<VV> FW: 5-speed trans Super Monza Info

[Dave Newell]

Thanks Tony...
I should have added the experimental Hydra-Matic (or I should say GM's Detroit Transmission Division) 3 speed to my comments that Rod Murray posted to VV. Especially since I did the research about its installation in the "Pinky" convertible (XP-709). See the January 1989 Communique.
Chevy and Winchell had nothing to do with this tranny, which was not a variant of any production trans. It was a modified, experimental 61-5R which was Detroit Transmission's bid for the Pontiac Tempest business. The idea was that Pontiac might buy this trans instead of the the Corvair Powerglide derived "Tempest-Torque". 
Detroit Transmission's shops adapted a 61-5R for use in Pinky. But neither the trans or the car could be considered production or close to it. No one has ever found a photo of the transmission or confirmed for sure that the installation in Pinky had a park position or not. I doubt very much if the 61-5R was developed beyond the experimental stage and that it would have been suited to a production Corvair.
Regarding the last owner of Pinky, Matt Zorvan, he was always very evasive about his scrapping of the car and could never recall the wrecking yard he took it to. The story didn't feel right to me or to Mark Ellis. Mark received the first photos of the car from Zorvan and sent them to me. I believe that was in 1972. 
Interestingly, I just received an email from CORSA member John Howell. He said that Matt now lives near him in East Tennessee and that he just bought a real nice 1966 Marina Blue Corsa 140 Convertible from him this weekend.
I'm not aware of any parts from Pinky ever being offered in the Communique. Until I see the ad, I'll be skeptical about that.
Dave Newell 

-----Original Message-----
From: tony.underwood at cox.net [mailto:tony.underwood at cox.net]
Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2009 11:37 AM
To: virtualvairs at corvair.org
Subject: Re: <VV> 5-speed trans Super Monza Info


---- Frank DuVal <corvairduval at cox.net> wrote:
> I'll add a little to this, others in the Central VA club and CPF can add
> more corrections.
>
> The 60 (not 61) Super Monza was advertised in the Communique. No one
> bought it due to the poorly worded ad ( 1960 Show Car, needs
> restoration). At the same time, members of the CVCC that worked at
> Reynolds Aluminum were looking into the story of a special Corvair that
> came through Reynolds and was aquired by the Reynolds Family. It was the
> Super Monza, and was still owned by the Reynolds family in KY. End
> result, the Super Monza was donated to the CVCC, and we worked on it to
> a point (lack of funds and time). Then it was given to Corsa to oversee
> the rest of the restoration. It was on display at the Corvair museum in
> Richmond until it closed.
>
> The car had the stock powerglide.
>


It's worth mentioning that the Super Monza is VIN'ed as a 700 and not a 900.

LIkewise the Super Monza's "sistership" convertible "Pinky" which was also a concept car, which had a custom convertible power top and a one-off three-speed automatic transmission.

Pinky did not survive the ravages of time.   It was scrapped a while back by an ignorant (or uncaring) owner because it was rusty, having been passed on to the private sector and traded hands a number of times, and simply being worn out and allowed to "go to seed".

Pinky was parted out and some of the parts ended up in the Communique classifieds, *Including* the transaxle which went to parts unknown, far as I know.

THAT was the only 3-speed automatic transaxle to ever end up in a production (kinda) Corvair as far as I know, although word has it that GM had plans to produce a 3-speed auto for production before the Corvair was canceled and further development work was halted.

IIRC that transmission would have been a variant of the TH-350...
Someone correct me if I'm wrong here... Hey, been wrong before.   LOL



tony..