New to Corvairs

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6Gun_Joe
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New to Corvairs

Post by 6Gun_Joe »

Hello. I'm from Chester County PA. I picked up a 64 Monza a while back, PO advertised it as a complete car just needing assembly, not quite but I now have most of the parts and it's almost driveable. Still needs some work and some paint but its getting there slowly.

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Last edited by 6Gun_Joe on Fri May 19, 2017 4:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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toytron
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Re: New to Corvairs

Post by toytron »

Welcome Joe!

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bbodie52
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Re: New to Corvairs

Post by bbodie52 »

:wave: :welcome2: Welcome to the Corvair Forum!

It is hard to tell from the one photograph, but your 1964 Corvair looks to be relatively clean. The biggest concern with the car that has "lived" in the Pennsylvania area would be body rot and rust. Have you had a chance to examine the body thoroughly for rust damage? Corvairs are constructed of unibody design, which means they have no real frame. The body serves as the frame. There are sub-frames for mounting the front and rear suspension and powertrain, but these sub-frames are attached to the body, and the body provides the overall structural support for the car. It is important that you examine your car thoroughly for hidden damage or for damage that may have been covered up with plastic body filler. It may be worthwhile to pay a body shop to have one of their skilled technicians perform a "health examination" on your car so that you don't end up with any undesirable surprises. If your car proves to have a solid foundation, proceeding with mechanical repairs and cosmetic repairs throughout the car would certainly be a worthwhile investment. The 1964 Corvair was the beneficiary of five model years of enhancements and improvements — particularly to the front and rear suspension with an anti-sway bar in the front and a transverse leaf spring in the rear to improve handling and stability. The engine displacement was also increased in that model year from 145 CI to 164 CI. A magnesium cooling fan was also implemented in that year, which reduced stresses on the fan belt and improved fan belt reliability. What type of transmission is installed in your car?

I am familiar with your area. When I was still in the USAF I was transferred to Fort Indiantown Gap to work as an Air National Guard instructor. I lived in Lebanon Pennsylvania from 1993 until 2005. I had retired from the Air Force in 1996 and then worked for Pennsy Supply for nine years as a computer technician and network administrator. I moved to North Carolina in 2005 to care for my aging father and continue to remain in western North Carolina. I have been around Corvairs since 1961, when my parents purchased their first 1961 Corvair Monza. At the time I was eight years old. Over the years we have had 10 Corvairs in our family, and age 64 my wife and I still drive in 1966 Corsa convertible.

The link below will provide you with a list of useful websites that are Corvair-related. Some of the links will lead you to an extensive technical library that will allow you to download shop manuals and other technical references in Adobe Reader format at no cost. There is also a link that will help you to locate a nearby CORSA (Corvair Society of America) club chapter in Pennsylvania. While the Corvair Forum can be very helpful as you work on your Corvair, having local friends and contacts in your region who are knowledgeable about the Corvair can also be very helpful. These family-friendly CORSA chapters often offer picnics, group scenic drives, technical training and assistance, car shows, and competition events that can greatly enhance your enjoyment of Corvair ownership. You will also find a list of essential Corvair parts suppliers. Clark's Corvair Parts is the biggest and oldest Corvair supplier in the world. You will find a link that can provide you with a series of videos that amount to a tour of the Clark's Corvair Parts facilities. I think you will be amazed at the quality of the reproduction components they offer — particularly the interior carpeting and re-upholstery items. Parts suppliers such as this truly make our hobby possible.

Common and Useful Corvair Websites

:link: viewtopic.php?f=225&t=6007

:dontknow: I would like to encourage you to expand on your initial post and tell us more about yourself, your Corvair, and your goals for the Corvair. If you can describe your personal assessment of your mechanical skills and abilities, that would help a lot. Members of the Corvair Forum love to be helpful in assisting other Corvair owners with technical support and advice, but it helps a lot if we have some understanding of your technical background and mechanical abilities, Corvair-related knowledge, etc. Helping us to know more about you will help us to write comments to you that are tailored to your needs and experience. Knowing your location is also useful, because knowing where you live can sometimes suggest possibilities.

:welcome:
Brad Bodie
Lake Chatuge, North Carolina
Image 1966 Corvair Corsa Convertible
6Gun_Joe
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Re: New to Corvairs

Post by 6Gun_Joe »

Thanks! I have been working on cars since in was 16, I'm 27 now. I am a CNC Machinist. I am pretty good at diagnosing and repairing automotive problems. I can do most repairs myself though I avoid complete engine rebuilds. I do not enjoy body work and am not very skilled at it.
My Corvair is a 64 but from my work on the engine I believe its from a 62 or 63. Its not a turbo car and it's automatic. It does have some rust here and there but the body is in good shape. My main goal is to get it on the road, I'm not worried so much about looks.
Hopefully that answered most of your questions. If not, let me know.

Sent from my LG-K550 using Corvair Forum mobile app

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bbodie52
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Re: New to Corvairs

Post by bbodie52 »

...My Corvair is a 64 but from my work on the engine I believe its from a 62 or 63...
I'm curious, what specifically about your engine gives you the impression that it is a 1962 or 1963? We may be able to help you to confirm this, if you would post one or more pictures of the details of your engine compartment. The photographs below may also be helpful to you. The first three photographs show the location of the engine serial number and the cylinder head casting number. The latter may be somewhat difficult to see because it may be blocked from view by engine sheet metal, but it can be found adjacent to the end of the valve cover, as shown in the picture. The serial number does not include a model year, but the last two digits (letters) helps to identify the engine. However, that two letter code often overlaps multiple model years. But it still could be a useful clue. The cylinder head casting number is more specific to one model year, so if you can get that from either head it might help to confirm the nature of your engine. Other characteristics like the cooling fan design and crankshaft pulley can also provide clues — but these components are easily transferable from one model year to the next so they may not be conclusive. After 50 years or so, Corvair engines often become a combination of parts from a wide range of engines. It sometimes takes a little detective work to truly determine exactly what you are working with. If you could post some photographs and detailed comments concerning your suspicions we could help you to confirm the engine in your car.

Engine cases usually have an engine serial number stamped near the top cover mounting area, near where the oil filter adapter mounts...

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You also mentioned that your main goal is to "get it on the road". If you could describe the condition of your car in more detail and post additional photographs of areas that are questionable or problematic you would likely receive many comments and suggestions from members of the Corvair Forum. The experience and background of many Corvair owners on the Corvair Forum may be useful to you. We like to help!

Speaking of help, have you considered contacting a local club chapter of CORSA (Corvair Society of America)? There are several club chapters scattered around Pennsylvania and in New Jersey. Club members can also be very helpful and can provide recommendations that are more specific to your area with regard to Corvair ownership. Technical training classes, car shows, competition events, and family-friendly things like picnics and scenic drives can all make Corvair ownership just that much more enjoyable. The link I provided earlier in my previous posts under the title "Common and Useful Websites" includes a link that will list all of the CORSA club chapters in America. Hopefully one or more of them is close to you.

I'm looking forward to hearing back from you and seeing more pictures of your car.
Brad Bodie
Lake Chatuge, North Carolina
Image 1966 Corvair Corsa Convertible
6Gun_Joe
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Re: New to Corvairs

Post by 6Gun_Joe »

Don't have time to go into details right now but I took a few pictures. Thanks for the help and encouragement by the way.
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bbodie52
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Re: New to Corvairs

Post by bbodie52 »

T0601ZH
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T = Tonawanda, New York (GM Tonawanda Engine Plant)
http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/comp ... wanda.html
0601 = Engine manufacturing date (month and date). June 1st.
ZH = Late 1961 - 80 HP Automatic Transmission (900 Monza Only)
ZH = 1962-1963 - 84 HP Automatic Transmission (900 Monza Only)

Based on the cooling fan type, crankshaft pulley, late distributor design (1962-1969), the location of the oil pressure sending unit (next to the generator, as found on late 1962-1963 engines), and automatic choke carburetors, the engine would appear to be 1962-1963. However, there is no Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) system visible — indicating the presence of a Road Draft Tube. That would likely make it a 1962 engine.

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Brad Bodie
Lake Chatuge, North Carolina
Image 1966 Corvair Corsa Convertible
6Gun_Joe
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu May 18, 2017 4:56 am

Re: New to Corvairs

Post by 6Gun_Joe »

Thanks for the information! Sorry I didn't see it 6 years ago..
66vairguy
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Re: New to Corvairs

Post by 66vairguy »

Brad made some good observations.

One advantage the 64 had was the bigger engine and revised transaxle with the leaf spring to tame the swing axles.

When the longer stroke "bigger" engine arrived in 64 a number of changes were made to the transaxle. I didn't read if you have a manual or PG. Connecting a pre 64 engine to a 64 and newer transaxle is doable, but not advised. Done wrong and there will be problems.

Does your car have the 64 transaxle, or an earlier one to match the earlier engine?
6Gun_Joe
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Re: New to Corvairs

Post by 6Gun_Joe »

I got it with a 2 speed power glide but it looks like it originally had a manual trans if I decoded the tag correctly. Not sure what year the trans is out of, I'll try to ID it when I get a chance.
The heads stamped "3813516", the block is stamped "T060IZH" as previously shown, and the distributor is "1110278".

I actually just started having engine trouble and found that I have a wiped cam lobe so it will help to know exactly what I've got and whether or not it's worth repairing.
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PXL_20230813_195145319~2.jpg
66vairguy
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Re: New to Corvairs

Post by 66vairguy »

6Gun_Joe wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 8:11 am I got it with a 2 speed power glide but it looks like it originally had a manual trans if I decoded the tag correctly. Not sure what year the trans is out of, I'll try to ID it when I get a chance.
The heads stamped "3813516", the block is stamped "T060IZH" as previously shown, and the distributor is "1110278".

I actually just started having engine trouble and found that I have a wiped cam lobe so it will help to know exactly what I've got and whether or not it's worth repairing.
The ol' Corvair Junkyard Primer says the heads are 1962-63 102HP units. The ZH engine block is the smaller 145 c.i. unit used in 61-63 and it originally had the low compression heads. So you have a "mute" which is not uncommon.

I'd look under the car to see if the transverse leaf spring runs from wheel to wheel with a bracket on the bottom of the differential. If it does it is a 64 style, if not it is older. You never know what combination of parts you will find in an old Corvair. At one time used power trains were common and folks did all kinds of swaps.
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Re: New to Corvairs

Post by bbodie52 »

Replacing the camshaft on a Corvair is not a simple procedure. You must perform a complete engine disassembly to separate the engine case halves and remove the old camshaft. The procedure would permit you to completely examine the heads, cylinder barrels and pistons, crankshaft, bearings, etc. to decide what needs replacement and what is reusable or needs to be reconditioned.

If the camshaft is worn out you would likely replace it, the hydraulic lifters, and the aluminum timing gear. For street use you might choose a moderate performance camshaft grind, but choose carefully, since selecting a camshaft that turns out to not fit your street driving expectations is not an easy thing to correct! Also, as described in the Clark's catalog, installation of the pressed-on timing gear must be performed correctly. If you purchase a new camshaft and timing gear from Clark's Corvair Parts, it might be best to have them do the installation of the gear on the camshaft before shipping it to you.

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:link: https://ssl.corvair.com/user-cgi/catalo ... ow_page=27

:link: https://ssl.corvair.com/user-cgi/catalo ... ow_page=25

1964 Body Tag.jpg
BODY TAG INFO:

10C
Body Build Date: 10 = October (1963) C = Third Week
The first two digits are numbers 01 through 12, indicating the month of manufacture. The letter is A-E, indicating the week of the month. If the letter is a "C" it indicates the third week of the month.

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STYLE 64-0927 BODY WR 14658
Style: 64 = 1964 0927: 09 = Monza, 27 = 2-Door Club Coupe 4-Passenger,
WR = Willow Run, Michigan (no other plants that year), Production Sequence No: 14658

1964 Chevrolet Corvair Monza 2-Door Club Coupe - 4 Passenger, Total Production: 88,440


Image

TRIM: 712 = BLACK (MONZA SERIES — Bucket Front Seats)
This 3 digit code represents the interior color and seat type.

Paint: 948-E
948 = MAROON "Palomar Red"

Lucite No. 4389LM, Rinshed-Mason No. A1536R, Ditzler No. DDL50684
Image

Interior paint codes:
1964: A= Aqua B= Blue C= Saddle D= Red E= Black F= Fawn Q= White/Red


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Example — 1964 Corvair Monza Coupe in Palomar Red (Maroon)

ACC = Accessory line
When decoding ACC line on the Fisher body tags, be aware that body tags do not include any options that did not require any body modification be done by Fisher. Fisher was only concerned with items that required modifications during the assembly of the body. A good example is that you won’t find Telescopic column listed on the body tag. Although this is a major option, it did not require any special consideration during body assembly.

W 2LP 3C 5V

GROUP 1
W = RPO A02 — Tinted windshield only

GROUP 2
L = RPO M20 — 4 Speed Manual Transmission
P = RPO Z01 — Convenience group (2 speed wipers, w/washer, day/night mirror, glovebox light, backup lights)

GROUP 3
C = RPO B70 — Padded Dash

GROUP 4
NONE

GROUP 5
V = RPO A37 — Custom deluxe front seat belts, no retractors (before Jan 31, 1964)

VIN - EM Corvair Passenger Car VIN Tag Decoding.jpg

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1964 Corvair — Unique Rear Suspension Transverse Leaf Spring


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1964 Corvair — Front Anti Sway Bar Standard on all Passenger Car Models

Used OK Cars Logo.jpg
:chevy:
Attachments
1964 Chevrolet Corvair GM Heritage Center Specs.pdf
1964 Chevrolet Corvair GM Heritage Center Specs
(2.57 MiB) Downloaded 18 times
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
1964 Corvair Marketing Brochure
CORSA Corvair Technical Guide 1+2 - Corvair Code Numbers.PDF
CORSA Corvair Technical Guide 1+2 - Corvair Code Numbers
(1.25 MiB) Downloaded 15 times
Brad Bodie
Lake Chatuge, North Carolina
Image 1966 Corvair Corsa Convertible
6Gun_Joe
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Re: New to Corvairs

Post by 6Gun_Joe »

66vairguy wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 9:09 am
6Gun_Joe wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 8:11 am I got it with a 2 speed power glide but it looks like it originally had a manual trans if I decoded the tag correctly. Not sure what year the trans is out of, I'll try to ID it when I get a chance.
The heads stamped "3813516", the block is stamped "T060IZH" as previously shown, and the distributor is "1110278".

I actually just started having engine trouble and found that I have a wiped cam lobe so it will help to know exactly what I've got and whether or not it's worth repairing.
The ol' Corvair Junkyard Primer says the heads are 1962-63 102HP units. The ZH engine block is the smaller 145 c.i. unit used in 61-63 and it originally had the low compression heads. So you have a "mute" which is not uncommon.

I'd look under the car to see if the transverse leaf spring runs from wheel to wheel with a bracket on the bottom of the differential. If it does it is a 64 style, if not it is older. You never know what combination of parts you will find in an old Corvair. At one time used power trains were common and folks did all kinds of swaps.
Thanks!
It does have the transverse leaf spring.
6Gun_Joe
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Re: New to Corvairs

Post by 6Gun_Joe »

bbodie52 wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 9:47 am Replacing the camshaft on a Corvair is not a simple procedure. You must perform a complete engine disassembly to separate the engine case halves and remove the old camshaft. The procedure would permit you to completely examine the heads, cylinder barrels and pistons, crankshaft, bearings, etc. to decide what needs replacement and what is reusable or needs to be reconditioned.

If the camshaft is worn out you would likely replace it, the hydraulic lifters, and the aluminum timing gear. For street use you might choose a moderate performance camshaft grind, but choose carefully, since selecting a camshaft that turns out to not fit your street driving expectations is not an easy thing to correct! Also, as described in the Clark's catalog, installation of the pressed-on timing gear must be performed correctly. If you purchase a new camshaft and timing gear from Clark's Corvair Parts, it might be best to have them do the installation of the gear on the camshaft before shipping it to you.
Thanks for all that!

In regards to the engine and cam, I did realize the amount of work involved and that coupled with the cost of a rebuild is why I was debating if it would be better to find an engine from a 64 rather than rebuild my engine. Unfortunately rebuilt engines are out of my price range and I haven't found many used ones nearby yet so it may be off the road for a while. I'd also love to put a 4 speed back into it since I have to pull the engine anyway. I'm hoping to find a cheap parts car with everything I need.
66vairguy
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Re: New to Corvairs

Post by 66vairguy »

Note the larger (longer stroke) 64 engine had a revised crankshaft gear to move the flywheel back for the revised pressure plate assembly. The Powerglide used a different flex plate compared to 60-63 to accommodate the revised crankshaft.

The 64 engine is a bit of an oddball. I was larger with a longer stroke, but used the older smaller head gaskets. Beginning with the 1965 model years the heads and cylinders were changed to allow for a bigger head to cylinder gasket. If you want to go with the larger engine, then you might consider a 65-66 110HP engine as they are more common. I don't recall now, but in either 67 or 68 the 110 engine got different heads and pop-up pistons that are notorious for detonation issues and best avoided.

There have been a number of EM cars with 140HP engines installed. A bit of work, but doable.
6Gun_Joe
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Re: New to Corvairs

Post by 6Gun_Joe »

I came across a seller with a 66 140 engine, and a 3 speed transmission unsure what year. What would I need to put those into my 64? And would the 3 speed work with the 140? I assumed the 140s came with a 4 speed.
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