<VV> Viton O rings

[Corvair Underground]

     I can't definitively say when Viton O rings were used in Corvairs. 
But we know that they re mentioned as a good idea in Bill Fisher's How 
To Hotrod Corvair Engines circa 1969.  The biggest obstacle was the cost.

     Of the over 7000 different new parts we've sold a set of 36 Viton O 
rings is noted because in 1974 we sold them for $8.95 a set- Now we 
still sell them for $8.95 a set. If you take into account actual (as 
opposed to government "official") inflation that means in 1974 Corvair 
people were paying about $100.00 a set in 2015 money.

     Older members will remember Safari Enterprises out of Washington 
state who sold Viton O rings and supplied nearly all of us back in the 70's.

     I can remember having a lot of trouble talking Corvair people into 
buying them back then.  Bill Hubbel mentions that the Lambrecht car 
still has neoprene O rings in it, which is entirely possible. They're 
probably just waiting for the first high heat cycle and - crrrrrrrack - 
they'll start spewing oil everywhere.    Viton only has about 30-50 
degrees higher failure rate than neoprene. What Viton has is the ability 
to not harden with age.

    And just for the fun of it - all materials have their preferred uses 
- so please stay away from Viton seals like crank seals etc. The well 
documented failure rate is right up there.  But for O rings they are 
unsurpassed in reliability.

Lon Wall
www.corvairunderground.com