Cruising in the Corvair

I got to drive the Corvair back from Amelia Island, and it's nice to see it back on the road. It goes down the highway nicely and definitely gets attention. These cars are just too cool.

Quickie update and some photos:

http://classicmotorsports.net/project-cars/1963-chevrolet-corvair-monza-spyder/corvair-project-back-action/

It's a beauty! How about a clear panel like this to show off the engine?

... as seen recently at the Boca Raton Concours d'Elegance

David:

What are you guys running for rubber? Camber compensator? Knock sensor? Did you install a set of shoulder belts?

Dave

I was on the side of the road waiting for my friend and his Alfa when you stormed by! The Corvair looked and sounded great! Scott

I grew up as a kid with Corvairs. There will always be a special place in my heart for them. We drove across USA on Route 66 in our 61 on our way from Toronto to Hollaman AFB in N.M. and then all over Europe in our 65. We were in Europe 65-69 since my dad was stationed in Germany with the RCAF and we travelled to many countries in that car on holidays. Truly an under appreciated unique American classic. If only GM had listened to the engineers instead of the bean counters.

Spitsix wrote: I was on the side of the road waiting for my friend and his Alfa when you stormed by! The Corvair looked and sounded great! Scott

Thanks. And then you probably saw my wife cruise by in the Subaru, too.

Dave_Jorgensen wrote: David: What are you guys running for rubber? Camber compensator? Knock sensor? Did you install a set of shoulder belts? Dave

It doesn't have shoulder belts yet, but I'll see if we can't answer you other questions.

We are running some old 14x5.5" wheels that we had laying around and some Firestone radials. The Plus 1 fitment combined with some Koni shocks makes the car handle well. Before we rebuilt the rear suspension, the ass end would come around. Haven't been able to unstick it since. I have the camber compensator and a 64 dif housing (which has the mounting point for the compensator built in) but so far haven't needed it.

Great to see a fine car like the Corvair in your fleet! My second car was a '62 Monza with less than 20,000 miles on it back in '80 or '81 I think. I still have it but it has not seen pavement for years.

I agree! The Corvair is what I voted for in the air-cooled cross country poll. However, as I mentioned in another posting. If you replace the front floor carpeting, DON'T USE CARPET TACKS TO HOLD IT DOWN!!!!

Rupert

I caught this Corvair dicing with a Spitfire at the Columbia River Classics last fall. I've always been tempted by Corvairs, but my wife says something else would have to go.

I'm helping my mom get her house ready to sell, and found a box of my old Sports Car Graphic magazines. This ad is from March, 1965.

And this from the July 1964 issue:

Cool stuff. I am really falling in love with this car as we get it sorted out.

Years ago I read an article by someone, probably Rich Taylor about relative safety in autos. The gist was just the opposite of Ralph Nader's point of view.

The writer stated the Corvair, Beetle, & Porsche were among the best cars in the world in which to survive a wreck. Why, because in a wreck situation they usually spun around so the wreck occured with the engine between the occupants and the impact. The seatback was in place to reduce back and neck injuries and the gas tank on the front was out of harm's way.

Think about it.

pics?

That camber/toe is crazy. Looks like the wheel is about to part company with the car...

lasttr wrote: I caught this Corvair dicing with a Spitfire at the Columbia River Classics last fall. I've always been tempted by Corvairs, but my wife says something else would have to go.

Andre, the wheel didn't look so strange when the car was standing still....

Nice!! I've found another place where orphans are accepted. Great stuff guys!

Here's the '60 automatic I owned in 1970. My Dad made me buy it after I flipped my VW...he felt it was safer. We were always pulling the motor, doing repairs and swapping seals (it was a leaker). Like most of the cars I owned back then (MGA, TR3, P1800, Bugeye, etc) it was a sub-$300 car that had already been abused and I continued the poor treatment. Too bad; it wasn't really a bad car. By the way, the Falcon in the first snap was a 144 cu inch automatic and was unburstable. The stripes in the second shot were shoepolish and put on when we ran a road rally in Lakewood, NJ.

Rick,

Is that Yenko in your garage?

Ken, The pic was new in '66 in first owners garage. I have the car now. I've had since '87, and am the third owner. The avatar, and the car in my garage on this forum, are both #YS-100.
Rick

Rick,

More pictures please....

I'm really digging this Corvair project. I've long loved them aesthetically, and it seems that without much trouble the handling evils can be worked out. One would think that with the low cg and full independent suspension, it has the potential to be one of the best handling American cars of the time. Are there plans to autocross or otherwise compete in the car?