Event Coverage The Corvair Adventure

Jim,Is the back of the car black with oil,I know my old corvair sure got nasty with all the leaking oil. HRP

 

In 1971, the dam actually had tours, and we were lucky enough to get the tour through the complete complex, including the inspection tunnels. The story of building that dam is really interesting. We were driving the same truck as in the avitar, with the 396, and a camper. The other great part of the trip, was that I was still able to drive on pieces of Route 66.

 

Squirrel, I noticed on your seat repair you left the seal on it, are you planning to return it?

 

Not to hijack the thread. You can't see from the highway but it has a foot bridge you can walk out on.

They say it's a 900 drop under the span of the new bridge, it's cool.

View each way.

Cliff Ramsdell

 

We ain't got no QT gas stations around here, so I guess that's our problem. Just disappointed that I didn't see a news photo of hundreds of spectators staring up to the same spot in the sky all wearing the same Groucho glasses.

 

The back of the car is covered with oil.

Anyways...more fun today. Half way from Flagstaff to Phoenix, I smelled a little burning something, and then the GEN light went on. I stopped, because I thought maybe the fan bearing had locked up or something. Looked at it, all looks well, belt was still on. I removed the belt to see if something was seized, everything spun nicely. But the back of the generator looked funny inside, like a brush came out of it's holder.

I thought a minute, then disconnected the wires to the voltage regulator, and taped them up. I put the belt back on. Started it up, it seemed like all was well back there, but the gen light was still on of course. I have a little cigarette lighter plug voltmeter, it showed that the solar panel was keeping the battery above 13v (it was around 3 pm). I decided to see if I could make it to my son's house, before dark. Google maps said traffic was about 15 minutes slow, which is not too bad, I had 83 miles to go.

I made it! I'll tinker with the generator tonight, and probably just leave it as is if I can't fix it. And drive to Tucson in the morning after traffic clears up, and the sun is up in the sky.

My brother wants to buy the car, so I'll leave it at his house in Tucson, and have my wife come get me.

 

Great story! Thanks Squirrel.

 

I don't think I'm fixing this generator...

 

that last pic "generates" memories of failing generators - your brother will have time to source a replacement - on eBay and others

 

OUCH! Either your stereo system put too much of a load on it or your solar panel was back-feeding it.

Or maybe it was THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN!

 

That's just about what I saw in the last generator I had on a hot rod in 1967, and I said , and I quote: "Piss on this, I'm using alternators from here on out on any vehicle that the generator fails". Never again replaced a generator with another generator. We put the one wire Mopar with the itty bitty cutout relay on everything you can imagine.

 

On the last leg of the trip , and you didn't even have to clean the oil off the back...what fun .

 

If the solar back fed the generator wouldn't that motor it and help push the car along?

 

That generator looks original....lousy junk generator, only lasted 53 years! Your lucky you got as far as you did since it looks like you left home with worn out brushes that started arcing and burned up the commutator.

 

That sounds like an accurate assessment.

Except it is stamped rebuilt.

 

Ah, Corvairs and generators. Takes me back. Came home one aftertnoon, parked my '63 convert in the driveway, went inside to make a call, and thankfully looked out the window: black smoke pouring thru the decklid vents. Ran outside, opened the lid, there was the generator spinning like mad--the black smoke was the burning belt. Yanked the battery cable and that was that. Went to work the next day--Market Street Shell--and installed an alternator.

What a GREAT trip, Squirrel. Thanks for bringing us all along!

...still think you should have tried the Columbus trick at the eclipse...

 

Jim, You probably weren't far from here when the generator crapped out . Bad luck zone this year...Forest fires, floods ,etc.
Damn, you're a driving fool ... 800 miles or so since 10:30 am ,Monday ?

 

First thing I did was toss the generator for an alternator. You need a late model oil filler if you do. Very cool that the solar panel worked out. It's a hybrid now!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Thanks for the ride la... Er Jim!

 

I had thought about heading to Jerome to see the place and maybe say hi, but it was a bit too far off the path. Then the generator died...and I was thinking about that I know someone in the area if I couldn't figure out how to fix it.

 

Hi Jim.All fun things must come to an end,as does this road trip adventure.Thanks for the ride along.May you have many more safe and happy ones in the future.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

kind of pricey, but probably in stock.
http://www.corvair.com/user-cgi/search.cgi?part=C2058N

NAPA and Rock Auto kind of stalled when it came to generators.

Summit racing clams they can ship a $413 replacement 1 wire 90 amp today
1963 CHEVROLET CORVAIR Powermaster PowerGEN Alternators 82051

Summit is taking a serious run at being a "parts" store it seems.

 

Jim,Have you checked to see if there is a alternator/generator repair shop in the area?

We have several here in our town.

Maybe a tractor shop.HRP

 

Clark's Corvair Parts sells a conversion kit: http://www.corvair.com/user-cgi/catalog.cgi?function=goto&catalog=MAIN&section=MAIN&page=84A

Uh, no relation...

 

My cousin found a Marvel oil jar that feed into the intake . So he hooks it up , he starts his corvair and it sucked a quart of Marvel oil into the engine . We couldn't see took a day or so for the exhaust to clear up . Good Times lol
Good Luck at the race . I'll be cheering for you in spirit .

 

I made it to Tucson, and dropped the car off at my brother's house. My wife picked me up and is taking me the last 75 miles home. With ac.



The solar panel will keep the car running OK for local driving. It's already paid for. Generators can get expensive, but David can probably score one for free if he asks enough people.

 

What an amazing trip! Thanks for taking us along.

 

Always good to get home, that was a heck of a trip. How many miles total do you figure?

 

Right around 5000 miles

 

In 1965, rebuilt generators were $9.95 and rebuilt carbs were $14.95 with core trade in..... what happened?