<VV> Need Help with 1960 Corvair #375

[peter koehler]

The restoration of Corvair #375, the Oldest Corvair on the 
Planet has begun. I purchased the car from the same used 
car lot that put it up on eBay several times a few years 
ago. The car looks good from twenty feet away, but the 
lower extremities have been been poorly repaired with far 
too much bondo. To put it politely, the lower six inches 
are no longer "Corvair-shaped". What I probably should do 
is look for a donor body. A complete re-body is out of the 
question since the very early production Corvairs had 
different front sheet metal than later ones. The front 
fenders, front doors and of course the front panel with 
those horn slots below the bumper are all unique to July 
1959 production. I may be able to cut off the lower 
portions of good fenders and rocker panels and weld them 
in. The front panel will be a challenge since I NEED to 
retain those horn slots.

Does anybody know of a 1960 body shell that might be 
available? Also, if anyone out there in VV Land is going 
to the Virginia Vair Fair this coming weekend I really 
could use a correct 1960-only battery tray. #375 has a 
homemade flat tray installed so a previous owner could use 
a larger battery. I would like to correct that mistake 
right away and install a correct battery in the car. 
Anybody have one?

A little history of the car: It lived for many years in 
Beardstown, Illinois. The owner was a Mr. Wedeking who 
stored the car on his property and brought it out for a 
festival parade in town every year. Many people knew of 
the car and of Mr. Wedeking. When he passed away in 2008 
there were at least two subsequent owners; one in 
Beardstown and one in Payson, IL about 40 miles away. The 
car was offered at auction and that is where Terry Schultz 
of Demotte, Indiana purchased it. He brought it back to 
his car lot and was unsuccessful selling it on-line. Then 
last winter he was unsuccessful at surviving a heart 
attack and passed away at age 48. What a shame because he 
seemed like a nice guy who cared for his customers and 
wasn't just out for the fast buck so often associated with 
the used car trade. When I picked up the car last week I 
met with his brother, Bob and he told me there was an 
outpouring of respect for him at the funeral by the many 
people that his life had touched. I'm glad he saved #375 
and I thank his dad, Robert and his brother Bob for 
helping me begin the process to restore the Oldest Corvair 
on the Planet! - Caveman Pete