New member - long time fan!

[markdamon63]

Howdy! (that is what we say in Texas, lol)

First let me tell you a little about how I cam to be in this forum. I was a auto technician for Oldsmobile, Toyota, Volvo and Honda during the early years of me professional career. I have sinced moved to a IT position in the communcations industry.

Enough about that! What about the Corvair? Ok here is the story, My wife's first car was a 1963 Corvair Monza Spyder. Her and her father (now passed away) built the car together and she drove it throughout her high school years. When she graduated high school, she was given a 1975 Olds Cutlass Supreme and the Corvair went back to her dad, who drove it for a few years and then parked it at his shop. The car set there for many years until me and my wife married in 1989. Several years after we married, my wife asked her mom (should have asked dad) if we could get or buy the car so that we could restore it. She refused (was afraid that we would fix it up and sell it). Long story short, the Corvair continued to go down hill, was struck by a fallen tree (breaking out all the glass) and then rusted out beyond repair.

Wife's 25th Anniversary gift in March of 2014!

Fast forward to today - Me and my daughter went on a 500 mile road trip to look at and possibly purchase a Corvair (trip was played up as a "foodie" trip to eat steak at the Beehive Restaruant in Abiline). I have bought the car, a 1963 Corvair Monza Spyder to restore. No rust, all brightwork, engine runs (140hp with 4 speed, not turbo.) I arranged for it to be shipped, titled, insured and stored all without my wife finding out. Now all I have to to is restore the car and keep it hidden from her for 19 months (lol, not going to be easy)

Well that is why I am here! I hope I can lean on this forum to help me make our 25th Anniversary one for the newpaper!

Mark M
East Texas
63 Corvair Monza Spyder

[bbodie52]

This is really cool! What a great gift for your wife! I hope that you will post some pictures from time to time to show us the car now and as you make progress with your "secret" restoration project. Maybe showing us your car, your progress, and talking about it on the Forum will make keeping the secret a little-less stressful until the car is finished and ready to be presented to the lucky recipient! Besides, I am sure that there are many of us who frequent the forum that would like to feel that we are a small part of the project and a part of keeping the secret.

The 140HP engine is a good substitute for the original turbocharged engine -- more reliable and easier to maintain and tune, although dealing with the complex carburetor linkage and syncing the carbs can be a little bit of a hassle. Also, the 140HP engine is 164 CI displacement instead of the original 145 CI turbo engine that was in your 1963 in the beginning. It also has larger intake valves for better breathing. Does your current engine have the later model alternator, or was the generator package retained in the swap? The later engine also came with a lightweight magnesium blower fan, in place of the early design steel blower. The lighter-weight helped eliminate the "flywheel effect" that was present in the earlier heavy fan, which would "fight" with the fan belt as the engine changed speeds, causing the notorious fan belt flips. So overall the 1963 Spyder is a fine example, and coupled with the later-model 140 HP 164 CI engine will give you more torque, more power, and better reliability. ENJOY! Hope you are successful with keeping your secret and with making it a great, thoughtful gift for your wife!

My wife and I used to live in Austin, Texas while we were stationed at Bergstrom AFB. We relocated to Pennsylvania when the base closed in Austin and we were transferred. We later moved to western North Carolina after I retired in support of my 85 year old father, and here we remain (about 100 miles north of Atlanta). We just celebrated our 40th anniversary in April, and we celebrated with a gift to each other of a 1966 Corvair Corsa convertible (see our intro and pictures in this same section under the title "New from Lake Chatuge, North Carolina". I didn't plan ahead as well as you have with your surprise gift to your wife, but I must say that we are really enjoying the Corvair! So with some similar background to your own I think I can relate to your experiences. Best wishes and please keep us posted on your progress.

[BowTieChill]

Good story, great gift for your anniversary. 25th anniversary is silver, what color will you be painting the vair?

[Vaircooled]

Welcome to CF

[markdamon63]

Thanks for the replies, the Corvair is in really good shape from what I can tell, no rust or body damage to the main panels, the original color was Cordovan, but I probably will not go back with that color. Great idea on the "Silver" for the 25th anniversary, I had not thought of that! LOL. Right now the car is black with two red stripes across hood and trunk. The former owner or someone had installed a 4 into 1 intake with what I believe is a Holley 390CFM carb. For some unknown reason, they removed the choke ???? Can't imagine why. Thinking of going back to the 4 carb set up to eliminate the "cold" tendencies that a raised intake causes as there is no heat from the engine. Also considering a 4 to 1 intake with oil chamber and lines to heat the carb a little and "cool" the oil too. Any input on this set up would be appreciated. Probably going to stay with the set up the way it is on the engine and not try to go back to turbo as it does have the 140hp heads (checked by numbers) it has an RA block. Not sure on the tranny yet. It has GM4 K144 on the side of the tranny. (cast, not stamped numbers).

Keeping my fingers crossed that I will be able to keep it a secret until March of 14. So far only my daughter and one of my best friends know. Going to try and keep it that way!

Mark M

[Bruins_Fan]

Sharp looking coupe!

[markdamon63]

Thanks, this is what I am starting with. Pretty nice canvas to start with!

[flat6_musik]

Hi Mark.....and welcome to C.F.! That's neat, I love it when people "come back" to corvairs. I did. That will be an excellent (and surprising) gift to your wife for your 25th. Have you determined the mechanical condition of the Spyder yet? Good luck with keeping it hidden for the next year or two!

BTW, I used to work at an Oldsmobile dealer back in the 70's. I saw some really neat cars come thru the service dep't.......even saw an old couple come in a '58 Super 88 with the 371 and the J2 triple carb setup. That was funny; they were very old and the original owners.

[markdamon63]

The engine runs, the body has no rust that I can see. (may be hidden, but none evident) Will run a compression check soon. Gotta figure out the carb situation too. Running a 390cfm Holley on raised intake, sold real cold natured! LOL.

Mark M

[cad-kid]

Welcome, and congrats on the family project!