Corvair engine swap, Tell me why this isn't popular Options

[Lennies914]

I built a corvair 7 years ago. It can get expensive, when you start approaching the 200hp mark. IIRC I paid over $900 just for the roller rockers. Reversing the rotation wasn't too much though (considering the monies spent on broken transaxles). The tri-port heads where big $$$$ also. Custom header, the list goes on and on, But the torque was incredible.

[rick 918-S]

I was doing a conversion on my 914 until a 2.7 dropped in my lap for free. If it were not free I would have continued. The "free" concept is quickly lost when you factor in: mounts, hoses, tank, tins, any parts are $$$.

Ya, the reverse cam and dizzy gear are about $200, 901 adapter about $140, a mount is stupid easy to fab as the case has many mount points.

Ya, the engine spins in the wrong direction but there are cams and dizzy's that fix that. I happen to have had several corvairs. The engines run nice and sound sweet.

Here's one of my old vairs.

[SirAndy]

The Corvair engine is probably too rare to be popular.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)
And you can get a brand new in the crate 350 for less money.

How exactly are the two quotes above "rude" or "negative" ???


It always baffles me when people ask for opinions when in reality they want confirmation of their idea(s).

And then they get all pissed when someone's opinion does not match their idea ...

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[GS Guy]

I'm sure you'd get some serious double-takes with this baby in the engne bay!

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i140.photobucket.com-2325-1297992254.1.jpg)

One thing I can say about the 'Vair engine, is that fan makes some serious noise above 3-4Krpm! In the buggies I've ridden in (both mid-engine Deserters) the fan noise dominates all other noises at higher rpm's. Not sure about the upright fan conversion?

Unfortunately, the heads seem to the the biggest drawback. Some serious $$ needs to be spent to make the big HP numbers - especially when you go with IR intakes, slant port exhaust, P&P - Ka-ching! Plenty of hi-po parts available though.

[IronHillRestorations]

I'm not a big fan of the Corvair fan belt set up. I always liked the cars though. When I was a kid my older sister had a boyfriend with a Monza that was covered in daisy stickers, that was very groovy.

[BIGKAT_83]

I'm not a big fan of the Corvair fan belt set up. I always liked the cars though. When I was a kid my older sister had a boyfriend with a Monza that was covered in daisy stickers, that was very groovy.

If you like corvairs you will love this one.......3.6 porsche engine with complete C4 all wheel drive setup. porsche interior with late model porsche dash.

[scotty b]

I'm sure you'd get some serious double-takes with this baby in the engne bay!

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i140.photobucket.com-2325-1297992254.1.jpg)

One thing I can say about the 'Vair engine, is that fan makes some serious noise above 3-4Krpm! In the buggies I've ridden in (both mid-engine Deserters) the fan noise dominates all other noises at higher rpm's. Not sure about the upright fan conversion?

Unfortunately, the heads seem to the the biggest drawback. Some serious $$ needs to be spent to make the big HP numbers - especially when you go with IR intakes, slant port exhaust, P&P - Ka-ching! Plenty of hi-po parts available though.

Serious h.p. = what ? 300 h.p. ? Price out getting a 3.0 sc to 300 h.p. vs. a corvair to 300 h.p./ I'd bet there is little difference, possibly ALOT in favor of the corvaris.

Mike we can still convert your 914. I'd be happy to trade the labor involved for that tired old scored cylinder 2.7 p.o.s. you have (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)

[914rat]

The Corvair engine is probably too rare to be popular.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)
And you can get a brand new in the crate 350 for less money.

How exactly are the two quotes above "rude" or "negative" ???


It always baffles me when people ask for opinions when in reality they want confirmation of their idea(s).

And then they get all pissed when someone's opinion does not match their idea ...

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

Andy you might want to reread my post.I was not referring to you my comment was dirrected at toon1 for being a smart ass.He graciously apoligised.I said you might be right and had responded with a logical answer.

[gandalf_025]

I started driving Corvair turbo's in the mid 70's. Put the 6 up for the winters and drove the Corvair
.060 forged pistons and a Chevy 409 Oil Pump. Total Seal Rings and a big E-Flow turbo, Weber 2 barrel 40DCOE Carb, Water Injection.. Fun highway car.

They are known for dropping valve seats and beating them into the Piston tops and spitting the pieces down the exhaust, into the turbo. makes quite a mess.
I have seen a fix where they "stake " the valve seats into the heads though.

Stock, I don't think they turn any serious revs, around 5500 RPM.. I'm sure that could be addressed.. An upright 911 type fan would be help keep the belt on.

The setup the DR. has with the big bore VW P/C's sounds like the way to go.

Also, the 3 barrel Weber setup used 140HP big Valve heads. You machine off the existing manifolds from the heads and buy adapters. Not cheap to buy, But the machining work is nothing beyond what I have seen some members here do on a daily basis.

Cheap to buy and build compared to Porsche Engines and many parts available, including roller rockers and big turbo's.

I'm just finishing selling off the last of my Corvair Stuff.. Been holding on to it for years and I just came to the point where i'm never going to build another one.

[dion9146]

I've got a funny, slightly OT story about a Corvair. I've always liked them, and growing up as a kid there was a local Corvair club in my town so I got to see a lot of them.....fast forward to the year just before I bought my first 914. I'm just out of college and want a fun car. Spot a 65 Corvair convertible in the paper for $2500, and decide to go take a look. The body had some rust holes, but structurally it looked sound, and body work didn't scare me at all. So I took it for a drive, and absolutely hated it. It was slower than my VW beetle at the time. I was so disappointed because I really wanted that car.

As I'm walking down the guys driveway, I turned to take one more look at the car and that's when I noticed the rear brakes were smoking.....I never disengaged the parking brake. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

At that point I was too embarrassed to walk back up the driveway, so that ended my Corvair fantasies. Next up, 914's.....

dipshit. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

Dion

[Dr Evil]

I have 140, tri ported heads that are going on my engine. I got them for $1500 shipped. These are rebuilt, no core needed. Try that with a 911. They came with the manifolds as well, and a holley carb adapter that I dont even need.

The heads are the limiting factor. The engines after 64 are all 2.7L displacement. The 110hp had smaller valves, the 140 larger. They dropped valve seats like 2.0 TIV did. There is a proper way to install valve seats, and staking is part of the procedure.

My set up uses 94mm p/c from a TI VW. This is a modification that can cost about $1700 at a machine shop + parts. This is not what I paid, I was looking for "less" than a 911 engine. This also yielded a 3.1L engine. If I would have stayed stock p/c the cost would have been significantly less.....but where is the fun in that.

[jd74914]

They are known for dropping valve seats and beating them into the Piston tops and spitting the pieces down the exhaust, into the turbo. makes quite a mess.
I have seen a fix where they "stake " the valve seats into the heads though.

Stock, I don't think they turn any serious revs, around 5500 RPM.. I'm sure that could be addressed.. An upright 911 type fan would be help keep the belt on.

A friend of mine has a Monza with a built motor, and had the same seat issues until rebuilding both heads "correctly." The cool part is that pretty much all of the parts are dirt cheap and readily available. The motors are super easy to build as well.

He used to run around with IROC wheels and headers with short glasspacks; it turns lots of heads, but is a super obnoxious car and you need earplugs after any amount of time. Not too bad for a bunch of college kids! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[Don M]

Built dozens of these years ago, used mostly 140hp units, VW 94mm cylinders, a little head work, reverse rotation cam setup, extra fywl drv key... at around 3100cc they'd make an easy 250/275 HP. Don't go nuts on compression, straight blade fan, it'll work great.

[Dr Evil]

I am shooting for 8.5:1, last was 8.3:1. I will post some pics here so people dont have to read my bus thread, but if you start at the back of it there are some pics.

[VaccaRabite]

When I am done with my truck, I am considering a corvair for the 914. I loved having mikes engine in my shop, and it is stupid cheap to do even compared to VW engines.

[914rat]

After reading the build thread and looking @ the pics from the car for sale in the classifieds I thought that this would be a good topic.I also thought that it looked to be a pretty simple low budget way to get 140-200hp.It also might be considerably less than building a big 4 like a 2270 with the same power potential.All of the conversions to water cooled from V8 to Subaru require considerable fabrication as does a 911-6 motor.The Corvair motor has a wet sump like a type 4 and is pretty much just a drop in with an adaptor,clutch and motor mount.For those that can't afford a 911-6 motor or don't have the fabrication skills to go to a water cooled drive train this might be a viable solution to more horsepower.With the cost of quality type 4 parts driving up the build cost to make 150 hp this could also be an alternative to a big 4.I haven't made up my mind about anything I was just asking questions that might expand my knowledge of alternative HP for the 914.I'm afraid the gene pool on this site is getting pretty stagnant.Shooting down other options without any hands on knowledge dosen't help us learn.I lurk here a lot and don't say much due to the parrots that keep reiterating the same thing over and over.The responses from The Doc,Zach,and the others that have actual knowledge of these engines and contributed in my further education of 914 conversion knowledge I thank you.

[RJMII]

Shooting down other options without any hands on knowledge dosen't help us learn.

I hope I'm not listed in that group. If so, let me dig up my build thread for you... I'm certainly not anti-obscure.
You're question/statement was

I was wondering why we don't see this conversion very often.

And you're complaining about the answers?

You certainly got answered. Like the book "unsafe at any speed", there were answers based purely on speculation. The answer of your original inquiry seems to have presented itself not in a matter of one post explaining $$$ vs $$$ and complexity differences of different ideas that others have, but answered through a series of replies that show how different people have different interests and varying amounts of knowledge on said conversion.

[RJMII]

After reading the build thread and looking @ the pics from the car for sale in the classifieds I thought that this would be a good topic.

Sure, it could be a good topic, if you remember some basic rules of writing:
Remember your audience.
make your goals clear.
List at least three points of validation for your ideas.

[KELTY360]

After reading the build thread and looking @ the pics from the car for sale in the classifieds I thought that this would be a good topic.I also thought that it looked to be a pretty simple low budget way to get 140-200hp.It also might be considerably less than building a big 4 like a 2270 with the same power potential.All of the conversions to water cooled from V8 to Subaru require considerable fabrication as does a 911-6 motor.The Corvair motor has a wet sump like a type 4 and is pretty much just a drop in with an adaptor,clutch and motor mount.For those that can't afford a 911-6 motor or don't have the fabrication skills to go to a water cooled drive train this might be a viable solution to more horsepower.With the cost of quality type 4 parts driving up the build cost to make 150 hp this could also be an alternative to a big 4.I haven't made up my mind about anything I was just asking questions that might expand my knowledge of alternative HP for the 914.I'm afraid the gene pool on this site is getting pretty stagnant.Shooting down other options without any hands on knowledge dosen't help us learn.I lurk here a lot and don't say much due to the parrots that keep reiterating the same thing over and over.The responses from The Doc,Zach,and the others that have actual knowledge of these engines and contributed in my further education of 914 conversion knowledge I thank you.

Maybe if you'd actually stated an opinion in the original post I could understand your distress at the answers you got. But you didn't; you simply asked why and then proceeded to refute answers and in at least one case you manufactured an "argument" just so you could rebut. As I read the progress of the thread it seemed that you were fishing for a debate and then were upset when you got one.

You seem to lack respect for the 'parrots' that don't share your opinion while singling out those who agree with you. From your responses, I don't think you were looking for reasons as much as a line of people to support your own, initially unexpressed, opinion. You don't seem to mind parroting, no offense Mike and Zach, if it agrees with your position. Just my not so humble viewpoint from the ripples of a stagnant gene pool.

[TheCabinetmaker]

I dont know jack about a corvair, and dont care, but I do resent the reference to this site being called a "stagnant gene pool" inhabited by parrots.

You did ask our opinions, did you not? If you wanted replies that were only from the experienced, maybe you should have stated that in your first post.