YACT: Practicality of classic car?

[jemcam]

Originally posted by: Ornery
Not tiny, tinny and buzzy (relative to current cars), but that has nothing to do with practicality. A muscle car has coil over shocks, which are much more durable, and cheaper to replace than mcpherson struts. They have $10.00 U-Joints instead of immensely expensive, fragile, CV Joints. They don't have any of the smog monitoring sending units, air pumps, catalytic convertors or computers to fvck up. They don't have wimpy FWD trannies crammed under the hood. All these things add to their practicality (relative to current go-karts)!

Not to mention that you won't pass 2 dozen cars that look just like yours on the way to and from work.

 

[Brutuskend]

Originally posted by: Roger

Definately.

People don't generally buy them to be daily drivers, although some do.. with the thought that there isn't much point in having the car if you aren't going to drive it.

Some only drive them during the summer and/or nice weather..

Edit: One of these days, I'm going to find a '69 VW Beetle Convertible, and put a built 2.2L turbocharged Volkswagen Type4 engine in it.

Talk about a sleeper...

Either that, or a Corvair H6.

Seriously though. I am going to do that, even if it takes till I'm 40.

Let me know when yopu are ready Eli, I have in the past owned 17 Corvairs, two Corvair engines have been installed in two different VW's I have owned

Plus he's gonna bring one out to Oregon for ME!! {Hint Hint}

Maybe he can bring two when he comes, since you are in Portland and I'm in Eugene.

 

[DietDrThunder]

Do a little research and consider a 1960's Corvair. Here is a classic that has abondant parts available, inexpensive to buy and relativley inexpensive to restore and very reliable. Don't listen to Ralf Nadar about safety on this car because it is one of the few cars from that era that the Government proved it was safe. Here is an example of what you can find on ebay Link . Corvair's can be easily modified to 240hp as well if speed is what you need. Also, check out 10 reasons for owning a Corvair by the Corvair Society of America (CORSA).

 

[DietDrThunder]

Let me know when yopu are ready Eli, I have in the past owned 17 Corvairs, two Corvair engines have been installed in two different VW's I have owned

Roger, forget about Eli, I'm ready now. I've rebuilt two VW Beetles from rolling hulls to completion. Any advice on the differences or difficulties between the Corvair and VW Beetle?

 

If you are going to consider a Corvair, contact me first, I am the guru on the subject, I have rebuilt over a dozen Corvair engines and still have one on the road.
The 1960 to 1964 corvair is not as nice looking as the 1965 to 1969 but the early ones do not tend to corrode as bad as the later styles do.

Horsepower ratings ;
1960 80 hp
1961 80 & 91 hp
1962 80, 91, 150 (turbocharged) hp
1963 80, 95, 110, 150 hp
1964 95, 110, 150 hp
1965 95, 110, 140 (4 carb), 180 (turbochraged) hp
1966 95, 110, 140 (4 carb), 180 (turbochraged) hp
1967 95, 110, 140, (4 carb), 180 (turbocharged) hp
1968 95, 110, 140 hp
1969 96, 110

 

[DietDrThunder]

Roger, I'm looking for a 1962 Monza (Spyder?) Turbo Convertable. I really liked the simplicity and reliablility of the VW engine and I'm hoping the same holds true for the Corvair. The only reason I'd like a 1962, and really it is a stupid reason, I'd like to have a car that's the same age as me.

 

[RU482]

Originally posted by: udonoogen
dude for $15,000 you could get a toyota echo!

Oh my god, someone shoot this man

 

Cepak, visit Clark's Corvair Parts inc., click on "Corvairs for sale", this will get you started.
Corvairs are much more reliable than VW's when it comes to engine and transmissions, first off Corvair transmissions are nothing but the standard Muncie and Saginaw trannies from Chevy's larger vehiclkes, second, the Corvair engine has many advantages over a VW engine when it comes to reliability..

Hydraulic lifters
Supioror airflow (Engine cooling)
Valve train is a exact copy of the small block Chevy
Supioror materials and wokmanship
Simple to work on and to modify
Corvair engines can easily go 200,000 miles before a rebuild (Mine has 182,000 miles and is still going strong)

The biggest drawback is the pushrod tube seals, Chevy made them out of rubber which hardened up, then oil started pouring out of them, this is easily cured by using VITON pushrod tube seals.

There are three places to look for corrosion on the early models ;

Floor boards

Inner fender lips (front and back)

Windshiled pillars

Look here, you can clearly see how simple it is to work on one of these engines


I have owned 4 1962 Corvairs in the past, nice ride and you never see another one on the road, very unique nowadays