63 Spyder Preservation

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rv6aaviator
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Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2013 6:39 pm

63 Spyder Preservation

Post by rv6aaviator »

Here are some photos and preservation items going on with this 63.
Acquired car in spring 2013,
Acquired car in spring 2013,
Forum Pic.jpg (5.73 KiB) Viewed 3416 times
Acquired car in Spring of 2013. Purchased car off ebay from dealer in Florida. Represented as good daily driver. When I received the car, overall I was very pleased with a solid body, nice interior and nice top. Several weeks of mechanical tinkering and it drove o.k. but the engine was smoking and fouling plugs every 100 miles or so. Drove the car appox 300 miles before I decided to start a preservation.

I'm calling it a preservation vs restoration since it is only my intention to replace parts if its worn out, repair what can be rebuilt and clean and service all other parts.

First Item Up Front Floor Boards
Pulled the interior out. Rear floor boards solid and in great shape. Both driver and passenger sides each had make shift patches put on somewhere in its past. Not a bad job, but it could be better. There were also a few rust holes that were not covered in patches. I decided to cut out the previous patches, cut out any additional bad metal, treat all other areas with POR 15 and weld in new floor boards from Clarks.
Passenger Side Cut Out
Passenger Side Cut Out
I elected to leave any solid metal. Wire brush it, clean it and treat it with POR 15. Took out more floor on passenger side than driver side. Used 4" cut off wheel, took my time being carful not to cut too much of anything out. Remember there's a fuel line down there!
Floor Boards Cut and Treated With POR
Floor Boards Cut and Treated With POR
Received new floor boards from Clarks. Very nice quality. They do require some moderate trimming. It's not hard, just take your time, I used a reciprocating saw with metal blade and the 4" grinding cut off wheel. After a Saturday worth of fitting and cutting, I was happy with the way the new pans laid down.
Trial Fit
Trial Fit
Time to weld. Used a Mig welder with gas. I'm a slow welder. Took about 5 hours to lay all the beads down.
Welding Floors
Welding Floors
Floors Welded In
Floors Welded In
Here are the floors welded in. Welds will need a little grinding and clean up prior to painting the floors boards. Note that in order to get the new floor boards to lay secure and flush on underbody supports, I used #10 2" metal self tapping screws, drill and screw every couple of inches to get a good fit and hold. When welding, I took a screw out one at a time, drilled it out to 1/4" and filled the hole with a weld. Repeat process.

Once painted, it will be good for the next 50+ years.

Total hours worked on my floor boards was about 40. Cost about $300 in materials.

More to come.....
Jeff Sandor
Prez Cincinnati Corvair Club
62 Convertible
63 Spyder Convertible
64 Spyder Convertible
66 Corsa 140 Coupe
66 Monza Coupe
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Nickshu
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Joined: Tue Jun 11, 2013 7:57 pm
Location: Northern Colorado, USA

Re: 63 Spyder Preservation

Post by Nickshu »

Wow nice work!
Nick
1964 Monza Spyder Convertible #435 - Rotisserie restored - SOLD ON BRING A TRAILER 4/30/2019 - Check out my restoration thread here: [corvaircenter.com]
Thanks to all the awesome CCF, CF, COG, and CORSA members who helped me with the restoration!
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rv6aaviator
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Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2013 6:39 pm

Re: 63 Spyder Preservation

Post by rv6aaviator »

Fixed the electrical items not working. Passenger side vanity light was not working. Door switch was not connected.

Glove box light was not working. Purchased new complete unit from Clarks. Easy install and its now fixed.

Cigarette lighter not working. Purchased some parts from Clarks. Working like a champ.

Some easy fixes, a few more items off the "to do" list and a nice pleasant evening in the garage. :tu:
Jeff Sandor
Prez Cincinnati Corvair Club
62 Convertible
63 Spyder Convertible
64 Spyder Convertible
66 Corsa 140 Coupe
66 Monza Coupe
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rv6aaviator
Posts: 165
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2013 6:39 pm

Re: 63 Spyder Preservation

Post by rv6aaviator »

Engine's out. 50 years old and tired. Complete teardown coming.
Attachments
Engine Out.JPG
Jeff Sandor
Prez Cincinnati Corvair Club
62 Convertible
63 Spyder Convertible
64 Spyder Convertible
66 Corsa 140 Coupe
66 Monza Coupe
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Nickshu
Posts: 817
Joined: Tue Jun 11, 2013 7:57 pm
Location: Northern Colorado, USA

Re: 63 Spyder Preservation

Post by Nickshu »

Lookin' good!!

Digging around my '64 I have found someone riveted a piece of thin sheet metal in place of the driver's floorboard. Looks like I'll be duplicating your project this winter. :tu:
Nick
1964 Monza Spyder Convertible #435 - Rotisserie restored - SOLD ON BRING A TRAILER 4/30/2019 - Check out my restoration thread here: [corvaircenter.com]
Thanks to all the awesome CCF, CF, COG, and CORSA members who helped me with the restoration!
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rv6aaviator
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Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2013 6:39 pm

Re: 63 Spyder Preservation

Post by rv6aaviator »

Found some interesting stuff upon doing disassembly. Car has a 64 differential.
Toe in shims between trans/mounting bracket missing.
Nail for cotter pin at engine mount with wrong nut. No cotter pins at all in trans mounts, finger tight nuts.
Bottom bellhousing bolts /wrong & finger tight.
Exhaust crossover pipe leaking badly at turbo inlet pipe.
Compression coupler in brake line.
Powertrain is out and now apart.
Flywheel was loose (bad rivets) so that was the vibration I felt at times when driving.
Cylinder baffle missing from right bank, would have caused high head temp & out of round cylinders.
1 spark plug had an insert, and 1 plug hole had been reamed out to accept an 18mm plug; a tapered seat plug was in the hole.
Heads off to the machine shop for rework.
Wiring harnesses are old and brittle.
Heater blower wire not even connected. Yea....easy fix.
Clutch crossshaft bracket bolt missing.
Rear crossmember mounts are toast.

:banghead:

Now its a full on mechanical assault....... :assault:
Jeff Sandor
Prez Cincinnati Corvair Club
62 Convertible
63 Spyder Convertible
64 Spyder Convertible
66 Corsa 140 Coupe
66 Monza Coupe
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Gregory_Miller
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Re: 63 Spyder Preservation

Post by Gregory_Miller »

Good times, good times...good to find them all before something let loose on the road.
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bbodie52
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Re: 63 Spyder Preservation

Post by bbodie52 »

In my past Corvair life most of my Corvairs were owned as new car purchases or were only a few years old when we got them. But now, buying a "new" Corvair means a process of discovery of decades of previous owners and mechanics -- and as you are discovering that can mean some incredibly poor workmanship.

We once took our 1965 Corvair into a Chevrolet dealership for a front and rear wheel alignment. About a month later I was working under the car and discovered one of the three transmission mount bolts was missing, one was sticking out of the transmission with only one or two threads screwed in, and one was only finger tight. Apparently the "mechanic" though that the rear toe-in adjustment on 1965 was made in the same way it is done on a 1960-1964 -- by adding or removing shims between the transmission and the mount. When he discovered otherwise, he apparently forgot to re-tighten the three transmission mount bolts, and by the time I discovered his mistake one had fallen out, one was almost out and only one remained screwed in all the way, but not tight. And that was at a Chevrolet dealer!

:confused: :wrench: I am still discovering some signs of pretty shoddy workmanship on the 1966 Corsa I purchased last year. Hidden poor workmanship can accumulate for years. Vigilance, watchfulness, and attentiveness are all important words when working on a Corvair where the previous history and quality of maintenance and workmanship are unknown!
:whoa: :eek: :omgosh: :tease: :angry:

Better that the "Road to Discovery" is in your driveway, and not on an actual road to potential disaster! Please take pictures and continue to document your progres here, so that we can learn from your experiences.

:chevy: :tu:
Brad Bodie
Lake Chatuge, North Carolina
Image 1966 Corvair Corsa Convertible
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rv6aaviator
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Re: 63 Spyder Preservation

Post by rv6aaviator »

Removed all rear suspension.
Sand blast and powder coat all the metal parts.
Installing all new bushings to body, control arm bushings, shocks and transmission mounts.
Anxious to see how much nicer all this work will make the car handle and feel.
Attachments
Almost back to new condition!
Almost back to new condition!
Jeff Sandor
Prez Cincinnati Corvair Club
62 Convertible
63 Spyder Convertible
64 Spyder Convertible
66 Corsa 140 Coupe
66 Monza Coupe
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rv6aaviator
Posts: 165
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2013 6:39 pm

Re: 63 Spyder Preservation

Post by rv6aaviator »

Old Transmission Mounts. 50 year old rubber parts. Not much left.
Attachments
Trans Mounts.JPG
Jeff Sandor
Prez Cincinnati Corvair Club
62 Convertible
63 Spyder Convertible
64 Spyder Convertible
66 Corsa 140 Coupe
66 Monza Coupe
User avatar
rv6aaviator
Posts: 165
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2013 6:39 pm

Re: 63 Spyder Preservation

Post by rv6aaviator »

Rear Cross Member Out
Attachments
Rear Cross Member.JPG
Jeff Sandor
Prez Cincinnati Corvair Club
62 Convertible
63 Spyder Convertible
64 Spyder Convertible
66 Corsa 140 Coupe
66 Monza Coupe
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Am-Iron
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Re: 63 Spyder Preservation

Post by Am-Iron »

Nice job!
Check out my FB Page! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Corvair-O ... 0804308827" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Nickshu
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Re: 63 Spyder Preservation

Post by Nickshu »

Wow nice work love the powder coated rear suspension! :tu:
Nick
1964 Monza Spyder Convertible #435 - Rotisserie restored - SOLD ON BRING A TRAILER 4/30/2019 - Check out my restoration thread here: [corvaircenter.com]
Thanks to all the awesome CCF, CF, COG, and CORSA members who helped me with the restoration!
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TikiRalf
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Re: 63 Spyder Preservation

Post by TikiRalf »

:tu: Nice job

Looking good nice "new" parts with the powder coated parts

good luck, keep posting!
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rv6aaviator
Posts: 165
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2013 6:39 pm

Re: 63 Spyder Preservation

Post by rv6aaviator »

Heads back from machine shop.
Cleaned up with new valve guides, valve seats, seals, plug threads, milled gasket surface. :woo:
Attachments
Corvair Heads 2.JPG
Jeff Sandor
Prez Cincinnati Corvair Club
62 Convertible
63 Spyder Convertible
64 Spyder Convertible
66 Corsa 140 Coupe
66 Monza Coupe
User avatar
rv6aaviator
Posts: 165
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2013 6:39 pm

Re: 63 Spyder Preservation

Post by rv6aaviator »

Another view of the reconditioned heads
Attachments
Corvair Heads 3.JPG
Jeff Sandor
Prez Cincinnati Corvair Club
62 Convertible
63 Spyder Convertible
64 Spyder Convertible
66 Corsa 140 Coupe
66 Monza Coupe
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