<VV> Season One-Corvair Cruising Summary

[Tim Verthein]

Just filing the report on Season One as a regular Corvair Owner/Driver.
 

Took delivery of my 1964 Monza "faux Spyder" (everything but the turbo
in it) on April 9th 2005 near Kansas City. Although up here in the
North we tend to officially wrap up cruising season by Thanksgiving, I
will be taking her out in the snow too.  Since we picked her up she's
been driven 8,200 miles.  This includes the initial 700+ mile drive
home from KC, round trip to Cedar Rapids for the Iowa Mini, which
included 8 runs in the "Nascar Experience" autocross (4 for me, 4 for
my son). Round trip to Stillwater, MN for the Corvair Minnesota fall
run, round trip (about 200 mi) for Head of the Lakes Corvair
Association meeting, and to and from work every day along with my
regular daily driving since the day she came home.

Just a few stats: Oil consumption, total for the season, 1 1/2 quarts. 
Drove the first 2,000 on whatever the PO had in it, as he had changed
it right before we picked it up, needed to add half a quart during that
2,000 miles.  Then I changed it to 10W-40 100% synthetic Amsoil, and
have since added 1 quart in the next 6000+ miles.  Best mileage 27.8
(on the way home from Cedar Rapids). Average daily driving mileage 24.4
mpg.  I have kept the 15" low profile tires at 32 psi rear, 24 psi
front and liked the handling at those pressures.

We suffered no catastrophic mechanical troubles.  The only incident was
the generator light coming on in the Wal-mart parking lot. Belt was
fine, car seemed cool, oil pressure was good. Drove it home 10 miles,
found a wire had broken going to a terminal on the generator.  What I
initially chalked up to old wire finally breaking from vibration led me
to determine that the rear generator mount had worn grommets, so much
so that it could vibrate too much. Total cost, $6 for new
bolt/grommet/sleeve/nut/washer assembly from Clarks.  Other tweaking
done on the car included a new headlight switch.  the old one took too
much of a yank to get the lights on.  New one solved that. I replaced
the stock J bolts for the air cleaner with ones from the hardware store
that have a bit more of a "hook" to them so they stay put much better. 
Painted the air cleaner housing and added a spiffy decal. As you can
see, it was a pretty uneventful season mechanically.  What a simple car
to take care of!

Plans for the "off season" include replacing the steering box.  I still
have the mysterious clicking sound and occasional strange feeling
steering.  The front end checked out great. So, just to play it safe
we're gonna stick in a new rebuilt one.  Also, I'm gonna give the 13"
rims I picked up this summer a try with some closest to stock radial
tires.  Oh..and we're on track to have the seats reupholstered.  Since
the car is VERY yellow, and the interior is RED...and we LIKE it that
way...the seats will be redone in the stock red color...but with yellow
piping to match the exterior!

All in all an excellent first season as a Corvairist.  Joined up with
the Corvair Minnesota gang, joined CORSA....AND got in on the
re-activation of the Head of the Lakes Corvair Association up near us
in Duluth, Minnesota.  So shortly there'll be another CORSA chapter. 
And, since I have unlimited web server space and basic web skills, I'm
doing the HLCA web page, hosted on my site at:
http://www.edselmotors.com/hlcahome.index so those of you keeping track
of Corvair Club web pages might wanna bookmark that.  Not a lot there
yet...but you can join, and read the latest newsletter.

Two other Corvair notes:  Ryan and I got the engine into his 65
Saturday.  With rain/snow predicted for Saturday afternoon, we really
wanted the engine in.  We used the "Finch Cart" method.  I'll let Ryan
tell the story later. We even have a couple pics. It's a long way from
being hooked up and running. But soon we can put tires on it, and MOVE
it to a better parking place for wintertime.  Yes, it's off jackstands
for the first time in nearly a year.

The Edsel has been stored away for the winter...away from our home
garage where it's been for 12 years, and the Corvair is in it's
place..since I plan on driving and working on the 'Vair over the
winter.  Sure leaves a LOT more room in our single car garage!

And I'm  kinda, sorta looking for a Corvan or Greenbrier to actually
USE as a 60's BAND vehicle.  So if you've got one laying
around......oh..and the wife wants to know when we're getting HER a
Corvair.

In a few days some updates are due on our Corvair page:
http://www.edselmotors.com/daretocorvair.html

Tim in Bovey

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You *can* repair a flip-flop with a capacitor!
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