Corvair V-8

I see this car from time to time and just don't consider sending any photos of it to UCP. However, I saw it again just the other day and thought, maybe some of my European friends would like to see a real piece of Americana. The Corvair originally was a rather lackluster car with a flat opposed air cooled six. Well, there is this group that puts Chevy V-8s in them, mid-engine, and they run quite well. This is one such car. They make a kit for them. It's called the Crown Corvair kit. It's rather involved as you can imagine with a sub frame and engine placement. However, the results are well worth it.

Interesting to see a V8 Corvair. Personally, I value originality or if anything, modified to within reason or at least period correct modifications. The car is only original once.

Looks reasonably well done, just not my cup of tea.

Seems to be the same car that Mike Musto drove in Big Muscle.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hKn8idEaZE"]Mid-Engine Crown Corvair: Porsche Cayman Fighter - /BIG MUSCLE - YouTube[/ame]

[quote=ErWin76;1010617]Seems to be the same car that Mike Musto drove in Big Muscle.

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hKn8idEaZE"]Mid-Engine Crown Corvair: Porsche Cayman Fighter - /BIG MUSCLE - YouTube[/url][/quote]

Yes it certainly is the same car. Thanks so much for posting this. It makes the thread come alive.

Oh dear Lord, the flat 6s made the car super dangerous to drive quickly. Even though this one is mid-engine, the thought of a V8 in a Corvair makes me cringe

Frank Gardner and Alan Grice raced a V8 Corvair Sports Sedan in Australia in the 70s winning two championships. It wasn’t pretty but it was one of the championships best cars.

[IMG]http://www.motorsportarchive.com/Frank_Gardner_Chev_Corvair_Symmons_Plains_260976_a.jpg[/IMG]

[quote=Cobrafan427;1010621]Oh dear Lord, the flat 6s made the car super dangerous to drive quickly. Even though this one is mid-engine, the thought of a V8 in a Corvair makes me cringe[/quote]

Hi there, Ralph Nader!

Was the Corvair any more squirrley than the 911?

That racing Corvair looks damn cool!

I love how the Corvair had a whole lineup of cars, including vans. That won't happen ever again.

[quote=NSXType-R;1010637]Hi there, Ralph Nader!

Was the Corvair any more squirrley than the 911?

That racing Corvair looks damn cool!

I love how the Corvair had a whole lineup of cars, including vans. That won't happen ever again.[/quote]

I would imagine that the Corvair's longer wheelbase and higher weight would help damp out rotation somewhat. The Corvair was also less-likely to be driven quickly; it was marketed as an economy car with a wink and a nudge. I guess that would be a double-edged sword: it would be driven quickly less-frequently, but in an emergency maneuver the driver would be ill-prepared to deal with it.

Here's an excellent article on the Corvair: [url="http://ateupwithmotor.com/model-histories/chevrolet-corvair-history/"]Rebel Yell: The Life and Death of the Chevrolet Corvair - Ate Up With Motor[/url]

I have to say, it's always a pleasure to (re)read Aaron Severson's articles in Ate Up With Motor.

The Australian Corvairs were virtually an F5000 car with a fibreglass Corvair body. Fun to watch and very quick.
The later model Corvairs with proper independent rear ends were nowhere near as twitchy as the earlier, swing-axle models and the turbo flat six Fitch cars were also pretty quick for the time. An early Porsche 911 Turbo is just as "dangerous" to punt quickly along a country road! (I have 2 aquaintances who have been caught out and exited backwards off the road through fences!)

I really adore that particular car. A very nice build and I think the visual mods really complimented that body well. As for how it handles, it's a radical enough modification that I imagine it bears little to no similarity to a stock Corvairs handling. Mike Musto seemed to like it.

AteUpWithMotor is one of the best car sites on the web. I've perused those articles extensively.