<VV> new virtual vairs member

[Jeff & Renae Bauer]

Greetings, I am the owner of a Cord 8/10, serial #1.  Probably one of the lowest mileage corvairs - only 5200 miles on it.  Well documented.  It has been in my family since 1972, and was owned by Gordon Buehrig, who designed the original 1936 Cord 810, and had a hand in the development of the Cord of the '60's.

For those not familiar, the Cords were powered by Corvair, in the front!!!  The '36 was one of the first front wheel drive cars, and when the were reviving it, they wanted to keep to the original, so it is up front, driving through a Citroen linkage!  Mine, which was delivered in Dec of 65, has the turbo 180 with 4 speed.  Others had the 140, mostly with powerglide I believe. 

I recently pulled my powertrain due to a very slippery clutch.  Yeah, it has low mileage but the last time it drove was a parade, and the clutch was not adjusted well.  That was 20 years ago, and then it just sat in my Dads garage until he gave it to me last year. At which time I got it running, rebuilt the carb and turbo.  I put 400 or so miles on it, even with the clutch slipping.  I did have a little problem with vapor lock though.  Cold, it would start great, run great.  But, shut it off and it would not start again until it cooled off. 

So . . . While it's out I plan on replacing all the seals, o-rings, gaskets, etc. I plan on doing the Fitch things to the push tubes, exhaust tubes and manifolds, with white high temp paint, and painting the crossover pipe and turbo inlet  with high temp silver paint.  This car does not use the Corvair hot air for heat, as it came with a gas heater standard, though I don't plan on using mine, it's a convertible, it's a fair weather car!  plus 3 or 4 of the 92 that were made in '66 burned up due to the heaters!!!  Any thoughts on other things to put on it or do???  Can't afford the anodized valve covers and oil pans at this moment, but do plan on putting them on when I can.

I plan on putting in an electric fuel pump and steel ball float valve, and electric choke, hope that will help my startup problems.  

Any other thoughts or ideas, things I should be looking for?  I don't plan on driving this thing hard, just want it to run real reliably for cruising around town with the wife and kids!

When I drained the oil, which just had the 400 miles on it, was very gasolinee smelling.  How concerned should I be about that?  Something major?(rings?)  minor?(choke and/or carb issues?)

Please let me know your ideas and thoughts on my very unique "Corvair"

Thanks
Jeff Bauer