<VV> Turbo 350 in a Vair? Corvair Application

[Tony Underwood]

At 03:32 AM 9/13/2007, kenpepke at juno.com wrote:
> >Seth said:  Just a quick thought. The problem on conversion of 
> another automatic
> >transmission into the Vair is the torque converter. The Corvair PG 
> - separated  the
> >torque converter from the trans with the differential in between. 
> That would
> >be hard to adapt in another trans (Not that the factory couldn't 
> do it, just
> >not  you or I.)


It could be done, although the facilities of a good machine shop 
would be required.


I'd wager that it wouldn't require that much more work than 
converting a T5...  ;)


>Maybe the trick set-up would be a manual clutch controlled
> >three-speed. With an homage to the drag-racing "Clutchflites" - 
> How about a
> >"ClutchTurbo350" with a three-speed automatic in place of the PG - 
> Add  paddle
>
>How about just not bothering with a torque converter?


Now your dragracing heritage is showing up...  :)


>For years my partner and I
>raced a 427 stroked to 467 internally balanced Chevy BB mated to a PG with no
>torque converter.


Popular combo...


>We used a valve, actuated by a fake 'clutch' pedal, to divert pump
>pressure back to the pan.  Let the pedal up and the pressure went to 
>low band and
>the car drove away.  We used a BB flex plate for the starter ring 
>gear but, there was
>no flywheel.  The snap acceleration of that engine was amazing.


No flywheel... ??   It must have been a "torky" BBC in a rather light 
car with some really stiff gear in back if it was to launch well.


>The 'clutch' pedal felt very light as it only used a pedal return 
>spring to keep it up so
>everyone that drove the car said the 'clutch' was too light but were 
>amazed that it
>did not slip behind the BB super power.  We lent this car to other 
>racers many times
>and I don't think that anyone ever guessed they were driving a PG :-)


Oh I bet they suspected...  ;)


For street use, you'd need a converter for torque multiplication at 
least...  or a flywheel to get the car moving, otherwise the 'Vair's 
smallish engine would be stalling at every intersection with no 
flywheel to keep it spinning smoothly; the alternative would be to 
keep rpm high as you babied the left pedal to get the car off the 
line without instantly dragging down the engine.

Clutchfliting a TH350 *with a flywheel* would work out pretty well, 
if done up right, for autocrossing etc although it's not likely it 
would be that much advantage on the street where the flexibility of 
the converter is the primary point.

...still, a clutchflite TH-350 in a street 'Vair is something I'd 
drive.   That would be a pretty decent combo with a PG style 140.

It would also be an excuse for somebody to cook up a floor shifter 
gated for the TH-350 since you'd  be fishing for neutral pretty often 
while sitting at the light.



tony..