9 bolt diff, 6 on early cars.

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This thread is doing nothing for my wants to build a Corvair....

Zach

Or for me it would be a corvair powered street/dune buggy. The manxter 2+2.

Smitty - looking at your sig line about running for Congress in CA 39th Dist. - you do realize I hope, that once anyone Googles for you and finds you on this website, that they'll realize that you're a NARP - Not A "Real" Politician"!!!!

Best of Luck , then you can make it a Federal Law that ALL cars 30+ years old are exempt from smog checks, extra fees, driving restrictions, etc., be given exclusive HOV lane priveledges, etc., etc.!!!!

Cheers & Luck!
Tom
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Wow, that is nice.

For those interested in doing this, I have the heads, adapter, and new holley carb for the set up. The heads are already bored for 94mm p/c and are rebuilt with in the last 1500 mi

Hi. I've been picking out bits and pieces for a Corvair motor for myself. I've also been making friends with the Corvair crowd over at www.corvaircenter.com. It's a great forum that stays technical and they've seen their share of VW-Porsche conversions.

If anyone wants to read, I've started a post over there (my name is Redstar these days) that might be worth a read from users here. It's a bit political, but its just my opinion. I don't want to inundate them with my own version of 914 theory and politics, so I've kept it on the level. They've got a sweet knowledge base over there. What's interesting to me is that a guy there just sold his Corvair-powered 914 for $7000 just a few weeks ago. They seem to have known about us the whole time.

http://corvaircenter.com/phorum/read.php?1,385181

I've decided not to go with the VW 94mm cylinder/piston setup but instead will seek a 1965-66 140hp motor unless a rebuildable turbo motor falls in my lap. I'm going to do a Corvair conversion slowly, methodically, with many pictures that I'll cross-post here and at the other forum.

Its funny because I thought I would escape an expensive triple-Weber carburetor conversion. Now.. I have doubts.

-marcus

this used to be the consensus many years ago when VW/corvair combos were popular in the So Cal sand dunes, even the modest output ones in our group experienced ring and pinion failure on a regular basis, average life expectancy was 4-5 weekends. after some one figured out how to reverse the engine rotation this problem all but disapeared except in all but the most powerful buggies and even then really no more than the VWs of like power levels.

No worries Tom, I lost anyway. Seems the people of the district are more intrested in being taken care of than their Personal Freedoms. Oh well.

I should change my sig line, but I'm thinking about 2012. By that time My NARP will be a Air914

Smitty

Finally go around to scanning the shop manual page that covers the trans cooler ports on the powerglide cover. Also, found some valve rotator pictures- for sale on eBay of all places!

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Dude! You rock. Thanks for the info. You know what, I have seen those rotators on one of my heads (duh). I forgot all about it until you posted that pic. I hope these are not necessary for my bus usage of 140 heads.

Thank you so much.

I would like to know more about the valve rotator. My understanding so far has been that normaly every time the valve opens it is rotated due to the offset of the rocker in ralation to the valve stem. Don't all engines operate like this?

Looking at the picture it seems like the valve rotator is a sort of two peice valve spring retainer, maybe even a bearing?

Thanks,
Rob

Another concern would be the weight the rotator adds to each valve. Probably not a good idea for any high performace engine. I can see how it might help in a bus were rpms are limited and load can be high.

-Rob

Exactly right. My Googling uncovered articles that indicate the rotators are used in engines that don't rev high, and that spend a lot of time at or near full power in moderate rpm ranges. Like trucks and industrial engines. They are definitely heavier. I saw a number of sources selling "rotator eliminators"- basically spacers to space the spring up higher on engines that have had their thicker rotator removed. Seems lots of Chev impala sites sell these. Could be the 348 Chevy used them? It was originally designed as a truck engine but pressed into service as the first big block car engine in '59. The 409 replaced it in '62, though it was still available in trucks for a few more years.

Picture of a cross section is below, along with a write up... These are not from articles about Corvairs, but similar. Image is of the "positive" type.

I don't believe the side force on the valve tip could overcome the friction due to the valve spring- just not enough torque with the small torque arm it acts through.


Note that the heads, springs, and keepers are the same with rotators as without on Corvair. Only the valves themselves are different. I'm guessing they are longer, and that's how they handled the thicker keeper. I've never actually seen one myself.
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I'm glad someone understood what I was trying to say.

I got what you are saying, it was just silly

Another cost comparison:

Nickies for /6 OR /4 $$$$

Nickies for corvair = $1550 to your desired bore size.
http://www.corvairspecialties.com/cylinders.html

Mmmm... Nikasil. Just like the cylinders in my BMW R75/5 engine. Delicious, delicious Nikasil.

As a proud fellow traveler of TEAL, I'm a little put off by this:

"This product makes the Corvair engine more like it's German counterpart, the Porche." PORCHE.

See: http://laughingsquid.com/the-typo-eradicat...nt-league-teal/

Oh, and look what showed up today! It's a 1967 110hp "RD" engine that will be rebuilt as a 140. I found all the reverse rotation parts locally for $300. Turns out, many Corvair folk have the adapter plates and reverse cams and what-not laying about the corners of their garages. Sure its a bit weathered, but it will soon be the subject of a 914world restoration-porn thread.

Total spent so far: $500, including the engine.

-marcus

You should start a rebuild thread on that I remember having one in that shape before the rebuild

How about a supercharger!?
http://levair.com/

I was digging through my Storage area and came across a couple of Corvair Turbo Heads that had some serious issues.. First one dropped a Valve Seat at about 75mph
and the second one overheated bad enough to melt the head.
I was driving the one that dropped the valve seat, but bought the overheated one on a core engine many years ago..

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I really need to get rid of some of this stuff.......

Saw this in Portland the other day:

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Cool long roof!

From my memory of the cars themselves they all leaked oil. In the late 60's I autocrossed a T1 engined VW dunebuggy and whenever a Crown conversion buggy showed up he was shooting at TTOD. And leaking oil.

Corvairs suffer from leaky pushrod tubes much like VWs do. Aside from that, it seems like they should hold oil as well or better than a VW or Porsche.

On that note, a friend of mine has a Corvair that leaks quite a bit.

-Rob

My dads autocross car, triple webers .

my personnal favorite corvair, Bill Thomas , Doug Roe

Just happened across this on Craigslist.. No affiliation

He says it is NEW

Judson Super Charger (Corvair ) - $2500 (Colchester, Ct.)
Date: 2011-03-18, 7:05PM EDT

This is a Super Charger ( N. O. S. ) manufactured by the Judson company in Coshoken Pa. in 1963 designed to fit all models of Corvairs, You know the ones Ralf didn't like ! Hemmings Motor news had an interesting write up about these last year, they are quite rare especially unused. The package Your'e looking at is 100% complete and unused. The Marvel Mystery Oiler and the carbuerator is New Old Stock also. This may fit some M G's possibly with some adaptations I'm not sure though ? If You have any questions or are intrested please feel free to contact me at ( 860 - 705 - 6398 Ask for Ray thanks...

* Location: Colchester, Ct.

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Way to keep the thread alive - my Corvair had oil starvation issues & clacking lifters after a good twisty run - great handling 1965 with just enough power to get brake fade if you were not careful (trick was to assert your dominance on a tight uphill run...) Baffles may help, its been a long time - however, never had internal issues ever myself, all the other local & club members didnt either except a 67 with a smog pump was always having issues until a piston burned... even the found junk motors could be used unless they were full of water. See 180hp dream motor below

(currently perusing Craigslist for 110/140/180 right now...)

I have held on to the engine and transaxle out of my 180hp Turbo for over 30 years.
I always thought I might have 1 more Corvair to build but I doubt it will happen now.

Guess it is time to throw it on craigslist and see if there is any interest...

I listed it years ago but the people that were interested wanted it shipped
to them and that's not happening..

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glad this got revived - never saw it before

recently i was pondering putting a 'vair powertrain into my 69 Westfalia which is sitting engine/tran-less in the back 40

i helped do that conversion in a friend's bus about 30 yrs ago & it was magical to drive by comparison to stock

i was deep into corvairs & vw bugs before i got into porsches in mid-1970's

sold this restored Corsa for a house down payment in '79 for $4500

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Easy. Strap it to a pallet and tell the buyer to make sure his shipper brings a pallet jack and a truck with a lift gate. Costs about $75 extra.