<VV> HELP (Saving a 4dr) (long)

[Joe Robbins]

I don't regret what I went through in restoring our vert even though it was
about 5 years of off and on work when time and $ allowed. I probably only
have twice in it as what I could get out of it but I'm not interested in
selling and I knew going in I'd have more money in it that it would be
worth. It's a pleasure car that I will keep forever unless someone wants it
really bad and I can't imagine that happening.  The plus side of saving some
old beast is you know exactly what you have inside and out the good and the
bad. Our car the floor were gone, one rocker was gone, the trunk floor, etc
etc. The suspension needed work, the brakes, you name it , it needed it. So
over the course of time it got done and now we have a fun car. Still needs
some little things here and there but we are able to drive it and have fun.
It would be much easier to go write a check for a nice car and be done with
it but that would be too easy.... The pics of the body work are at
http://community.webshots.com/user/davair1

Joe Robbins
PCCA
BBRT
Group Red 4 Life


-----Original Message-----
From: virtualvairs-admin@corvair.org [mailto:virtualvairs-admin@corvair.org]
On Behalf Of Roger Gault
Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 5:07 PM
To: virtualvairs@corvair.org
Subject: Re: <VV> HELP (Saving a 4dr) (long)

I'd like to offer a counterpoint to the advice to run from rust.  It depends
on how much rust, and the personality (sanity?) of the rebuilder.

I've been driving my '65 convert for 24 years.  When I bought it, after
looking for months for a Corvair convertible and not finding one in ANY
condition, it was a $200 junker which had been sitting on a dirt lot for 2
years.  The negatives were many:
  All 4 corners dented
  Pass. floorboard rusted out
  Both "leaf traps" rusted through (driver's door sagging from rust behind
hinge)
  Both rear quarters rusted out behind wheels
  Piece below windshield rusted through.
  Big dent ahead of the right rear
  Right front wheel well "enlarged" by somebody's bumper
  Huge slabs of cracked body putty put on by a Gonzales HS shop class
  Top destroyed
  PG instead of desired 4 spd
  Not running
But, I was young and dumb - and desparate, so I bought it.  After all, it
did have some redeeming virtues.  It was complete, had a tele column, and
the mildewed white seats looked like they'd clean up.  Oh, and the AM/FM
worked.  ;-)

I found a Corsa coupe that had been hit in the front and parted it out for
the drivetrain, Corsa trim, and some sheetmetal.  A friend of mine who said
he's help me restore it carved out the lower driver's door hinge mount and
welded in new metal.  We welded in a new windshield strip.  Then, with the
car completely stripped, I showed up at his house one day and he said, "I'm
sick of working on this and it's taking up too much of my time.  Today we'll
put the 140 drivetrain in it and you take it home.

Four months of bodywork (never done it before), and 9 more months of
mechanical work (all day every weekend, and some evenings after work), I had
a beautiful blue '65 convert.  I still get comments on it every week.

Could I have bought one cheaper?  Absolutely, if VV had been around and I
could have found one.  Is the rust gone forever?  No, it's starting to come
back - I'll fix it maybe next summer.  Is the car show quality?  I've seen
worse looking ones at convention (and a lot of better looking ones).

But I still drive along and suddenly say, "Damn, I love this car!"  It's MY
car.  I built it from junk.  I did every scrap of work on it, mechanical,
top, paint, upolstery, everything - and the pride is worth every minute of
work and every dollar spent.

So, my advice is, if you'd rather save one from the crusher than buy a
perfect one from somebody else, DO IT.

Roger Gault
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