|
|
|
Parts came in from the US, new rear light covers to replace mine as they were all extremely brittle/already broken/faded. Missing the trim rings as well. I know it takes away from the desert/barn find look of the car but it will also make me less likely to get pulled over. If you know nothing about corvairs, I'll note here this isn't technically the right set of taillights for this car, I have non standard reverse lights, usually they would be in the centre of two of the tails. So I have four stop lights. This is one of the parts of the car I had been worrying about, lower windscreen, mine is rotten in several areas here and I suspect below it as well, there's no way I'd have been able to make it from scratch and didn't want a lot of small patches. So once I have found a spare windscreen I'll have a crack at getting this put in after more practice because I'd not picked up the torch since 2019. Also, because I can't leave anything alone.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 18, 2024 10:52:32 GMT
|
"So, aside oil and a new filter it's ready to drive again now" famous last words at the time. Between then and now, I tasked myself with coating the garage roof beams with anti wood-worm stuff which meant clearing out the garage of cars. So to be able to do that I got the skoda to starting on the button so I could get it outside/turned around and then when all done back in. Turning round would allow me to do the other side front brake caliper. Which, I did. I then was thinking the top end sounded a bit clacky considering I did the valve lash to spec already, again the skoda bites, rocker cover off, looks to be really dry up top considering everything thats been done to the engine. Would seem there's no oil getting to the top end. Filter/oil was new not even an hour of runtime, and was oil pressure as the light goes out, and when sensor removed oil is coming out the hole. After the sensor the galley then goes straight upto the head so I can assume the new headgasket is the blockage. I'm not a big fan of slapping on sealant to gaskets, I let them do their job so I'm fairly certain no silicone has blocked a galley because I generally don't use it. Huff. Back onto the Corvair. The above statement that the car will be driving soon spurred me onto doing what I can to get the car actually back together because I haven't driven it since 2022 with the rewiring last year. A fella in the facebook group posted up an oil filter which I went and collected, picked up oil and zinc addative on the way home. Chucked it all in and cranked her up. Turned over slower than I remember, then slower and slower before smoke from underneath. Immediately I thought the starter had gone bad as you do. Removed the starter, gave it a smell, didn't smell burny, tested it on the floor with jumper cables, worked fine... hmm. Put it back in, again turned very slow, I could smell something rubbery/electrical burning. Now it's not to eay to turn the key and see whats going on. So I bumped the starter with screwdriver whilst I was under the car and thats where I saw where the smoke/smell was coming from. The handbrake cable was glowy/melty. Now you as well as I would understand this 60 year old car doesn't have an electric handbrake and I never laid any of the new loom anywhere near where the handbrake cable goes, on purpose - I didn't want any of the loom running under the car, nothing was touching it along its travel. What does this mean? Well, that the power into the starter wasn't earthing the route it should, IE - through the earth cable I have mounted between the alternator bracket and the chassis. I tested this by having a jumper cable go from the starter body to the battery negative - cranked as good as it ever has before and - crucially, no burning smell/smoke. Starter motor back out, cleaned up where it mounts to the gearbox, went and bought two more earth cables. Took the time to remove the heater blower and what was left of all that crusty ductwork and fit in two more earth cables. One directly from the trans to the chassis. The other mounted to the engine block roughly below where the other one is mounted, this one goes straight back to the battery rather than to the chassis though. So now I have way more grounds than there ever was before. Bit of fuel down its throat last night and we're back in business, I cut the silencers off the crossover pipe and refit that for now, sounds like a proper Porsche with open exhaust. Almost in time for drive-it-day. I've got some things coming from America which will hopefully fix the now slightly melted handbrake cable, some of the rust and other smaller things. Currently researching some suspension upgrades and ways to replace all the bushes, I'd prefer poly but aside from making them myself they're not really available for these cars so any custom things I'll add pictures once my phone decides it wants to co-operate with the airwaves.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Last time I had a CB radio just under 10 years ago I was listening to some opportunists stealing some copper whilst driving up the M40, my Corvair had a set in it when I got it but it never worked at all (desert find car) I'd like to put one similar back in at some point, so I'll keep some of this in mind.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I own and have owned some pretty stupid cars already so my list is fairly short. Military vehicles are coooooolll as and I'd live a Volvo C303 or something else similar but much bigger or more focused on purpose is a little OTT even for me so I'd say a Ferret.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 18, 2024 23:37:21 GMT
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 18, 2024 23:23:28 GMT
|
Figured out the fox's reverse light issue, turned out the old switch had been snapped off in the gearbox. Removed the shift tower and got what was left of it out and replaced. Waiting for ECU back now. I cant sit on my hands for very long so back onto the corvair. Parts pile grew. From this dusty rustiness to begin with, a fair few parts had some gummy sealant on them which was very difficult to remove I'm guessing to stop rust, didn't look factory. But it's a 60 year old nearly. Whilst I was in there I did the upper and lower pan seals. I've been researching mods for a long while now, who doesn't. One which seemed pertinent whilst all the tinware was off was to deflash the heads to air airflow through. I've seen some drastic amounts of aluminium removed from those stateside but my car wasn't all that bad really. In this image you can see there can be quite a lot of improvement to be found. With that done, the rear of the engine or the front on the engine? The pulley end... Started to leak a bit and I thought looks a bit of an eyesore. When the above plate is back on I hope to God I don't drop any tools down into it from above. A proper pita to get into. Seals were pretty done. Cleaned and bathed with, just to make sure... I'd seen one of the rockers had avec painted on it, no idea what it was "with", perhaps "with trans" as this engine isn't the original. We'll see if I'll ever give it some unique spirit to return it to be "with" something. After the pulley end of the engine seals were sorted. Time to go back together. If you've seen my heater ductwork, and hears the motor, you'd understand why I have blanked off the holes. This should hopefully help ensure air is blown down and out of the engine. That's the blower at the back there with a distinct lack of tubing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I don't know, my brother bought a 20v coverted fox 2 weeks ago... I have already assimilated it.
I don't need it. I just wanted it. She hasn't figured out yet and it's in direct view. She said that I'm a really good brother for inspecting and working on it for him.
I have a sneaky feeling she follows me so gets notifications when I post. So she'll know soon enough.
Just means beemer has to go which in the grand scheme of things let's be honest isn't going to happen and if it does I make money overall as the fox was less money. Gaaaaah I'm justifying it, what am I saying it doesn't need justification, it's got a turbo and makes all the right noises.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yes yes it's too new... I was supposed to be working on the clubsport and corvair. But turbo nugget is turbo nugget. My brother thought it was running very rich and getting low mpg, he also wanted me to look into engine light. Cleaned it because it was covered in moss and grot and then began to check for vac and boost leaks. You heard me right, yes turbo. It's got bigger polo front brakes too that are about as big as these wheels could possibly take. No boost leaks found, I drove it about and it seems to be smelly but not low mpg but he would think low mpg when he's used to a 1.9tdi. Plugged in to the computer and showing it's not adding or removing fuel so that's that. I think the fully smell is that the exhaust doesn't clear the rear bumper so some fumes are getting in - it is an old car after all! It was fairly skittish on slightly wet roads at low speeds, brother checked tyre pressures, ohhh yes 45 psi. Best let them down then. Eml is related to no resistors in deleted things. N249 and N112. Speed sensor reading out of spec and secondary 02 sensor, couldn't find wiring for that, so will have to dig deeper there, luckily the wiring was converted and labelled pretty well. Got no reverse lights voltage after checking bulbs, I found a plug not plugged in above the gearbox which I haven't identified the plug yet as either speed sensor or reverse switch, switch hole oddly has been siliconed shut so it'll need a switch. And to find the other plug there as there should be 2. Didn't investigate the speed sensor to be honest. Speedo works. We noticed the boot floor wasn't in fantastic nick, a fair bit of wheeling later back down to metal. Luckily only factory installed holes. Good enough for now. Normal older car progress will resume shortly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Feb 27, 2024 21:00:43 GMT
|
Went to Leeds over the weekend in the A2, you may or may not see more of this fox in the future as my brother needed a ride to pick it up, if it breaks I'm sure I'll be fixing it. From my perspective, it couldn't be cooler in its current setup. You'd literally NEVER know. I wasn't using the heat gun on the paint, just on the metal prior to painting as it was veeeery cold this weekend. Was keeping the cans in my inner coat pocket to gain warmth and must have spent more time boiling the kettle than working. I've done the majority of tinwork now just don't have a picture, I have decided I'm going to do the lower tins at the back of the engine too as I'd have to remove all the uppers in the future to get to them so it makes sense. It's going to look so much better. Unsure what to do about all the bolts as they're all American, don't fancy blasting and painting because usually they look good for 5 minutes. If you know somewhere UK based that's good for stainless/coated. Let me know.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Feb 23, 2024 15:23:01 GMT
|
So Recently I got myself one of these : As a result I have this odd feeling that I simply MUST sandblast everything I own. Given similarities to Vw engines, tinware being cleaned up will make the largest difference to the engine bay. Now I'm keenly aware the main top cover won't fit within the cabinet but pretty much everything else will. Begin disassembly, quite easy really, only things that have to come off are the carbs, linkage and breather tubes. Must be a typical American thing to use three different size fasteners for each different component. Having seen plenty of mouse houses other people have found within the tinware, and the fact we've caught nearly two dozen mice over the last week and a half in our traps. I was prepared to find the same... A lot cleaner than I had anticipated. Looks like a historic oil leak from the top cover and thats it aside a lot of dust/few leaves. The cooling fan will be the first thing I clean, it looks like the most satisfying part and time consuming because of all the crevices. Looking at it, it reminded me of turbo fans usually fit to wheels. Looking on the ol interwebs, looks like these genuinely were used for that purpose in the 70's.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Feb 22, 2024 16:54:57 GMT
|
Good afternoon all, www.classicsattheclubhouse.com/A few questions you may have: What is this event?The UK's premier one day Air cooled event When is it?June 16th though if you fancy staying overnight there is camping through from the 15th. Where is it?Sandford Springs Hotel and Golf Club Kingsclere, Tadley RG26 5RT I post here because myself and a few others in the UK Corvair owners group are planning a small American invasion (typical Americans eh!) by bringing our not so common over here air cooled cars along, we have 5 cars together so far. So if you're on here but not in the facebook group just message me and we can keep you notified on our plans. Alternatively, bring along any other Air cooled car. Be cool to see a V8 Tatra
|
|
|
|
|
|
Feb 14, 2024 14:52:40 GMT
|
Picked up a sandblasting cabinet and larger air compressor last weekend, I'm hoping I can get a part or two through it soon. I've been hankering for one for evvveeeeerrrrr.
20 years is amazing, prior to here my brother and I would frequent Migweb as we were largely aligned with boxy Vauxhalls through our formative teen years, usually with turbo engine conversions, joined here because I saw (and bought) a Nova saloon for sale less than a week after I passed my test even that was 13 years ago, jesussss where does the time go?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This when it was eBay, fella who has it now has done sensational work, way better than I could ever achieve so it's in better hands realistically
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jan 29, 2024 15:14:06 GMT
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jan 22, 2024 10:21:25 GMT
|
Last of the wiring finished (reverse switch on the trans and fuel level sender, both required being under the car and removing tall the undertrays from the "tunnel" where everything else was in or on), car now runs, there was a small weep on from the tank level sender where the pipe is crimped into the mounting face so I braised it up. Then after replacing the fuel lines got the tank back up and under the front of the car, removing the front tension rods made this a lot easier as the pressed edged of the tank wouldn't get caught on them without them there, also I had the fill pipe attached and threaded it up and through, getting clamps loose from the small hole in the wheel well wasn't too easy on removal. With the leaks up front resolved, I turned my attention to the leak out back. Should be fairly obvious where its coming from, in that picture I have already removed the pin for the shifter and pushed the rod forward, keen eyes will see there is something else broken and has been for a while up there. The seal wasn't playing ball on removal, broke three picks and 4 screws. Alas two hours or so and it's out, replacement went in seconds after a good clean of the shaft and area around. Owners recommend a dab of sealant around the outside of the seal so thats what I did. Gear oil definitely needs a change. There are no drain plugs on these later models from factory, however if you look closely behind the rear ARB you'll see a bolt there so will have to see if my box has already been drilled and tapped. I *think* the diff and box share oil too so another thing to think about at some point.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jan 12, 2024 10:07:47 GMT
|
That Tarpan looks like someone put a picture of a classic range rover on a slider puzzle and slid the tiles around a bit. So many similar styling cues - stood up sidelights/indicators next to round headlights, the indentation down the side, the thick C pillar, lower centre of bonnet with the name across the front, unapologetically square overall. Cool.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|