Provair is in for an overhaul.

[TonyL]

So... what have I been up to lately? My wife and I got let go from our jobs. We lost our home, and had to move in with my dad. Which is nice, because as I said before, he's getting on in years, has Parkinson's disease and needs us here anyway. Losing our jobs sure does suck. I loved it, and I loved my free apartment. But the economy blows one of our tenants owed us 33 THOUSAND dollars, and cuts had to come from somewhere.

My car had been up on jackstands since last summer. Waiting for me to get around to it. Welp. Im all out of excuses now, aren't I?

Left with nothing but time and unemployment money on my hands it's time to start over on the old Provair project. Time to bring the pain, and take it to a whole 'nother level.

So, the basic Render...
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/02/redgray-1.jpg

Yeah. Those *are* different wheels on there....
Three piece Racing Hart M5 wheels.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

they need a lot of love. They came with huge pits and a thick nasty haze on what used to be a polished lip.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/02/IMG_2595-1.jpg

Nothing a week of scotchbright, wetsanding and mother's wheel polish cant fix though!

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/02/IMG_2596-1.jpg

But there's a eensy weensy problem. They wont fit my car. Corvairs just aren't meant to have 275x18 tires in the back.

They rub. They hit the shock. But I am determined. Where there is a will and a cuttoff wheel, there's a way.

[TonyL]

First off. there's this thing called a "strut rod" It sticks right out into where my new fat tire will live. Not good.

it sticks out this hole about 2 inches.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/02/IMG_2560-1.jpg

a view from the inside.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/02/IMG_2563-1.jpg

My solution! It will work perfect, I fabbed a new rod, threaded the end, and installed new Energy Suspension bushings at the other end.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/02/IMG_2564-1.jpg

Now for that shock....

I'd already bought this kit for the bushings and the spacer it shipped with.

why not just move the shock over? It'll put those nice washers I have to work! (the spacer I made isn't there in the pic, but I have one now) Now my tires fit no prob!
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/02/IMG_25911-1.jpg

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

HeEEEEEEYYYY!!!!

i was wondering what happened to you and your Corvair!

[TonyL]

Yep. I've just been letting it sit. I killed a head a while back. (8 thousand rpm = BOOOM) But, that's it. Im sending the head out to get fixed and will have it back on the road in a week or so. Then the paint joy will begin again. We're gonna paint it right here in the shop. Just like we did my Dad's truck. It's giving him and me something to do which is awesome.

[TonyL]

well "they fit no prob!" may be a bit of a stretch...
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/02/dammit-1.jpg

[6'9"Witha69]

Nothing an 1/8th" spacer couldn't fix, unless you are already dangerously close on the fender already.

[dmc69]

Nice wheels.... hope u can get em to fit!:1st:

[Jim Nilsen]

With all of the bad luck it is amazing you still have the Corvair.

Those are some really nice wheels and if you can get them to fit you will be another step of the way.

Goodluck with everything and I hope your dad keeps doing well.

[sniper]

I like it, that rendering is hot. Let's see some pics from the back with those tires. These cars are pretty darn fun to drive.

My friend has a turbo corvair. I built a center console to house a 3JL 8's and some kick panels to hold some 6.5" speakers. He like's his car audio. Next up is some air ride and as you know the space up front is minimal. Then we are going to get rid of the weber. We are thinking of doing some kind of motorcycle fuel injection would be pretty easy to retrofit. Maybe a set of 45mm throttle bodies or something.
Any ideas? Not looking to blaze any trails if not needed.

[TonyL]

The solution to the interference. (Yeah, they're really close to the quarters too!)

The trailing arm is dimpled out around that hole, so...

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/02/IMG_26111-1.jpg


As for retrofitting motorcycle fuel injection it's been done. A guy named mark that goes by the name Solo2r has it done.

[Draginutz]

Nice ride. Your arms must be wore out from rubbin those wheels!!

[68Formula]

Can you box in the control arm to make it stiffer? Obviously you'd want to leave an open space not only for the rod, but also to get at for service.

[TonyL]

I've always thought that the best solution for fuel injection setups on a corvair is one of those bolt on "plug and play" systems like the retrotek one.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

That, coupled with a fourbarrel manifold is the way to go, I think. Simple, elegant and thought out by someone else. All you'd need is to setup the temp sending unit, and the sensor in the exhaust.

[TonyL]

Can you box in the control arm to make it stiffer? Obviously you'd want to leave an open space not only for the rod, but also to get at for service.

We're kicking the idea of boxing them around. That flat plate in the image above gets welded back in the hole there, of course. The part i cut out has a contour you cannot see in the first picture. It bows out into the tire's path about a good 1/2 inch. So cutting it out and putting in a flat piece will fix it. And it's all pretty beefy metal. But boxing it would be cool.

[TonyL]

Nice ride. Your arms must be wore out from rubbin those wheels!!

You have no idea. I've been working on those hoops for a week. There's 29 bolts per rim, that are a pain to take off, as well as countless hours of sanding, rubbing with sotchbright and wetsanding, only to polish, polish, then polish some more. It's never good enough either. Ever.

[78 Type-LT]

I love covairs..

[OLDFLM]

Sorry to hear of all your misfortune my friend, but they say everything happens for a reason... and I think the situation with your father and son project on the Corvair fits that saying perfectly! LOVE what you've done so far... I "wanted" a set of those rims for my 94 Accord EX coupe daily driver but couldn't justify putting them on a car I only paid my neighbor $300 for! LOL I think they'll look great on the Provair along with the new paint!! You gonna spray it in the garage???

p.s. Glad your back!

[TonyL]

depends. Im on the fence about going with Corvette blue, or bright red. If i go red, i'll single stage it. If not, paint booth.

Im digging working on it every day for sure.

[srh3trinity]

Great choice for the wheels. 275's on a Corvair is going to look awesome. Looks like you are going to darken the center up on the wheels some?

[TonyL]

Thats the plan. A dark argent or gunmetal gray. My interior is pretty dark, almost graphite and I want to match that in the stripe and wheels.

[TonyL]

and the 275s are only on there till i wear them out. then 285s or bigger are next. I want the fattest tires ever tucked under the back of a Vair. I won't rest till i've achieved at least that.

the distance to the quarter is not the limiting factor for me. It's the hub center. I wont use a spacer and deny myself that center bore. I have to use it to mount these wheels. They're the BMW type bolt pattern. So i have to have something to mount the wheel on. There's a good half inch both ways before i need to worry about clearance now.

Its funny going from a 205 tire to 275s, and i know they are massively different. But they still don't look fat enough. SEE WHAT YOU PEOPLE HAVE DONE TO MY PERCEPTIONS??

[Motown 454]

Nice job on the wheels, and good solution to the shock problem too.

[montessaj]

This is the most Bada** Corvair I have ever seen in my life.

[showa]

Looking darn good... I'd never thought those wheels would fit without a complete redesign of the suspension...

[sniper]

I've always thought that the best solution for fuel injection setups on a corvair is one of those bolt on "plug and play" systems like the retrotek one.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

That, coupled with a fourbarrel manifold is the way to go, I think. Simple, elegant and thought out by someone else. All you'd need is to setup the temp sending unit, and the sensor in the exhaust.
Well all the fuel is injected prior to the turbo. So I think that style pictured would be a ton more work than a bike injection. Unless I built a different style of intake, I suppose. This is all for driveability and not so much for performance.

[brrymnvette]

Awesome. I was wondering what happened with this one. I'm still regretting selling my 455 corvair last year. Moment on weakness I guess. :( I will build one eventually.

[68Formula]

Awesome. I was wondering what happened with this one. I'm still regretting selling my 455 corvair last year. Moment on weakness I guess. :( I will build one eventually.

A 455 Corvair? WTH? Is this the Buick one with the G body frame?

[brrymnvette]

A 455 Corvair? WTH? Is this the Buick one with the G body frame?

No, it was an old "kit" like the Crown V8 kit. It was a Tornado drivetrain put in place of the stock unit. Packaged pretty nicely.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/02/IMAG0127-1.jpg


https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/02/IMAG0126-1.jpg




https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/02/IMAGE_088-1.jpg

[ALLstrokedOUT]

very nice, ill be watching this very closely to give my dad some inspiration! I was already curious if you could give us a tip on what a good size wheel/tire backspacing and all thatll fit on a corvair, what were the size that you used to have? good luck with everything!

[TonyL]

I used to run a 17x8 with 205 40 17s front and rear. Only because those were the tires that I could get for cheap.

225s will fit fine.

5.5 inches of backspace.

[MrQuick]

Hi Tony,

Sorry to hear about your situation, I hope things swing the good way for you soon.

Im in the same boat, with no oars.

Good luck with the car too. Looking good so far

vince

[David Sloan]

Hi Tony good to see you back on the car.
I like your plan that is going to look sick!

[71RS/SS396]

awesome. I was wondering what happened with this one. I'm still regretting selling my 455 corvair last year. Moment on weakness i guess. :( i will build one eventually.

oops!

[nlancaster]

I have admired your black corvair for some time. And saw a very nice red corvair last week in person and I think I have fallen in love with them.

If you are thinking of going to EFI you should check out this guys stuff.

http://www.blackhawkengr.com/Black%20Hawk%20Engineering%20-%20Bolt%20On%20Turbo%20Fuel%20Injection.htm

[MonzaRacer]

Hey Tony take a look at Microsquirt FI small compact and very configurable to just about anything.

[TomT]

I've wanted to build a Corvair since I was a kid. I collected brochures from a company called Kelmark who made a kit to put a small block Chevy in the back seat of a Corvair. They flipped the transaxle around so that it faced forward.

Tony - your Corvair is wicked looking!