<VV> Mid-engine Corvairs

[Bruce Schug]

On Nov 1, 2006, at 5:41 PM, Clark Hartzel wrote:

> Some people think you can make a mid-engine Corvair powered vehicle by
> "flipping the ring and pinion".  Can't be done on a Corvair.  The 
> early VW
> swing axle transaxles could be flipped as the engine was on centerline 
> of
> the car.  In a Corvair, the engine, mainshaft and pinion gear is offset
> 1.25" to the left.  You can't put the pinion gear at the transmission 
> end,
> either, as the differential is not symmetrical front to back.  You are 
> left
> with three choices:  1. Reverse the engine rotation and run the ring 
> and
> pinion backwards.  Not a good choice as many kit car owners have found 
> out.
> 2. Find the extremely rare CIDCO reversed ring and pinion with the 
> helox cut
> the opposite way.  Good luck!  100 sets made and 90 have broken or 
> worn out
> by now.  3. Flip the entire transaxle upside down by cutting the 
> bellhousing
> in half in a lathe and rewelding it back 180 degrees off.  Works fine 
> on a
> stick shift except the shifter is now at the top instead of the bottom 
> and
> your starter is dragging on the ground!  Powerglides end up with the 
> oil pan
> on the top!  #3 Only good for dune buggies.  If you are trying to do 
> it in a
> full bodied Corvair you are in deep doo doo.  Let me know if a #4 is 
> found!
>

Clark,

Is #4 to use some other transaxel?

Bruce


Bruce W. Schug
CORSA South Carolina
Greenville, SC
bwschug at charter.net

CORSA member since 1981

'67 Monza. "67AC140"