Corvair Forum

Howdy from Houston,

I've been looking to pick up a Corvair for the last few months. Not sure why the sudden craving hit, but it all started back in the early seventies when I was around 8, my Dad inherited a '65 Corvair sedan. Not sure why but I always loved that car. I loved hearing stories from my Dad about the Corvairs he had owned new back in the sixties.

My favorite story was how he had arranged to purchase a new '65 Corsa, and his father went to pick it up and told the dealer his son didn't need a turbo, so returned "only" with a 110 convertible. My Dad was in his twenties at the time and I always thought that was funny.

That sedan had some sort of hiccup after a few years, and was parked behind our barn. It sat there for a few more years until I was closing in on driving age. I would go out and sit behind the wheel, imagining the adventures we would have once I got my license. I found service manuals and several Clark's catalogs ready.

One weekend a buddy and I pumped up the tires and stole a battery out of a tractor and hooked it up. We cleaned up the vinyl, and shined up the paint. We got all the lights and other electrical working. After squirting trans fluid into the cylinders and letting it sit for a day, we turned it over. It turned freely, and I just knew if I cleaned the tank, I would be good to go.

Well, this story ended poorly, as for some reason, my Mom was upset I was messing with the car, and I was told to leave it alone. Long story short, I was given an AMC Concord when I turned 16 (real chick magnet).

The old Corvair is still where I left it almost 30 years ago, still 37K on the odometer. Trees have surrounded it and the rear window has fallen in several years ago. It's not a viable car any longer, but its time for me to get a Corvair of my own finally.

I have had other classic cars, and have changed out brakes, transmissions, etc over the years. I've had 40 year old daily drivers with points and condensers. I am competent working on engines, and not worried about working on a Corvair engine...until I came across a '65 Corsa turbo convertible for sale.

I've read darn near every thread on here about what to look for in a Corvair, and this one appears to be a beauty. 64 K miles, no rust original. I've verified the VIN as a Corsa. I'm told it runs as good as it looks. I have texted with the seller, and am ready to go put my eyes on it in the next couple days.

My concern is about the remarks I read about the turbos. Such as a grenade with the pin pulled, waiting to destruct. Also that you drive it once and spend the rest of the summer trying to get it to run again. This will be a weekend cruiser, and I'm not afraid of frequent maintenance, but is it really that daunting to keep a turbo on the road?

Also what would a nice low mileage turbo Corsa run? I see EBay, but don't think some of those prices are realistic, or maybe they are.

If anyone read through this post to this point, I appreciate any feedback you may have on the value and maintence requirements of a Corsa turbo.

Thanks,

Ken

Welcome, Ken, to the Corvair Forum, and congratulations on your decision to buy a Corvair!

I have had Corvairs in my family since 1961, when my parents bought a new 1961 Monza (I was 8 years old). Over the years I have had 10 Corvairs in my life — five were EM 1961-1963 Corvairs (one 1963 Turbo Spyder) and five were 1965-1966 Corsas (one a 1965 Turbo Corsa). I did manage to melt a hole in a piston on the 1965 Turbo Corsa coupe, but I was 18 and I would call it "driver error". It was a hot summer day in 1971 and I was pushing it hard at full boost for a long period up a long uphill grade in California, with the windows down doing 70-80 mph and really not paying much attention to the stress I placed on the engine. As I crested the hill on the interstate highway — BANG! I had produced a hole in one! My mother drove out in our family 1965 Corsa convertible and brought a tow bar. I hitched the two 1965 Corsas together and towed my turbo Corsa home.

The point here is a turbo Corsa can be fun and relatively reliable, but a man has to know his (its) limitations! It must always drink high octane Premium gas (expensive, not particularly good gas mileage, and one reason I would not recommend it as a daily driver). The other thing that keeps it from detonating is a relatively unsophisticated pressure retard device on the distributor, which retards ignition timing under boost. But assuming that the car is properly tuned, running Premium fuel, and the pressure retard device (looks like a vacuum advance) is working, the last line of defense is an educated, smart, knowledgeable owner! This is a vintage 1960s turbocharged engine with a poorly designed Carter sidedraft carburetor, no electronic fuel injection or computer-controlled anything with sensors, and an unsophisticated ignition system. There is no water injection, no intercooling, and no wastegate. If you push it to full boost for long periods under heavy load on a hot day, you may or may not hear signs of pinging and detonation until something mechanical gives. So if you own a turbo, the operator must be smart in its operation. Even WWII P-38 and P-47 fighter pilots had to be aware of how to properly operate their turbocharged engine(s) to get the most out of them while keeping them healthy!

In all turbocharger applications, boost pressure is limited to keep the entire engine system, including the turbo, inside its thermal and mechanical design operating range. Over-boosting an engine frequently causes damage to the engine in a variety of ways including pre-ignition, overheating, and over-stressing the engine's internal hardware.

I would tend to look at a turbo Corvair like I would look at a classic Corvette Stingray — a car I would love to own and drive for fun on nice weekends and holidays, but not something I would use as a daily driver. For that i would choose a two or four carburetor 110hp or 140hp engine. I have driven Corsas with 140hp engines all over the USA, coast-to coast, and in Germany fully loaded with my wife and kids, including long uphill runs to high altitude Lake Tahoe and cross-country summer runs from one coast to the other. No problem with a 140hp engine, but I would have been very cautious if I had had a 180hp turbo residing in the back!

The Corsa in the pictures looks very nice. The engine appears to be all original and complete (the fan belt guide to the right of the blower pulley is missing), and the turbo and carburetor appear very clean and in good condition (the connector hose between the turbo outlet and the chrome cross intake manifold looks a bit stressed. A leak here can cause problems and it should be monitored and possibly replaced — it is readily available at Clark's Corvair Parts (page 49, P/N: C11, $14.05). I can't be certain in the picture, but it appears that the distributor may have been inserted one tooth off, because it looks like the distributor may have had to be rotated almost to the point of the pressure retard device touching the engine sheet metal to get the required 24° BTDC advance. (This is easily corrected). The body looks clean, but I can't tell the condition of the convertible top. The rear window looks to be in good shape. The 13" wire wheel covers are a desirable option and appear to be in good condition. You might want to check the age and condition of the whitewall tires. Few manufacturers produce whitewalls any more, and even 13" tires are obsolete and hard to find if you want modern radials that incorporate state-of-the-art tire technology. Many owners choose to upgrade to 14" or larger wheels and to fit modern low-profile radials to their Late Model (1965-1969) or even Early Model (1960-1964) Corvairs. Corvair braking and handling is often significantly enhanced by doing so.

The interior looks clean and includes a rare woodrim telescoping steering wheel and what looks like a rare factory AM/FM radio — both pluses in looking for a nice Corsa. I would guess that this car would bring $10,000 - $15,000, or possibly more, since Turbo Corsa convertibles are rare and in-demand, which drives prices up. Have you test driven this car?

Logistics and parts support for Corvairs is excellent, but you are unlikely to find much in the way of parts support locally. Corvair suppliers are excellent, and the largest — Clark's Corvair Parts in Massachusetts — has been in solid operation for 40 years! They have fifteen pages of turbo-related parts alone in their online catalog (pages 39-54) http://www.corvair.com/user-cgi/catalog ... ow_page=39. Clark's stocks just about every Corvair-related item that is available. Critical items that would otherwise be out of production and unavailable are often kept in production through Clark's efforts in contracting with suppliers around the world to produce new production runs, and they often will spend large amounts of effort and money to produce interior upholstery, carpeting, gaskets, etc. themselves to keep Corvair owners happy. You might spend some time viewing a series of videos depicting the Clark's Corvair Parts operation. viewtopic.php?f=81&t=6004 Browsing their catalog (paper or online) and seeing these videos can be very encouraging for the Corvair owner. Operations like Clark's simply makes Corvair ownership enjoyable and possible for many Corvair enthusiasts.

Corvair-qualified mechanics are somewhat rare, so Corvair owners tend to be DIY "Shade-tree mechanics". Local clubs and online Internet support such as the Corvair Forum makes Corvair ownership and maintenance very well-supported.

The following Corvair Forum link can provide you with a list of useful websites that should be helpful as a Corvair owner...

Common and Useful Corvair Websites
Corvair Forum viewtopic.php?f=225&t=6007

It certainly sounds like you've done your homework. There is a CORSA (Corvair Society of America) club chapter in the Houston area. You might consider contacting them, attending one or more meetings, joining them, and conversing with them to learn more about Corvairs, local support in the Houston area, and perhaps enlisting some volunteers to look at the Corsa you are considering. Their experienced "Corvair eyes" and opinions might prove to be very valuable, and socializing with Corvair enthusiasts and aficionados can make your ownership of a Corvair much more enjoyable!

Based on your location near Houston, Texas, I did some checking. There are five CORSA (Corvair Society of America) club chapters in Texas, with one supporting the Houston area. As a prospective new Corvair owner I would strongly suggest that you consider joining this CORSA club. Face-to-face contact with experienced Corvair owners can help you to learn quickly. Their observations of your Corvair can be very informative, and club members are often willing to lend a helping hand. Participating in family-oriented social get-togethers, picnics, scenic drives, competitions, etc. can be a lot of fun.

Here are the details, if you are interested in checking them out...


CORSA (Corvair Society of America) Chapter Locator
Locating a local CORSA chapter near you can be very helpful, and attending meetings, parties, Corvair shows, etc. can greatly add to the enjoyment of your Corvair
https://www.corvair.org/index.php?optio ... crmSID=3_u

CORSA Chapter Locator - Corvair Houston

Chapter ID: 770
Organization Name: Corvair Houston
Street Address (Primary): 13102 N. Decker Dr., Magnolia, TX 77355
Contacts http://www.corvairhouston.com/site/cpag ... 6638498069
Newsletter Name: Corvair Houston Newsletter
Sample Newsletter: Website: http://www.corvairhouston.com
Email (Primary): corvairhouston@yahoo.com

Corvair Houston was organized in 1974 and incorporated in 1983. As a chapter of the national Corvair Society of America (CORSA) it is dedicated to preserving the Corvair for future generations. The Club conducts regular monthly meetings and also sponsors or participates in other activities through the year; local and national car shows, picnics and barbecues, races and museum events, and road trips to locations in and around Texas. We offer information about Corvair parts, restoration, maintenance and repairs. Our meetings are usually held on the third Friday of each month and are always preceded by an informal gathering in the parking lot. After the meeting a group often heads for a local eatery for sandwiches and conversation. Annual dues are $25 per family, $20 if you are a member of CORSA. A monthly newsletter publishes information about recent and upcoming events, cars and parts for sale, and Corvair related news. Note that Corvair ownership is not required for membership to Corvair Houston - merely an appreciation for a unique footnote to automotive history.

Hey there, Tacozilla! Welcome to the forum! Yeah, I think that was my quote about the "grenade with the pin pulled"........although....I own a '65 turbo corsa! My point was that, this was too finicky of a car (in my opinion) to be unleashed on the general (thrasher) public.

I think when you (or anybody) decides to buy a 'vair as a cool collector car/occasional cruiser......you'll be caring for it quite a bit more than people who bought them in the 60's, and take much better care of it, and probably go easier on it too.

I had a couple different corvairs at different times as my sole daily drivers back in the 80's and did just fine. Never left me stranded.

Tacozilla wrote: My concern is about the remarks I read about the turbos. Such as a grenade with the pin pulled, waiting to destruct. Also that you drive it once and spend the rest of the summer trying to get it to run again. This will be a weekend cruiser, and I'm not afraid of frequent maintenance, but is it really that daunting to keep a turbo on the road?

iv owned/driven a few vair turbos - stock to modified - daily driver status. they arent a grenade w/the pin pulled & they arent daunting to keep on the road - summer/winter/all year round. im in so cal so we dont get snow but winter it can dip into the 30s & summer is triple digits.

maintenance is normal stuff like oil/filter changes. spark plugs last a long time - few years & this is running points, a safeguard & a hot coil. the trick is having all the stuff *right* & high quality parts. you cant buy cheap/low quality parts & expect to have a nice - reliable engine.

alot of people complain about the yh carb & say its junk & cant work right. when the carb is working like it should - it works w/no problem. the complaints are probably bcuz someone didnt rebuild it right or someone hosed the carb before.

-Scott V.

First I'd like to thank everyone for responding to my post. The info was invaluable in my decision to buy the Corsa. It's no show car, though it looks great 5 ft away. The interior is decent, but is original and getting tired. The motor seems to be running great. Speedometer and tach work, other guages not so much. Looking forward to working these things out.

Took it for a half hour drive, and it performed flawlessly.

New 'Vair owner!

Congrats, and welcome hope you have as much fun with your that I have had with mine so far.

While not super cold like it is in a lot of the country, Houston was in the 20s today. Thought I'd see if the new 'Vair would start. Cranked right up and brought a smile to my face. Also, just from getting some use, the high beams started working, and so did the right tail light. (I thought the bulbs were bad). These cars just need to be used.

Now if only the fuel gauge would start working. Doubt I'll be that lucky.

Sounds like you are having a good time getting used to your new air cooled adopted "family member".

I know what you mean about the cold. I live about 100 miles north of Atlanta, right on the Georgia/North Carolina border on Lake Chatuge. Last night it got down to 4 degrees! My electric heat pump has given up and switched over to emergency mode (propane) and today we discovered that my well head has apparently frozen, so we have no water. COLD! I used to live in Pennsylvania and before that Massachusetts, so I know something about the real cold closer to Canada, but I will be glad to see this cold winter come to an end! This morning a house across the lake from us burned to the ground. I don't know the cause but I am guessing a faulty heating system brought on by the intense cold.

I'm glad to hear that you are enjoying your Corvair, but watch out for those intermittent electrical faults. They can come back as quickly as the magically disappear -- especially if they are caused by corroded contacts or loose connections. About a year ago I was driving at about 65 mph at night on a dark mountain road in my 1966 Corsa. I tapped the dimmer switch to turn on the high beams, but instead of high beams I got NO BEAMS! Pitch black on a mountain road at 65 mph! Fortunately when I hit the dimmer switch again the low beams came back on, but that is one frightening experience! A bad connection or a faulty dimmer switch can be a real problem.

Officially joined Corvair Houston (the local club), and attended my first meeting last week. So glad I did. Very welcoming atmosphere, and genuinely interested in others cars and projects. Also got my CORSA sticker in the mail. Don't know why, but I think those look cool, and was really looking forward to putting in on the window.