Mason No: A1199; Ditzler No: DDL 8259

Twilight Turquoise (915) Lucite No: 4141L; Rinshed-Mason No: A1395; Ditzler No: DDL12396



EXTERIOR - INTERIOR COLOR COMBINATIONS From GM Heritage Center Data (Attached)
Corvair 500 and 700 Series
Lower Body Color of Two-Tone Models/Roof of Two-Toned Models/Interior Fabric Color

1961-Chevrolet-Corvair - GM Heritage Center.pdf

1961-Chevrolet-Corvair - GM Heritage Center

(4.66 MiB) Downloaded 108 times

COLOR COMBINATIN EXAMPLE


ACC C

C = Rear door armrests (500/700 sedans)



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VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (VIN)...

10735W111829

Your car is a 1961 700 station wagon.
It was the 11829th Corvair built at the Willow Run, Michigan plant that year.

1 = 1961

07 = 700 (Trim)

35 = STATION WAGON

W = WILLOW RUN, MICHIGAN (Manufacturing Plant)

111829 = VEHICLE NUMBER

Corvair VIN Decoding Detail

Early Car VIN Detail (1960-1964)


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ENGINE Identification...

T1014ZF

T = Tonawanda, New York (GM Tonawanda Engine Plant)
http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/comp ... wanda.html
1014 = Engine manufacturing date of October 14
ZF = 98, 102 or 110 HP Automatic Transmission (1961-1964 Corvair 500, 700 and Monza)

Note: The engine compartment photo you posted appears to show that you have an early model crankshaft pulley installed instead of the Harmonic Balancer that would be expected for most 1964 and later 164 ci engines. This could indicate a 145 ci 1961-1963 engine. The generator, instead of an alternator, was found in 1960-1964 engines. However, the distributor design was used in 1962 and later engines, and the magnesium blower fan design was introduced in 1964 and later engines. Your engine is also equipped with automatic chokes on the carburetors. A manual choke was used in 1961 (the manual choke cable assembly can still be see in your engine compartment, but the cables are routed to the carburetors but are not connected to anything), and automatic chokes appeared in 1962-1969 engines. The 1964-1969 magnesium cooling fan, early-style crankshaft pulley, and distributor is not conclusive. Any of these components could have been swapped from a different engine, so they are not conclusive evidence of the engine model year, and neither is the engine serial number suffix ID.

So far, I'm guessing that this is a 1962-1963 145 ci 102 hp engine with a 1964 magnesium blower substituted for the original steel blower (for improved fan belt reliability). The cylinder head casting numbers could provide another clue, however.

The serial number suffix code "ZF" was found on 1961-1964 engines. In 1961, it indicated a 98 hp Automatic Transmission engine with 9.1 compression ratio. However, it was only found in the 500/700/900 series cars, AND NOT IN THE STATION WAGON. The code "ZF" on 1962-1963 engines indicated a 102 hp engine with Automatic Transmission, but again only on 500/700/900 cars and not the Station Wagon. In 1964 the suffix code "ZF" was found on 164 C.I. 110 hp Automatic Transmission engines in the 500/700/900 series cars. After 1962 the Lakewood Station Wagon was no longer manufactured.

So the "ZF" suffix code on your engine is inconclusive. It could have been on engines from 1961-1964. There is no harmonic balancer crankshaft pulley on your engine, which would tend to indicate a 1961-1963 engine, but the blower fan is from a 1964 or later engine! The automatic chokes indicate a 1962 or later engine. The distributor number may provide another clue, but the cylinder head casting number will probably help the most.

The Cylinder Head casting numbers can tell us something about the engine, and so can the model number cast on the distributor. These numbers are more-difficult to view (head numbers are cast on the ends of the cylinder heads). You can see the right head number fairly easily by looking under the car, and the end of the right head, adjacent to the valve cover.

EXAMPLE - Cylinder Head Casting Number Location


Here are the cylinder head casting numbers...
(Left-click the image to enlarge)

The distributor number is more difficult to see without rotating or removing the distributor. The number is on the side of the casting. Your distributor is of a design that was used in 1962-1969 engines (identified by a screw-attachment of the distributor cap). Early 1960-1961 distributor caps were attached using snap-on spring clips. Also, the rotor under the cap was a large, round unit that attached with screws, and covered the centrifugal advance mechanism under the cap. The 1962 and later design had a small rotor, and the centrifugal advance mechanism was hidden undere the ignition points breaker plate assembly.

All distributors in all Corvair engines are physically interchangeable. Tune-up parts for the 1960-61 design are more difficult to find. The differences with the 1962-1969 design were in the are of the vacuum advance and centrifugal advance weights and springs, which modified the advance characteristics for different engine variables, such as compression ration, horsepower rating, camshaft design, compression ratio, etc.

If you are able to read the distributor part number, the breakdown is shown below.

[Phayes85]

Thank you for taking the time to decode the information. I will try to take a picture of the cylinder head casting and place it up as soon as I can. Gathering this information is the first step before I start any restoration and makes for great conversation at car shows. Thanks again.

[ral1963]

I'm leaning more towards your ACC code of C representing Powerglide trans and not the same as the 62 ACC code C of Rear door armrests (500/700 sedans & 500 Wagons) I'm thinking that the Lakewood came standard with rear door armrests and folding rear seat and those items we optional on the 500 series wagons.

[64powerglide]

Did they change code letters from year to year? My 64 coupe has ACC 2MP 3C which is 2 speed wipers, backup lights, Manual Radio, Powerglide & C padded dash, no seat belts. I thought all C codes were padded dash. What year did the use the PCV valve?

[wingnutandme]

The engine is a transplant whatever it is. It came out of a coupe or sedan. The dipstick and oil filler are in the wrong location for a wagon or FC. The oil filler/dipstick tube on a wagon exits the bottom of the block on the right side and passes to the right of the distributor. The fill cap/dipstick is accessible through the rectangular door below the tail gate. That is in addition to the other details already mentioned.

[bbodie52]

In 1962 only letters were used. There were no group numbers in the ACC code line. In that year, "C" = Rear door armrests (500/700 sedans)

In 1963, the letter "C" was seen in both the 2nd and 3rd grouping. 2C = RPO Padded dash, while 3C = RPO Turbocharged Spyder option

In 1964 the letter "C" in the second group was moved to the third group. 3C = Padded dash.

In 1965 3C = Padded dash.

In 1966 the letter "C" was not used in any group.

In 1967 the letter "C" reappeared, but only in group 5. 5C = ? Front Shoulder Belt, Standard Type.

1968 to 1969 did not use accessory codes.

What year did the use the PCV valve?

Road draft tubes were used in 1960-1962. PCV valves first appeared in 1963, but in 1964 a fixed orifice replaced the PCV valve in most vehicles. However, 1964 air conditioned cars and all FC vans and trucks with low engine compartment clearance retained the low-profile air cleaner assemblies and the associated PCV valve configuration.

Corvair Crankcase Ventilation (1960-1962)

1962-1963 Corvair Manual Supplement - PCV System Maintenance

Corvair Crankcase Ventilation (1964-1969) and Turbo

Corvair Crankcase Ventilation (1964-1969) and Turbo

[ral1963]

In addition to the use of "C' for 62-67, both the 1960 and 1961 Trim Tag also used variants of the letter "C",

1960 Willow Run used the letter C and it's meaning is un-determined

1961 Both Willow Run and Kansas used "C" with WR using it alone and Kansas using the combo 31C (found on a KS 500 Sedan with an 02A build date)

The use of Willow Run trim code C being rear door armrests on 500/700 has been disproved by the following Trim tag in my collection.

1961 10727 W ****** 12C WR 5524 888 912-2 ACC H C J F
700 COUPE Blue Blue

However I have more WR 61 tags that share the pattern of the letter C and powerglide trans...

In 1962 only letters were used. There were no group numbers in the ACC code line. In that year, "C" = Rear door armrests (500/700 sedans)

In 1963, the letter "C" was seen in both the 2nd and 3rd grouping. 2C = RPO Padded dash, while 3C = RPO Turbocharged Spyder option

In 1964 the letter "C" in the second group was moved to the third group. 3C = Padded dash.

In 1965 3C = Padded dash.

In 1966 the letter "C" was not used in any group.

In 1967 the letter "C" reappeared, but only in group 5. 5C = ? Front Shoulder Belt, Standard Type.

1968 to 1969 did not use accessory codes.

[64powerglide]

My 64 has an engine number of T1026ZF, original owner purchased it November 5, 1963 & it has a PCV valve & no air conditioning. Probably all of the early 64's were still using the PCV valve. I would say that Lakewood has an early 64 110 HPE. I have never seen a cross tube on the air cleaners like that, mine has the center oil bath but I don't have it on in these photos.

[bbodie52]

Engine suffix code "ZF" in 1964 would indicate a standard 110 hp 164 CI Powerglide-based engine. The optional oil-bath air cleaner (RPO K47) was added. The use of this oil bath air cleaner hardware dictates the installation of the early Corvair style (1961-1963) low-profile air cleaner assembly that was retained in the 1964-1965 FC vans and trucks, and in 1964-1965 air conditioned cars — with the oil bath air cleaner added in the center. This air cleaner assembly changes the PCV plumbing hardware, which reverts to the design implemented in 1963 that uses a PCV valve.

1964 cars introduced the new center-mounted air filter cannister and the use of a new PCV system that incorporated a fixed vacuum orifice in place of a PCV valve. Only 1964-1965 vehicles that lacked clearance above the engine (vans, trucks, air conditioned cars) retained the 1961-1963 air cleaner style because it provided the required low profile layout needed in the FC vans and trucks with their low engine compartment. The low-profile air cleaner also provided necessary clearances for the air conditioner condenser (on top of the engine) and easily accommodated the optional oil bath air cleaner hardware.