Need opinions: corvair

[wnaplay1647545503]

Whats your opinion on the old corvairs? I have always wanted to do a project corvair but havent found any that I liked within my price range until now. Theres a link to what I might be going for. Any like them or not? I know people said they were prone to catching fire.

http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3F_adv_prop%3Dimage%26va%3Dcorvair%26sz%3Dall&w=410&h=147&imgurl=www.hackersparadise.biz%2Fimages%2FCustomers1%2F66Corvair2.JPG&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hackersparadise.biz%2Fsubpage.html20.html&size=26.1kB&name=66Corvair2.JPG&p=corvair&type=jpeg&no=3&tt=54,250&oid=439c33bbb75ea81e&ei=ISO-8859-1

[koolrayz]

I like the conversions where they put a V8 in the back seat, mid engine and called them corveights.

[wnaplay1647545503]

I like the conversions where they put a V8 in the back seat, mid engine and called them corveights.

 

More than I'd want to do.

[Skinner]

My parents neighbor has 4 or 5 of them one is stock and the are all prepped for road racing to various degrees. They are defentitly cool little cars.

[craig71188]

Certainly a project where you wan't see several showing up wherever you go. The later ones (like in the link) are the better looking cars (IMHO) - the flat sixes can be built to run pretty strong. I drove a turbo spyder once and it was a blast!

[351mach11647545510]

i say go for it. just be careful because you are right, they were/are prone to catching fire. i would swap a SB in it.

[baron_]

very neat little cars

convertibles are particularly reasonable

[koolrayz]

there was a turbo model

[Patrick]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Corvair_turbo_engine.jpg

 

 

yes there was

[Kevin R.]

That red one in your link is pimp as fuck, until the next owner took over and put the flames on.

[wnaplay1647545503]

I found one for $400 that needs some things to get running ie carbs rebuilt, gas tank. It turns over interior needs some work done. I'm just not sure.

[craig71188]

Carbs? I assume then a 4 carb model - later body style? If the body is solid and the motor is still good, $400 probably isn't too bad. If it's got bad rot - there are people who specialize in them, but as with anything not so common - it get's expensive quickly.

[wnaplay1647545503]

2 single carbs

[wnaplay1647545503]

Anyone know why they were prone to fire?

[Dave1647545494]

rear end collision = ruptured fuel lines all over a hot motor

 

they also depend on weird front and rear air pressures to keep the car stable at highway speed

 

they look cool, but I wouldn't ever buy one

[wnaplay1647545503]

I said hell with it. It will be my winter project. $300 for a complete car and 2 extra hoods. It will give me something to do. Anyone want to send me some info on air ride suspensions.

[GonneVille]

The oddball air pressure only applies to the first generation cars, up until 64 or 65. It was something that GM came up with to combat the tendency of the rear swing arms to tuck under in sustained hard turns.

 

BTW Nader was a dingbat, at the time he wrote "Unsafe at Any Speed" he owned a Mercedes that used the EXACT same type of rear swing arm suspension, but was even more prone to tucking due to its higher center of gravity. VW used the same thing, Pontiac was exploring it for use in the Tempest, and most live axles used thin leaf springs that wrapped over in hard corners, causing the inner tire to rise suddenly.

[Nitrousbird]

there was a turbo model

It was the first production turbo car ever sold.

[Rice Eater]

What year is it? I had a '63 and a '64. I never heard of anyone having a fire incident. The ones you have to be careful with are the pre '64's, in '64 they added a transverse leaf spring that greatly stabilized the body roll and tendency to tuck the axles. A big thing with them is to make sure you have all the tin in place on the engine(same with VW's), otherwise you will have overheating problems. Also carry atleast one spare fan belt, they do not like the 90 degree twist they have to make and like to jump off. The pre '65's tend to rust out in the "eyebrow" above the headlights, about 75% of the pre '65's will have this problem. Get on a good VW parts site and buy a carb synchronizer...you're gonna need it. Not only will the two sides run differently, a lean condition will cause them to overheat bad. Someday I'm gonna buy another one, that was my first car and it was a blast. If you can't find a shop manual for it let me know, I have mine stashed here someplace and I could photcopy some pages for you, or make pdf's. Good Luck.

[Rally Pat]

Throw a scooby motor in the back like they do with 914's

[simonzayne]

It was the first production turbo car ever sold.

 

First made by a US company not first ever sold. Porche had been playing with turbos for a while.

 

Very sweet project.

[NOPR]

get the pick up version!

[wnaplay1647545503]

Its possible

http://s31.photobucket.com/albums/c379/Jmccreery/?action=view&current=MVI_9404.flv

 

http://www.realfierotech.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?p=86218

[Scotty2Hotty]

Whats your opinion on the old corvairs?

Different in the way of older classic cars. Wouldn't be my first choice thanks to rear engine mount etc.. But I give you props for going and being different than the norm. :thumbup: A nice bigger cube small block can be finessed in there, just takes a bit of Mr.Welder and some time.

[AJ]

http://www.pro-touring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30404

 

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