<VV> Restoration - DIY is $atisfying (and a hello)

[ScottyGrover at aol.com]

Please keep us informed about the progress on this project--I have designed 
 an EFI unit that (in its' breadboarded state) did the job it was supposed 
to do;  now to modify "Angie Baby" (my LM coupe) without extensive downtime 
or expense  in order to set her up for EFI, as she's my only driver.  
 
Scotty from Hollyweird
 
 
In a message dated 8/9/2010 11:24:21 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
62vair at gmail.com writes:

For me,  doing the DIY work is half the fun. Yes, I enjoy taking my 62 coupe
out for  drives, because its fun to drive and the car gets lots of 
attention.
But I  am a tinkerer at heart and enjoy working on the car as well. My
current  venture is upgrading to EFI and DIS. I have purchased most of the
parts and  am starting with the DIS setup by adding a Harmonic balancer to
this 62 102  HP coupe. This requires a change in rear engine mount to the 64
style, and  replacement mount bracket, so while I'm doing engine mounts I
also got the  two transmission mounts, also from 1962, so the engine will be
sitting on  all new mounts. The Harmonic will be drilled to trigger a VR
sensor for the  Distributorless ignition system prior to mounting to the 
car.

I'm also  modifying two carbs to throttle bodies, which will hold two high
pressure  fuel injectors per side.

I like to sit in my easy chair in the evenings  and do the technical thought
processes, check out wiring diagrams, and  order parts. This winter when I
can no longer work outside, I will be  assembling wiring diagrams, etc.

Karl, welcome to the  forum.

Mark Durham




On Mon, Aug 9, 2010 at 5:22 AM,  Karl Haakonsen <cityhawk at pobox.com> wrote:

>
> I've been  following this discussion with great interest and decided
> to jump in  with my first post as a Virtual Vairs member.
>
> It's great to  see such a lively, active email list of Corvair
> enthusiasts. As to the  subject in discussion, like most things, I see
> both sides of the  argument.
>
> Many years ago, I lived on a farm and had a  fully-equipped shop with air
> compressor, paint setup, all manner of  welders at my disposal. My last
> refurbishment (I couldn't call it a  restoration) was a 1963 Chevy pickup
> truck that I did a fair amount of  welding of sheet metal to repair
> rusted body parts and built a 283  engine from parts complete with
> Corvette high compression heads with  the finned valve covers to boot.
> This was done in 1982 when I was  about 20 years old.
>
> I currently live in the city with a short  driveway (that has yet to be
> paved, but I hope to do that this fall),  no garage or special equipment.
> I have a baby at home and another on  the way, along with a full-time job
> as a nurse whereby I work nights  and days in the same week to minimize
> childcare costs (e.g. my time is  very limited).
>
> As such, there is a fair amount of work that  I've decided that I just
> won't be able to do.
>
> I have  had the car (1966 Monza convertible, 110/PG) for 20 years and it
> has  been sitting in the dirt driveway, all this time -- I buy Clark's
> good  car covers every few years when the old ones got too ratty. I
> bought  the car near the end of my first marriage, then the marriage
> ended and  the car became less relevant in my life. 20 years later, I am
>  remarried with the aforementioned child and pending child, more  settled
> in my life and have decided to finally take the project on  while there
> is still enough car left to restore.
>
> The  body is pretty rough, but I've seen worse. When I last checked, the
>  basics were sound... most of the rust is from standing around rather
>  than from road salt. The front and rear corners of the front fenders
>  (especially the right one), the lower half of the left rear quarter
>  panel (probably from the battery) which the previous owner patched  with
> a Clark's fiberglass lower quarter panel, and some indeterminate  damage
> to the right quarter panel since it has bondo on it. I did not  store the
> engine properly when it last ran in 1993, so it is no-doubt  seized up by
> now and needing overhaul.
>
> I intend to do  the engine work myself (though will send the parts out
> for machining  since I do not have the tools for that). I plan to do the
> gross body  work (cutting out and patching the rusted areas, sandblasting
> paint  and rust off of the car.... probably do the POR 15 treatement of
> the  undercarriage. But I plan to send the car someplace to do the finish
>  body work and the paint job since I don't have the garage to do it in  (I
> plan to put up one of those canopy-tent style temporary garages to  do
> the work and will do the engine work in my  basement).
>
> I will get the satisfaction of doing a major part  of the work myself,
> while saving the money from having all of it done  elsewhere... but I
> lack the tools, the place and the time to do  everything myself.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Karl (in  Boston)
>
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