Project "The engine is in the back????"

[HotRodKush]

UPDATE: After a year of delays I've re-started this project. This thread won't be updated anymore, see the new build thread here:
https://www.pro-touring.com/showthre...et-Track-Build

I decided to sell the second gen Camaro that I had originally planned to build up, and do something a little different. After thinking about it for a while, and then coming across this corvair on Ebay, I knew that I had to change direction and start a new project around this car. Introducing project "The engine is in the back????":







I flew out to Indiana last weekend and drove it back 13 hours straight to NY - from an hour before sunrise to an hour after sunset (in the rain, the entire way). Now the fun begins - first thing's first, have to fix a fuel leak at the fuel tank and at both carburetors, and I need to rebuild the steering box because there's about 90 degrees of play in the steering and it's a little hairy to drive. But hey, it got me home.

After the initial mechanical repairs are done, I'll start to think of improving the handling. It already has Yenko sways on it and appears to be lowered. I'd like to get a set of 16" black Cragar steelies and some nice tires to replace the older Nova wheels and tires. The motor is cammed and has some carb and ignition work done. It's fairly quick, especially for a Corvair. Who knows, maybe one day it'll get a V8 swap (a guy can dream, can't he?).

Anyway, just introducing the project. I don't have any particular plan, just a general plan to improve the car over time little by little. It won't be a dedicated race car so I'm keeping the interior, just going to modernize it a bit and increase the handling as much as possible. I'll be double-posting here and on my website, but the site is just a build log - the real fun is getting everyone's feedback on the forum!

[HotRodKush]

While I'm waiting for my parts to arrive, I started taking out the old damp carpeting:





I need to pick up a gallon of Goo Gone to remove the rest, it's all stuck to the flooring. Here's my collection:



During the week I'll do more, I just wanted to get the wet carpeting out of the car as soon as possible. I plan to POR-15 the flooring and lay down brand new carpeting and insulation as soon as it arrives.

[TonyL]

Sweet!! another corvair guy! (see? we aren't weird or anything)

Looking good. Interesting rear sail panels. Be sure to post up over at www.corvairforum.com too. Lotta corvair guys that are "new school" over there.

[CruizinKev]

looking good! nice project!

[Gitter Dun]

How much do those Corvair's weight?

[formula]

wait...the engine on those things is in the back?!?!?!

just kidding. I love those vairs, glad to see people keeping them up and modding them senseless. I hope to join your wacko ranks someday!

[ChevelleNV]

I always loved the old Corvairs, never had one but someday...

[Dons67]

nice - my dad had one of these and he loved it - i'm sure you will too

[Damn True]

Never seen the vinyl demi-top before.

[94SNGLTURBO]

looks pretty sharp.. all it needs is a nice set of wheels and it will look bad a$$

[John Wright]

Back in the day...We used to sacrifice those to the car gods so that a VW bug could live on with more powah....


edit: JC Whitney ad from back in the day....

[John Wright]

[TonyL]

How much do those Corvair's weight?

2550 lbs.

And they can be had much, much lighter. Thanks to fiberglass and carbon fiber hoods decklids, bumpers and other goodies.

Power to weight FTW.

[monza]

Freaks...

I can't specifically tell but the vinyl top deal is most likely a "Fitch" treatment or at least a knock off of it.

http://www.corvaircorsa.com/fitch.html

Sort of like a Yenko but Fitch....

[wmhjr]

Very very cool. Love the corvairs. My mom, dad and I drove from the Pgh area all the way across the country and back in a '64 - in 1964. I was a pretty young kid then, but I sure remember that car.

[HotRodKush]

Thanks for the comments, it should be quite the project. I got the steering box rebuild kit, the fuel sender gasket and carb gaskets in the mail today so that's the next step. Still leaks like crazy around the windows, have to fix that before I lay down the new carpeting.

Freaks...

I can't specifically tell but the vinyl top deal is most likely a "Fitch" treatment or at least a knock off of it.

http://www.corvaircorsa.com/fitch.html

Sort of like a Yenko but Fitch....

Yeah, it's a fitch roof - I believe that some of the interior treatments are also fitch but I'm not sure. I know it's not a full blown fitch sprint but it does have some fitch touches here and there. I'd love to paint the roof body color so it blends a little more with the rest of the car.

That V8 Vair is what I aspire to, maybe some day!

[brrymnvette]

Man I miss mine. I will get another one after these two builds are done.

[HotRodKush]

Took care of the fuel leaks around the carbs today...or at least thought I did. I ordered a set of replacement spacers and base gaskets for both carburetors hoping to fix the big fuel leak I was having on both. The kit came with 2 spacers and upper/lower gaskets for those spacers:



I started by removing both carburetors. As it turns out, ONLY the spacers were present when the carbs came off - no gaskets at all. Ya think that might leak a little?





Then came inspection and cleaning of both mating surfaces of each carb. Here's the bottom of the passenger side carb:



Next, installation of the spacers with one gasket below and one above:



And finally, installed the carburetors:



So, some good and some bad news. The car runs ALOT smoother, which means there was a considerable vacuum leak around those base gaskets before I replaced them. However, it didn't fix the gas leak that I had thought was coming from there. The passenger side is still leaking from somewhere - maybe the float is stuck open? Too much fuel pressure? Other gaskets leaking? I have no idea, I'll have to take another look next week. I'm pleased that the motor is running better though, at least an improvement of some sort occured even though it wasn't the intended one!