I know, I know, I have a couple projects. Ok, I have a bunch of projects. But this one has a good reason, it has a backseat. With the birth of my second child, it was again brought to the surface that I have 0 cars with more than 2 seats. Originally I was building the 12 spoke bug for this job, but I found out you can’t fit a forward facing booster in a stock bug seat, let alone a rear facing baby seat, and I am gonna wind up with intrusive wheel tubs in it too. So back to the drawing board. Luckily my buddy Mike had just the ticket. He bought this 1969 Rambler American 440 Wagon as a project car, and then he found a nicer one, that he built and put 38,000 miles on over 10 years. So this one sat as a parts car. Until now. Or last year... well, you'll see. I picked it up from Mikes place last summer, and it sat outside for a little while, until I could dig out a massive space for it in my shop. It makes my shop feel really, really small. I started a front suspension conversion using stock mustang II parts, and stock rambler pickup locations, and was making good progress, but ran into issues with springs, and I decided it wasn’t going to be low enough with the stock crossmember. This height was basically maxed out as low as it would go, and it couldn't turn very far. so I dealed my way into an aftermarket MII Crossmember, a set of tubular uppers, and picked up a set of MII coilovers on sale. Then I got a little gun-shy on throwing the money at a set of spindles, rotors, calipers, tubular lowers, ect, ect. So it sat in the back of my shop for almost a year, upper left of this photo. Still unsure what to do, But now with two kids, It was in the back of my mind to figure out the front suspension. I had gotten so far as to price out all the pieces I needed, and was keeping up a search on marketplace. Then a buddy came to me with a deal.
My buddy offered me A front clip for helping him with some minor paint work on his truck. It was supposedly a MII, but when I went to pick it up, it was a definitely not. But it had big disc brakes and chevy bolt pattern, so my wheels would fit, and it was pretty clean, so I took it. It wound up it was a corvair. So after more mental debate I decided I would gut it, and start over with the corvair front clip. It’s got a lot of the same geometry as the stock setup for a mustang II and packages well. This meant it was time to dig out the wagon. so I pulled everything into the driveway, then turned the wagon around. I threw an old wheel up to see what it could look like. we finally got it stuck inside, but I had to use the roof for storage still. I tore right into the front clip, taking all the modified MII stuff off the driver side, and the stock rambler stuff off the passenger side. Soon it was looking like a clean slate. I plan on installing a SBC and T5 in it, I helped Mike put his wagon together over 10 years ago now, and it worked perfectly set up with the same drivetrain (I probably should have just bought his). Luckily I still have a foam block at my house, so I could easily determine the motor placement. It looks like it will have enough clearance from the ground while still barely clearing the hood. once I started figuring out what I would need to do to with the front clip, I figured I needed to have an idea of optimal track width. So mockup it is. Stock corvair is about 58-9 wide, and I found it would like around 54 inches, so I naturally decided to take out 5-3/8 inches. In a change of pace, I parted out a 4x4 ’90 blazer awhile back (for yet ANOTHER project) and salvaged the near mint interior out of it. So even though the seats are a little ugly, they have that signature 1990’s GM comfort. I'm using a super simple gm steering column, to get rid of the automatic Rambler column, and put a stock style gm wheel on it. I’m also gonna see if I can combine the blazer rear seat with the very similar rambler seat to retain the fold down functionality of the original, but with the blazer foam and covering. This project is staying firmly low buck, but I plan on trying to incorporate as many creature comforts as possible, so i've been looking at things ive never done before, like incorporating cruise control, power steering, and AC, among other things. . Next I start hacking. .
I started by clipping the front crossmember in half and taking 5 3/8 out of it. As you can see from the engine in place, I’m sizing up another 2 barrel intake for it. It may get the carb off the T roadster if I get the four carb manifold on it soon enough. I then started slicing into the Strut-type-towers, and figured before I cut too much I should add some structure. Now that I have structure in it, I started slicing a big enough hole to fit the upper A-arm through. So full mockup again, with half the crossmember. Once I’ve mounted it fully, I’ll box it all in with plate. Then I cut the driver side strut tower out, and welded the crossmember together into one piece. After figuring out where I thought I needed to have the front clip, I did a bunch of measuring and tweaking to get it as square as possible. Then I put some tacks in, and installed a brace to tack it to the center support Then it was back to another mockup. this time, with no wood blocks holding the crossmember! Its a little further forward, but it has really good steering clearance. It puts the upper A arms at a little steep of an angle, but I have a couple ideas for that. It may move back a half inch and up another smidge. we'll see. . .
It'll be interesting to see how the Corvair front end does, with all that weight on it. It sure wasn't designed to have an engine sitting on top of it. Fun project!
Guys have been doing it for a long time, and I've talked to quite a few people that say they ride great. My coilovers from the MII stuff bolt right on, so I have that option, and once I build it into the front structure, it should be stout. In another note, I recall you've had experience with cruise control right?
Hopefully it'll work out ok. Yeah, I've been installing cruise controls in my junk for over 40 years....
I've used the old GM stock ones that had the two speedometer cables to them, they didn't work very well when they got old. I've also used the Perfect Circle/Rostra cruise, starting in the 80s when they had the vacuum connection on the brake pedal... currently the only one available seems to be the Rostra Globalcruise, which is also sold by the companies you mentioned, but Rostra is who makes it. You can get it from Summit, there are probably other distributors too. They're getting a little expensive like everything else, but then the one you could buy in the 80s was $100, so I guess they're just keeping up with inflation over the decades. You need to get a control and speed sensor, as well as the cruise unit. The Globalcruise I have has been in a bunch of cars, it's in my 62 Vette now, and working reasonably well. It doesn't work as well as modern OEM cruise, or even as well as the older designs when they are set up right. But it doesn't require vacuum, which makes installation easier. There are some tricks to getting it working well, though.
These folks have all the parts, if needed, to refresh the Corvair front suspension: https://ssl.corvair.com/user-cgi/main Their catalog shows how to determine if your unit is early or later generation by how the front shock mounts.
I had a slice of time in the shop last night so I cut loose the front clip after supporting it on blocks again. I moved it back 3/8 inch and up about 1” Once I got it squared up again, I set to tacking the crossmember back in. The side view is much better now, with it further away from the front of the fender, and with the crossmember one inch higher, it makes the angle of the upper A arms less extreme. I also spaced the wheel out just a little to clear the disc brake caliper, and it made my steering angle just a little bit better. still remains to be seen what steering box I use for this, but there's pretty much no chance the tires are gonna rub. and it looks killer too. I am planning out a trip for this Saturday to pick up a bumper, and some coils for my MII coilovers. I have a lot of welding to do. .
Hummph... I like it. Isn't that the same (basic)body style as the S/CRambler? I'm thinking a replica scoop, red/white/blue paint & you're in like Flynn. Interior color-matching can come later. What the factory *could've*(probably should've) done. Too bad I didn't know about this project, I'd offered (cheap - as in the complete vocabulary of a low-priced parrot. Or traded for something...) a ~'81 AMC Eagle Kammback. Good 258, toss in the '89Jeep 4.0L H.O. head assbly, maybe even the rebuilt trans + t/c(also loads of other AMC parts that could be utilized actually); n you're wailing... Don't forget the lower arm strut, iirc, 'vair had them pointing front. But I don't remember the inner lower arm being strong enough to be used w/o that lower brace. Maybe I'm wrong, I'll watch n learn. Very nice project. . Marcus...
It is the same Body style, but I've never liked those. And its gonna stay patina-ed up for now. I have two kids, I don't need paint stress. thanks for the offer, but I'm picking up a free 305 chevy, and I'm gonna use the T5 I just took out of my roadster. If you look close, the lower strut arms are still there, they point to the rear on a corvair, and are all tied into the crossmember. that's also how you adjust caster in the front end, so it has to be there. .
thanks buddy, not as sophisticated as your elco, but in the same vein of thought. I want my wife to WANT to drive this thing. Bingo buddy. wait till we get to the creature comforts...
Paint: = solid bright colors, brush it w/an inhibitor added to slow drying. . No, not farm-paint, just enamel. Might not even have to do bodywork.(For me, I've grown tired of rust, & old paint rubbing off on me n my clothes if I get near it. & I hate that look, anyways - but that's just me). Not all that expensive, & then "Who in "H" really cares?" if it gets a scratch. Or 3... . & to really mess w/'em, brush-on some clear for the "depth n shine" effect... Hahhahhaha... . Marcus...
Yeah that was my attempt at a comedy joke, just riffing on Joey's truly epic topless and front brakeless Model T journeys.
Got a few minutes to work on it last night, had some visitors in the shop for a bit, and didn't get started very early. I decided I was gonna start filling in the holes. so first step was a multi piece paper pattern I made the top part but then remembered that I had to get the a-arm through the hole. I used the passenger side that is still mocked up to get an idea of how high I could put the filler. and roughly cut out: It looks like it fits worse than it actually does, I have to get it shifted a specific way and do a little trimming to make it sit nicer. And right after I drew the above sharpie marks on where to trim the plate, my angle grinder decided to take a dump. It was only sometimes running when I hit the switch. I took it apart to see if it was a rebuildable part and I cant find anything wrong with it, and when I stuck it back together it didn't work at all. So I'll have to buy another one of those today. but progress is progress. .
Since it looks like the lower is going to be fairly flat, but the upper is angled a lot up and out, would it be possible to cut and lift the 'hat' so the upper mount is more aligned? Maybe source another hat and weld it on top?
well, actually, the main reason that the upper arms are so angled, is because the spindles have been swapped for chevelle spindles. a common swap for these front ends, but it comes with a taller spindle height. I'm currently looking at aftermarket "short spindles" to see if they would help. It will work in its current configuration, so for now it will stay as is. if I needed to I would add tabs above where the current upper arms attach rather than raise the whole hat.
This last weekend was eventful, with me and Kid #1 going on her first long distance parts run. As you can see we picked up springs for the mustang 2 coilovers I'm using for the front of the rambler. I also picked up a rear bumper, which could be used as a front or a back depending if I found another nicer bumper or not. currently my rear bumper is homely, but still better than the non-existent front bumper. now I'm on hold while cleaning for company this weekend. but If I need a place to relax for a minute, it sure is comfy. more progress next week probably. .
A long spindle isn't bad, but that arm isn't good. I went looking for a typical A arm suspension figure and came across this. You seem to be a smart fella, so maybe you have all this under your hat. If not, hope it helps. https://dsportmag.com/the-tech/education/find-your-center-an-intro-to-suspension-geometries/
oh I agree its not optimal, but I was just saying it would drive with it set up this way. the tall spindle is the instigation of the problem, since the bottom control arms are pretty much flat in their current placement. but if I cant figure anything else out, a set of braced tabs above the current set would solve it.
The Jalopy Journal
