SBC in a Corvair convertible for $20k

"WilliamsSW" (williamssw) 09/08/2017 at 14:41 • Filed to: corvair, unsafe at any speed

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OK, this is Shop-Teacher’s fault that I’m perusing this stuff instead of working right now.

402 small block, and the dealer says it’s an 11 second car. I know what you’re thinking - they stuffed an SBC in the back of a Corvair?

NOPE! It’s in the front. This is pretty nuts.

DipodomysDeserti > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 14:54

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The only truly nuts is that CP price. Putting a $400 engine in the front of a $5k car does not make a $20k car, even if you spent $10k doing it.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 14:58

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Long time ago I watched a video on Youtube about a guy that was driving someone’s Corvair Monza that had an SBC swapped in the back.

WilliamsSW > DipodomysDeserti 09/08/2017 at 14:58

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Well it’s a dealer, so of course the price is a CP. I think that’s true for any dealer selling classics.

It’s a heck of a lot of effort to convert a Corvair to a front engine setup (or at least should be). That’s what Novas are for.

And it’s odd to me that this is a convertible, too. Not a lot of structure for an 11 second car-

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 15:00

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I’m considering dropping an LT4 into a late 50s Bel Air because I really hate my bank account.

for Michigan > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 15:00

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There’s a 65 hardtop with an automatic for sale relatively close to me for around $2200. It has primer patches all over it, but it runs and drives and comes with a second engine and manual trans. If I had $2500 cash available, it’d be mine right now.

WilliamsSW > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs 09/08/2017 at 15:01

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That makes more sense to me than converting to front engine. Granted you still have to deal with adding the radiator etc, but it seems like less headache.

WilliamsSW > for Michigan 09/08/2017 at 15:05

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They’re cool little cars at the right price (and with the engine still in the back where it belongs)

I’d like to own one some day-

Chariotoflove > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 15:06

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That’s pretty wild. I love how none of the pictures show anything closed, not the trunk, hood, or doors. Makes me wonder how well they close.

DipodomysDeserti > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 15:06

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I owned a coupe and it flopped around. That thing is a death trap.

WilliamsSW > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 09/08/2017 at 15:06

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That would be cool as hell, but you gotta plan on keeping it a long time, because you’re not getting your money back in sale—

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 15:08

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It also appeals to me more in the sense that it retains its engine placement.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 15:08

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It would technically be the only Bel Air with a supercharged V8 and (If I can get my hands on one) 10 Speed Automatic because power is a luxury, natch.

Basically, take the whole Buick “Smooth refined power” thing to 11.

WilliamsSW > Chariotoflove 09/08/2017 at 15:10

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Lol - between the torque of that motor, the fact that it’s in the wrong location, and the convertible body, there’s a good chance that the gaps are all over the place.

WilliamsSW > DipodomysDeserti 09/08/2017 at 15:11

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More so than other ‘60's cars? They’re all fairly lousy if stock - all the more so if ball joints etc. haven’t been updated in 50+ years.

crowmolly > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 15:12

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CUSTOM BUILT 30 YEARS AGO, The owner built the car and trailer that matches, you need to come in and see this one of a kind master piece of american Muscle. engine is a 402 small block with 500 horse and a lot of torque runs 11 second quarters and with spray it is in the 10 second bracket.

I guess it comes with a trailer?

A 402 isn’t a basic 350 which is nice. But if that build is 30 years old it probably needs a refresh. 402 is a big block though. Maybe they mean 406?

11 second quarters/spray in the 10s might be possible, but not in a convertible with no roll bar. Unless you subscribe to the “get one run in and then get banned” way of thinking.

FWIW the build quality looks pretty decent.

Chariotoflove > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 15:13

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Or if there aren’t, there will be once you step on the gas...

TheRealBicycleBuck > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 15:16

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A fellow student in high school had a front-engined corvair coupe. If I had been more Jalop back then, I would have been his best friend. Instead, he was just that kid with the weird car.

I have another burner, try to guess it! > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 15:17

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Since they put it in the front, this is more ruined than a LS swapped rx7. Should’ve put a Subie motor in the rear if they wanted more power.

DipodomysDeserti > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 15:17

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The Corvair is a unibody. I think it was GMs first unibody car. It uses pretty thin sheet metal along with skinny A pillars and pillarless windows. She was definitely a lot floppier than my ‘66 GMC longbed.

WilliamsSW > crowmolly 09/08/2017 at 15:23

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That right there (plus the front engine conversion) is what led me to post this, more than anything.

I presume it comes with a trailer, but there are certainly no pictures of it (note that the car has a hitch though, not often you see an 11 second car with a hitch).

If you look at the pics, it is an SBC, not a big block. Makes me wonder what the displacement is - maybe a 400 small block, but as I recall, that’s not the best start point for a build?

for Michigan > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 15:24

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It’s the only Chevy I have a desire to own.

crowmolly > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 15:26

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Definitely a small block.

I’d guess a 406 if it’s been bored.

A 400 can be a good base for a build, but it does get more shaky the more power you put through it. -509 and -511 blocks are the one to use from what I recall- two bolt mains.

WilliamsSW > DipodomysDeserti 09/08/2017 at 15:26

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Yeah, I’ve owned a few 60's GM cars, but they were all BOF. None of the Big 3 had their act together on unibodies for quite a long time. That probably was GM’s 1st effort at it? I can’t think of anything else that would have been before 1960.

DipodomysDeserti > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 15:33

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I think it was both GM and Fishers first crack at unibodies.

WilliamsSW > crowmolly 09/08/2017 at 15:40

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It’s a dealer, so 406 is likely the answer, and they’re just mixing it up with the 402 BB. Buyer beware, to be sure.

shop-teacher > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 15:40

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Glad I could be of service on this fine Friday afternoon!

It’s probably on a G-body chassis. They have the same wheelbase. While I won’t call these conversions common, it’s a thing that multiple lunatics have done. And I love it!

WilliamsSW > shop-teacher 09/08/2017 at 15:43

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Wait - you mean the 80's Cutlass/Monte Carlo etc.?

That would actually make some sense then—

WilliamsSW > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 09/08/2017 at 15:43

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Sounds awesome! What year - ‘57, or something a little more unique?

WilliamsSW > TheRealBicycleBuck 09/08/2017 at 15:44

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Seems like a crazy car for a HS kid!

shop-teacher > Chariotoflove 09/08/2017 at 15:45

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It’s probably on a G-body frame. They have the same wheelbase, and there are some other maniacs out there who have done this kind of build. I’m sure it’s all still rather floppy.

Chariotoflove > shop-teacher 09/08/2017 at 15:48

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I’m not complaining, mind you. I mean, I have plenty of zip ties...

shop-teacher > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 15:48

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Exactly. At first I was thinking that wasn’t possible, because the build is 30 years old. Then I remembered I’m getting old ....

WilliamsSW > shop-teacher 09/08/2017 at 15:51

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LOL -so true!

I just think it’s funny as hell that someone they needed an 11 second car, a front engine car, a Corvair, AND a convertible - and it all had to be the same car!

WilliamsSW > shop-teacher 09/08/2017 at 15:53

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Was the G-body still BOF? The Corvair wasn’t.

It’s a car from the 60's - it’s gonna be floppy any way you slice it.

WilliamsSW > Chariotoflove 09/08/2017 at 15:53

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This all seems safe to me.

WilliamsSW > I have another burner, try to guess it! 09/08/2017 at 15:55

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Now that would be an excellent swap! Ought to fit in nicely, once you figure out cooling (ie the same thing you’d be doing dropping it into an aircooled VW).

Chariotoflove > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 15:55

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it’s gonna be floppy any way you slice it.

That’s fair.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 15:58

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‘58 is the one with quad headlamps. ‘57 is a bit, well, no imagination. So I’d go for a ‘58 or a ‘55 (Before the uglo full width grille in ‘56 and before they cleaned it up in ‘57)

TheRealBicycleBuck > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 16:00

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It was. We had several guys with crazy cars. One guy had a ‘65 mustang that he and his dad had stripped to the frame and restored. Another drove a series of interesting cars, including a Pony mustang and a TR8. Yet another had a 10th anniversary 280 ZX. His uncle had pieced that one back together, so even though it looked brand new, it had a salvage title.

WilliamsSW > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 09/08/2017 at 16:02

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I like your thinking - the ‘57 is cool, but yeah, it’s exactly what you’d expect, so it’s boring.

I actually like the ‘56, but the ‘55 is easily the cleanest of the tri-fives.

But I think this is the best answer right here - and yes, it should be black:

shop-teacher > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 16:04

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Yes it was!

And yes it most definitely will be!

shop-teacher > Chariotoflove 09/08/2017 at 16:04

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It works for Roadkill!

shop-teacher > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 16:05

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I don’t think that car will hit 11 seconds in the quarter, if you throw it off the top of the Sears tower :)

WilliamsSW > TheRealBicycleBuck 09/08/2017 at 16:06

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Nice! What year was this? I graduated in ‘85, and had a ‘65 Cutlass, then a ‘65 Skylark convertible myself. Besides that, there was a girl with a baby blue Camaro SS convertible (‘67 I think), and a guy with a ‘65 GTO (his family also had a 454 Vette, ‘57 Chevy, ‘55 Chevy hot rod, and a ‘75 Caprice ‘vert with a 454).

Chariotoflove > shop-teacher 09/08/2017 at 16:07

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KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 16:09

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Also four door. Because luxo barge status is needed. Along with the addition of electric power steering, working air conditioning off the LT4, and possibly (if I feel particularly insane and hating my bank account) MagneRide shocks.

I also believe in light blue with white top and go cruise Miami Beach *after* the hurricane passes.

WilliamsSW > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 09/08/2017 at 16:18

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All awesome - may I suggest that a 4 door hardtop would be much sleeker than a sedan? Chevy didn’t offer that body style until ‘56, though — so perhaps an Olds, or a ‘58 Bel Air?

TheRealBicycleBuck > WilliamsSW 09/08/2017 at 16:19

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Let’s just say we are of a similar age. :)

My parents owned two ‘65 mustangs, one coupe, one convertible. My uncle had (still has) a ‘70 plum crazy challenger, another uncle had a variety of camaros. One of my cousins owned a mid-’80s mustang GT, then sold it to get a race-prepped challenger. Another of my cousins owned several mustangs, eventually trading them off for a mid-’60s falcon which he built to be a sleeper.

I guess my mom learned a few lessons and decided to be sensible. I was stuck with an ‘83 mazda b-2000. Even so, I managed to find my own share of trouble....

Kiltedpadre > shop-teacher 09/08/2017 at 16:58

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Hopefully with some added frame stiffeners or I can guess what’s coming:

shop-teacher > Kiltedpadre 09/08/2017 at 17:09

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No doubt!