New to owning and restoring Corvair

[cockroach]

Hey, my name is David Jordan and I just bought a 1963 4dr Corvair. It's an automatic, which freaked me out when I saw where the gear shift(or should I say lever) . I bought the car for a prodject for me and my brother to do. It really needs some TLC, so I'm going to ask alot of questions and advise here. My first question is.. How do you open the trunk? I used the key and the hood pops up, but I really cant feel a lever to press up to open it up. I'm I missing something here?

I bought the Corvair from a lady in Atlanta,GA and she said she had driven the car few years ago and had put into the garage.The Corvair has been sitting for the last 3 yrs. When I bought the car I brought it home on a trailer. The only thing I've done to the car is cleaned the windows. I couldnt see out of the windows when I rolled it off the trailer to roll it into my driveway. So I hit the brakes a little to hard and locked up the front driver side brake.

I'm planning on having it painted silver and change the interior to grey too(it's black right now, so black is not good to have in the summer in the south). Here are some pics of the 1963 Corvair before I start working on it.














I'm sure I'll be on here alot. Talk to y'all soon.

[Motornoggin]

Looks like a good foundation for a nice project. Lots of good info and helpful folks around here.

[Corvair.crazy]

Cool Vair! It looks like a good clean car to start with. I think you will have alot of fun and get alot of attention.

If you haven't figured it out already my trunk pops up when you turn the key clockwise. Then if you push doen slightly on the hood and turn the key a little more it will open.

There is a wealth of information on the site. These guys have helped me out alot.

Have fun.

[flat6_musik]

Boy, that thing looks clean and original! Maybe tinting all that glass would be a good idea as well since it gets so hot down south. Yeah, on that trunk thing.....keep the key turned all the way it can go clockwise, then give a slight push downward like C.C. said. Works on mine! A little lube might help out when you get it open. Man, sometimes it feels like I'm just about ready to snap my trunk key, my lock is so tight.

[cockroach]

Thanks guys! I tried the info y'all gave me for the trunk and I was able to open it! Everything looked great excepted near the front of the hood next to the latch(where the seal goes around) it's a rusted and pieces are missing. It's basicly the metal piece that holds the seal around the trunk. Now the trunk closes fine, but will this a hard fix? I'll post pics tomorrow.

[65Ragtop]

Welcome. Good folks here as you have already found out. Pics are good.

[TikiRalf]

Looking good, Nice project !! and i like the end of the roof !!

Have fun with it !!

[Scott H]

Welcome to the site David.
Ask lots of questions, even if you think they may be dumb, we don't mind. :)
Nice looking 63. Looks like a great car to start out with. Keep us posted on your progress.

[cad-kid]

welcome. enjoy making it "your own".

[cockroach]

So I went into my trunk today and took pics of the damage I told y'all about, well here it is:







Also, as you can see there were items in the trunk. Some I know what they are and some I don't. Maybe y'all can tell me?











After I took the items out of the trunk, I cleaned the trunk a little bit. I noticed there are two holes in the bottom, are they suspoesd to be there? Also, where does the jack go?

[TikiRalf]

i don't now al the parts, but here is wat i now

Also, as you can see there were items in the trunk. Some I know what they are and some I don't. Maybe y'all can tell me?

2 carburetors + the connection rod



white cilindar is the oil filter the other is the fan belt



the 2 white small boxes parts are fuel filters, they sit in the carburetors where the fuel line are connected, the big pipeline is a exhaust part the crossover



are some different mounting brackets that are on the side of the engine, one is for the exhaust (and you will need the hook)



ignitian coil and a dipstock (i think it is the dipstick for the PG) and the other part to the right is i think a part for the choke but i;m not sure



After I took the items out of the trunk, I cleaned the trunk a little bit. I noticed there are two holes in the bottom, are they suspoesd to be there? Also, where does the jack go?

the holes in the bottom are correct, need to be filled with to rubber plugs and for i now the jack goes on the picture left in the hook



Thats for now, enjoy the corvair

[MonzACT]

Welcome David Looks like you've got a great base for a eye-catching restoration. I've found myself (being in Australia where there are only a handful of Corvairs) that the guys on this forum have endless knowledge and experience and are only too happy to share it with you. In my 1964 Monza coupé the jack and wrench are held in the LH front of the boot (trunk) by a hooked spring that clips onto a bracket welded to the floor.

Chris Gallagher
Canberra Australia
1964 Monza PG coupé

[DLVRNIT]

You definitely have a good platform to work with! The Cascade Green looks to be in great shape and the interior except for cardboard panels looks as though a good cleaning would bring it back to life!

Best-O-Luck ,

Kevin