'65 Vair Vert originally from From Hollywood CA
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 9:43 pm
Hey Everyone, my names Dennis, and I live in Henderson NV, a burb of Las Vegas..
Bought my '65 Monza 110 PG Vert, Artesian Turquoise, White power top, White Interior with Darker Turquoise paint scheme... NO RUST ANYWHERE !!!! as a Christmas Present to myself in Dec 2009, after looking at LOTS of Kharmann Ghias, and Corvairs.. When she popped up on Auto Trader Classics at a So-Cal dealer with her Unique color combo, I just HAD TO HAVE HER.. despite the way overpriced $6500 pricetag, 155k miles, supposedly with a fresh engine, which it turned out, was actually only repaired... had her shipped, she barely ran on arrival... Marty Katz to the rescue... He retired to Vegas, thank god.. He fixed her broken plastic carb air diaphram, and reconnected her chokes and had her running in 30 minutes
Original So-Cal car built at the Van Nuys Plant... Original owner of 20 years lived off Mulholland Drive in Hollywood, then 2 owners in West Hollywood, and 2 in Santa Monica... She'd had a cosmetic restore in '89 with new top, new bumpers, rocker chrome strips, '66 wheel trim moldings, and a cheap non-original bluer tinted / colored, but great looking paint job, aka like an Earl Scheib or Maaco type ...... back window shot now, and interior is very tired, worn, seats, door panels, door rests, pitted chrome etc, engine extremely tired with lots of crankcase blowby at 155k miles as you can imagine, but she still starts, runs, drives.. , suspension/steering noticably tired as well..I have piles of service records, along with her original Black Plates from CA..
SO.. after 3 years of constant debating ... should I keep her?, should I sell her?, Do I REALLY want to put THAT much money into her?, etc.. I finally bit the bullet... aka.. I just couldn't bear to part with her after 3 years of just staring at her, and imagining recreating the thrill of just how truly gorgeous she was when her original owner first picked her up from the dealer.. SO... She's now getting a total No Holds Barred Concours, Everything stripped, rotisserie restoration... Figured.. Hmmm Spend 33k on a New Challenger RT?, or put a lil more than half, into my baby and restore her to better than her former glory? My 2001 Mustang Bullitt GT has 23 k miles, so keeping him, and restoring my baby... and that's my legacy now....
SO FAR.. New Engine with bigger pistons, HP Cam, Elec Ignition, HP Carbs, Elec fuel pumps, Dual Exhausts, AC pulley added, Trans service/flush, new filter, vacuum modulator, High stall torque converter, Front/Rear suspension totally rebuilt, bushings, etc, quick steering arms, new steering box, new ball joints, etc.. Coil springs cut one full coil, All new brakes with new hoses, etc......
Next.. 7K in the body shop.. all doors pulled, new hinges, vent windows pulled, rechromed, new regulators, put on a rotisserie, Entire dash restored, doors, etc...POR 15 undercoat, trunk, engine lids pulled, new insulation under engine hood.. '66 wheel trim moldings replaced with original bigger '65 multi piece trim, New headlight trim, clear corner the front turn signals with clear lenses / yellow bulbs, all new stickers for the glove box, door jambs, air pressure guide, etc.. new sill plates, Front bumper bracket modified to get rid of the license plate mount, Optima Yellow Top, ALL new or NOS emblems / trim..
Then.. New top, repainting top frame, new bushings, Replacing ALL control switches, lights, wipers, etc.. New Interior, foam for seats, wood wheel, while original gets restored also.. sent original seatbelts in, to have the buckles refurbished, and new factory webbing replaced.. to get rid of the '89 black cheapo set of belts.. blech.... putting in a factory NOS clock, after sending it in to get that diode put in, so it doesnt burn up.... and finally.. A factory AC system put in from a '66.. although with a newer compressor that wont drag the engine so much, plus keeping it R12... so it's REALLY ICY COLD AIR... ..... Also adding power doorlocks operated from a keyfob...... and then.. a custom retro stereo.. that can bluetooth to my Galaxy NOTE 3.. with high tech speakers mounted under the dash, and under the the front seats for the back, maybe even small tweeters on the front window pillars.. Last but not least, Old style Cragar SS 16/17 inch rims with lower profile tires
SO.. there we are.. I told a slot tech at work what I was doing.. He said.. damn, you could buy a new car for what you're spending... MY reply was.. Well.. IT WILL BE A BRAND NEW CAR...... albeit, it's a 1965 classic, which will be even better than when it rolled off the assembly line in 1965.. LOL.. Great moment...
PS: Luckily for me I have no bills, no wife, no ex, no kids to support, along with a very good job. So my case is not the norm usually... As apprehensive as I've been the last 3 years debating her restoration costs, Now if some problem arises.. like the body shop bill that jumped 2k because I want her absolutely "Perfect".. or the need for the new $500 steering box.. I just tell Marty... DO IT !!!! and write him another check...
Even unrestored, she's a 10 footer.. and I get CRAZY attention everytime I take her out.. Honks, Thumbs up, people surrounding me at stores, guys saying they havent seen one in 30 years.. women that go gaga over her color combo, saying she's absolutely gorgeous, kids running over when they see me putting bags into the "engine compartment" lol... Even had a 40's couple in a brand new Tahoe with custom rims honking and yelling at me driving down Flamingo road near the strip... saying they'd trade me straight across for my car..... Uhmmmm Nah !!!! GOD.. I can't wait til she's DONE !!!! And For Sure, I think she'll be a HELLA LOT MORE FUN, than the New Camaro SS Vert, I'd debated selling her to buy !!!! Agree? =) Basically she'll be like a Brand new car, custom ordered to my specifications.... =) And since only 3% of ALL Corvairs had factory AC.. BONUS POINTS at car shows... which will be FUN... Hope I can win a prize...
Originally wasnt going for a Concours Resto, as in, I didn't want a trailer/garage queen, again, I didnt want a car I had to worry about getting waterspots on a shock absorber, or could turn over, and eat my dinner from, lol... but visiting Marty's shop, he put it up on one his lifts, and said.. "come here, and just look at this"... Quote.. "This IS one of THEE cleanest and rust free Vairs I've seen in years"... for just a little more money, lets make her Concours..... OK Marty, again.. just DO IT.. lol... SO.. she WILL be Concours.. BUT... I'm drivin her... TAKE THAT SHOW JUDGES.. lolol... Sure as hell not parking her in my garage til the next show... so.. a little dirt.. oh well.. take off a point or 3.. THERE !!!!!
Just viewed the 19 yr old that redid his '65 Coupe in Synergy Green.. OMG... LOVE IT !!!!! "Hail the new generation of Vair owners!!!!!!!..." I bought MY Vair for it's Unique color combo, LOTS of reds, blacks, etc... I wanted something unique, and original... Hence my Resto.. Once she's done... Damn.. I'd LOVE to find a coupe, and redo her in Synergy Green, or Inferno Orange, with a black interior, and appropriate colored seat inserts.. DAMN... The kid with the Synergy.. ROCK ON !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bought my '65 Monza 110 PG Vert, Artesian Turquoise, White power top, White Interior with Darker Turquoise paint scheme... NO RUST ANYWHERE !!!! as a Christmas Present to myself in Dec 2009, after looking at LOTS of Kharmann Ghias, and Corvairs.. When she popped up on Auto Trader Classics at a So-Cal dealer with her Unique color combo, I just HAD TO HAVE HER.. despite the way overpriced $6500 pricetag, 155k miles, supposedly with a fresh engine, which it turned out, was actually only repaired... had her shipped, she barely ran on arrival... Marty Katz to the rescue... He retired to Vegas, thank god.. He fixed her broken plastic carb air diaphram, and reconnected her chokes and had her running in 30 minutes
Original So-Cal car built at the Van Nuys Plant... Original owner of 20 years lived off Mulholland Drive in Hollywood, then 2 owners in West Hollywood, and 2 in Santa Monica... She'd had a cosmetic restore in '89 with new top, new bumpers, rocker chrome strips, '66 wheel trim moldings, and a cheap non-original bluer tinted / colored, but great looking paint job, aka like an Earl Scheib or Maaco type ...... back window shot now, and interior is very tired, worn, seats, door panels, door rests, pitted chrome etc, engine extremely tired with lots of crankcase blowby at 155k miles as you can imagine, but she still starts, runs, drives.. , suspension/steering noticably tired as well..I have piles of service records, along with her original Black Plates from CA..
SO.. after 3 years of constant debating ... should I keep her?, should I sell her?, Do I REALLY want to put THAT much money into her?, etc.. I finally bit the bullet... aka.. I just couldn't bear to part with her after 3 years of just staring at her, and imagining recreating the thrill of just how truly gorgeous she was when her original owner first picked her up from the dealer.. SO... She's now getting a total No Holds Barred Concours, Everything stripped, rotisserie restoration... Figured.. Hmmm Spend 33k on a New Challenger RT?, or put a lil more than half, into my baby and restore her to better than her former glory? My 2001 Mustang Bullitt GT has 23 k miles, so keeping him, and restoring my baby... and that's my legacy now....
SO FAR.. New Engine with bigger pistons, HP Cam, Elec Ignition, HP Carbs, Elec fuel pumps, Dual Exhausts, AC pulley added, Trans service/flush, new filter, vacuum modulator, High stall torque converter, Front/Rear suspension totally rebuilt, bushings, etc, quick steering arms, new steering box, new ball joints, etc.. Coil springs cut one full coil, All new brakes with new hoses, etc......
Next.. 7K in the body shop.. all doors pulled, new hinges, vent windows pulled, rechromed, new regulators, put on a rotisserie, Entire dash restored, doors, etc...POR 15 undercoat, trunk, engine lids pulled, new insulation under engine hood.. '66 wheel trim moldings replaced with original bigger '65 multi piece trim, New headlight trim, clear corner the front turn signals with clear lenses / yellow bulbs, all new stickers for the glove box, door jambs, air pressure guide, etc.. new sill plates, Front bumper bracket modified to get rid of the license plate mount, Optima Yellow Top, ALL new or NOS emblems / trim..
Then.. New top, repainting top frame, new bushings, Replacing ALL control switches, lights, wipers, etc.. New Interior, foam for seats, wood wheel, while original gets restored also.. sent original seatbelts in, to have the buckles refurbished, and new factory webbing replaced.. to get rid of the '89 black cheapo set of belts.. blech.... putting in a factory NOS clock, after sending it in to get that diode put in, so it doesnt burn up.... and finally.. A factory AC system put in from a '66.. although with a newer compressor that wont drag the engine so much, plus keeping it R12... so it's REALLY ICY COLD AIR... ..... Also adding power doorlocks operated from a keyfob...... and then.. a custom retro stereo.. that can bluetooth to my Galaxy NOTE 3.. with high tech speakers mounted under the dash, and under the the front seats for the back, maybe even small tweeters on the front window pillars.. Last but not least, Old style Cragar SS 16/17 inch rims with lower profile tires
SO.. there we are.. I told a slot tech at work what I was doing.. He said.. damn, you could buy a new car for what you're spending... MY reply was.. Well.. IT WILL BE A BRAND NEW CAR...... albeit, it's a 1965 classic, which will be even better than when it rolled off the assembly line in 1965.. LOL.. Great moment...
PS: Luckily for me I have no bills, no wife, no ex, no kids to support, along with a very good job. So my case is not the norm usually... As apprehensive as I've been the last 3 years debating her restoration costs, Now if some problem arises.. like the body shop bill that jumped 2k because I want her absolutely "Perfect".. or the need for the new $500 steering box.. I just tell Marty... DO IT !!!! and write him another check...
Even unrestored, she's a 10 footer.. and I get CRAZY attention everytime I take her out.. Honks, Thumbs up, people surrounding me at stores, guys saying they havent seen one in 30 years.. women that go gaga over her color combo, saying she's absolutely gorgeous, kids running over when they see me putting bags into the "engine compartment" lol... Even had a 40's couple in a brand new Tahoe with custom rims honking and yelling at me driving down Flamingo road near the strip... saying they'd trade me straight across for my car..... Uhmmmm Nah !!!! GOD.. I can't wait til she's DONE !!!! And For Sure, I think she'll be a HELLA LOT MORE FUN, than the New Camaro SS Vert, I'd debated selling her to buy !!!! Agree? =) Basically she'll be like a Brand new car, custom ordered to my specifications.... =) And since only 3% of ALL Corvairs had factory AC.. BONUS POINTS at car shows... which will be FUN... Hope I can win a prize...
Originally wasnt going for a Concours Resto, as in, I didn't want a trailer/garage queen, again, I didnt want a car I had to worry about getting waterspots on a shock absorber, or could turn over, and eat my dinner from, lol... but visiting Marty's shop, he put it up on one his lifts, and said.. "come here, and just look at this"... Quote.. "This IS one of THEE cleanest and rust free Vairs I've seen in years"... for just a little more money, lets make her Concours..... OK Marty, again.. just DO IT.. lol... SO.. she WILL be Concours.. BUT... I'm drivin her... TAKE THAT SHOW JUDGES.. lolol... Sure as hell not parking her in my garage til the next show... so.. a little dirt.. oh well.. take off a point or 3.. THERE !!!!!
Just viewed the 19 yr old that redid his '65 Coupe in Synergy Green.. OMG... LOVE IT !!!!! "Hail the new generation of Vair owners!!!!!!!..." I bought MY Vair for it's Unique color combo, LOTS of reds, blacks, etc... I wanted something unique, and original... Hence my Resto.. Once she's done... Damn.. I'd LOVE to find a coupe, and redo her in Synergy Green, or Inferno Orange, with a black interior, and appropriate colored seat inserts.. DAMN... The kid with the Synergy.. ROCK ON !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!