1967 Corvair - Project Sanity

[Ducs]

Time to post few pics of my current project - 1967 Corvair. I call it Project Sanity.

Here is some background: You may ask why Corvair ? I always liked the lines and the size of the 'late model', 65-69, Corvair, but wasn't too thrilled by the powertrain. I've been looking for a project car for a while, I've seen few G body Malibus - I really like these, but what I've seen was more than disappointing, at least during the time when I was looking around. When I came across this Corvair in April of last year, 2015, I pulled a trigger on it and got it home. On the same day, I also picked up a 87 G body frame. I already had a plan on what's really going to happen to a Corvair if I get my hands on a good candidate. That's how my project was born.

The essentials of Project Sanity - 1967 Corvair: Front engine - RWD drive by means of a G body frame swap, LS1, T56, 18" rims, corner carver.

Few pics of what it looked like back in April of 2015:

G body frame:

I began slow, cleaned my garage to make sure I have a clean and organized work area. I am working in a single car garage so my work space is very minimal. I also picked up a LS1, T56, rear end, brakes etc. out of a 2000 Z28 being parted out.

I began by working on the frame, I stripped it from all components, mocked up the engine and transmission to get a good idea where it will be. I decided to mount the engine and transmission with the center line lining up with the center line of the frame instead of the stock G body offset to the passenger side. I fabricated my own engine mounts and notched the front cross member. This allowed me to use the stock F-body oil pan and A/C compressor along with the alternator.

Right after I sent the frame out to get it sandblasted and while it was out, I began stripping the Corvair. I knew I had to engineer a way to get the body up in the air to allow me to work under the body fitting the frame and at the same time keeping structural integrity of the body. I welded up a frame inside the body that was strong and rigid enough to allow me to lift the body up by it. Once the body was up in the air, the wrenches and plasma cutter came out. The flat air cooled six and a two speed Powegrlide along with rear and front suspension, brakes, etc. came out. I ended up with just the shell, minus the floor.

I knew I had to modify few things to make it all work together. Countless measurements and mock up sessions took place. Most of the modifications were done to the frame in order to make it fit the body. Along the way I notched and rearranged the rear frame rails, added few reinforcements here and there and when I was finally done working on the frame, I primed everything in black epoxy. I am going with UMI suspension components, I got the front adjustable upper and lower arms along with S10 spindles. I statically aligned the front suspension at ride height for 0.5 degrees of negative camber and 6.5 degrees of caster. This will get my wheels where they need to be so when the body and frame are married everything will be where is should.

So this is where I am at. I am planning to marry the body to the frame later on this week, pictures from the wedding are coming !!

[LERM]

Wonderfully outside the box... And judging by the work so far you "may" have done some fabrication work in the past. Looks awesome.

[Wraith]

Love where this is heading!

[Typhoon1015]

Looking forward to updates, how close is the wheelbase to wheel openings?

[KiwiStarChief]

Great project! Keep the reports coming please.

[Motown 454]

Nice build. Going to be interesting.

[1965gp]

This is going to be fun to watch- always like the 65+ vairs. My dad had a black 67 Monza convertible.

[Ducs]

I made some good progress this week. I will briefly cover frame mods for some of you that would like to take a project such as this on. The G body frame needs to be widened to about 56". I did that by welding a 3/16" angle along the outside frame rails and extending the rear as shown in the picture below.

When you cut the floor out and the inside rocker panels out of the Corvair, you got to separate the upper pinch weld. The folded 'U channel' you are left with, is the piece that will sit on the frame. I drilled holes in mine so I can plug weld it to the frame

As far as the frame goes, you will have to cut the front rails, few inches ahead of the front sway bar mount bolts. In the rear, just after the shock and spring mount bracket. You will also have to 'rearrange' the rear frame rails so you can mate them to the existing Corvair rear rails.

Once you fit everything together, the wheel base, track width all align, weld the body onto the frame:

[1965gp]

Damn that is cool!!

[Motown 454]

Nice!

[JayinMI]

Well, Sh*t! That escalated quickly! Looks great! lol

[Ducs]

I had a productive weekend, on top of getting the body on the frame, I managed to get the engine in.

Good news is that it went in very easy, bad news is the location of it in respect to the body. I need to move it forward and go back to the original G body engine placement - slight passenger side offset. Oil pan and alternator won't fit anymore.

Another positive is that the Corvair steering column and G body steering box align pretty well, few vertical degrees off. I will be upgrading the column anyway, but at least the location won't have to change by much. Wiper motor won't have to be changed or relocated. I will need to go with a manual master cylinder, no room for a brake booster.

It looks like this will be it for this season, the temperature is dropping here soon and considering the fact that I only get to work on my project weather and free time permitting, changing the location of the engine will happen in the warm spring.

[mc84_zz4]

Dang! that's impressive! Pat yourself on the back.
I am really interested how much better the weight ratio ends up, compared to the regular G-Body F/R weight ratio.
It has a much shorter front overhand, about 150 lbs less of engine, and more cabin placed further rearward.
I think it will end up close to damn good.
This is going to be really cool!

[Ducs]

It looks like we will have few warm days coming up so I will be able to experiment with the engine fitment. In mean time I prepared:

- new engine mount plates, both engine and frame
- engine mount bushing sleeves, I will be going with polyurethane this time around
- valley lift plate

and I also got a Holley 302-1 oil pan that will offer more clearance where needed as compared to the F body pan I've been planing to use

Updates coming soon

[andrewb70]

So cool. I remember seeing a yellow Corvair in a magazine many years ago and it had a g-body frame under it.

Andrew

[Ducs]

This one:

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/0805p...chevy-corvair/

[andrewb70]

This one:

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/0805p...chevy-corvair/

That would be the one! Was this a source of inspiration? Or is the g-body frame fairly common in the Corvair world?

Andrew

[MTZ28]

Looking forward to updates, always enjoy watching what is possible on these cars.

[Ducs]

Seeing it along with this onehttp://www.superchevy.com/features/s...chevy-corvair/ planted the 'evill seed' in my mind lol

I don't know of many G body Corvairs, I believe there must be few more, but they are not common. There are way more rear V8 Corvairs out there.

[68EFIvert]

Really cool project!