zoomx2
Reader
7/12/09 5:54 p.m.
I have had some serious car ADD going on for a few months now and I am half-heartedly searching for a new project. The thread about Cars that you let down got me thinking about a '64 2-door Monza that I had in HS. When I bought that car I didn't know a thing about them and got pretty lucky with the purchase. Now that I am older and (a little) wiser I want to research and get the best car that will suit my purposes. The car will be a '64 convertible because a '64 is what my old one was and the wife wants a drop-top. So my questions are what do I look for and what do I run away from? Which motor/trans to look for?
I want to build this car w/ my 10yo son and plan on keeping it long enough to pass down to him when the time is right. Hopefully he can learn some skills along the way.
I also want to autocross it a few times a year so some updating will be necessary. I don't want to do any engine swaps (unless still in the Corvair family), but do want to make the brakes/wheels/suspension/electrics more modern. Any advice?
Any good sites for info/inspiration? I've already checked out Corsa and Clark's Corvair parts and some other personal ones. Anybody got a good link or pic?
Thanks for any info......
Tom Heath
Production Editor
7/12/09 6:17 p.m.
CORSA is a great resource. When I was doing research for the story on Warren Leveque's ex-factory racing Corvair for the most recent issue of Classic Motorsports, I found a lot of cool stuff on his site...
/http://levair.com/
Warren is a super nice guy, and had a lot of insight (after racing them for 30+ years) into how to make them work their best.
The Corvair community seems to be a really friendly bunch, too. They're having a national convention this week about an hour from GRM HQ, so I'm going to head up Thursday to check it out. I'll keep my eyes open for more sources.
I know ~zip~ about Corvairs, but isn't CORSA the bunch that has a yearly competition where they set vacuum cleaners on fire by sucking gasoline through them?
I went to a new junk yard this morning and there were three, yes three Corvairs sitting right next to each other. All pretty well picked over but there were still a few good parts to be had. One looked like it had a flat six in it. Did they even come with a six? Anyway, it just reaffirms why I love going to junk yards.
Oh by the way............I sort of have a thing for Corvairs too. Everybody else wants a big block Chevelle or Camaro, I want a nice turbo Corvair.
That would be a cool project for you and your son to do. You can work on it together for a few years and then when hes old enough to drive....it will be ready.
Corvair center is a good message board for Corvairs. I ordered some parts from clarks corvair parts and always had good service. 1964 is the best year for early cars because it has a transverse leaf spring in the rear and the hp increased although the increase wasn't advertised until 1965 when they went to the newer body. There would be a power glide, 4 speed and 5 speed available. I would look for a 110hp engine for a nice driver but there are also 150hp or 180hp turbo engine as well as some others na ones.
Woody wrote:
They all had flat sixes.
And were one of the few (if not the only) where the fanbelt operates in two planes...
ratghia wrote: There would be a power glide, 4 speed and 5 speed available.
Do you mean 3 speed and 4 speed?
Real quickly:
early models had 145 cu. in. engines 1960 - 1963, the '64 and all late models had 164 cu. in.
Early models had three engine power levels, the low-power (which you don't want) called the "turbo-air", the high-output called the "super turbo-air" at 98 or 102 hp, and the Spyder (an option on the '62 and '63 Monza, separate model in '64) which was the turbo, rated at 150 hp in both 145 and early 164 cu in versions. Because of the wierd factory engine designations, lots of people who have an old Vair and don't know much about them think they have a turbo because the decal says "turbo-air" when they actually have a low compression, 80 hp engine.
Because of common engine swaps, the later engine HP ratings are 110 for the 2-carb super turbo air and 180 hp for the turbo. Late models also had an optional 4-carb engine rated at 140 hp. You may find any of these in an early model.
Transmissions were 3-speed and 4-speed manual or a 2-speed powerglide automatic. No 5-speeds. The 4-speed is a nice-shifting box, avoid the automatic. 1963 only had an optional 3.08 final drive option that makes for a slow accelerating car, but great gas mileage. These are rare as hen's teeth today. I had one back then, traded it in on a new 2002.
The '64 has the best early suspension. Use the reproduction factory HD suspension package if you can, with good shocks, and add aftermarket quick-ratio steering arms because the factory regular ratio was around 5 turns lock-to-lock.
A nicely done 64 convert will appreciate in value - better find one now, rust-free (more or less) examples are getting hard to find.
For autocrossing, a late model is a better choice with its fully independent rear suspension.
Vairs are great - enjoy!
Forgot to mention - Clarks is great, so is the Oregon Corvair Underground. Be sure to check out the Classic Motorsports article Tom mentions on the Bill Thomas/Doug Roe - Warren LeVeque car, it's great. This car is a legend among Vair fans (pun intended). I still have a couple of old Sports Car Graphics with event coverage of Arizona hillclimbs where Doug took overall wins over Cobras (although I think these were with his earlier, non-Bill Thomas cars). Warren builds beautiful cars, and from what I hear talking to folks who have seen his restoration of the orange Roe/Thomas car, it's a beauty!
stuart in mn wrote:
ratghia wrote: There would be a power glide, 4 speed and 5 speed available.
Do you mean 3 speed and 4 speed?
Yes, I meant 3 and 4 there was never a 5 speed.
Jensenman wrote:
I know ~zip~ about Corvairs, but isn't CORSA the bunch that has a yearly competition where they set vacuum cleaners on fire by sucking gasoline through them?
The internet declares you
correct.
Osterkraut wrote:
The internet declares you
correct.
From the aforementioned site
No, the Flaming Vacuum Cleaner competition was probably a good thing. I want to stress, however, that it was also a very dangerous thing, not to be attempted by amateurs. Remember that the guys who did it were not ordinary, untrained civilians: They were Corvair enthusiasts. And they took certain critical safety precautions, such as rigging up a public address system.
Fluffy, lightweight Corvair article in our local paper yesterday.
The Chicago Tribune