[FC] Corvanatics Digest, Vol 46, Issue 2

[RoboMan91324 at aol.com]

JR,
 
I would imagine that the engine lid being held at  approximately 90 degrees 
would be better unless there was a need to work in the  engine bay from the bed 
facing to the rear of the Rampside.  If the lid was  folded forward 180 
degrees, you would need to get off the tailgate and come  around the side of the 
truck or even into the bed to lift the heavy lid  backwards.  Perhaps, it isn't 
a big deal considering that you probably will  not need to access the engine 
from above that often.  Oops, I forgot that  most of us have car engines in our 
FCs these days and need to access the  dipstick and filler from above.  :-)  
Oh well.
 
Doc
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a message dated 11/2/2008 9:00:23 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
corvanatics-request at corvair.org writes:

Message:  2
Date: Sun, 2 Nov 2008 01:34:31 -0500
From: "J R Read_HML"  <hmlinc at sbcglobal.net>
Subject: Re: [FC] "Best practices" engine lid  hinges/support
To: "David Hoskin" <dsh1705 at gmail.com>
Cc:  Corvanatics AB <corvanatics at corvair.org>
Message-ID:  <4869E8FF7F8040C6B815A7DC075E9EB6 at OFFICEDELL>
Content-Type:  text/plain;    charset="iso-8859-1"

Hi David,

Sorry  for the delay in getting back to you.  Thanks for your positive 
"sweet"  comments.

Here is the story.

I bought the Rampy about 10 years  ago out of (near) St. Louis MO (where all 
Rampys were built - so far as I  know).  I was not happy with the rust in a 
couple of (relatively minor)  places.  I believe that (memory play tricks 
sometimes) the engine cover  was already set up to be lifted from the rear.

After I had it for at  least a year - probably 18 months - I sent it off - 
over the winter - to a  local body guy who had done Corvairs since they were 
new.  Along with it,  I sent (what I would call) a "piano hinge" to install so 
that I could fold the  engine cover portion ALL the way back and become flat 
with the frontal portion  (where the heater box is) of the rear floor.  I wanted 
a hinge which  would not intrude on the upper side of the floor.  THAT was 
important to  me.

Several months later I got the truck back, along with the hinge I  had 
provided.  The hinges that you see in the pictures are what he welded  in rather 
than what I thought I wanted.  These hinges only allow the lid  to be lifted to 
just past a 90 degree angle.  At first I was disappointed  with this approach, 
but have learned to live with it and now see no real need  to have the lid to 
be capable of going to the 180 degree position.

So,  I can't really say what specific hinges were used - probably something 
from a  hardware store - but I can say that I've been VERY happy with the  
results.  There is no real need to have the engine cover lay flat when  lifted 
forward and Frank apparently knew that.

The body guy?   Frank Regal in Illinois.  Email is:    fregal at comcast.net

I cannot say if he is currently accepting new  business.  You will need to 
contact him directly.  I have absolutely  no vested interest in providing this 
information.

Later,  JR




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