‘63 Spyder Convertible

[Beers]

Since I got it back from paint, I had to finish cleaning up the underbody before I started the interior.

I should have done this before body and paint but when the slot came open at the body shop I didn’t want to lose the chance and wait another six or more months (it’s a small restoration shop).

All that is left to do on the underbody are the floor plans as I had already done the front and rear areas and the tunnel. The metal was solid, the only bad part was the rear floor plans were bent up from being used as a jacking point by a previous owner. Not worth cutting out IMO.

Cleaned, sanded, and metal etched the surface rust. Then brushed on some POR-15. While it was still tacky (about 3-4 hours), I sprayed on some Rustoleum red oxide primer, and some satin black, copying what appeared to be the original painting that was there.

Here’s a before photo before cleaning it up.

After cleaning and painting. I also added the fuel return line that you can see next to the speedo cable (the turbo fuel return line wasn’t installed at the factory in Spyders till mid model year in 1963, but I wanted it for managing vapor lock, especially with today’s gas).

[Beers]

I then installed sound deadener, it was actually a fairly easy process, just a bit of cutting and test fitting. It really makes the sheet metal feel solid, when you tap on it, it feels like a bank vault vs. a rattle. We’ll see how it feels to drive.

Then started installing the carpet. Note the EM convertible rocker heater vents, these are actually dark gray from the factory, not black. Found a really close paint to match them.

This car came with the optional OEM front seat belts for 1963, you can see the original mounting rings I reinstalled. These seat belts were a unique one-year only style that year (both buckle and webbing), I had them restored and will be installing them shortly.

[Beers]

A few updates, next was installing the dash. Used a repro from Clark’s, it fit great. Just had to trim away some of the excess vinyl on the edges. Definitely a whole lot easier with the windshield out. Test fitted everything with all the trim in place, then pulled off the trim and added some of the adhesive they include with the dash. It did take a little work to get the speaker frame to sit right. As the instructions note, trim a little at a time, you can always cut more. Especially around the ash tray, that opening is actually fairly small.

I considered not using any adhesive, as the trim holds it in place pretty tight, but figured I’d use it since I had the access with the windshield out. I think it would be fine either way. I didn’t use nearly as much adhesive as Clark’s instructions say, I just applied some to the main areas above the gauges and glove box (the center of the gray primer parts), some around the speaker and ash tray, and then some on the bottom edges next to the doors.

Before

After, with trim installed

[Beers]

Next, installed the windshield. Being an early it uses a rubber gasket, not the butyl like the LM’s so figured I’d do it myself. And Dave motohead made a great video on YouTube of Dave Palmer installing one on a Rampside, so just followed that and the instructions in the shop manual (and also the instructions that come with Clark’s repro windshield gasket).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F813lvzok0I

Because Clark’s gasket only has a uniform depth for the flange on the stainless steel trim, you have to modify the last several inches of the side and bottom pieces, which have a wider flange on the ends as you can see below (that is before I modified it). This was by far the hardest part of the windshield install. I just ground off the excess and rebent the flange. It wasn’t pretty, but it worked.

The glass had a lot of minor scratches from a windshield wiper, so I took some time to polish those out with some Celium Oxide. It helped a lot, though it won’t remove deeper scratches (where you can feel them).

Then installed the gasket and trim, and taped them in place with some Gorilla tape to make sure everything stayed in place during the install. Used LOTS of Glycerine on the gasket, specifically where the trim installed and where the body pinchwelds insert.

Then installed the cord around the gasket where the body pinchwelds go, just as described in the shop manual.

Windshield installed! Couple key points that made this easier (and frankly the actually install was easy, maybe took 20 minutes).

- use lots of Glycerine on everything, I used a paint brush and covered the body pinchwelds liberally.
- I had test fitted the gasket on windshield prior and left it there for several days, just due to schedule. It may have helped get the gasket stretched to the glass better.
- I had a neighbor give me a hand, he pushed on the glass (lightly but firmly) right where I pulled the cord, and we just worked our way around, doing the bottom, then the sides, then the top.

Overall, this wasn’t nearly as difficult as the Clark’s instructions suggested, though modifying the stainless trim can be a pain depending on your metal skills.

[bbodie52]

Thank you for the detailed photographs and descriptive guidelines in performing these important and somewhat complex tasks. Your guidelines may help to encourage others who are considering similar work in their own Corvairs!

[Beers]

Thanks Brad! I certainly get so much from the posts that others do showing their work!

Put the instrument panel back together. The tach was inop, so had Bob’s Speedometer in Howell, MI work on it.

Ended up having them install a modern circuit board inside the tachometer for accuracy and reliability. I didn’t have them reface the gauge as It was in good shape and wanted the finish to match the other existing gauges, but I did have them repaint the yellow/red line that had faded to almost nothing. They did a really nice job.

Back side of the factory tach.

Installed tach, cleaned up the gauges, and cleaned up the instrument panel with metal polish.

Refinished the Spyder Pod in Satin Black and installed. You can see the convenience light installed behind. One lesson learned, the Spyder wiper/lighter pod is far easier to install before the instrument panel. It’s doable after, but a lot of work to get the three pod bolts started and tightened with the panel installed.

Instrument panel and wiper/lighter pod installed.

[Beers]

Just a quick update. Finally finished the interior. All the glass back in, fuzzies installed, belts, etc… Had the original front seat belts restored by Ssnake Oyl products, with new webbing to match the ‘63 style and the interior. Not cheap but they do a first class job.

Also had them make up a matching rear set which didn’t come on this car but could have been a dealer installed option.

Been tearing into the power train. Finished up the transaxle. Had the transmission rebuilt by Dan “the transmission man” Drommerhausen in So. California. Dan has been rebuilding Corvair transmissions for a very long time (I think he’s about to pass 1,000 Corvair units rebuilt!). The car came originally with posi, and Jeff at the Corvair Ranch rebuilt this 3:55 posi unit. I redid the yokes using the standard u-joints from Clark’s.

Now tearing into the engine. These 80hp heads were installed in the 70’s from the records I have on the car. Expecting a bad exhaust valve on #3 from the compression (30 psi) and leak down test I did, it won’t matter as I’m replacing with a redone set of correct ‘62-‘63 turbo heads. Used the bellhousing and installed on an engine stand just for ease of cleaning and moving around, certainly could have skipped the stand and just put the engine on the ground with the bellhousing down.

[Beers]

Tore into the engine. As expected, the #3 exhaust valve on the 80hp heads is burned (after removal, I filled the #3 combustion chamber with water and it just start trickling out the exhaust port, confirming what the leak down test indicated). Returning to a set of ‘62-‘63 turbo heads anyway so not a problem.

One thing I did find is the likely reason that the original Spyder heads were removed back in the ‘70’s, looks like a valve/seat failure (or two…) on #5.

This piston has at least 20K miles on it looking at the maintenance records I have on the car going back to the early ‘80’s, but I can’t see gambling with this, especially since I plan to reinstall the turbo. So new pistons, rings, and cleaning up the cylinders (hone or bore out .020, they look great) is now in the plan.

When I pulled the #5 rod, the rod journal in the crank actually looked in really good shape. This being the original block, with no signs of rebuilding, it probably has the 69K miles the car shows. I reinstalled the rod and checked the clearance with Plastigage, and it came to .0017/.0018, dead center of spec.

So I’m thinking I have three options on the rods, since I really don’t want to split the case.

#1 - after I replace the pistons, just reinstall the rods with the original bearings, providing all the other rods check out fine (bearings look tired though, so this seems a short term plan at best)
#2 - replace the rod bearings with new ones and reinstall, again checking first to make sure all rods spec out, and would recheck clearance on all the new bearings as well
#3 - have the rods resized, and installed with new bearings and rod bolts. Probably also have them balanced.

Leaning towards #2, any thoughts from the forum?

Regardless, I’ll have the rods checked for straightness, especially #5.

[Beers]

Haven’t updated in a while but have been working on the engine.

Decided to refresh everything short of splitting the case. Got new pistons (.020 over), rings, resized rods, and cylinders from Clark’s. Had the rods and pistons balanced by Clark’s as well. Used cast pistons since that is what is available for the 145 ci engines, and moly rings.

Also found out three of the pistons had broken rings. They still had over 100 psi compression, but glad I pulled everything apart.

Spyder 7293 nitrided crank.

Bored (.020) and honed cylinders from Clark’s.

[Beers]

For the resized rods I got the 164ci rods in exchange for the ‘62-‘63 Spyder rods. The Spyder rods are just as beefy as the later ones but you can see how the 164 rods are narrower on the cap for clearance.

Pistons going in

Cylinders on

[Beers]

Just more cleaning engine parts, getting the oil pump set back up (kept the original pump gears, just clearanced the pump cover with the proper thickness gaskets) and bolting everything back together.

Ken Hand rebuilt the heads for me, with deep seats, some porting and clean up work, and adding a Singh groove. They came out really nice. He also added ceramic coated exhaust tubes as I’m ceramic coating the manifolds and exhaust to help the turbo create boost.

Heads installed! Now working on all the engine sheet metal…

[Beers]

I haven’t posted an update in a while, but the ‘63 is back on the road!

Got the powerpack back in and am currently getting everything sorted out, have put about 125 miles on it so far.

I installed the two Rochester HV carburetors just to get it running, going to put in the turbo as a winter project.

A couple photos of the overall car. Also working on putting a new convertible top in place, will need to restore the frame and replace the power top cylinders.

[bbodie52]

[66vairguy]

An impressive job Beers, by anyone's standards.

I recall the 63 Spyder rods were more robust than the standard rods for the model year - and desirable.

[Beers]

Thanks guys!

And that’s correct 66vairguy, the 145 Spyder rods are beefier than the standard 145 rods (they’re just like the 164 rods, just don’t have the narrower ridge on the cap that the 164 needs for clearance).

[61SuperMonza]

Beers,
Your Spyder is looking great. The quality of your build is excellent. You should be proud of how it turned out.
I love the turbo cars, they are a blast and just look like a jewel when you open the bonnet. I look forward to seeing it when the turbo equipment is installed.
My Monza has a 64 YR engine installed in it.