New Member

[jimbrandberg]

I started working on Corvairs in 1969 at age 13 when my brothers were Ice Racing them. They went on to other things like Hondas and I inherited all the Corvair stuff.
My second car was a Corvair in 1975 and I've always had more than one. I've usually been a bottom feeder and wore out more than a few commuting to work in the salt.
I got the racing bug in 2001 partly as a way to hang around with my brothers again. I ran a Corvair in SCCA EP for about 10 years and sold the car last year because it had been sitting for 10 years. I won some Regional races but was never fast enough to be a contender in Nationals.
I started working on other peoples Corvairs part time in about 2005 for racing money. This expanded to a full time occupation in 2012 when my job of 28 years in cedar lumber went away due to company closing. I supplemented with CDL driving jobs for a few years but now usually have more jobs than I keep up with. I've had an associate for a few years who lost his job in hotel banquets during Covid.
I'm largely self taught on Corvairs with supplemental training from the school of hard knocks. I know a lot but I'm far from knowing it all. I rely on Corvair mentors when I get in a jam and appreciate being able to ask questions somewhere like here.
I joined Corvair Minnesota in 1989 and went to a few meetings but no one much talked to me so I quit going. When I went back in 1995 it was much better and I stuck around. As such I have a passion for talking to new people in an attempt to make them feel welcome and introduce them around. I've been President, Membership Coordinator, Activities Director and now just starting out as Vice President which has me presenting Tech Sessions. I really like my Corvair buddies.
I've been a CORSA member since 1995 but have only been to a few Conventions. I like that it's there and will continue to be a member.
That's me, a nut in a shell.
Jim Brandberg
Isanti, MN
CorvairRepair.com

[bbodie52]

Welcome to the Corvair Forum!

I live on the Georgia/North Carolina border, near Hiawassee, Georgia. I began with Corvairs in 1961, when my parents bought their first brand new Monza coupe — I was eight years old. They upgraded to a new Corvair Corsa convertible (140hp) in 1965.


Warren Bodie and son Brad at Edwards AFB Air Show in 1965 with our new 1965 Corvair Corsa convertible (140HP)


I took my first driver's license test in that Corvair in 1969. In that same year my father bought a cheap 1963 Corvair 500 (Powerglide Automatic) with a frozen engine for me to learn on. At age 16 I spent my summer vacation learning to remove the powertrain and successfully overhauled the engine. Some months later my father located a 1962 Monza coupe with a bad engine, and I swapped my recently overhauled 1963 engine into that 1962 Monza (manual 4-speed transaxle).

Several years later, at age 19, I got married in that 1962 Corvair and we traveled up the California coast from Southern California to the San Francisco Bay Area on our honeymoon. My 1963 overhauled engine served us well!



When I joined the Air Force in 1972 and graduated from an electronics tech school, my parents surprised my pregnant wife and I with that same Corvair convertible (now painted green), which we drove from Southern California to our first USAF assignment at Robins AFB, Warner Robins, Georgia.


Tracy Ann Bodie with our 1965 Corvair Corsa - Fall 1973 - Warner Robins, GA

In 1980 I gave the convertible a fresh paint job in red, and a new convertible top, and we shipped the Corvair to our next USAF assignment in southwest Germany, near Ramstein Air Base.




52 years later I'm still married to the same girl, and still drive Corvairs! My wife and I are now 71 years old, have been married for 51 years, and still rely on Corvairs at our current home in western North Carolina. We own a 1966 Corsa convertible and a few years ago added a 1966 Monza 4-door sedan (110hp with A/C and a Powerglide transmission) to the mix. As you can see Corvairs have become a lifelong way of living! The 4-door sedan came from a Southern California BMW dealership General Manager, and I had it shipped across country to our home in North Carolina several years ago.






I looked up Isanti, MN and discovered that it is not too far from the town my mother grew up in (Frankfort, Michigan). She was born there in 1928. My father also grew up in Michigan (Detroit). I was raised in California, though. I don't know how well I would tolerate that bitter cold from the far north! Do you drive your Corvairs in the winter months?

[toms73novass]

Glad to see you here Jim!

[jimbrandberg]

Yes I have a '60 Corvair for the winter. I had high hopes for the gas heater but it only works part of the time. It doesn't always do the same thing so it's a little hard to troubleshoot but I need to get after it.
Jim Brandberg
Isanti, MN
CorvairRepair.com

[American Mel]

Hi Jim!
Glad you decided to make the jump and join the rest of us CORSA forum refugees.
Your valuable insights will be appreciated here.

[jnels]

Welcome Jim!!

[Frank DuVal]

WELCOME!!!

[Lane66Monza]

Welcome, Jim. Hope the jump to this Corvair Forum wasn't too difficult. I was one of the first to make the jump after the corsa forum made all their changes I couldn't live with. I have enjoyed being here very much since I made the jump.

[Gasman63]

Welcome Jim.
From a guy who hides behind the curtain.

[bbodie52]

» Sun Feb 11, 2024 2:20 pm

Yes I have a '60 Corvair for the winter. I had high hopes for the gas heater but it only works part of the time. It doesn't always do the same thing so it's a little hard to troubleshoot but I need to get after it.
Jim Brandberg
Isanti, MN
CorvairRepair.com

The attached gas heater documents may be helpful to you...

[jimbrandberg]

Thanks for the gas heater information. I printed off the one and downloaded the other two.
Coincidentally I was just looking at the gas heater on my other '60 today. I took the gas tank out for a trip to Gas Tank Renu and want to replace the rusted off exhaust pipe while the gas tank is out. The remains of the pipe are rusted to the stub pipe on the gas heater so I'll have to remove it to the bench for surgery.
Jim Brandberg
Isanti, MN
CorvairRepair.com