Corvair VS 914

I have never been around Corvairs, but I know a bit about 914s. What do you guys think? I think they both need to be subaru powered to live at my house. The 914 may fit in my garage better. VS

Yes. (BTW you posted two pics of the same Corvair instead of one of a 914).

As cool and unique as the Corvair motor is, Subaru power sounds like an interesting idea for that car. Would you leave it rear engine or make it mid, a la FF 818? The one in your photo appears to have a grill and hood vent 00 must have a water cooled motor in it -- maybe one of the mid-engine SBC conversions.

I don't know if I'd change the 914's motor but there's an LS1 swap in one that runs Time Trials locally.

I prefer 914s to Corvairs, but I'm a p-car nut, so take that with a grain of salt.

Aesthetically the Corvair wins hands down. One of the best cars of the 1960s in my opinion.

snipes wrote: I have never been around Corvairs, but I know a bit about 914s. What do you guys think?

Whoever wins, we lose.

NB: I saw a 914 once in person, used to bike past Battenhouse's Corvair shop (dunno how famous it is outside of locally) and I just drove a '62 Tempest which is kind of a front engined Corvair.

Boy, apples and oranges. The Porsche has significantly more performance potential, but in my eyes is either an underperforming Porsche or a Volkswagen with delusions of grandeur. Whereas the Corvair is like that dude or chick who always had it going on, but wasn't assertive enough to be the popular one. At least the Porsche is already a middie, whereas the corvair's going to require a lot more to accommodate that mill, whether it's in rear configuration (engine rotates wrong way and a reverse direction ring/pinion is expensive), or mid (the motor would end up right below the rear window).

But don't let me dissuade you. I figure anybody that starts and finishes a motor swap is already in a select class of individual

Corvair is heavy

Aesthetically, this Corvair wins hands down. I have no depth on the potential of either - but damn. That is one sweet looking car.

You guys ever hear of a Yenko Stinger? I race vintage and they are very fast. In the hands of a competent driver they outrun a 914 all day and are just about even with a 911. The 914 might have a little more handling due to weight (not as much as you would think) and mid engine design but a properly setup Vair will make it an unfair fight. As with most race cars, the driver makes the difference. If you are talking street then it really doesn't matter for a few pounds. Yenko Stinger

bentwrench wrote: Corvair is heavy

In what respect?

Compared to a 914? Yeah.

In general? No.

In reply to TxCoyote:

Yes many of us know about Stingers. You can make any late model couple be as competent as a Stinger. I knew a couple people who raced Stingers, they are awesome to see on the track.

How to make a 914 more awesome? Add 911 engine

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: In reply to TxCoyote: Yes many of us know about Stingers. You can make any late model couple be as competent as a Stinger. I knew a couple people who raced Stingers, they are awesome to see on the track.

I'm building a Stinger replica now. It'll be a 3 year project but when you strip it all down as a track car, the weight difference to a 914 is minimal. And Synthetic Blinker fluid, you are right Stingers are awesome on the track.

Other than the 'berkeley you Nader' factor of the Corvair, I've never really been a fan of the coupe. The van and pick up are more on my radar, I suppose.

I asked about the 914 last week, given the high entry price of the 911/912 projects. I would choose the 914, especially for a swap. IIRC, there was a SHO powered 914 at the Challenge a couple of years back.

sorry... I could not swap either to watercooled unless they were already badly rotted to begin with.

Relative to Vairs being heavy, it depends on your frame of reference. A late coupe, dead stock, weighs around 2600 pounds - not a Lotus and way heavier than a 914, but not far off from a New MINI, and my '89 MR2 weighs 2400. It's really easy to pull significant weight off. The stock seats are particularly heavy. Back in the stone ages when we were rallying a '66 turbo, the car weighed in at 2200 pounds complete with full tank of gas, roll cage, big skid plates (6061 aluminum), lights, full glass windows, steel 14 x 7 wheels with heavy tires (205/70-14 BFG M+S) and a spare tire. You should be able to get a nice street Vair down to that without too much trouble, or a CP autocross car down to around 2000 pounds with light wheels,no spare, small battery, no bumpers, gutted hood/trunk bracing, etc.

With today's carb/injection and manifolding technology and options, you should also be able to make some real power. Disadvantages relative to a 914 are the mass hanging out the back (gee, like a 911) and the fact that the car is pretty big. Porsche pushers work around the rear mass thing, so similar actions can take care of that.

How to make a Vair more awesome? Add LSx.

I've owned both in stock form.

The Corvair is a compact family car and drives like one, the 914 is a Porsche and drives like one. Both are badly flawed in their bone stock form, both respond very well to performance modifications.

IF I ever buy another Corvair, it'll be a 1960 four door. WHEN I buy another Porsche, it'll be a 914.

im still plotting a 914 build in my head.

it wins over the vair simply because of lust, ive never driven one, and it has a targa top.

having driven a turbo vair through the mountains of tenessee for a weekend (someone elses car i was working on. stone freaking stock) i was impressed, but only because it was so compenent for what it was. even on stupid cheap no name radials. it was also the first rear engined car id ever driven. and my daily at the time was an 88 1 ton ram on 38's with a snowplow. so take that frame of reference with a grain of salt.

"having driven a turbo vair through the mountains of tenessee for a weekend . . . i was impressed."

That's the thing, everyone has a memory or read something and saw something involving either of the the cars in a special state of tune or a rare example. A set-up turbo Corvair is nothing at all like a stock two door, four door, or wagon. Soft suspension, non-supportive seats, loose vague shifter, huge steering wheel, un-tuned suspension, etc. If the turbo Corvair was impressive, what about a turbo 914. Finding either in turbo trim, or paying the money for the modifications is very different from the original cars in their everyday clothes, you know?

It may even come down to a prejudiced for or against either car, but stock, as they sit. That's the only comparison that's valid, and it makes a Corvair a tough sell against the 914.

I cannot disagree with your complaints about the corvair. The one I drove was a mostly origonal (not survivor, but close) turbo monza or spyder. Dont remember which. Completely factory stock. It was impressive for what it was. As a car of that eriod with radials being the only non stock deviation it handled and drove well, better than my truck. Not nearly as well as either of my pro-touring cars though. Or as well as my Mazda. I have not driven a 914 yet, so I have no experience there.

TxCoyote wrote: You guys ever hear of a Yenko Stinger? I race vintage and they are very fast. In the hands of a competent driver they outrun a 914 all day and are just about even with a 911. The 914 might have a little more handling due to weight (not as much as you would think) and mid engine design but a properly setup Vair will make it an unfair fight. As with most race cars, the driver makes the difference. If you are talking street then it really doesn't matter for a few pounds. Yenko Stinger

Hmmm, even a 914-6??

The biggest problem for the Porsche is engine access... it isn't easy...

Is this question only regarding Subaru swaps? Might be easier for 914s since kits probably exist in some form. Corvairs would require some extra finagling in the form of an additional trans swap or reversing the engine rotation. Or could you flip the Corvair transmission over for mid engine Subaru power ala Crown V8 kits? My vote for Corvair is purely subjective based on looks and nostalgia.

The subarugears.com solution is ideal for the Corvair but not inexpensive. In a 914 I would just use a FWD Subaru trans and eschew any adapters. The CCW rotation problem is a bit of a wrench in the works. Same issue with my 850.

Both cars are cool. The 'vair is one of the only GM products that I really, REALLY like and want to own an example of.

oldeskewltoy wrote:

TxCoyote wrote: You guys ever hear of a Yenko Stinger? I race vintage and they are very fast. In the hands of a competent driver they outrun a 914 all day and are just about even with a 911. The 914 might have a little more handling due to weight (not as much as you would think) and mid engine design but a properly setup Vair will make it an unfair fight. As with most race cars, the driver makes the difference. If you are talking street then it really doesn't matter for a few pounds. Yenko Stinger

Hmmm, even a 914-6?? The biggest problem for the Porsche is engine access... it isn't easy...

I would say yes but there could be a lot of variables. If you look at the latest Mitty, there were 3 Vairs (in 2 classes) and 5-6 914/6's I saw. I haven't looked at the lap times yet but that should be a good indicator.

oldeskewltoy wrote: The biggest problem for the Porsche is engine access... it isn't easy...

Certainly not a problem with the Vair. We had one lose an engine at an autos one…as in the bolt fell out and it was bouncing off the pavement.