Features Ol' John gets a new toy !!

For some strange reason I've been having a hankering for a {gasp} Corvair. It has been said I like the offbeat stuff,and I agree. Don't do paint and interior work and can't afford to have it done so any canadates needed to be decent that way as I don't drive ratty looking cars. Gave up on that in HS. Sorting out all the little gremlins to make things work as they should I'm good at and regular macanical stuff is no problem.
Really wanted a coupe as no issues with convertiable tops and all their rubber weather seals etc. So what the hell do I Get ? A Rag Top. Went and looked at a '65 'Vert with my buddy Chip[needlouvers?] and a 50 foot car for sure ,total rust bucket on close inspection. Several weeks ago I looked at a '63 'Vert and made a offer,they declined at that time . Knew they were planing on moving out of state soon ,so last Saterday called them again with my offer. This time they decided to take it. Still at $4500 was a bit more than I wanted to spend but decent paint and interior and no serious gremlins lurking about figgured it was about the best I was going to do. By the way I REALLY like open cars !

 

And so it starts....!!!

 

Arizona looks like a good place to have a rag-top! And you got one with a hand-shaker too! Looks like lots of "smiles to the gallon" from here.

 

Nice car! The one thing that amazes me is how the belt manages to stay on without flying off. I would imagine belt life is short anyway.

 

Used to know a guy who had a supercharger on one of those. He eventually parked it because he kept twisting the axles in two!

Don't know what happened to the car, as he died while I was gone and in the USAF.

 

Those belts stay on pretty good really. Dayco years ago made one that's was especially designed for Corvairs. A fair amount of industrial equipment uses belts that go around corners like that.

 

The dogs should like it too !

 

cool,i got my 16yr son a 61,father & son project,he just found out he's getting a summer job,he already got plans for it..
i find alot folk don't like em,all that ralph nader***** & all,
enjoy your new toy.

 

Those people never drove or owned one. Lots of people have no idea what they are talking about. They just repeat what other no nothings repeat.

With the stick shift it will be a ball to drive and in Arizona the heater won't be an issue. I loved mine.

 

Cool, neat little ride. Screw Ralph Nader

 

had a '62 monza way back when-white with red interior, racing stripes and glasspacks, loved that car

 

Very cool score, John. Always loved the Corvairs. Friend of mine had a Spyder convertible that was really something.

 

Growing up in St. Louis in the 80s, there was a guy on Ambs road that had dozens of Vairs in his yard. I wonder where they are now.............

 

I bought parts from the Ambs Road Corvair guy several times. Had two early spyder converts and a couple early coupes. Presently finishing a 65 coupe with a Buick V6 for my grandson.

 

Man, looks like a damn nice car for only $4500. Hard to believe you got it for that and no one*******ed it up for more than that.

 

John, you poor, dumb********! Good on ya. That'll be a fun machine. I drove my ex-brother in law's '65 coupe afew times, good fun.

 

This Corvair thing is sort of a weird local zombie kinda thing... John told me about wanting one about a month ago, and within three days four otherwise normal hot rod friends AND my girlfriend told me glowing stories of their want and desires of a Corvair... I fear at this rate, I may soon be the only sane hot rodder (?) left in Phoenix! 'Course, since Jeem posted pictures of his dune buggy a couple of weeks ago I've been seaching Craigs list endlessly...

 

well heres the CORVAIR guy. I have four<4> including a 3/4 ton pickup, a 61 LOADSIDE.

They are {or can be hot little road cars. the fan belts are good as long as you buy a good one, and keep it loose enough to be able to turn the alternator with ONE finger. always keep and extra for a spare.

my 66 4 door held up at 90mph on the freeway from Cedar rapids convention last year.

Nice to meet you all. check out CORSA of Corvair Forum when you need specific hardware advice.

 

Cool, I saw one of those for sale at a swapmeet last month but It wasn't that nice.

 

This brings it back, my older cousin bought a brand new one in 61, maybe 62. The first car I got to drive on the street, I was 10 or 11.
Dechrome; that is one cool ride? I think a Front drive Caddy donner car is in order, 500 incher?

 

The Gal was asking 6K for it and was on Craigslist for about a month at that price. Funny thing was a REAL rust disaster 65 was $3700 and the guy would not budge a inch. After getting a real good look at that one I would have not gave him a nickle ! I'm waiting for the shoe to drop and a real nice coupe will show up for 2K,then what do I do? Probably buy it ! LOL

 

Or you can call me again to talk you out of it! 'Course, you see how well that worked...

 

nice fun little car, congrats

 

Nice car, John! I had a '63 convertible as my daily driver a few years ago. Nader really had no idea what he was talking about. I LOVED this car.

 

Funny this should come back up right now! GasserSteve just called me not more than an hour ago wanting John's number so that he can aid and abet his Corvair thing further with a '61 wagon that he found for sale. In the mean time, Johns' insatiable Corvair lust has grown from the convertible shown here to a automatic coupe, a turbo coupe, and a rampside truck...

In the mean time I just finished rebuilding a good customers carbs and rear engine mount in her '64 coupe that she got as a high school graduation present. For the first time since this thread appeared nearly three years ago, Judy pointed out a nice white over red coupe rolling down the road and said "we STILL need one of those", although with her strong Chinese "accent" it really didn't sound much like that....

 

Those are a fun little car to drive. I pulled the shifter out of the floor one time trying to get into R...

 

I've had several. Great driving and handling little rides. The belt is an issue till you go through a few of them. I had a side loader too, that*****er would go through a field like nobody's business. There were a few of them in the pick-n-pull a couple of weeks ago.

Hi Chip.

 

Where is this pick 'n' pull?

Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

You might be giggling a bit, but out here in AZ they are a pretty common u-pullit sighting.

 

I had 5 of them at one time years ago. Didn't plan it that way, they just kept finding me. The one I used daily was a 64 Spyder convertible that I bought for $ 25. The guy who owned it had asthma and the fumes from the oil dripping on the manifolds was too much for him. I rebuilt the engine in my basement and drove that car for years, loved it.

It finally died one cold, snowy night when my Sons and I were coming home from Grandma's house. The belt broke and I didn't want to stop with my kids in the car, so I kept driving. When I got home the engine block was glowing and crackling. By then the salt on Pa roads was taking it's toll, so it was time to say goodbye to it, but I really missed that little car.

Don