[FC] Kamping Corvairs?

[Vern McIntosh]

Paul & List,

The Corvan has been my daily driver for 30 years, I installed the roll-down
side window (and a corresponding window door on the pass side) before
painting the van in '77. Inside window parts are standard GB, the
window-opening 'frame' that I welded into the outside panel was an upper
door section. I installed the interior parts first, then located the outer
'frame' to match the stock location for that window.

The Corvan was to become a camper, but I changed my mind at least for now. I
would still like to do a Corvan camper someday as a 'Vair project, but for
now I have shifted my camper-van attention to a Vanagon. As a camper, the
Corvan is simply too short (in height) in a way that a pop-top doesn't help.
I am only 5'7" and I regularly bang my head (ouch!!) on the upper door
frame. I can stand on my tip-toes and see clear over the van.

I suspect the Vanagon body is similar to what the Corvan might have become
(with 20 more years of development), with remarkably similar outside
dimensions, except height and upper volume in general. Large windows, doors,
sliding side door, disk brakes, etc., a real plus is that the extra upper
room allows the front seats to swivel around and become part of the camper
interior.

Of course the VW drivetrain is another issue, my Vanagon project includes a
Corvair drivetrain. Fortunately, I do not have to worry about emissions
testing now (or in the foreseeable future, I hope). The goal is to have the
smooth power and extraordinary reliability I became used to in 35 years of
Corvair-only driving.

Vern McIntosh
Bend, Oregon


----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Steinberg" <noahsarkinc@earthlink.net>
To: <corvanatics@corvair.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2003 8:33 PM
Subject: Re: [FC] Kamping Corvairs?


> Interesting left side window configuration.  Did you install the window or
was
> it a factory installed option.  This is the first time that I have seen
this
> single side window configuration in a FC.  I know that they did make some
vans
> with windows on only one side, but never with only one.  I have even seen
FC
> rear and side doors that didn't have the windows cut out.  I assume that
it is
> a roll down window?
> thanks Paul

>   ----- Original Message -----
>   From: Vern McIntosh
>   To: corvanatics@corvair.org
>   Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2003 10:59 PM
>   Subject: Re: [FC] Kamping Corvairs?
>
>
>   List,
>
>   I also van-camp with VW owners, I belong to a PacificNW VW group called
>   "WetWesties" (www.wetwesties.org), many events every year. Just last
> weekend
>   was an annual event called ReUnion, at a small State Park near Union,
>   northeast Oregon.
>
>   My Corvan is not a camper, but still suffices nicely for me alone.
Pictures
>   (including my Corvan) can be seen at:
>
>   http://wetwesties.type2.com/pastevents/2003/ReUnion/index_2.htm
>
>   Not pictured are the salmon spawning up and down the creek.
>
>   Vern McIntosh
>   Bend, Oregon