New Corvair Checklist

This is a list of things to look for when I am ready to start shopping for a new Corvair. Basically I don’t want to be surprised when I bring it home with things that I cannot fix because I didn’t look into it before I bought the car.

Rust areas

Floor boards
Rocker panels
Trunk
Doors
Under the battery

Corvair for sale

I sold my 1966 Chevy Corvair 500 Coupe! I am sad that it is gone, but I used that money to buy a house for my new family. I will continue to hunt for another Corvair that I can cherish just like I cherished the Corvieke.

Across Indiana Segment

I found a video online the other day that is a must see.  There is a television show here in Indiana on public television called Across Indiana.  In a nut shell the host travels all across the state to find interesting people and things and does a story on them.  On January 30, 2007, an episode aired where they went to Gaston, IN to interview Mike McKeel.  He owns a couple hundred Corvairs.  He is a very nice guy and the video truly depicts how he is.  Whenever I go up to Gaston to visit him, he never stops working while he talks to you, but he is always available for advice or just to talk about Corvairs.  he definitely loves them.

Mike McKeel, Across Indiana

Sweet New Link

I found a sweet link today.  The website is called Classic Restorations.  They have lots of information regarding restorations from classic to modern cars.  Although there are no Corvairs that I have seen, it offers good insight on what it takes to do a quality resto job.  Plus, it has many cool cars and their restoration process.  This website is huge so I don’t want to bore you with my lame post.

Mini Corvair

Okay, so I’ve been having some serious trouble finding miniature toy cars of the ’66 Corvair.  A friend on mine has several Pinto miniatures but I can only find a few late-model Corvairs.   So far I have collected (through the help of my Pinto buddy) all the ’65 Vairy 8 Corvairs released by Hot Wheels in 2002.  Although I have a ’66 Corvair I’m not too picky about whether or not it is a ’65 or ’66.  Really I would take a ’67 – ’69 too.  Anyway, I have found a website that has helped a little in my search for cool Corvair memorabilia.  It is a website by Doug Breithaupt.  Apparently there were only a few late-model minis made.  One in particular I am looking for is a ’65 by a company by Mego.  Finally there is hope in my search for Corvair minis.

New Links

I just added a few new links to the website.  You can locate them on the right-hand side at the bottom.  The “Corvair Underground” website is pretty cool.  They have a catalog that is as extensive as Clark’s.  Something to check out.

Corvair Rampside

My friend and I went junking the other day to look for some Pinto parts.  I mostly went along to find any Corvairs.  I knew, however, that if I found any Corvairs that they would probably be missing the parts the I need anyway, aka doors and such, but I thought it would be fun anyway.  I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would ever get to see one of these in real life though.  I found a 1962 Corvair Rampside.  Unfortunately it was the grave site of a once-beautiful car.  There wasn’t enough to salvage but fond memories.  Take a look.

1962 Corvair Rampside

Engine

Well, I have been getting a serious fever lately.  I haven’t really gotten to work on my Corvair lately and it is killing me.  It is a bit too cold for any of that.  The other day the temperature was up to a whopping -17 F.  So, I took the liberty of visiting CORVIEKE last night after I got off work and I took some picture of the engine, just for fun.  I also started her up and I’ll be darned if she didn’t start right up without a hitch.  The temperature was still only about 4 F.  Anyway, I have a couple of picture of the engine.  It is dusty from all the sanding that I had been doing over the past several months.

Corvair Engine

Alternator

Corvair Engine Side View

Cool Photo

CORVIEKE VIN

Today I obtained the VIN number from CORVIEKE because I was doing some research online.  I found a website that decoded the VIN.  Here is the CORVIEKE VIN and the detail about the number.

101376W143141

New Door

In my most recent quest to find new doors for my corvair, I have found that they are not going to be as easy as originally planned.  About 2 months ago, my place of work just received a transfer from another facility.  We work together mostly and I found out right off the bat that his first car was a 1966 Chevy Corvair Monza convertible.  He then proceeded to tell me that his father still had a door that would fit a ’65-66.  About a week ago I finally got him to bring me that door so that I could test fit it to my car.   The door was in excellent condition with just a little bit of surface rust.  That could be sanded easily and the window was still in tact. 

Well, I finally got to fit the door.  I was going to sand it before I put it on so I just eye-balled the door hinge to see if it would fit.  Unfortunately the door hinge has a different bolt pattern than my door.  I don’t think it will fit but I will still see if there is some way that it can be attached.  It is just too nice of a door to let got. 

I have called and emailed a few junk yards about a passenger side door and I received one from Oklahoma.  The guy said that he has a clean door for $185.  I am going to email him back and see if he can send me some pictures.

The saga continues in search of new doors for my CORVIEKE!