Corvair Gassers, Got any Pictures?

Well I got the start of a new project today. '63 Monza Coupe body. I have been wanting to put together a little drag project and this kind of fell in my lap. Probably end up w/ SBC in the front.

Haven't picked it up yet but will post pics when I do. Perfect for what I want, no motor, rusty floors but rest of body is pretty good. All the glass is good and has a clear title.

I know I have seen these done so if anyone has pics I would love to see them.

Thanks in advance.

GV

 

While I saw a good number of Corvair powered gassers in the lower gas classes, they could not run as a gasser with the engine in the front. If the car was running at an NHRA event back n the day, it would be classified as an "Altered". But I think where you are going here is to a period funny car, as the early funnies all had doors that opened and closed like regular cars. These competed for just a few years until the flip top Murcury's changed the sport forever. I'd build it as an early funny/exhibition car.
I'm sure guys will get on this enmass, with Haydn Profitt, Doug Thorley, Tom Strum, and countless others, including Malcom Durham's if I'm not mistaken, Corvair funny photos.

 

There was one featured in the magazines in the 70's...coulda been HotRod but it was mounted on a shortened 55 Chevy frame,sort of a street freak car...I always thought it was pretty cool maybe someone has some pics of it they could post?

 

Probably should have said "gasser style" Corvairs. You are correct of course that it would have been an altered. Had a buddy in the early 70's who's brother had a 409 powered 'Vair on a 40's dodge PU chassis that I always thought was pretty wild.

 

Always confusion here for the terms like "gasser". Young guys generally use it for anything with a straight axle. True gassers had fenders, a hood, and other street equipment.

A rear engine car could only run gas with the engine in the back, and the VWs and Corvairs were stuck in the low classes like H, I, & J/Gas.

The fact that they were configured all wrong for upper gas classes is the very reason that they were generally not used.

The early funnycars (altered wheelbase cars) just started to become popular in '64-'65, so the newer '65-'69 corvair body was generally used. Finding pictures of front-engine, V-8, straight axle '61-'64 cars is going to be tough. If some were built, it would be a very small number, and over 40 years ago.

At least it will be unusual.

 

Tom Sturms ....

 

Mid engined V8 powered Corvair...you could have the only wheelstander at the HAMB Drags GV.

 

Had this in the mid 70's--guy in Ojai,Ca built it--I ended up with it for a few years--I hear it's still aroud somewhere.

 

not a gasser but one of my favorite cars , paid $100 even for it back in 1973 and to this day guys still recall it from the highschool parking lot. (maybe it was the tires that made it standout) . IMHO they were great cars and Nader ruined them after the problems had been resolved.

 

I knew I had seen one recently in a mag. This is what I'm looking for, more or less.

 

Back in the late sixties and early seventys a company made a kit to build a mid engine corvair using the stock rear end. I was flipped over to bolt to an adapter for the small block Chevy. It would be really cool to find one of those convesions. Fro what I read they handled as good or better than a Vette.

 

I think Crown Engineering was the company that made the mid engine kits.

 

try Clarks Corvair, I think they have a V8 conversion kit in their catalog. I have one in the shop. just to far to go get it.

 

George, thanks for the call, I will find out more about that frontend.

 

I thought I had more pics of this one, it was tasty - I especially liked the red tint.

 

426 hemi

 

whatever you call it GV, bring it down to thunder valley and race it with us once a month at the central state gasser assoc night every month ...as long as its pre 65' we want it..............sam

 

Dear god, more pictures! MORE PICTURES!
The first car I ever drove was a 1965 Corvair my grandpa still has, that was around December.. I'll see if I can get a picture. Not a gasser, this was my Grandpa, who hates 32's, Rock'n'Roll, and Elvis. Hell, when I was with him, I had to grease my pomp down..

 

Some gassers, some look more like Funnycars.

 

Nader didn't kill the Corvair construction costs and the Camaro did though!As far as new Production went that is .look at an 67 Camaro and the same year Corvair in profile they look damn close to each other.The Corvair continued in production to 1969 model year, More than 5 years after Nader wrote his book.With the Camaro as compitition and being cheaper to build the lowly Corvair didn't stand a chance!

 

Clarks Corvair sells the Crown V8 kit.

FOR ANY MAGAZINE GURU'S
I believe that it was Hot Rod Magazine around 65 that had an article on installing a V8 mid engine in a Corvair using mostly off the shelf GM parts!the forward end of the Corvair transaxle has a tin cover that when removed will accept a stock Chevy bell housing.The Corvairs use standard GM gears in both the Tranny and rear ends that is the reason that Corvair engines are reverse rotation.The Corvair input shaft runs completely through the trans axle to the forward end of it.The guy that did the swap into his Corvair used a Corvette Bell housing that he bolted directly to the Transaxle assembly and I think BUT I am not certain that he used a standard input shaft from a Conventional Chevy trans inplace of the Corvair one.I believe that the builder was a Parts Department person for a GM dealership

 

I saw a brief article on a website some time ago, a guy put a early 60's vair wagon on a late 70's malibu frame and floor (downsized G-body). Wheelbase matched perfect, and he only had $3000 in the whole thing. Anyone else heard of this being done?

 

Been a long time ago but back in 70 we shortened a 55 chevy mordor frame, installed a Buick 430 (I think it was a 430) and then the 63 Corvair body. The motor was set back to where the carb was under the dash and I drove it from the back seat. What a tire smoker.

 

Does anyone know where the photo of the " Mongoose " Corvair was shot ? Buck Campbell out of the Atlanta Ga area built a verY similar car . It certainly looks like the same car. Thanks

 

any of those pic that Metalshapes posted would make for a bitchen street car look. stretch the front nose and add some halibrands.

 

Yes, back then I knew a guy, Richard Razer, that had one of those..He took a brown Corsa Turbo Spyder convertable and put one of those conversions innit (kind of a shame really) had a big fiberglas cover that sat over the back seat where the SBC was..it was pee in yer pants fast..

 

It is the same car.....I don't know where it was shot at, but I saw it before on what I think was a Georgia Drag Racing site.