<VV> manuals, "software", etc

[Crawford Rose]

I think of the complaint listed regarding thermostat bellows being titled mysteriously as a "cooling system" and referring to the lack of ease of use of the shop manuals as really unfounded.  I learned to work on cars with Hot Rod magazine and watching other people work. But I REALLY learned how to work on cars with my 1961 GM corvair shop manual. Now, say what you will about the lack of exploded diagrams, if one reads the document from beginning to end one would know from the disassembly and re-assembly descriptions what parts were called, how they operate in principle, and the order of their removal.  Further, Clarks for one, reprints and sells the Assembly Manuals for each year model with much data and part numbers for assembling the cars in an orderly manner.  I find these invaluable for routing hoses and the order of putting my dash parts and "systems" back into a car that has been apart over a year.  Finally, even the used parts vendor catalogs are filled with all manner of information with exploded diagrams, head bolt torque and patterns, etc. that the shop manuals may lack.  To some degree (I don't like his analogy to software) I think Joe Potts is correct, we need to beat the learning curve before becoming victims of frustration.  If by circumstances owning an old Corvair is "necessary" and working on it yourself is "necessary," use all that time on your hands to learn the process for approaching any job with the right tools and the right procedures.  As many will attest, I think that Corsa members are the best resource for solving almost any question about Corvairs if you lack the other resources.  Finally, with respect to the cooling system, obvious similarities with other cars with remote engine to body heater hoses such as volkswagen and porsche should refute criticism of this time-proven design of heat conduction into the passenger compartment. While different in design, absence of the hoses causes no more harm to the engine cooling system of a Corvair than worn out thermostat bellows causing the air doors to remain open.
Crawford