Im almost sure Im going to go Corvair..., Engine Swap decisions Options

[ssuperflyoldguy]

Im almost sure Im going to go Corvair 140 swap in a 914... Have done a bunch of searching on here and have to make some decisions. Big fan of Dr Evil, maybe he'll chime in. I like buses too...

Going Corvair wont be difficult for me, had a dozen of them in High School, my buddy I went to college with still considers a Corvair as a must have car (hmmm, Yenko Stinger or 911?) and I have to say it's been TOUGH looking thru all the Corvair Forums and not going on Craigslist to buy one to build a Yenko tribute... Going to restart my clothing business & double up on the Rogaine.

So I started to look into freshening the 2.0 I have but without the bus heads and a set of awesome Type4 heads ($$) - Type4 prices were scaring me, 6 cyl Porsche $ scares me. So the easiest cheapest way of HP without cutting up a good car is to go Corvair. I have one final Porsche 6 I'm running down so waiting...

But: If anyone has a line on any Corvair reverse rotation stuff, parts, complete engines I'd consider helping you get rid of it. Best case scenario is to find one already built up & just freshen it up - I'll be doing the Fuel Injection kit too. 140 heads, reverse cam & distributer gear. Spoken to Starr Cooke - neat guy but started to send me to the "best" money can buy right off. He's prob right though, I should build a really nice engine if I'm going to do it, I'm thinking a Corvair motor is many $ away from taxing the standard 914 gearbox.

[rick 918-S]

Not sure you saw this car. Irv is not real active on the forum lately but this is a Corvair conversion.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...=132215&hl=

[stugray]

I have no idea how a fairly rare component could possibly be cheaper than a suby swap.

BTW There is a Yenko in my vintage racing club.
The guy HATES it when you say "Nice Corvair"

[JRust]

I have no idea how a fairly rare component could possibly be cheaper than a suby swap.

I am a little biased having one. Still the best bang for the buck is a suby swap. My normally aspirated 2.5 dyno'd at 158 to the wheels. It does have performance heads & cams. Still I think you could get 130-140 with just a stock motor. There is no cutting you need to do that isn't reversible.I have 2 holes for my radiator lines in the front trunk. Plus the exit holes in the fenders for radiator air flow. Also one cut in the rear trunk. Which isn't even necessary if you flip the intake. All of which could be replaced should I go back to stock at any point. I won't do that because the suby swap is so great to drive. I run the suby tranny too. Nice short precise shifting plus 60 HP over the stock 2.0 motor (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) .

If your going to go with a non Porsche motor. Why go with a motor so old & limited? I know you can build a sweet corvair motor & it will still be air-cooled. I had a corvair conversion & looked into it when I puled the motor. Still ran but leaked oil. Setup never went back into the car. It's also much heavier than my suby setup. It's your car so do what you think best. Suby swap is still your best bang for your buck.

[Mueller]

I have no idea how a fairly rare component could possibly be cheaper than a suby swap.

BTW There is a Yenko in my vintage racing club.
The guy HATES it when you say "Nice Corvair"

Why, it is still a Corvair? Friend of a friend has a Yenko Nova, pretty cool car. It is still a Nova (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Back on topic....

Unless you get some killer deals I think there will be some false economy going this route.

The adapter and associated flywheel bits won't be cheap, if you decide to give up on the project or sell it later on you are talking a really, really small group of people that would be interested in a Corvair swap.

Couldn't you run it the normal direction and use a 911 gearbox instead? (can you swap the ring gear over on a 914 transmission?)

[Chris H.]

Wow, how did I miss that Corvair build? I recognize that car...had a 2270 in it for a while. Guy from Michigan I think.

Yenko Nova....RARE one!

[ssuperflyoldguy]

Old yes, very familiar w Corvair. Chevy V8 over Suby for me if I was considering cutting, 6 cylinder, air cooled & 50% to 100% more power than anything Type 4 can do $ wise. Just going to do a warmed up (mostly heads) reverse 140 w one of the easier Corvair Fuel Injection setups. Engine design is old but still has crank, pistons right? While a 914 is scoffed by the 911 crowd, now the Corvair is scoffed by the 914 crowd... Mission accomplished....

I have a GT rat that I'll be cutting later, needing a stock appearing driver first. Don't need any help getting talked out of, been reading all the hotly discussed LS, Vortec, 4.8 vs 5.3, Suby 4 or 6 vitriol etc. One of the reasons I don't participate on some forums - just need suggestions on doing Corvair better.

I'm familiar w Irv's, still cant believe how much metal work those GT fenders were. I think those were AA? I need to know so I can stay away from that vendor. I do like swapping to a Boxter S trans tho - slippery slope..... If anyone has a favorite Corvair thread, lemme know...

[Mueller]

I'm not anti-Corvair motor, I looked into them a bit, I love the aircooled aspect of them but I don't know enough about them and not too keen on the head design with 2 inlets for 3 cylinders.

[tomrev]

I had around 20 Corvairs back in my youth, and began my Porsche days by sticking a 140 into a 356A that I rescued from a field. You do know that the 140 probably has at best 120HP, and is a brick. The head/manifold design is not one for breathing; I think it would be easier, less $$ to stay with a type-4, or as noted, go Subie, or Honda. Crown made the adapter stuff, but that was 40-50 years ago.

[r_towle]

From what I recall, there is a corvair expert and junkyard in the Midwest.
Seems like the right setup would be fun to drive.

Good luck with the build.

[Rand]

I get the idea of nostalgia. But if you go to the effort of an engine swap, why go this way when you can get so much more reward with a different choice?

[NeunEinVier]

Guy I know has a 200+ HP Subie mill in his. He has plenty of Mustang GT kill tales.

[gandalf_025]

Wow, So many Haters.

I've owned quite a few Corvair Turbo's and really like them.
Still have a turbo engine and a 1966 posi transaxle in my cellar
rusting away..

Cut the case and add VW pistons and cylinders gets you
to 3.1 liters and machine off the intake manifolds and weld
on adapters for Webers or Zeniths..

Like this one supposedly over 300 HP..

[r_towle]

Still have a turbo engine and a 1966 posi transaxle in my cellar
rusting away..

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

Really???

[Mueller]

Wow, So many Haters.

I've owned quite a few Corvair Turbo's and really like them.
Still have a turbo engine and a 1966 posi transaxle in my cellar
rusting away..

Cut the case and add VW pistons and cylinders gets you
to 3.1 liters and machine off the intake manifolds and weld
on adapters for Webers or Zeniths..

Like this one supposedly over 300 HP..

What does it cost to build something like that?

I'd guess one could buy pictons and cylinders from AA Performance pretty cheap.

ssuperflyoldguy,

get 2 motors, give me one and I'll do all your machining for free (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[r_towle]

Wow, So many Haters.

I've owned quite a few Corvair Turbo's and really like them.
Still have a turbo engine and a 1966 posi transaxle in my cellar
rusting away..

Cut the case and add VW pistons and cylinders gets you
to 3.1 liters and machine off the intake manifolds and weld
on adapters for Webers or Zeniths..

Like this one supposedly over 300 HP..

What does it cost to build something like that?

I'd guess one could buy pictons and cylinders from AA Performance pretty cheap.

ssuperflyoldguy,

get 2 motors, give me one and I'll do all your machining for free (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Lol

[gandalf_025]

Dr. Evil built a big bore engine a few years back for his
VW Bus.
Think he was going to try some sort of F.I.
Maybe based on some CIS parts ??
You could PM him and ask

Experimental Aircraft guys were the main market for
the big bore kits I think..
The 3 barrel carb adapter plates have been around a long time..

I'd suspect none of it is cheap..

link to big bore

http://www.n56ml.com/corvair/3100.html


Pict. of carb adapters and heads machined for them..

[gandalf_025]

Still have a turbo engine and a 1966 posi transaxle in my cellar
rusting away..

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

Really???

Rich: Do you really need more stuff ????
Especially Corvair stuff sitting for 30 years ?

[r_towle]

Still have a turbo engine and a 1966 posi transaxle in my cellar
rusting away..

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

Really???

Rich: Do you really need more stuff ????
Especially Corvair stuff sitting for 30 years ?

I don't know, do you?

[ssuperflyoldguy]

Mueller - you're on! Friends for life! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTGayn3Y800 Now to find some 65 and later 110/140's - going to have to dig a bit no doubt but they are out there. Don't need to put VW stuff in them, all parts available.

There's a reverse rotation one out there with triple throat Zenith's for $4500 and the Porsche shroud is a $1500 option on top of a $5k engine - cutting for a Subi seems more attractive - too much headwork on them and maybe not very streetable anymore. Too rich for my blood and I just want stock (ish) heads so the twin throttle body FI can bolt right up. Ebay leads to Starr Cooke - apparently one of the elite Corvair engine royalty. The airplane nod reminds me that there is a Type4 airplane powerplant out in my storage area that I will see what kind of heads that are on it and if parts can be reused in a car. Hmmm- Just a ride past Mueller's house and into The Delta.

Wow, So many Haters.

I've owned quite a few Corvair Turbo's and really like them.
Still have a turbo engine and a 1966 posi transaxle in my cellar
rusting away..

Cut the case and add VW pistons and cylinders gets you
to 3.1 liters and machine off the intake manifolds and weld
on adapters for Webers or Zeniths..

Like this one supposedly over 300 HP..

What does it cost to build something like that?

I'd guess one could buy pictons and cylinders from AA Performance pretty cheap.

ssuperflyoldguy,

get 2 motors, give me one and I'll do all your machining for free (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)