What are the pros and cons of the corvairs??

Haha, OK point taken. I'm not the most educated on Corvairs. But when I come here, I look to see traditional customs and rods, and period race pieces. Not lowered Corvairs with mags, etc. Sure they may have handled better than the other GM and Ford barges of the era, and rightfully they should, they're a "sports car" as opposed to a full size sedan. Personally speaking, If I wanted a sports car of the era, I'd go for a Corvette. At least it's an American car being American as opposed to trying to be something else.

I just don't see how a Corvair, absent extensive mechanical modification or otherwise, fits into anything on topic here

 

I think Corvairs are a inexpensive way to learn about cars. I have a couple of '65 Corsa 140 models that I am building into one car. I personally think the late model Corvair (65-69) have a better body style than the early Camaros. One thing I have found about Corvair owners, they are a quirkey, dedicated bunch of car people, not unlike the people that come on here. lots of resources on the web for the Corvairs also, www.corvaircenter.com is a good place, and when you buy the car join CORSA, the owners club, it a valuble resource and it help point you to your local Corvair club.
Let me know if you dont buy it, I might be interested, I've always wanted a truck.

 

Wow, love'em or hate'em, no middle options. Thanks for the input, so far it seems like parts availability is kinda poor. Could be a cool ride to haul the bikes around in,however, I drive an Edsel wagon so what do I know about cool.

 

didnt know they made trucks. cant wait to see pic. local guy had a convert years ago. only one i ever saw in the flesh. cool car.

 

Really ?? wow now thats um....yeah

 

Kinda strange, isn't it?

Like a vegetarian giving advise about a Steak House Menu...

 

Corvairs are great cars! I have had four, still have a 1965 Corsa turbo convertible. They are just as American as any other GM car, in fact GM came up with the 6 cyl boxer motor before Porsche. As with the other advice given regarding correct seals and gaskets, make sure the strut rod bushings in the rear are good. A bad one makes for an evil handling car, just like a Corvette. And the bushing is the same as a corvette. A tweak here and a tweak there and they can hold their own with most. Most "bad handling cars" are a result of a bad nut holding on the steering wheel.

 

Pro: They don't make 'em anymore.
Con: Engine is in the wrong end.

 

and......... a whole lot of people, including me, never-ever wanted one, edit- as a daily driver family car. -edit;

Lots of success with the motor. I had a friend in '68 that put one in his VW camper-bus, got that hippy-wagon down the road at left-lane speeds.

 

The later cars are very nice handling! They have a great ride quality for what they are, and they are easy to work on.

The early cars did have the swing-arm problems if you got the car really crazy, but they, too are pretty good little cars.

Far as the trucks/Greenbriar vans go, my Dad had one when I was a kid. He had that maybe two years, because from new, it was a complete piece of shit. That thing always smelled of gasoline. I'm no fan of the Corvair trucks and vans. I'd own a car, though.

ALL of them love to mark their territory!

 

in 1963, I built a 1960 corvair engine, bored out the exhaust to make it straight to the hedders that I built. Milled the intake manifold off, and welded a straight flat 1/2" plate on, then built a log manifold to hold 4 rochester 2 barrels. Clay Smith 280 cam,
11-1 Jahns Pistons. I forgot the valves, 1 1/2" corvette exhaust for intake and F-85 Olds exhaust. I made an aluminum flywheel
and had it bronze hard surfaced, and put it in a Porsche Speedster. 142 MPH. about 13.00 flat in the 1/4.
very inpressive machine.

 

Could you tell us a little more about that?

I think that is Info I could use...

 

sure they do, they make cool little customs, same as any early 60's ride, maybe bellflower style even... I really don't see how you could think they wouldn't be on topic.

 

I think they look cool as hell..especially done up in race gear..
Dont know much about them ..but i heard that they suffered from bad understeer? or was it oversteer? cant remember..but im sure it was one of those deals where once you got to know the handeling of that car..you pretty much knew how to, or how not to drive it.

oh and Ralf was a dick..like who the F was he anyways to say what was dangerous and what was not..just another dipshit the government listened to because he yelled louder than others at that time?

 

I originally had the flywheel hard anodized, but it didn't last long, there was a place in Oakland by Bruces tire co that did metal spray, and they sprayed the clutch surface with bronze.
I then had to machine it, but it worked fine after that.

 

Ralph Nadar...political opportunist and pro bureaucracy advocate. If he had his way...



I drove a buddies corvair monza spyder turbo. awsome ride

 

Cool.

I'll have to find out if there is anybody doing that around here...

Thanks.

 

I saw this little late-type coupe at a road race I attended last summer. It was brutally fast...sbc in the backseat!

 

Grab it..............good support for parts/tech.................ain't too many rampsides around...................

 

Snag it...........can be different, useful & fun!

 

I had a ramp side in the late 60's a kick to drive it spun out twice on me the second time in the rain messed up my shorts and I sold it to a stoner who was f...ed up all the time and always thought he was doing 65 when he was trucking about 20... he never had a problem....but about the fan belt they will never break if you carry an extra one at all times, they only break if you don't have one when you're driving at night and 50 miles from a station........

 

I figured. Kind of like my nephew; he's never eaten carrots, but he knows that they're no good. Everyone to his own taste, but don't base opinions on National Enquirer type "evidence". As for them not belonging in a pre-1965 forum, what makes Falcons and Valiants all right? Front engines? Better not see any talk about them Tuckers on here either! Goddamned commie cars!

 

For the record, carrots are in fact, no good.

Corvairs however are awesome. They'll totally get you laid. She might be a little nerdy, but hey, some of us go for that librarian look.

Convert to a late model electric fan and alternator to put the belt in one plane of motion and increase engine cooling without charging issues. Don't look back.

Good luck!

 

i quit reading after the 30th reply, so forgive me if i repeat something.

my first car (in '67 or '68) was a 64 monza; 2-dr; 4-sp; etc.

later on i had a '66 corvette; roadster w/ both tops; 4-sp; etc.

i've had a ton of other cars over the years.

only the corvette would out corner the corvair.

i'd have another someday if all the stars lined up just right.

the ramp-sides are cool. i'd snag a good bodied one in a heartbeat.

 

heres a pic of one near me

 

You're biased; Iowa is more into corn.

 

this is the coolest one i've ever seen...awesome.

 

Go ahead and grab the rampside. It will make you a cool shop truck. I drove a 66 coupe in college in the early 80s. It had a 455 Oldsmobile motor stuffed into the back seat. I never lost a race on the street. I sold it when I got married and the guy won't sell it back to me.

 

That is COOL!!!

 

When I was younger, my mom told me her and my father almost rolled a corvair and that was when I learned about nader. Corvairs are cool, especially gasser style

I own a '62 pontiac tempest and it has the "a arm coil over shock rear suspension rear transmission gm pot smoking let's try this and see how it works" set up. And it handles better than any car I own. The gm experimental cars are fun. I still have the slant 4 cyl engine too. Damn commie cars