New member from the UK

[panhard65]

Hi I have signed up hoping that I can obtain some sound advice before I jump in the deep end and import a Corvair. I am from Somerset in the UK and have had a very varied collection of cars over the years. I am after a '65 on Corvair coupe or sedan maybe a convertible. I don't mind a bit of work as that is all part of the challenge. I normally import from France but think it's time to try something a bit different. My budget is around $4000 plus the costs of shipping. I found this one on craigslist and wondered if anyone knows anything about it and which states are the best place to search. I am thinking the East coast will be cheaper to ship from but not sure where the rust belt is.
http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/5733953061.html
I have read the thread about the Pennsylvania car and would rather not get caught out the same way.

[bbodie52]

Welcome to the Corvair Forum!

We have been able to assist several people in the UK, Italy, and other European countries with finding good Corvairs in the USA and shipping them to Europe. Contacting members of CORSA (Corvair Society of America) who are in the local vicinity of the Corvair you are interested in will sometimes result in producing CORSA members who are willing to travel to the seller's home to inspect the car for you. With a 50 year old car this approach is often wise, since experienced Corvair owners can often spot problem areas, body decay, etc. that would be difficult to resolve once the car arrives in the UK.

The closest CORSA club chapter to Cameron, TX appears to be based in McDade, TX, which is about 60 miles south of Cameron. Austin, TX is about 80 miles from Cameron. I would suggest contacting the club secretary, David Brown, by sending him an email at corvair69@gmail.com. Explain what you are trying to do and perhaps he can put you in touch with some helpful CORSA members.


http://www.austincorvair.com/

President Leslie Whalen
Vice President Keith Crippen
Treasurer Gary Malicoat
Secretary David Brown, Email: corvair69@gmail.com

The link below will take you to one of my earlier posts where I attempt to cover a lot of material to introduce new Corvair fans to the variety of Corvairs that are available. I attempted to cover a lot of pros and cons that may help you to understand the Corvair market. I would recommend that you click on this link and read the material that I posted for another Corvair enthusiast who was looking to purchase his first Corvair...

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=10452&p=71184&hili ... ion#p71184

This inquiry was from another in the UK...
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=10704&p=73394#p73394

[Scott V]

the rust belt is from the mid-west to the east coast. anything by the coast and/or humid areas has a greater chance of rust........but you know that since you live in the UK. ;-)

the most rust free cars are from the west & south west. shipping from the west would be more......but youll probably save more money getting a car from the west than getting a rusted car shipped from the east.

theres a few guys from the UK here & im sure they will chime in.

-Scott V.

[guru_1071]

have you seen this late model flop top on uk ebay?


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112104371603? ... EBIDX%3AIT

its certainly a project!

[guru_1071]

oh, and rot = bad - panels just do not exist (bar a very few that clarks do)

ive had to remake the entire floor & crossmembers on mine, just remaking both rear chassis legs, all the rear seat pan and most of the front bulkhead

[panhard65]

Thanks for all the info that one in the uk maust of only just been listed. I might go have a look at it in the morning. Rust isn't that scary as I am used to it with the british climate. I restored a Renault Juvaquatre the year before last that ended up with new chassis rails from front to back. Where are the main rot points to check when I goo look at this one tomorrow.

[b74eqcm]

On convertibles, the rocker panels are structural, and carry most of the body weight. They are repairable, but must be solid. Also the 'dog legs' are important. That's the area of the door frame from the rocker up to the mid point of the car. Rust in this area is hard to fix. The floors can rust, but replacement panels can be welded in. One way to tell the structural integrity of a Corvair convertible is how well the doors open/close. If they line up well with no sagging, good. Next drop the top, and stand on the floor of the back seat, one foot on each side, and have a friend repeat the open/close door test. Any change with your weight on the floor indicates structural integrity is suspect.

[panhard65]

Well I went to inspect the convertible in the UK yesterday and it wasn't good. The car seemed solid enough with no flexing on the body and good door gaps, but that was about the only good thing about it. The seller has it sat outside jammed in between other cars so no chance of inspecting it properly. The distributor was missing but he said he has it and that it would run if re-fitted. The car has been restored a while ago and looks like it has had rocker panels and repairs to the lower rear 3/4. These are now starting to corrode again and there is evidence of filler. Generally the car didn't inspire, me even though it comes with lots of parts and is priced at less than it will cost me to import one. I did take the buyers list that I downloaded but didn't bother filling it in as just looking at it sat in the yard had put me off it before I even got out of my car. I have just sold my Rolls Royce so the serious hunt begins. I have narrowed it down now to a 2 door coupe '65 on if anyone knows of a good sound car that doesn't need too much work for a budget around $4000. I ideally want something that is known to the club as I wouldn't be able to view before purchase. I have contacted David as Brad suggested and he is looking into the one from Texas for me. Hopefully I can find something before I change my mind and go buy something French again. (I do have a soft spot for Panhards, but have had them before)

[bbodie52]

Just an opinion, but you have a somewhat unique problem because of your location in the UK. My impression is that the cost of parts to repair or restore a Corvair mechanically is exceptionally high for someone in the UK, because of terribly high add-on costs for shipping and import taxes. Your purchase budget of approximately $4000 might buy a "fixer upper" in the USA, while leaving the buyer with a budget for parts as the DIY mechanical restoration and improvement project after the initial purchase. That might be a sound plan for a buyer in the USA, but is it a wise approach for a buyer in the UK?

In developing a purchase plan for buying your first Corvair, there is a question of possibly spending more up-front to purchase a ready to drive Corvair that needs little work, as opposed to buying a car for less initial up-front money that needs mechanical work, interior restoration, etc. for the DIY home mechanic to tackle. An experienced and well-equipped home mechanic might enjoy the restoration project challenge when considering buying a "fixer upper", while an inexperienced buyer without a garage or tools might over-estimate his or her capabilities and purchase a "fixer upper", only to be overwhelmed later with the demands of the restoration project.

For the buyer in the UK, it is assumed that there are few Corvairs to choose from that are already in the UK. Buying a car from a broader array of available possibilities from the pool of Corvairs in the USA may be essential — even considering the added cost of importing the vehicle. But if your budget is too low for the initial purchase, you may be buying a car that needs significant work. Considering the cost for obtaining parts from sources like Clark's Corvair Parts and then having them shipped to the UK to support a restoration project, wouldn't it be a better approach to have a larger purchase budget initially to search for a clean, mechanically sound Corvair up-front to minimize the need for parts later?

I'm not sure that a purchase budget of $4000 will provide you with the purchase power you need to find a clean Corvair for shipment to he UK. The resulting pool of vehicles in that price range may need significant mechanical work, body work, interior restoration, etc. As outlined in the "Pennsylvania Bondo Bucket" thread, excessive body work needs can be a nightmare — even if the UK owner has the needed body repair and welding skills. For the buyer in the UK, a car that needs a lot of mechanical work or interior restoration may suffer from excessive after-purchase parts costs with sources for parts only found in the USA. Problems with the body or mechanical issues could potentially produce almost insurmountable obstacles once you receive your Corvair shipment.

I guess I'm suggesting that — for the UK buyer kike you — it might be a better approach to try to increase your initial purchase budget, while lowering your reserve budget for post-purchase repairs and improvements. Obviously, spending more up-front does not guarantee a trouble-free 50 year old used car. You would still need to be vary careful in your selection, while possibly depending heavily on the experienced eyes and evaluation capabilities of third-party Corvair owners in the USA to assist you in your search. But you may find a $4000 purchase budget to be too restrictive — forcing you to bypass clean Corvair possibilities that may be clean enough to demand a justifiable higher purchase price. Your initial purchase price budget may need to be higher, but such an approach can help you to avoid excessive after-purchase costs that become even worse under the added burden of bringing those parts from the USA to the UK.

Good luck with your quest!