Corvair of the Month August 2012

[jennirw]

The Sponsor is

Parts and service, in the Heartland of the USA
http://www.rafeecorvair.com
tel: 918-753-2486, available 7 days a week, no charge for advice

The winner this month will get a $10.00 Gift Certificate from Rafee Corvair.

[Scott H]

Enter your cars today. Early entries pay off. If there is ever a tie, the vehicle entered first gets the win.

[bbodie52]

Our Newest Acquisition - 1966 Corvair Corsa Convertible - 140HP 164 CI Engine

My family has a lot of history with Corvairs, since the time my father first purchased one – a brand-new, white, 1961 Monza coupe with red interior – when I was only nine years old. A while later, in 1965, my parents were considering the purchase of a new Ford Mustang fastback, or a Corvair convertible. The Corvair won the day and we ended up with a Mist Blue 1965 Corsa convertible with 140 hp engine, four-speed transmission, wire wheel style wheel covers and a black top and interior. I was only about 13 years old at the time, but a few years later I learned how to drive in that car, and then took my first driver's test in that same Corvair. In 1969 I spent my summer watching on TV as man first landed and walked on the moon and rebuilding a somewhat sick old 1963 Corvair engine and automatic transmission. My father purchased that car for me so that I could learn how to work on cars. Armed with a shop manual and a garage full of tools I slowly learned how to remove the powertrain, tear down the engine and rebuild it, and after discovering a faulty powerglide transmission, learned to rebuild that too. In subsequent years I later owned a 1962 Monza coupe, a 1963 Monza Spyder turbocharged convertible, and a 1965 Corsa coupe with turbocharged engine. I dated my future bride Tracy in that last car.

In April 1972 I was married on April Fools' Day at the age of nineteen, and we celebrated our honeymoon in Monterey California, exploring the 17-Mile Drive on the Monterey Peninsula, and travelling in the San Francisco Bay Area, and finally exploring the Pacific Coast Highway in our 1962 Monza. Toward the end of that year I joined the Air Force, and after six weeks of Basic Training in San Antonio, Texas and graduating from a 7-month tech school at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, we returned to California to visit my parents and my father presented me with a graduation present – his beloved 1965 Corsa convertible! So in the summer of 1973 my pregnant bride and I proceeded on our first cross-country trip in a Corvair as we drove from Thousand Oaks, California to Warner Robins Georgia, which was my first Air Force assignment. A few years later, after I served a one-year unaccompanied tour of duty in Taegu, Korea, we took that Corvair convertible with us to our next assignment at Hanscom AFB, near Boston Massachusetts, where I did some restoration work on the car and had it repainted (Red) and had a new convertible top installed. Our next assignment, in 1980, was near Ramstein Air Base in Germany – and we took the Corvair with us. A short time later, in 1981, we returned to California to visit my parents while on leave, and we obtained a white 1965 Corsa coupe, which we drove across country with our two children and then shipped the car from New Jersey to Germany. So for the next few years we now had two Corvairs to drive while we lived near Kaiserslautern in Southwest Germany. In 1983 I was reassigned to a location near Los Angeles. We shipped the Corvair convertible directly to a port in Los Angeles, and shipped the coupe back to New Jersey. From there we drove the Corsa coupe south to Washington DC and Atlanta, Georgia and then across country in August during the hottest summer month, with our two small children tucked into the back seat. No air conditioning, of course! So over the years we had owned nine Corvairs, and sold the last one in Pennsylvania in the early 1990s.

Following our recent 40th wedding anniversary in April I decided that I wanted to recapture some of our memories by becoming a Corvair owner again. When I discovered this blue Corvair convertible on eBay I felt that now was the time! I love the color and the color scheme is very similar to the 1965 Corsa convertible my parents purchased so long ago. So we sold our 2008 Lexus GS 460 – exchanging that ownership of a modern luxury car for this 1966 Corvair Corsa convertible. Believe me, there is quite a bit of difference between the 2008 Lexus and a 1966 Corvair! But my wife and I are truly enjoying it, and it is a unique piece of transportation history that is once again a part of our family.

[cvair4life]

That is gorgeous!! Wish you lived closer to Fayetteville - I'd die to see it in living color!

[TikiRalf]

ENTER YOUR CORVAIR !! its easy and fun :-) !!

[ncwitte]

Ok, I think Brad should win, especially since he just got his Corvair, but fer cryin' out loud, he at least needs some competition, so here we go.

This is one of my two Corvairs, a 1965 Corsa coupe. It's a 140, Regal Red with a black interior. I purchased the car in 1987 the night before the bar exam. The seller insisted someone else was interested. I figured I could take the test again, but once the car was gone, it was gone.

Since then the motor has been rebuilt (to various levels of quality) three times, the car has been repainted (to various levels of quality) three times, and it's had three sets of carpet.

The rims are Motor Wheel Spyders, and I have a matching set on my convertible. I like them because Motor Wheel was a Lansing company, "Spyder" is a name that belongs on a Corvair, they are a period correct (more or less) wheel, and I think they look cool.

Here's a link to the story about the most recent engine rebuild:

http://www.wittelaw.com/personal/legends/

And here are some pictures (some old and some current):



































Remember to vote for Brad!

[bbodie52]

Ya know what... I've looked at both cars over and over again, and I love them both! I can't make up my mind between the two! That red coupe is gorgeous, and the photography is great too!

With regard to the story and pictures of the power-train and engine detailing and rebuild -- I wonder if Jay Leno gets that kind of quality work on his restorations... even with his millions in investment! WOW!!

Love it

[ncwitte]

Brad, are there cutouts for your exhaust or does it just exit out under the body? I like the tasteful and subtle mods on your car, like the two-tone and black rear panel.

[ncwitte]

Also, Brad, thank you for the kind words regarding the pictures and the story. I do love playing with cameras....

[bbodie52]

Here is a detail shot that shows how the exhaust exits under the body -- there are no cutouts in the body sheet metal for them. I hope that answers your question.

By the way, whoever wins the Corvair of the Month competition in August, I believe that the other car should be reentered again. I would love to see both cars in the annual calendar at the end of the year!

[60vair]

since no early models have been entered this month I will give it a shot with my 60 500 4dr.
Car came from Alabama,had been siting for many years and covered with pine sap and pine needles in every place possible.
After much clean up and some wet sanding and polishing car looks a lot better.
Swapped out drive train from a 60 Monza ,replaced rear floors and complete brake job car is now drivable.
Have been taking to local car cruises last 2 years.

[Smitty]

I had a Corvair just like this one in 1966. Two yars ago I decide to find one just like it and found this one in Kentucky. I brought it home, overhauled the engine and lowered it two inches. No options, not even a AM radio. Cost $2200 new.

[ncwitte]

60Vair, are you making it to the DACC Homecoming weekend after next?

I have a soft spot for '60 sedans. My dad bought one new in 1959 and I think it's what they brought me home from the hospital in when I was born. I still have the little books my dad used to keep track of all of the expenses for the car. Wouldn't mind having one some day.

[60vair]

ncwitte, yes I will be going to the DACC homecoming,but don't think I will be driving my 60.

[JasonC]

I love the Spyder wheels on the 65!

[larrybuck]

ncwitte: You have my vote. Those wheels are cool!