<VV> Wierd-ball engine codes and other odd sightings...

[FrankCB@aol.com]

Craig,
    For many years we drove "Joe Cool", a 1966 Monza with the 95 hp engine, 
PG and air conditioning.  This was an ideal car for our use - it was responsive 
driving in suburban traffic, driving to work, stores and various errands and 
still could be taken on long trips.  It even took Jim on his paper route those 
mornings when the weather was bad.  As far as I know it had the stock cam.  
Relatively little work was done on the car, but I did add a head temp gauge 
which came in VERY handy when Jim and I went autocrossing and managed to clog up 
one of the carbs.  We drove it home with only 3 cylinders functioning (the 
other 3 had an infinite A/F ratio) at modest speed in July without the A/C 
functioning and kept the head temp from exceeding 450 deg.F (normal was 350).  
Another time when the rubber in the harmonic balancer let go, we drove the car home 
about 7 miles using the temp gauge to signal us when to stop (about every 
1-1/2 miles) to let the engine cool off.  Again the 450 deg.F was the allowed 
limit.  Of course, the Viton O rings that Bill Ableson had installed and the 
synthetic oil were a big help too.(:-) 
    "Joe Cool's"  A/C got adjusted so that the temp of the air out of the 
center vent was 38 deg.F.  It was so cold that it hurt your hand to hold it there 
for a minute.  Unfortunately, the shaft seals developed leaks and I 
eventually had to add a can (14 oz) of R-12 about every 2 weeks in the summer.  But 
those days it only cost $0.99 to $1.95 a can, so it wasn't so bad.
    Joe Cool was one of the nicest Corvairs we ever had.
    Frank "EVERY Corvair needs at least ONE head temp gauge" Burkhard   

In a message dated 4/29/04 12:21:01 PM Eastern Daylight Time, NicolCS@aol.com 
writes:
I just picked up an engine this weekend; it had a 140 head on it but it was 
an RE engine code.  What was that, I wondered?  Lo and behold, it is a 65-7 
95hp with A/C.  How many of those did they make? Not many, I'm sure. I can 
hardly wait to see what kind of cam is in it.