Just wanted to post to see if anyone was interested in some pics of a project I have going on, and to see if anyone has any input to help me make it more accurate. I’m currently working on converting a AMT/ERTL 1/25 scale 1969 Corvair hardtop into a Convertible 1965 Corvair Corsa Turbo. Fortunately the kit comes with a convertible boot (no idea why, maybe because they know nuts like myself would try making a convertible) so I don’t have to worry about that.
Now, if anyone has info on the 1965 model turbo’d convertible, it’d be much appreciated. I’ve been researching this on the internet as much as possible, but haven’t gotten much “detailed” info on the turbo convertible. Most info has come from this Site: http://www.corvaircorsa.com/turbo.html.
I’ve already used a razor saw to take off the hardtop and started assembly of the engine (I’m not going to superdetail the engine compartment, but it will be assembled and installed. This is because the proper parts to make the turbo’d 164c.i. flat-6 aren’t in the kit, nor do I have enough info and skill to custom fabricate them). Here’s a list of things I need to do:
Research year-correct paint colors (I need a dark metallic green, would that be Fathom Green perchance?) Looks as if I found my answer Here: http://www.corvaircorsa.com/pntcpc65.html
Complete engine assembly
Paint chassis/engine bay (factory colors? Black? Rubberized/Textured underbody?)
Find a way to lower the rear end (the front has a higher mounting hole for the “axle” to lower it) as the “axle” is a solid rod that passes through both the transmission and suspension assembly on both sides.
Fabricate scale “badge” on the lower center portion of the trunk hood and paint it to match the “turbocharged” emblem you can find Here: http://www.corvaircorsa.com/images/65tbo.jpg. This is almost resolved.
Move a badge from just behind the front wheelwell to just forward of the rear wheelwell, a pic of how it SHOULD look like is Here: http://www.corvaircorsa.com/corsa/turbo600.jpg. Now, I can remove the raised detail by sanding it, but how do I put a duplicate of the detail where it needs to be?
Put “Corsa” badge behind and just above the front wheelwells. Best way to do this? Freehand?
Fabricate sun visors, interior details like a floormat and pedals, will probably use sheet styrene for this.
Remember, I’m a beginner (haven’t modeled for around 10 years), but I have a good head on me and I learn fast. This is a pretty big project for me. The kit will be a gift to my Father, he doesn’t know about it yet. I had to do some sneaky intel-gathering using my Mom and 'Sis to get the info from him. I want it to be awesome when I’m done. Any hints will be appreciated! Thanks folks! Sorry about the long post!
Something tells me that I will be learning a lot of “repair” techniques on this build. I will go home and get some pics to liven this thread up a bit. I’m sure someone might appreciate the hacking I’ve done on the body. [;)]
There are a couple of guys over at Scale Auto’s forum that are very knowledgeble on Corvairs, you may want to make a trip there and ask questions, there is a thread there that has some great engine pics of a naturally aspirated Corvair. Look foward to seeng this one finished! www.scaleautomag.com
Lee
My Dad is a Corvair nut. I believe the engine compartment on his 66 convertable was a semi-gloss black. The turbo assembly was a gloss black. Wasn’t the turbo called a spyder? You might try reproducing your badges by burnishing foil over the originals and filling the back side with a drop of superglue.
Woody, thx for the tip, and I do believe my father called his car a Spyder. Here’s a few pictures that I’ve promised (Links to the full-size photos are just below each thumbnail, with a brief description after that):
http://img97.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img97&image=p10200224gy.jpg
Almost complete engine and wheels with a wash on each. Yes, I know you can see the seams on the bellhousing and transmission, but the engine bay will be sealed and not available for opening. This is because I feel I do not have enough time or skill to custom fabricate the turbo assembly and turbo manifolds. Sue me… [:D]
If you haven’t read the other thread, I’ll give a synopsis here. I’ve decided to fabricate all the parts necessary to put the turbo unit in the engine bay, so it won’t be sealed. The body is prepped for paint, I’m going to utilize Testor’s new Lacquer paint system from the rattle cans. I’ve already painted my daughter’s 50’s Chevy truck with a yellow color of this paint, and I feel fairly confident the system will work just fine for my application.
If I can afford it, I’m going to purchase the Micro-Mark Pro-Etch system and make my own PE details for the car’s script and badges. The badge that was just behind the front wheelwell was wrong for my application, so I sanded it off and cleaned up the area. Either the car will be accurately badged, or I’ll shave them all off!
I’ve started on detailing and fabricating for the interior. As you know, the RC2 kits lack good detail in this department, so I’m making my own. Parts will be made from sheet styrene, PE, or stretched sprue. So far the pedals are made, but I may replace them with PE parts. The car also needs Sun Visors, turn signal stalk and a rear view mirror. I’ve purchased the black flocking I need for the carpeting.
Well, that’s about all I can remember for now, I’ll snap a few pictures as time allows and upload them to my Fotki gallery as soon as possible.
The book “Unsafe at Any Speed” by Ralph Nader is said to be a good reference for corvairs! (Just kidding folks).
The inner fender wells and the rest of the engine compartment were semi-gloss black as was the underside of the hood (trunk lid?). This is a GM trate to this day. I think Cadilacs are the exception.
The Corvair is a unit body car and the underside of the body was the same color as the body. The factory would spray a dark gray (black) body sound deadener in the wheel wells and on the gas tank to protect the body from stone and debre chipping. Most owners, or at least many owners, would have a black undercoating material sprayed on the underside of the body, so a black chassie and under body would be appropriate.
The Spider and the Corsa are two different variants of the Corvair. The Spider could be ordered with six single barrel carburators and the turbo. Those were really fun cars to drive. The handling was supurb.
I,m not sure because it has been many, many, years since I have been in a Corvair, but I seem to remember that the 65 had a differnt body than the 69. The 69 body started in 66 IIR.
If I recall correctly, and I may not., wasn’t the 69 the last year for the Corvair. It was replaced by the Vega, I think. Anyways it sounds like a fun project. Let us know how the new Model Masters lacquer work out. I can’t wait to try it. rangerj
I spent the afternoon with my buddy who owned a 1965 Corvair Corsa. The last of the “bathtub” styled bodies was 1963 or 1964. The 1965 did have the better looking body that ran through the 1969 model year. His Corsa had 2 carburators and no turbo. The turbo version would have had a single carburator. The turbos of the day had a reputation for being problematic, so he opted for the duel carbs.
There was also a "Spider " version and it could have been called a Monza Spider, but he could not remember. There was an option for six single barrel carbs, but he could not remember if this was the Spider.
He is going to see if he can find any of his pictures of the Corsa. If I get them I’ll post them for you. They may have some detail that you can use in your conversion. His was bright “fire engine” red (not the official color name, but is descriptive). Hope this helps. rangerj
Thank you so much for the info! These are the kinds of details I need, especially concerning the unitbody design, what type of paint goes where, etc.
The '65 was the newer bodystyle, if it were the older style I woulda found another car to build for him! [:D] The best info that’s I’ve found this far is www.corvaircorsa.com . From everything I’ve read, the Corsa was an upgraded model that had the option for the Turbo. [%-)] Of course, if I could get my hands on a dealer’s brochure on the internet I would be in heaven!
Clumbsy, here are some more facts for your Corvair project.
The engine is an opposing six cylinder made of aluminum and is air cooled. There is an oil cooler at the back of the block (rear of the car). There is a belt driven fan that sits on top of the engine. The belt is driven by a pulley on the back of the block that goes up and bends back 90 degrees, goes over the alternator pulley on the left and an idler pulley on the right, then around the fan pulley on top of the engine.
There are four variations of the 164 cubic inch engine in 1965;
95 HP @ 3600 RPM producing 154 ft.lbs torque @ 2400 RPM with two 1 barrel carbs
110 HP @ 4400 RPM - 160lb torque @ 2800 with 2 one barrel carbs
140 HP @ 5200 RPM - 160 Ft Lbs @ 5200 with 4 one barrel carbs
180 HP with a turbocharger and 1 one bbl carb 180 hp @ 4000 rpm, 265 ft. lbt torque @3200
The above is true for 1965 and 1966. The turbocharger was dropped for 1967 through 1969. (To many problems)
The six single barrel carb set up I mentioned was an after market modification as was the two 3 bbl Webber carb set up my buddy had in his Corsa.
Look closely at the front of the 1965 and you will notice a slight difference in the nose of the car. The center of the 1965 nose has a vertical crease that the 1966 throught 1969 did not have.
The 66-69 appears to have a chromed bezel around the headlights and a chrome piece that runs accross the front between the headlights that the 65 does not have. The 65 appears to have amber turn signal lenses and the 66-69 has clear lenses that used amber bulbs.
Look at your references for these slight differences and you will see what I mean. I am referring to a Motors repair manual from the late 1960s. I have a collection of these that begin in the early 1960s, much to my wifes chagrin!
Hope this helps, rangerj
Just got done painting the body with the MM Custom Lacquer System’s Fathom Metallic Green. 4 mist coats, 3 wet coats and now letting it cure for the clear. Here’s a peek:
Not much progress, but some brainstorming is happening between some of the Dio guys and the fine folks at Scale Auto Mag’s forum (thanks guys!) regarding a custom base I’ll be making for this project. I’ve done a quick paint of the interior tub and Blu-Tak’d that and the unpainted convertible boot into place on the body to get an idea on how it’s coming together, like so:
