I'm just curious as to what your experience with it has been and what needed the most maintenance/repair. More interested in LM than EM.
Anyone here own a Chevy Corvair?
- Thread starter DemonPig
- Start date
I'll most likely acquire one this weekend. Looks good, great parts support. Every single thing available online through Clark's Corvair and few other websites.
If Mustang didn't kill it right before the oil crisis, there would be Corvairs still around. Americans with their bigger is better mentality ...
If Mustang didn't kill it right before the oil crisis, there would be Corvairs still around. Americans with their bigger is better mentality ...
zacm7
Well-known member
Stephen W.
Well-known member
Was his name Paul Gould by chance? Back in the sixties my high school shop teacher had a stage II Corvair Yenko Stinger. He built it up to stage III and then stage BANG! Instead of building a new Corvair engine he had the senior class put in a built small block. He also liked Vettes. I lost track of him after High School. I’ve often wondered what happened to his mid-engine V8 Corvair.
Back on topic. The em’s were the buggers that got Nader’s shorts in a knot. The lm’s are far better handling cars. We had at least four of each in the family. I got my license driving my Dad’s 1965 Corsa 180 h.p. Turbo. I won lots of street light to street light drags against 289 Mustangs and 283 Camaros in Dad’s car. Ah fun times indeed.
Biggest problem is rust. It’s an early deign unibody so it's prone to trap water. So are areas of the body. Don’t let anyone tell you that a little Bondo is OK. Check the Corvair forums and the local Corvair owners club before you buy anything.
I'm not sure the mustang or the oil crisis killed the Corvair. It was plagued with as many issues as its replacement junk car the Fiero. My Uncle is San Fransisco was a collector and had both EM and LM. I spent the longest weekend of my life driving the hills in San Fran with a 4cyl bad clutch beauty. He said each that he owned had unique issues , electrical and cooling but rust was the common theme.
This thread is worthless without pics!
2nd generation coupe was my favorite body style of those cars. The rear suspension on the 2nd generation Corvair was related to the rear suspension of the Corvette of the same era ... much better than the earlier models. I do have memories of being squished first all the way to the left side, then all the way to the right side, as a child in the rear bench seat of a well-driven 2nd-generation Corvair coupe on Muskoka back roads ... (no seat belts back then, and about 4 kids jammed into the back)
2nd generation coupe was my favorite body style of those cars. The rear suspension on the 2nd generation Corvair was related to the rear suspension of the Corvette of the same era ... much better than the earlier models. I do have memories of being squished first all the way to the left side, then all the way to the right side, as a child in the rear bench seat of a well-driven 2nd-generation Corvair coupe on Muskoka back roads ... (no seat belts back then, and about 4 kids jammed into the back)
87m6chris
Well-known member
DP, chances are very good that any of the problems associated with these cars has already been fixed and all you really have to look for is RUST, everything else is fixable.
A buddy of mine had one in high school and we abused it to no end, tough little car.
Post some pics when you get it.
A buddy of mine had one in high school and we abused it to no end, tough little car.
Post some pics when you get it.
That entire statement does not line up with my research. You could've had a lemon always though. Most of the common issues I've discovered so far are fairly typical of the vehicles from the 60's, maybe aside from throwing the fan belt.
They also never came with 4cyl, you probably mean 4spd?
... Also - oil crisis did not kill the Corvair, it would've revived that car if it lasted that long. Mustang and Falcon were the biggest factors. Nader's report's influence, in which the EM was mentioned, is debatable. At any rate, the vehicle was exonerated in 1972, albeit after its death.
I did see a few of them at a local collector’s house (including a Yenko Stinger), who was good enough to give me some pointers and history.
He also did educate me about the most common rust spots and how to spot bondo work quick without going over the entire car with a magnet.
The car has got original paint still, which is good in a way as it will be easier to spot issues.
As for those engines used in aircraft - the collector was actually a bit ****** off - said that drives the price up if you’re looking for a replacement one.
I deeply apologize for not posting any pics - that will be remedied. I do agree that 2nd gen (LM) has some of the most aesthetically pleasing lines of all the cars from its era.
Runs and drives, floors and frame solid, electrical, brakes and exhaust good, all gauges work, suspension fine, trim complete, needs interior restored, oil pan seal replaced, carbs rebuilt and synched (not sure if I can handle synchronizing myself), two rear tires replaced and obviously a paint job. The only rust spot is by the windshield valance (typical of the car). All the above is alleged. I have not seen the car yet.
He also did educate me about the most common rust spots and how to spot bondo work quick without going over the entire car with a magnet.
The car has got original paint still, which is good in a way as it will be easier to spot issues.
As for those engines used in aircraft - the collector was actually a bit ****** off - said that drives the price up if you’re looking for a replacement one.
I deeply apologize for not posting any pics - that will be remedied. I do agree that 2nd gen (LM) has some of the most aesthetically pleasing lines of all the cars from its era.
Runs and drives, floors and frame solid, electrical, brakes and exhaust good, all gauges work, suspension fine, trim complete, needs interior restored, oil pan seal replaced, carbs rebuilt and synched (not sure if I can handle synchronizing myself), two rear tires replaced and obviously a paint job. The only rust spot is by the windshield valance (typical of the car). All the above is alleged. I have not seen the car yet.
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I learned to drive on a gen 1 and almost put it into a ditch once. The fan belt was a recurring issue but a German mechanic thought he could fix that by running the idler pullies at 45 degrees. VW ran a horizontal fan for a while and had similar problems.
Hey Ronnie. I had a 68 Monza I bought from my dad in about 74 for the grand sum of $1.
4 gear, 110 hp, smoked like James Bond's Aston Martin. Loaded two sets of scuba gear in the nose, flat on the springs. Cornered on bald tires on dry pavement like a roller skate. Never got stuck, leaked oil like crazy, was just a blast to drive. Would eat cheap Porches for lunch. Could bump start it yourself because the clutch cable would snap. Taught you how to really drive as there was no CAA back then. Enough room in the back seat to make out with a skinny nurse (you've met her) Beat on that poor car then sold it to a kid for $100 and he fixed it up.
Thanks for the memories my friend.
Pops
One Corvair club had a contest where the members would collect old vacuum cleaners. The vacuum cleaner nozzles would be put into cans of gasoline and then the units turned on (With long extension cords). The results would be judged for flame size and shape and also vacuum cleaner altitude. Corvair collectors are not normal people.
