SOUTH COAST CORSA
Corvair
RAFFLE CAR
SPECIAL EDITION!
Restoration of a
1963 Corvair Turbo Syder
for the 2012 Great Western Fan Belt Toss
in Palm Springs, CA, October 26-28, 2012
The picture above is when we first got the car around February 2011 and before we committed our-selves to restoring the car for the Fan Belt Toss 2012 in Palm Springs. Initially, we were going to use it as a project car for the club. We took this photo as a reminder of where we began with the restoration, and as a symbol of where many Corvairs start before they get back on the road. This is the first time our club, South Coast Corsa, has taken on such a project. THANKS ALL for your help and support.
A 1963 Spyder, with a 1964 Turbo engine, was donated to South Coast Corsa, thus saving another Corvair from imminent destruction. Jeff Stonesifer, The Corvair Ranch, contacted Greg Vargas, South Coast Corsa, about a call Jeff received from Gary Klever,of North Hollywood. Gary, who owned a ’65 Corsa in the past, was looking to sell the car, or he was willing to donate it if
nec-essary. The ’63 Spyder was
Gary’s father’s car (3rd owner), and there was much sentimental value he held with the car. His father drove it around for a number of years, prior to it sitting (last registered in 1984, according to the sticker on the plate). Gary’s
dad started to rebuild the engine along with other work on the car, however work stopped after a while and he never returned to the project. In the recent past, his father fell ill, and giving up the car was necessary; he didn’t want to see it just sitting in the driveway. Essentially, the car was “all there.” The only visible rust was on the passenger-side floor pan, so that was a big plus. The car was straight, for the most part (it was painted black with black interior), with only a few minor dents that could be worked out. The engine, transmission, and differential were all out of the car, as was sheet metal and many other parts. Some parts were missing but have since been replaced. Nevertheless, it was a very good start for a donated car. Vargas called Gary, and after a few conversations Gary agreed to donate the car to South Coast Corsa, under the condition that the car be fixed and/or restored and that it end up in the hands of someone who appreciates Corvairs and would not crush it.
We have received a very generous gift and we want to thank Gary for his generosity and trust in allowing South Coast Corsa to restore his father’s car.
Inevitably, members of South Coast Corsa picked up the car; strapped it on a flatbed and took it home. Greg Petersen, of Corvair Specialities, was fundamental in helping with this task. He brought a dummy block, and he did much of the work getting the rear end together to get the car rolling. Within a matter of a couple of hours, the work was done and a tow truck was called. We were excited!
The Spyder was originally going to be used for club Tech Sessions and Garage Runs, so members could learn to work on the car, until former SCC President,
Hector Gonzalez, suggested to restore the car for the Fan Belt Toss and Swap Meet 2012 in Palm Springs, CA, October 26-28. It would be the raffle car for the event. The club voted and agreed on the restoration (maybe not really knowing what we had really gotten ourselves into), and an agreement with the host club of the GWFBT 2012, Vintage Corsa, was made. Now, we were
committed (or should have been committed, literally). SCC had
never taken on this kind of project, but we knew we had a lot of talent in the club. So, we evaluated the car, created a general plan of action and timeframe on what we wanted to accomplish and by when, and we began working on the car. Once a month became twice a month; twice a month became every Saturday.
A handful of club members quickly volunteered their time and labor (which amounts to a
substantial investment in labor that saved the club a substantial
amount of money) to work on various major aspects of the car: Dan Drommerhausen on rebuilding the transmission and differential, not to mention a lot of work on many other aspects of the car (he also is the lead on putting almost everything back on the car and identifying unmarked nuts, bolts, and screws, also donating many parts from his personal stock); Greg Petersen, Corvair Specialties, on rebuilding the engine, turbo,
carburetor (and donating many parts from his personal stock); Michael Moreno on the interior; Walt Pickett on paint; Chuck Rust, Star Silk Screen, on providing a safe place to work on and store the car. Greg Czopek and others on electrical work. Additionally, Castle Press in
Pasadena, CA, generously offered to donate the printing of the raffle tickets. [Comment: Castle Press is a great printer. I, Greg Vargas, have worked with Castle Press for many years. I would recommend using Castle Press for your printing needs. If you need printing services, call George Kinney at Castle Press. Castle Press is professional, trustworthy, and reliable; and you don’t have to be a local client! Yes, this is a commercial endorsement.] Following that, many members of South Coast Corsa and some from Vintage Corsa
have donated their time and labor on the car: promoting ticket sales, stripping the car, body work, floor pan welding and replacement, electrical and electrical components repair, cleaning and painting, donating and searching parts,
repairing parts, wrenching, moral support, etc. Without the support and volunteerism of the entire South Coast Corsa club, we would not have been able to get this project up and running and headed towards completion—it is a South Coast Corsa Club project. THANK YOU TO ALL INVOLVED in helping us with this project.
An important note on the “restoration”: South Coast Corsa is working hard to make
this car a good functioning driver that has been gone through top to bottom, with our
best efforts in mind; many parts rebuilt, replaced, and new; some parts cleaned,
repaired, and reused. This is not a 100-point restoration nor a rotisserie restoration.
The winner might want to change things to meet his/her own personal expectations.
Greg Petersen
(310) 594-7225
We created a project car
t-shirt! For those who put in
at least a minimum of 10
hours working on the car, a
shirt will be given to you.
Pretty cool, huh? You can
always use another shirt!
• Removed dent on the right rear corner
• Removed most of a dent in the left rear
fender by the wheel well
• Removed dents in the floor of the trunk
• Removed the door vent windows and
replaced the handles and the
• Repaired lower back panel
• Replaced vent window seals and
handles
• Replaced heater fan with original
working fan
• Engine wiring harness replaced with
new harness.
• Body harness connector shell connector
replaced; new terminals installed
• Wiring tested
• Weather-resistant fuse holder added to
protect the chassis electrical power
supply
• Generator refurbished with new
bushing, bearing, and brushes
• Voltage regulator points cleaned
• Starter refurbished with new bushings;
heavy duty solenoid for long service
• Theft prevention switch installed in
ignition circuit
• High beam switch, connector and
terminals replaced
• Replaced bad hardware, front and rear
• Rebuilt master cylinder
• New brake hoses, front and rear
• Original metallic shoes left on car (new
owner can change)
• Drums cleaned and painted
• Rebuilt wheel cylinders
• Brake lines tested
• Emergency brake cable replaced
• Speedo cable removed, cleaned, lubed
• Steering rod removed and cleaned
• Interior floor pans cleaned; passenger
floor pan and other smaller sections
replaced and welded. Floor painted
• Horns replaced and tested
• 1963 radio repaired
• Correct radio speaker installed
• Headlight bucket adjusters checked and
fixed
• Front and rear lights gaskets replaced
• Trunk cleaned and splatter painted
• Gas tank cleaned and painted
• NOS sending unit installed
• Various new grommets installed
• Instrument cluster cleaned, tested, and
painted. New bulbs.
• New battery and battery cables
• New tires - 175/80/13 - Goodyear
• Stock wheels cleaned and painted
• New ignition, door, and trunk locks and
keys
• Glove box door cleaned and painted
• New metal glove box
• Rebuilt steering box
• Interior metal trim cleaned and painted
• Dash stripped to metal and painted
• New interior - black front and rear seats
• New seat padding - front and rear seats
• New side panels - black front and rear
• New cardboard kick panels - black
• New package area
• Interior door and window handles
replaced.
• Exterior door handles replaced
• Heater air hoses replaced
• Various heater/defroster foam seals
replaced
L i s t o f w o r k d o n e t o t h e c a r,
• Exterior trim stripped, cleaned,
polished, and/or replaced
• Stop and reverse light assemblies
replaced and cleaned
• New mirrors
• Door sills replaced
• Front grill cleaned, painted, and
polished
• Rear grill cleaned and polished
• New arm rest bases and pads
• New carpet - black
• Car painted - black
• Tunnel metal cleaned and painted
• Front suspension removed, cleaned,
checked, painted - rubber bushings
replaced where needed
• Rear suspension removed, cleaned,
checked, painted - rubber bushings
replaced where needed
• Door handles cleaned and/or replaced
• Various nuts and bolts cleaned and/or
replaced
• Motor mount replaced
• Front end linkages cleaned and painted
- seals and bushings replaced
• New speedometer cable
• Shocks checked and painted
• Mini wiring harnesses replaced
• New ignition switch and connector
• Directional canceling checked
• Accelerator pedal rod and support
cleaned and lubed
• Engine gas lines cleaned and/or
replaced
• Turbo air cleaner, heat shield, and
intake cleaned and polished
• New air filter, fan belt, fuel pump
• 12-plate oiler cooler cleaned
• Shifter cleaned an lubed
• Front and rear bumpers cleaned and
polished
• Engine compartment cleaned and
painted
• Engine sheet metal cleaned and
powder coated
• Fan, fan belt guides, engine seal
retainers powder coated
• New engine seal
• Rebuilt distributor; tune up kit
• New blower bearing installed
• New spark plug wires - Taylor silicone
• New turbo muffler
• Turbo boost gauge line replaced
• Rebuilt Engine: standard nitrated
crankshaft; GM turbo cam shaft; GM
cast pistons, 30 over with new rings;
Bored and honed cylinders; rebuilt
rods; rebuilt heads - new valve seats
and guides, stainless valves; valve job
and resurfaced; surfaced head; rebuilt
harmonic balancer; rebuilt clutch
(pressure plate, flywheel, and clutch;
full engine balance - crank shaft,
connecting rods, pistons; harmonic
balancer, pressure plate, flywheel); new
gaskets and seals
• Rebuilt turbo
• Rebuilt carburetor
• Reconditioned transmission - only
reused counter gear and mainshaft;
good gears, shift unit, and shift forks;
new needle bearings and ball bearings
• Competent rebuilt differential - 327
with great gears; good used carrier
bearings; replaced pinion bearings
• Rebuilt axle shafts - splines great;
yokes great; lubed and put back
together
Since we started this restoration project, we have received help in locating parts and/or services from a number of business. As a thank you, here are some businesses that have been of service:
