<VV> My Corvair isn't Corvair Shaped!

[airvair at earthlink.net]

Once saw a '30-something Bugatti coupe in a resto shop, and the one door
was an inch longer than the other. Makes some of the Corvair's body gaffs
look positively state of the art. For example, the LM's are noted for being
badly fitted around the front edge of the front doors and "A" pillar. This
is particularly noticable where the seam curves around in an "S" shape, as
the door meets the top of the fender.

In restoring a Corvair one is thus faced with the question, should I leave
it alone and keep it true to the way the factory built it, or should I make
it look "perfect" and thus "over-restore" it? BTW, the resto shop elected
to leave the Bugatti's doors mismatched, even though they could have
corrected it, as that was the way the factory built it. And I also heard
that the statue of Liberty has some structural engineering flaws in it.
When it was restored a number of years ago they purposely left those flaws
intact, even though they could have been corrected. Maybe concours judges
should take that into consideration when they judge bodywork? Maybe dock
points off for being "too-perfect" in bodywork?

At that point, I think we'll be getting as anal as the Corvette restorers
who have to have "just the right amount of overspray" and "just the exact
factory inspection marks" on things. 

Oh, heck. All I want is to enjoy my Corvair, perfect or not, warts and all.
It's why I love my "original" cars.

-Mark

> [Original Message]
> From: Frank DuVal <corvairduval at cox.net>
> Subject: Re: <VV> My Corvair isn't Corvair Shaped!
>
> We worked on (repainted, not restored) a '68 Maseratti Mexico that was 
> at least a 1/2" thicker due to liberal amounts of body filler. I was 
> reading the club magazines the owner supplied to help with the work and 
> found this was NORMAL! The discussion on replacement parts was 
> interesting, as sheet metal like doors and fenders were custom fit to 
> each car. No two parts the same size...
>
> Our Corvairs are so much easier to work on!
>
> Frank DuVal
>
> Bill Elliott wrote:
>
> >In the 1970's, the quality of the steel and stampings used by Italian
car 
> >companies was so bad that for the higher end cars (Ferrari for sure)
they 
> >would put a whole layer (more than what I would call a "skim coating")
on 
> >the car then sculpt the body they wanted.
> >
> >I saw 308 with original paint that likely had over 100lbs of filler
under 
> >it...
> >
> >Bill
> >
> >----- Original Message ----- 
> >From: "The Robbins" <therobbins82 at gmail.com>
> >Subject: Re: <VV> My Corvair isn't Corvair Shaped!
> >
> >>There is nothing wrong with a skim coating of quality filler, most of it
> >>gets sanded off anyway. All the big name hot rod builders use it so why
> >>can't we?
> >>
> >>Joe R
> >>BBRT
> >>