<VV> Re: Lack of Vair Mechanics

Russ Moorhouse corvair65 at verizon.net
Sat Jul 16 00:59:16 EDT 2005


Phil,

Each old car hobbyist has a different level of mechanical skills they feel 
comfortable with.  Beyond that level you take it to someone who knows how to 
do what you don't feel comfortable or can't doing.  You don't need to beret 
someone who doesn't have the all the skills that you have acquired over the 
years, by telling them to get out of the hobby.

The other things is: that there IS a lack of Corvair mechanics and also 
machine shops that will work on them.  Even in a large metro area like I 
live in there isn't any.  I ended up having to send my heads halfway across 
the country to get fixed, because there wasn't one machine shop around that 
would touch these heads.  If there is no club in your area that is into tech 
sessions, where you can learn the knowledge from others, you are S.O.L.  You 
can have every tech and shop manual there is, but for a first time Corvair 
owner, there's nothing like having someone there to guide you along.

So the problem isn't with not willing to pay to have it fixed or willing to 
learn how to, but for many, it's where do you go to get this information or 
find a competent mechanic to send it to for repairs?

VV is very helpful for sharing information, but it doesn't replace having 
someone showing you hands on how to do something.

I'm a 61 year old, handicapped polio victim, who is also from the Pittsburgh 
area and also played with cars from his teenage years on.  I've only had my 
first Corvair since Sept of 2003 and most all of that time it's been code 
red.  I've only had every tech and shop manual there is and some great 
people on VV to help me with it.  Many times I wish I had someone there to 
show me how to do things, especially the first time I attempted to balance 
the carbs.

I really like this car, but due to my weakened right side, there are certain 
things that I know I'm not capable of doing myself.  I would take it to a 
mechanic to have done, but there are none around.  Because of this I'm 
considering selling the car and getting a more main stream old car that I 
can take to a garage to have work done that I'm not capable of doing.

"Willing to learn and try and do what I can and willing to pay to have done 
what I can't - but where"????

Russ Moorhouse
'65 Corsa coupe 140 HP
Group Corvair Member
Corsa Member
Kent Island, MD

----original message------
I don't know how old these club members are that haven't "..turned a serious
wrench in twenty years..." but this sixty-six year old CORSA member since
'71, a longtime cardiac patient, still regularly does most of his "fleet"
maintenance, heavy and otherwise.  That's not just Vairs, but Eldos,
Devilles, Toronados, Hondas and Winnebago motorhomes. You just gotta be
tough...or be willing to spend righteous bucks on someone who can do the
work. Maybe it's the eight years of serious teenage hotrodding we did in the
mid-Fifties in Pittsburgh, but the satisfaction of doing it myself has never
left. Old cars are like boats and RVs--I long ago restored a wooden 25'
Owens cruiser--that is, black holes into which you throw money. If you're
not willing to make the investment in time or bucks, mebbe you're in the
wrong hobby. Not makin' the news; just bringin' it to ya....

Phil Brandt
Austin, TX




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