Corvair Lakewood 61 - NL

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TikiRalf
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Re: Corvair Lakewood 61 - NL

Post by TikiRalf »

THANKS FOR THE ADVICE! :tu: :not worthy:

All the help is always welcome, i'm not a car mechanic and a lot of things are new to me (thats why it takes so long i guess)

I will fix it, the next time i'm working on the Lakewood!

Again, :ty:

*and dont worry about being a nuisance
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SpyderMan
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Re: Corvair Lakewood 61 - NL

Post by SpyderMan »

You guys are doing great, keep up the good work.
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bbodie52
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Re: Corvair Lakewood 61 - NL

Post by bbodie52 »

TikiRalf wrote:Again, :ty:

*and don't worry about being a nuisance
nit·pick·ing
/ˈnitˌpikiNG/

INFORMAL
noun INFORMAL
looking for small or unimportant errors or faults, especially in order to criticize unnecessarily.
"a nitpicking legalistic exercise"
Similar: pedantic, overscrupulous, scrupulous, precise, exact, over-exacting, perfectionist, precisionist, punctilious, meticulous, fussy, fastidious,
finical, finicky, dogmatic, purist, literalist, literalistic, formalist, scholastic, casuistic, casuistical, sophistic, sophistical, captious, hairsplitting,
quibbling, pettifogging, fault-finding, hypercritical, cavilling, carping, pernickety, overnice

noun
fussy fault-finding.
"nitpicking over tiny details"

I believe that the installed rotational angle of the distributor housing falls into the "finicky, unimportant details" category, but I suppose it is worth pointing out — just in-case you wish to make the correction. The fact that it was noticed by at least two Corvair owners probably makes it worth commenting on. Your restoration work on your Corvair Lakewood is so detailed and approaching perfection that exceeds the quality of the work most of us would, or could perform! That probably makes the nitpicking comments worthwhile — leaving the final decision up to you.

Keep up the good work!
:not worthy: :clap:
Brad Bodie
Lake Chatuge, North Carolina
Image 1966 Corvair Corsa Convertible
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TikiRalf
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Re: Corvair Lakewood 61 - NL

Post by TikiRalf »

Allright i did some changes and work on the Lakewood again, but i have also 2 questions

First the change the re position of the distributor :tu:
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Hooked up the starter
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Needed to pre bend the right fuel line, because the air filter didn't fit with the fuel line.
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Air filters in place! Engine almost done
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------------------- QUESTIONS #1------------------------------------

I got 2 wires coming from the distributor
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These wires are going to the coil
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I got 2 drawings for connection, a easy one, straight to the coil
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And for what me is told a better option is bypass the coil, because of the
751.png
751.png (44.3 KiB) Viewed 914 times
As far as i know i dont have or see a balast resistor. Is this possible. Do i need to put one in or can i work / connect it with the wires i have. What is the best way to connect the 2 wires from the distributor.

------------------- QUESTIONS #2------------------------------------

Ground wire straps, i have found this image of the ground wire straps, but I don't find any "holes' in my body where i can connect the wire straps that i bought from Clark's: Copper Ground Strap – Reproduced 1960–69 Small engine shroud to body "ground straps" (radio suppression).Most use the "regular length" (6-7" overall) Regular Length: C435R

Can someone put up a picture of the ground straps?
Do i need to drill holes in my body for the ground straps
What are the other options / places / any idea welcome.


Thank you already! Time to clean up some parts again, paint them and next week install them! :ty:
Last edited by TikiRalf on Sat Mar 06, 2021 4:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
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bbodie52
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Re: Corvair Lakewood 61 - NL

Post by bbodie52 »

A good chassis ground starts at the battery. It is important to have TWO ground connections from the battery negative terminal. The engine and starter needs the thick ground cable connected directly to the engine to ensure proper grounding for the starter, charging system, distributor, etc. But if you ONLY ground the engine, the engine and transaxle's rubber mounts will tend to isolate it electrically from chassis ground. Some Early and most Late Model Corvairs also received small radio ground straps between the engine sheet metal and the chassis at each corner. A separate 12 gauge ground wire is also connected from the negative terminal to the chassis.
The battery ground cable must be connected to BOTH the engine AND the car chassis. Running the ground cable to the chassis alone is insufficient, because the engine and transaxle are relatively isolated from chassis ground by the rubber engine mounts. There may be some small ground straps between the engine and the chassis for electrical continuity, but they are inadequate to handle the heavy current load that passes through the starter when you are cranking the engine. So I would start by checking the quality of the thick positive and negative cables that connect to the starter and that ground the engine. Those thick cables only exist to carry the heavy current load used by the starter cranking the engine. The remainder of the car's electrical needs are provided by a much smaller wire (12 gauge) that connects the battery positive terminal to the voltage regulator. On the negative side, a separate ground connection to the car chassis provides the ground path return for the car's electrical components, such as lights, heater fan, radio, ignition system, etc.

Since the engine is suspended by three rubber engine mounts, the mounts do not provide a ground path. The LM engines usually have several small braided ground straps to ground the corners of the sheet metal to the chassis (seen in the above picture on the right). But the high-current starter motor needs a good ground return. That is why the main negative ground cable is bolted to the left cylinder head near the alternator.

That engine ground is not sufficient for the chassis ground, that provides a ground return path for all of the accessories, horn, lights, etc. That is why a second ground wire (10-12 gauge) is connected between the negative battery terminal and the car chassis, usually at a bolt near the battery in the perimeter chassis engine compartment frame.
Two of the small radio ground straps on this Late Model engine can be seen on the right-top and right-bottom corners of the engine sheet metal. These radio ground straps are not usually found in Early-Model (1960-1964) Corvairs.
Image

Image

Image

:link: http://www.corvair.com/user-cgi/catalog ... IN&page=98
Image

These two photographic images show the flat braided Early Model factory Ground Cable that provided a solid ground connection to both the Chassis Ground and to the Engine Ground — ensuring adequate grounding for both.
Image

Image

In conclusion, the thick ground cable between the battery negative terminal and the engine ensures adequate electrical ground return to the battery from the starter motor, generator, warning light sensors, and distributor. The thick cable should be a match in wire gauge to the thick positive cable that powers the starter motor. A thin 10-12 gauge wire (or thicker cable) ties the battery ground to the vehicle chassis — providing a chassis ground return to the battery in support of all of the remaining vehicle electrical components.

The radio suppression small ground straps are not standard and not original equipment on early Corvairs. They were only added by GM engineers later in production to help ensure the elimination of potential radio interference noise from the alternator and ignition systems.
Brad Bodie
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bbodie52
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Re: Corvair Lakewood 61 - NL

Post by bbodie52 »

Image

Image

1962 Corvair Engine Compartment Wiring Diagram
1962 Corvair Engine Compartment Wiring Diagram

As shown above — in 1962 and earlier Corvairs — there were two wires connected to the ignition coil positive terminal. The Yellow wire connected from the Starter Solenoid "R" terminal to provide full 12 VDC battery voltage to the ignition coil while the starter was engaged and cranking the engine. This temporarily boosted the ignition coil voltage to provide a "hotter" spark plug voltage to help the cold engine to start. When the engine starts, the driver releases the key and disengages the starter, which turns the full 12 VDC battery voltage OFF, leaving only the reduced voltage via the ballast resistor wire (20 W/R/B).

in 1963 and later Corvairs, the wiring harness design was modified to connect the 20 W/R/B Resistor wire to the Yellow (or Yellow with black Stripe) coil wire at the two-wire starter solenoid connector. This simplified the wiring harness, leaving only a single wire connected to the ignition coil positive terminal. Electrically the resulting wiring circuits were the same as before, providing 12 VDC to the coil while the engine was being cranked by the starter, but then only leaving the reduced resistor wire voltage (nominal 7 VDC) when the starter solenoid switched off. The lower voltage allows the ignition coil to run cooler with the reduced voltage. The reduced voltage also prolongs the life of the ignition points by reducing burning and arcing as the points open and close. This is shown in the diagrams below...

Image

Image

Image
1963 Corvair Engine Compartment Wiring (Ignition Circuit)
1963 Corvair Engine Compartment Wiring (Ignition Circuit)
The Pertronix electronic module needs a full 12 V DC switched source to power it, but the coil still benefits from running cooler on the reduced voltage provided via the original factory ballast resistor wire circuit. What this means is that you will need to provide power to the Pertronix module that is still switched on and off by the ignition key, but you need to tap off of the circuit BEFORE the resistor wire comes into play. On the wiring schematic, you can splice into the circuit (18 BRN) before the multi-connector (near the firewall and below the voltage regulator). There are "T-Taps" available that crimp on to the insulated wire while punching into the metal wire conductor inside the insulation, but sometimes they become corroded or loose and can cause an intermittent connection as they age. A carefully created soldered and insulated connection might work better.

The Problem with Wire-Tap Connectors
:link: http://tech.bareasschoppers.com/resourc ... onnectors/
ImageImageImage

Image


Image
Brad Bodie
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TikiRalf
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Re: Corvair Lakewood 61 - NL

Post by TikiRalf »

:tu: :not worthy: :tu:

THANK YOU BRAD! for the explanations and all the help! Awesome so much information! you rock! :guitar:

Can say it enough :ty:

*more work to do, soon more progres updates!
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TikiRalf
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Re: Corvair Lakewood 61 - NL

Post by TikiRalf »

Steering colum almost done, ready for last time paint and final paint o nthe top to match the steering wheel. Next step is to restore the steering wheel and put that back together with the steering shaft.
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You dont see all the little things we did, there are a lot of small things and it all comes together to one "little" Lakewood again. Cant wait to get it out on her own wheels and to start the engine. Another milestone when that will happen.
755.JPG
see you when there are new updates!
Last edited by TikiRalf on Sat Mar 06, 2021 4:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
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TikiRalf
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Re: Corvair Lakewood 61 - NL

Post by TikiRalf »

Nothing mayor happening, to busy at work and with the house and wedding

did some "clear your head sanding" of the steering wheel almost half way.
When sanding is done we can fix the cracks and sand it again, primer and paint.

Hopefully soon more time for the Lakewood.
756.jpg
Last edited by TikiRalf on Sat Mar 06, 2021 4:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Iceland Spyder
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Re: Corvair Lakewood 61 - NL

Post by Iceland Spyder »

Hi Ralf, one more nikki pikki. The two wires that go to the + side of the coil I would like to see on the other side of the oil filler tube. If you turn the coil clockwise 3/4 inch or so it will look better. I personally don't like any wires under any pipes or brackets. My opinion. Continue with your fantastic work. :chevy: :clap: .
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Re: Corvair Lakewood 61 - NL

Post by TikiRalf »

Yes Iceland Spyder, i will change that, it bet it looks much nicer the way you say. i put it on the to do board in my workshop, small job no problem.

After some month of other things we have some time in the workshop again. Start with some other things to finish amd move on to the jobs we already start on :tu:

rebuild and fixed the horn (wow the Lakewood is so dusty.....)
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WOrking on the headlights, on is done, otherone is ready for paint. Time to get the polishing machine ready for the rings that goes in the headlight brackets.
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Making a bracket for the heaterunit. Position the heaterunit, all rebuild. Time to grind the stock mountings of the decklit, and make holes in the bracket for the nuts and bolt. when that pits perfect, we are going to bild it to the side of the body. Paint it all black and it looks factory stock, with easy access

First the basic layout test fit
760.jpg
Soon more updates :tu: thank you!
Last edited by TikiRalf on Sat Mar 06, 2021 4:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Scott H
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Re: Corvair Lakewood 61 - NL

Post by Scott H »

Great work Ralf!
Scott
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Re: Corvair Lakewood 61 - NL

Post by Iceland Spyder »

Looks so good Ralf and locking forward to hear it running. :tu:
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TikiRalf
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Re: Corvair Lakewood 61 - NL

Post by TikiRalf »

Thank you Scott!!
Iceland Spyder wrote: Mon Mar 30, 2020 11:03 am Looks so good Ralf and locking forward to hear it running. :tu:
Same here! can wait to fire it up. The last things to fix take the most time......... fingers crossed it will work!
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TikiRalf
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Re: Corvair Lakewood 61 - NL

Post by TikiRalf »

Heater unit bracket in place!
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Total overview of the heaterunit, all fits perfect :tu:
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Heaterhose connected to the engine. Another step in the right direction of finishing the Lakewood.
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Next step, the last electric things of the engine, and the other parts of the heater.

Stay tuned, thank you!
Last edited by TikiRalf on Sat Mar 06, 2021 4:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Corvair Lakewood 61 - NL

Post by 61SuperMonza »

I just spent some time going through the posts of your build. What a great job you're doing. I am very impressed with your perseverance. The documentation of your work is great. I wish I had documented my resto as you have. A great restoration is all in the details. When you add all the little things up the result is a stunning Corvair.
I can't wait to get my Monza out this summer. Reading your posts even got me out in the garage to do a little tinkering.
Waiting for summer in
Alaska,
Norm
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First corvair in 1985
Have owned 4 corvairs since
65 Corsa coupe 180 turbo
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61 Monza club coupe w/ 150 turbo
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