<VV> Corvair Stories: pt. # (I forget)

[kwoodke at comcast.net]

Well I thought it might be time for another Corvair story. We haven't really had one for a while.
I was thinking what I might do next to my 65 cpe to get it ready for spring. When I recalled a story about my previous 65. It all started on the way home from work. Now in winter I was reporting all over the Chicagoland area going where the company had work. I was reporting to the main office at this time. 164 miles round trip. Thank God for 3.27 gears and 50 cent gas. I knew I had some blow-by issues but it was tolerable. About 2 miles from home the fumes  became intolerable. I pulled over to find real bad idle and oil being pumped out the crank vent. Limped home. Time to take winter vacation and rebuild engine. 

Teardown revealed 3 pistons with the ring gaps almost perfectly lined up. These three were in no particular pattern. Well one piston was burned and the other were moments away. Now I had a large garage and I set up saw horses and a 4 by 8 sheet of plywood to lay out the engine parts. I cleaned and layed out the parts, and marked right on the board where the parts went. I was quite proud of my layout this way all parts would go back in there proper place with there corresponding mates. The day I started this a friend came and helped me get the engine out. While working he mentioned his cousin had a Vega  for sale cheap. I bought it and drove it to death later. 

After a day or so I had the engine totally disassambled. I waited for parts. I needed to check out the Vega. Which meant I needed to get it in the garage. Now I will mention here that this garage had a gravel floor at this time. I needed to move the engine board. I had no real easy place to move it so I came up with a great idea.

I had 6 pulleys and a lot of rope. Now some of you are already saying "Oh no he's not". Yes I lifted it straight up. I tied it off to the rafters. I moved the Vega in and started looking at the brakes. I was at the rear left side checking the brakes. Looked good by the way. As the radio would go quiet I thought I heard something like a rustling or a squeaking sound. Finally I stood up and looked to see the rope knot slipping. It was suspended above the opposite corner of the car. I ran to get the ladder. As I picked it up I turned to watch the whole board fall straight down and hit the front fender of the Vega. I had put a plastic sheet over the everything but still parts shot all over the garage. I never did find all of the nuts and bolts. It was like looking at a bomb going off. Imagine if you will a complete engine in pieces, thrown up in the air in your garage. I still have nightmares.

Well 8 hours later I had everything I could find out of the gravel and cleaned up. I started bagging stuff after that. Eventually got the engine back together and ran fine for two more years. Oh BTW always check to make sure your oil pressure regulator is free and working before you reassemble. Don't ask me why I mention this.
Well I hope you got a laugh out of this, I finally did years later. Keith Woodke
PS the Vega was fine.