Al Corporon (Al's V8Vair)

[Xplantdad]

I purchased this car in the late 80's it is a 66 Corvair with a V8 conversion installed in it. The company that made this kit was Crown Manufacturing Company Inc. out of Newport Beach , California. The kit included basicly everything ,all you needed was a solid car , motor , radiator and your time to install the kit. Crown suggested about 40 hours work to do it.


In 1967 they stated that you could install from a 283 to a 427. although the big blocks were just to much in every aspect, but if the power train could have held together it would have been a monster. a L-88 was installed in one car they built. I can only imagine it did not last long. I have included a article from a magazine with a photo of the L-88 in one of the cars.


My car runs basicly a 327 with the corvair transaxle , the differential is upgraded with a 4 spider gear unit from the 2 spider unit. the transaxle sits in the stock location as when the corvair motor was mated to it. the suspension has four Crown V8 springs and Crown front and rear sway bars. For now the car still runs the four wheel drum brakes. a large 4 core radiator from a mid 70's Cadilac is mounted up front.


From the time I bought it in 87 it was my daily driver in the summer. I tried to drive it from March to November that included everyday to work , out on evenings , drive in movies, car shows on the weekends and sometimes to the cottage. not the most practical car to do most of that with , but when you are in your 20's and foolish practical meant nothing.

After about 3 summers of thrashing it around I had beat up the transaxle pretty bad. winter came and I stored it needing repair. in the spring of 1990 a friend was selling his 77 vette and I could not pass it up and I wanted to help him out ! so it became my daily drive and the vair sat in storage. I would drive it once and awhile just to keep things moving. by 1991 I sold the V8 and my wife ( girl friend at the time ) sold her 66 corsa convertible to buy our first house and we got married.


So up untill 1994 we enjoyed the vette but by the middle of that summer I got a call from the guy I sold the V8 to and he was interested in selling it . well I had to help him out so I bought it back. the transaxle had been rebuilt and some other mechanical work was done and I was good to go. about a month after I sold the vette and the corvair occupied my time. I am currently swapping out the 327 with a 350 as well as some minor upgrades.


Three years ago I purchased another corvair for my wife , a 66 monza coupe. simalir to what she had when we met in high school.


The V8 is an absolute blast to drive , I still scare myself in it once and awhile , but it's a good scare !
thanks for letting me share my ride.


Al Corporon.


For a detailed story on Crown here is a link http://www.corvaircorsa.com/crown1a.html from there you can see to fine modern V8 Corvairs
For more V8 Corvairs of all sorts see www.v8vairs.com