'65 '500' sedan project from the dry Central Valley, CA

[Gregory_Miller]

Looking sharp!

[viewmaster]

Well...all good things must come to an end. Thats what they say. I have been enjoying driving "whitey" for a few mos. now, and last night, as i drove home from town, i entered the freeway and had significant power loss. It didnt happen like when i dropped a seat in early April...so...i cant figure what happened.

So i did a compression test this morning, and #3 had little to no pressure at all. I am concentrating on my Monza project currently, so this will have to wait. Ill maybe pull the engine in between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

"Corvair...its ALWAYS something."

-m

[cad-kid]

Well...all good things must come to an end. Thats what they say. I have been enjoying driving "whitey" for a few mos. now, and last night, as i drove home from town, i entered the freeway and had significant power loss. It didnt happen like when i dropped a seat in early April...so...i cant figure what happened.

So i did a compression test this morning, and #3 had little to no pressure at all. I am concentrating on my Monza project currently, so this will have to wait. Ill maybe pull the engine in between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

"Corvair...its ALWAYS something."

-m

Bummer!

[viewmaster]

Well...i must be the luckiest sumbuck that has been, or...someone upstairs is looking out for me. After doing some quarter panel work on the Monza project, i decided to take a break, and see what i could see under the valve cover on the 'whitey'.

I was hoping that it was only a broken valve spring. Even that would have required the head to be removed, but at least it could be remedy'd rather quickly.

So...i take off the heat shield and valve cover...and what do my foggy eyes behold???

It wasnt like i heard a bunch of racket tho. Hmmm..... Upon further inspection, i found that i had two or three threads showing on the stud, so...oh...okay, there it is, BROKEN ROCKER ARM!!! Thats a first for me.

I SOOOOO glad it is such an easy fix. I was disheartened that i dont have ONE vair to drive. What a load off my mind.

Stay tuned...
"Corvair: its ALWAYS something."

[bbodie52]

That is somewhat unusual — perhaps a manufacturing defect.

When you replace the bad components, check the push rod and make sure it was inserted correctly — with the side oil hole at the rocker arm end, so that lubricating oil is squirting on the rocker ball area to provide adequate lubrication.

[viewmaster]

^ Thats good advice Brad...did that for sure. All was good, and now im back on the road. Thank You

Mike

[cad-kid]

Wow, fortunate find indeed.

[viewmaster]

Been tooling along in this wonderful machine, and finally got around to completing a project i have been wanting to do for a while now. Welding up my exhaust crossover, and getting rid of my clamped together dual exhaust that the PO hobbled together. It even had the left side muffler installed backward. Anyhow...its a MUCH QUIETER VAIR NOW!!! What a nicer cruise it will be for sure.

-m

[cad-kid]

[viewmaster]

UPDATE:

Well...got some time this past Sat., to get inder the car and do a couple things. First...the old PG was leaking a bit, so i replaced the pan gasket and cleaned the filter acreen out.

Second...i have been wanting to do this for quite some time now, and figured since i was inder the car...

Plumbed in and wired to a monentary switch, an electric fuel pump. Just needed it for priming, when it has sat for a little while without driving. It is hot here in the dry central valley, so in the summer, i dont get her out that much. Anyways...here are some pics.

Stay tuned...

[dagdal1967]

Do yourself a favor and get an old inner tube (if you can find one) and make a double layer gasket to go under that fuel pump. Mine is mounted much like yours and MAN can you hear it. It's on my list to get something under it so that it doesn't make you think it's gonna shake loose!

I guess if you're only going to use it for priming, it's not that big a deal... But they can be noisy buggars!

[SteveH]

Nice! well done!

[viewmaster]

Do yourself a favor and get an old inner tube (if you can find one) and make a double layer gasket to go under that fuel pump. Mine is mounted much like yours and MAN can you hear it. It's on my list to get something under it so that it doesn't make you think it's gonna shake loose!

I guess if you're only going to use it for priming, it's not that big a deal... But they can be noisy buggars!

Thats a big 10-4 Doug. Yeah, good thing it isnt running all the time.


Steve: Thank you!

[viewmaster]

Been driving and enjoying 'whitey' since my last post, but alas...in late November, after the Central CA Corvair peeps "Impropmptu Lunch Meet and Parts Swap", after Thanksgiving, she was leaking a little too much oil, and i had to investigate. I was dissapointed, since i had just replaced the bellhousing main seal, not 600 miles earlier, and the new leak was coming from the same area.

After pulling the engine and inspecting, seems the main portion of oil was coming from the crank gear keyway. 52 years ago, the factory put that gasket in there, and it seems she has run her course.

Flexplate streaks (not enough P2???)

Crank gear keyway leakage...

So...after a little JB weld in the keyway, some more P2 on the bolts, a new seal and a cleanup, she is back together.

While the engine was out, i took advantage, and redid the intake valve seals. The old ones were either hard as rocks, or had already shattered, and i found pieces in the valve covers and oil pan. (i suppose it was time )

Used the tried and true, 1/4" cotton cord trick...

Fabricated a tool to help stuff the plug hole with cord...

She is back together, buttoned up, and rolling down the road, without a drop of oil spilling. I took the time, and made my own oil pan gasket, from FelPro 1/32" material. My Clark's finned pan seems to like that better.

'Whitey', at sunrise...

Happy Motoring...

-m

[viewmaster]

Oh...almost forgot, the odometer has not worked since we aquired the car in 2010. I was at a rummage sale the other day, and picked up this...for CHEAP!!!!

CHEAP dash bezel..WITH AC CUTOUT!!

Odometer works, and i am in process of changing over. While i have the dash out, i am working on a modern stereo upgrade too. Good grief!!! I am a glutton for punishment.

Dash destroyed (not really)

-m

[viewmaster]

Continuing on, in the vein of modern music in my commuter, the PO of my Monza project had fabbed this really fine fitting package tray piece, that i am going to mount in this car, so it will get used. Some sanding and reginishing were in order, but i believe its gonna foot the bill perfectly. I didnt even need the front apron he had on it, because the Monza had a fold down rear seat, and the 500 doesnt. The rear crossbar holds onto the piece very snugly. Now time for an amp, and to finish the custom single DIN mounting plate.

Stay "tune"ed...

-m