<VV> prototype engine on eBay

David V Clamp 66corsa@cox.net
Fri, 20 Feb 2004 18:51:39 -0500


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I would be interested in knowing several things about the engine which the
article probably answers such as what advantages it posed over the original
Corvair engine and why it was seemingly abandoned as the next generation
Corvair
engine in favor of the overhead cam design which GM was considering just
before pulling the plug on the Corvair project.
Unsnip-----------------------------------

The article is in the November 1997 Communique.

The problem mentioned was that the cast-in pushrod tube housing limited
cooling and the cylinders would warp. The aluminum cylinders had steel
liners too and the differing rates of expansion made this problem worse.

It does go on to say that GM built a prototype with convention push rod
tubes and that solved the problem. GM's original plan was to build 2, 4, 6,
8, 10 ,and 12 cylinder versions of the engine for use in other cars. They
thought the 2 and 4 bangers would be good in FWD cars and even built an
Impala that had a 10 cylinder engine. BTW, the 6 cylinder version (which had
176 CID) was originally meant to be introduced in 1965 with the LM Corvair,
but cost cutting resulted in the 164 CID engine in 1964.

David V Clamp
Member: Corsa
              Heart of Georgia Corvairs - Newsletter Editor
              Nader's Raiders

1966 Corsa convertible 140/4spd w/ AC
mailto:66corsa@cox.net