Body and Engine Inspection
Richard's Corvair
The Restoration of my 1960 Corvair
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Weeks 3 & 4
Here is the car arriving at the body shop. so now it is in two places, with the mechanical part in a another shop about 3 miles away and the body at the body shop where it is promised for May 31, 2007. (We only missed that date by two years .)
The body is now almost stripped, showing more rust than noted before, including under the roof rails. All side glass, windlace, rubber weatherstripping, and fuzzies are removed.
The floor pan shows a lot of rust and will have to be replaced or welded. The rear window will be removed and saved, but it will need polishing. The windshield will be replaced. All rubber and fuzzies will be replaced.
The damaged tail lights will be replaced by a set of tail light and backup lights.
We are taking the engine apart, measuring and preparing to order parts.
The crankshaft and camshaft appear to be straight, but the wear in the thrust bearing and shims in the main bearings are not good. There was so much lateral play in the crankshaft that the starter could not engage the flywheel.
There is a lot of corrosion in the rod bearings. The crankshaft looks like it can be re-ground to eliminate the wear and corrosion. I will need to machine it to .010 and buy the appropriate bearings.
The pistons have a lot of carbon on them, and a few burn or damage marks. I will replace them.
Note detail:
◆ Zooming in with the camera we see some of the problems.
◆ Cylinder filled with mud and rust.
◆ Corrosion and pitting of worn main bearing.
◆ Wear of Thrust Bearing and Crankshaft - 5 times the maximum.
One piston has been broken and welded back together.
Cylinder cooling fins are broken on 5 out of 6 cylinders, reducing cooling and eliminating their use for reconditioning. The cylinders are worn beyond .010, so I will have to go to cylinders, pistons and rings at .020 oversize. The cylinders are also adapted from a VW.
Intake and Exhaust valve stems are worn, as are guides, allowing a lot of elliptical free play that will be impossible to correct. Tops of 3 valve stems are flattened and expanded, requiring filing to remove them through the valve guide.(I later found out that these valves are adapted from a Nissan.)
The transmission has a little corrosion on the shafts and some teeth, but very little obvious wear. There are a few chipped teeth that I should be able to grind and reduce the possibility of breaking off. (I found out later that the minor wear that I saw was causing noise that I did not like and decided to replace.)
The body is now almost stripped, showing more rust than noted before, including under the roof rails. All side glass, windlace, rubber weatherstripping, and fuzzies are removed.
The floor pan shows a lot of rust and will have to be replaced or welded. The rear window will be removed and saved, but it will need polishing. The windshield will be replaced. All rubber and fuzzies will be replaced.
The damaged tail lights will be replaced by a set of tail light and backup lights.
We are taking the engine apart, measuring and preparing to order parts.
The crankshaft and camshaft appear to be straight, but the wear in the thrust bearing and shims in the main bearings are not good. There was so much lateral play in the crankshaft that the starter could not engage the flywheel.
There is a lot of corrosion in the rod bearings. The crankshaft looks like it can be re-ground to eliminate the wear and corrosion. I will need to machine it to .010 and buy the appropriate bearings.
The pistons have a lot of carbon on them, and a few burn or damage marks. I will replace them.
Note detail:
◆ Zooming in with the camera we see some of the problems.
◆ Cylinder filled with mud and rust.
◆ Corrosion and pitting of worn main bearing.
◆ Wear of Thrust Bearing and Crankshaft - 5 times the maximum.
One piston has been broken and welded back together.
Cylinder cooling fins are broken on 5 out of 6 cylinders, reducing cooling and eliminating their use for reconditioning. The cylinders are worn beyond .010, so I will have to go to cylinders, pistons and rings at .020 oversize. The cylinders are also adapted from a VW.
Intake and Exhaust valve stems are worn, as are guides, allowing a lot of elliptical free play that will be impossible to correct. Tops of 3 valve stems are flattened and expanded, requiring filing to remove them through the valve guide.(I later found out that these valves are adapted from a Nissan.)
The transmission has a little corrosion on the shafts and some teeth, but very little obvious wear. There are a few chipped teeth that I should be able to grind and reduce the possibility of breaking off. (I found out later that the minor wear that I saw was causing noise that I did not like and decided to replace.)
