Well, I don't know if I'm going to keep this or sell it. It's a Chevy, but it's not what everyone else has! I have to admit it's kind of fun to drive. The engine is all fresh, 4 carbs, 4 speed, no rot. Got it for a LOT less than the guy put into the engine and he had all the work done at a shop. Good thing too. I got a look at his tool box and it looked like the kind you would buy your wife to keep her out of trouble. Two new screw drivers, a couple new pliers.. that kind of stuff. I drove it home about 160 miles. Feels funny to drive at first but after the first 100 miles or so, it's kind of fun. Stuck in traffic on I 205 in Portland, going slow enough to talk to the people in cars around you and a couple young blondes were chatting it up with me asking about the car.... Hmm... maybe it's not a bad car!
My buddy in H.S. had one,we cruised all over in that little car.I have a soft spot for the Nadar-mobile's.:laugh: Looks nice,how's the rust?
Wow, that thing is in really great shape. I bet it would look super with some fresh paint. I say keep it as long as you are enjoying driving it.
No rust! After I adjust the valves and lifters I'll drive the tires off of it for a while. I can't imagine me keeping a 4 carb, flat six, rear engine car long though. We'll see. Like I said it's kind of fun to drive and it's a clean rig. Would be a good one to try my first paint job on.
Dude! This is the perfect opportunity to convert that to a Buick 350! My dads cousin did this (but with a sbc) by flipping the original trans/axle assembly around and it bolted to the SBC. It sits in the rear seat area. He hand made the engine cover out of aluminum. Also did the reverse hood scoops himself. But that's what he does for a living too. There are kits you can buy for the swap. Ive even see this done with an Olds Toronado Transmission and 455 in the trunk and retain the rear seat. (a Buick 455 will bolt to that too :laugh: )
You've got to love corvairs a LOT to do that! Might help them to feel a little more stable on the road though by ending up with better balance. Would be fun to fool a couple people though. If A guy wanted more power, the cheap route that would hold it's value would be to pick up a turbo version of the engine. They came with 180 horse. Should be easy enough to mod them to over 200 horse. Just not sure how much fun a real fast version of this car would be.
You're right on that point for sure. As cool as they are I never understood why he loved Corvairs that much to invest that kind of coin. It took him about 5 yrs to complete, bought it as a shell with all the parts in boxes, the last owner lost interest. But the car is flawless, no expense spared.
Those cars have a cult following. You would have no problem selling it if that's what you wanted to do. Shes a solid survivor.
The V8 conversions are/were awesome. They'll out accelerate about anything on the road and out handle most, too if you do it right. Crown conversions in California had a kit to put just about any GM V8 in like this car in the pics. You had to use the 66 and newer transaxles as they were very heavy duty and will take the torque of the big V8's. That kit was very complete and had detailed instructions on where to cut, install the K frame, etc. Since that trans was really a Muncie 4 speed, you changed it to regular case and input gear. I helped a friend at GMPG who put a 350 from his 68 Camaro into his 67. What an awesome car. Total death trap until he ordered the front suspension and steering arms. Then it handled like a sports car. Very fast as it was light. I sold our 66 and our 67 to a company in Lansing that was using the transaxles with a V8 in a kit car they built and sold. They also had a Stock Corvair version and a VW setup. Very neat cars. Fabulous in the snow.
That's insane! I took a quick look at the conversions, I'll look more later. The conversion is built on the 66 and later cars, which I think look better. I can't imagine doing that much work and spending that kind of money on a Corvair though. Would be fun to drive, but I don't think it would be that fun!
Another new toy, Ya might as well keep it! I had a '61 and a '64. I thought they were fun! Damn Ralph Nader... (not really)
Nader didn't kill the Corvair, GM did. The Chevy II was in the same market and used a lot more common parts with other GM cars, and was a much cheaper design. They actually fixed the swing axle concern (BTW, VW had that identical concept and also rolled unexpectedly) for the 64 models, and already had the 66 and newer drivetrain in developmen. 65 used the same transaxle as the 64 even though it was the new body style. We loved driving our 66 and 67 Monzas (both 4 speeds, and winter cars while we stored our new W31). A set of snow tires and you could drive in a foot. A Corsa or Spyder could really be made to run. There was a group in Lansing that drag raced turbo Corvairs in the 11's back then. No traction issues due to weight distribution. Friend Bill finally put his "Corveight" in the ditch one too many times and his wife said "THAT'S IT!" Dirt bike racers have no fear.....LOL
That's one thing that I did learn so far in my knowledge searches on the Corvair. GM had plans to kill the car in '66 but since Nader's book came out they kept it going another three years just because they didn't want it to look like he was right or that the was able to pressure them into dropping the car. I have also learned that there are a lot of corvair forums, but they are mostly full of guys just saying how much they love their corvair and not a lot to be learned so far. I am trying to figure out how to put seat belts in the back for my daughter but the floor is taken up with the tunnel for the controls to go back to the engine and with the heat vents! I also wanted to jack the thing up so I could pull the exhaust and get to the valve covers to adjust the valve / lifters, but I can't find anything that looks like you should jack to! It's a frustrating little rig so far.
Welcome to the club. I just bought a 66 Corvair this past Saturday. I've been wanting to build a 60's nostalgia drag car, possibly straight axle gasser look, and this Corvair is going to be the car for the said project. I bought it from my 85yr old neighbor. He stopped by my house last Thursday and asked if I was into old cars, then went on to tell me about this 66 Corvair he bought for his daughter to drive to college, but she got into some trouble,grades dropped, so he took it away from her and stuck it in a friends old Barn, in 1971:eek2: This thing had a half inch of barn dust on it,four flat tires, and hadn't been out in the sunlight in nearly 40 years. Should be a fun project. 55k miles,the interior is almost mint, a couple dents from the farmers, and very,very minor rust at the base of one windshield pillar(common). I plan on a front engine conversion with a ladder bar rear, and still kicking around the possibliity of a straight axle up front(budget might rule this out) I'll post pics later. Going to call it the NADER HATER:TU:
Yep, I figured out that a corvair sounded like a fun little toy but it's not for me. Feels like a little car and the engine is in the wrong spot. My favorite car is a 65 Skylark but I can love a lot of cars. Buick, Chevy, Ford, even some mopars but they have to be based on a normal configuration and the normal upgrades have to work on them. It just seems too much like one of those rear engine Murray lawn mowers. Should have a recoil start and a mowing deck on it. The lawn mower may be quicker though...... After I decided to sell this car, I found another 65. With a 350 in it. I should be able to afford it if this car sells in time.
