The February 2023 newsletter - Text Version
Updated 30-Jan-2023 = Copyright (c) 2023 Corvairs of New Mexico
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February 2023 / VOLUME 49 / NUMBER 2 / ISSUE 569
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First Place, Tony Fiore Memorial Chapter Newsletter Award, 2005 & 2012
Third Place, Tony Fiore Memorial Chapter Newsletter Award, 2010
EDITOR Jim Pittman
NEXT MEETING: Regular Meeting: Saturday February 4th, 10:00AM
Highland Senior Center 131 Monroe St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108
THIS MONTH:
Dues Due Dates .......................... Membership Committee
Milestone ........................................ Jim Pittman
Care and Feeding Booklet ......................... Jim Pittman
Photos from a Recent Meeting ........................ Pat Hall
Treasury Report ................................ Steve Gongora
Loadside Rescue ........................ Pat Hall & Tarmo Sutt
Differential Gears Explained ....... Corsa West of Los Angeles
Calendar of Coming Events ................. Board of Directors
Birthdays & Anniversaries ...................... Heula Pittman
February Issues, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 Years Ago .. Club Historian
President's Letter ............................ Gregory Nelson
The Start of our New Year .................... Brenda Stickler
Dual Purpose Trunk Light ................... Vegas Vairs, 2017
COVER: Plaque for the Editor shown at the 2022 Christmas party
Bottom: Is this New York's "skinnest" skyscraper?
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OFFICERS and VOLUNTEERS
President Greg Nelson 505-400-8670 fesedu @ comcast.net
Vice-President Brenda Stickler 505-856-6993 tounce66 @ msn.com
Secretary Lupe Arellanes 505-515-9897 ispeakmedicare505 @ gmail.com
Treasurer Steve Gongora 505-220-7401 stevegongora @ msn.com
Newsletter Jim Pittman 505-275-2195 jimp @ unm.edu
Birthdays Heula Pittman 505-275-2195 heula @ q.com
Past President Pat Hall 505-620-5574 patandvickiehall @ q.com
Past President Dave Allin 505-410-9668 dnjallin @ gmail.com
Past President David Huntoon 505-281-9616 corvair66 @ aol.com
MEETING: Regular Meeting - Saturday February 4th, 2023 at 10:00 AM
Highland Senior Center, 131 Monroe St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108
INTERNET: CORSA's home page www.corvair.org/
CNM's newsletters www.unm.edu/~jimp/
New Mexico Council of Car Clubs www.nmcarcouncil.com/
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SCHEDULE CNM: 12 months = $25.00 or 26 months = $ 50.00
OF CORSA: 12 months = $45.00 or 26 months = $ 90.00
DUES CNM & CORSA: 12 months = $70.00 or 26 months = $140.00
.............................................................................
DUES DUE DATES February 2023
DUE LAST MONTH ====================== INACTIVE DATE
2023.01 ======== NONE ======== 25-FEB-2023
DUE THIS MONTH ====================== INACTIVE DATE
2023.02 ======== NONE ======== 25-MAR-2023
DUE NEXT MONTH ====================== INACTIVE DATE
2023.03 Fred & Brenda Edeskuty 25-APR-2023
2023.03 Barbara & Gordon Johnson 25-APR-2023
2023.03 Connie & Robert McBreen 25-APR-2023
2023.03 Kelli & Mark Morgan 25-APR-2023
DUE APRIL =========================== INACTIVE DATE
2023.04 Deborah & John Dinsdale 25-MAY-2023
2023.04 Terry Hall 25-MAY-2023
2023.04 Heula & Jim Pittman 25-MAY-2023
INACTIVE ============================ INACTIVE DATE
2022.02 Linda Soukup & Tony Berbig 25-MAR-2022
2022.07 Mike R Hughes 25-AUG-2022
2022.11 Anne Wiker 25-DEC-2022
Send your Dues to:
CNM Treasurer -- Steve Gongora
8419 Palo Duro NE
Albuquerque, NM 87111
Past due memberships become inactive after a one-month grace period.
The Club will mail in your National Dues if you send us the renewal
form from your Communique.
As of 29-Jan-2023 we have 41 active family memberships.
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MILESTONE
Jim Pittman
I had not intended to write yet another story about my career as newsletter
editor. I have written about it several times before, most recently, March 2022
which marked the start of my forty-fifth year as editor. But then Steve called
me up. "Are you planning to go to the Christmas Party?" he asked. "No, we are
not planning to go," I replied, "What with being afraid of covid and our old age
aches and pains and hating to drive in insane traffic, we just don't go anywhere
any more."
Steve said, "Okay, well, I can bring some things over later." And sure enough, a
few days after the party, here comes the famous House of Covers van, parking out
front, and here is Steve, at the door, carrying boxes. There was a large flat
box with an amazing colorful plaque with photos from years gone by, and with
written tributes from members. And there was a large plastic bag with a club
jacket. Steve had me try the jacket on and model it for photos. In a separate
envelope were quotes from the plaque, printed on a series of cards and I read
these essays with humility and pleasure. The plaque immediately found a place of
honor on the north wall of the living room.
So now I had mixed feelings. I was sad that I had not been able to be at the
party (after all, I could have gone) where club members had intended to present
this tribute in person. And I was happy and grateful that club members had put
together a lasting memento of their appreciation for my efforts.
I keep telling everyone how lucky our club has been over many years to have so
many people with many talents who work together to make the club such a great
experience for so many of us. I keep telling people that it's the little guy in
the back of my head who deserves the credit for doing the newsletter editing
job. I keep telling people that it's just luck that I somehow have the talent
and the experiences and the interests to edit our newsletter, month after month
and year after year. Why do I do it? Because I think a well-made newsletter is a
great contribution to the club. And yes, I am always grateful for the help from
those in the club who support the newsletter with articles and photos. Thanks to
all of you.
Editing the newsletter is, I suppose, one small way to partly pay back all the
wonderful people who have been in our club and with whom we have all been
privileged to interact over such a long time. We have remarked before about how
the club is much like a family. I thank all of you, as we should all thank those
long gone and those still here, for being such a wonderful family.
Care & Feeding Booklet
BILL REIDER'S YELLOW BOOKLET
"The Care & Feeding of Your Corvair" has been a constant companion to the club
since 1991. Bill imagined a handy reference for all sorts of Corvair
information, some simple, some obscure, to help out our new members.
Bill put the original together on his Apple /// computer, using now long
forgotten software. He moved the project to a Mac, produced a few more updates,
and somewhere along the way the text files were translated into Word files and
the illustrations into JPG files.
Every new member got a copy, we sold copies to old members and sold copies at
Tri-States. Clark's bought copies to sell in their catalog. Over the years there
was a need for more revisions and some of us helped. The last revision was the
10th printing in 2019.
At the time I said I would not work on yet another update, but here I am,
working on the 11th printing. I hope to be able to get it printed during the
next few weeks. Bill Reider and, in a way, his classic Apple /// will live on in
our little yellow book!
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PHOTOS ...
... at a recent CNM meeting, with a Corvair video of historic interest.
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TREASURY REPORT FOR 12-22-2022 to 01-27-2023 ===============================================
DATE CHECK# AMOUNT PAYEE DESCRIPTION BALANCE = $ 4,966.01
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2022.12.27 2573 -$ 85.49 J.Pittman Newsletter printing JAN 2023 -$ 56.46 $ 4,910.55
2022.12.27 J.Pittman 29 Stamps @.84 each -$ 24.36 $ 4,886.19
2022.12.27 J.Pittman 29 Envelopes @ .161 each -$ 4.67 $ 4,881.52
2023.01.07 2574 -$ 118.72 S.Gongora CNM Jacket Reimbursement -$ 118.72 $ 4,762.80
2023.01.07 2575 -$ 24.00 B.Stickler CNM Christmas Cake -$ 24.00 $ 4,738.80
2023.01.17 2576 -$ 10.00 NM State Annual Corporation Report 2022 -$ 10.00 $ 4,728.80
2023.01.17 4352 +$ 25.00 Dues D.Huntoon 12 m CNM +$ 25.00 $ 4,753.80
2023.01.25 8899 +$ 140.00 Dues T.Lawler 26 m CNM,CORSA +$ 140.00 $ 4,893.80
2023.01.22 2577 -$ 90.00 CORSA T.Lawler 26 m CORSA -$ 90.00 $ 4,803.80
2023.01.25 2578 -$ 35.00 CORSA CORSA Annual Chapter Fee 2023 -$ 35.00 $ 4,768.80
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2023.02 FEB NEWSLETTER ============================================ BALANCE = $ 4,768.80
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LOADSIDE RESCUE
by Pat Hall & Tarmo Sutt
Someone emailed to the club that a Corvair truck was in a neighbor's back yard
and he had been asked to help get rid of it. I gave the information to Pat Hall
who immediately made the phone call. Before long Pat was driving his "slider"
truck to Roswell, accompanied by Tarmo, to check it out. They found the "truck"
to be a Loadside, the most rare Corvair! All the glass was broken but everything
else seemed to be there. It was free, to anyone who would haul it away. Pat and
Tarmo hauled it away. Tarmo sent these photos. It was a long drive to Roswell
and back, but with good weather they got back to Los Lunas before dark.
Now what to do with it? Pat says he thinks he has a windshield and side windows
in his yard and says the engine turned over. Tarmo took the carbs to clean and
rebuild. Can this become a classic restoration project? Pat and Tarmo think so.
Stay tuned for more news!
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Reprinted from WESTWIND, An Electronic Publication of
Corsa West of Los Angeles
P.O. Box 950023, Mission Hills, CA 91395
www.corsawest.com Effective December 12, 2022
THE DIFFERENTIAL GEARS EXPLAINED
by Dan Drommerhausen and Bob Nichols
While some readers know what a differential is, others do not. First a
fundamental explanation and then an explanation of the differential and its
gears. Limited slip and four satellite gears differentials will be discussed.
The steel (or alloy) wheel and tire will be called the "wheel" herein.
The vehicle engine turns and this rotation goes through a transmission and
differential to transmit engine rotation at different ratios to the rear wheels
via axles. In low gear about 10 or 11 engine rotations for every wheel rotation
makes for easy starts. When in high gear about 3 to 4 engine turns for every
wheel and tire rotation allow the car to cruise at highway speeds.
The Transaxle -- The Corvair combines the transmission and differential into one
unit (that can be unbolted from each other).
The Transmission -- Either a manual selected gear box engaged via a clutch, or a
fully automatic hydraulic unit was installed in the Corvair. The transmission's
job is to allow different gear rations to be selected so the engine rotations
per wheel rotation can be changed to allow the vehicle to start easily from a
stop, but reduce engine rotations with respect to wheel rotations so the vehicle
can travel at a higher road speed.
The Axles -- The axle(s) connects the rear wheels to the differential. The
Corvair has two axles, one on the driver's side, and one on the passenger side
The Differential -- It consists of a ring and pinion gear that are designed to
take engine rotation, via the transmission, and turn it 90 degrees to rotate the
axles and wheels. The ring is connected to a differential case containing a set
of side and satellite gears. The differential assembly allows the vehicle to
make a turn when the inner and outer rear wheels travel at "different"
distances, or arcs. The ring and pinion, differential case, and axle yokes are
contained in the differential carrier the transmission bolts to.
If both wheels and axles were connected without a differential, then each wheel
would try to force the other to turn at the same rate in a turn. The result
would be unbalanced forces negatively affecting handling and traction. During a
turn the differential gears, via axles, allow the outer wheel to turn faster
versus the inner wheel, but with equal force to each. In effect the differential
side and satellite gears rotate to equalize the force to each wheel. This design
is referred to as the "Open" differential and ensures either rear wheel cannot
receive more force than the other. The design works well if both wheels have the
same traction. If one wheel has less traction than the other a problem arises.
The "slipping wheel problem." -- When one wheel loses traction it will slip and
spin. This can happen on wet pavement, mud, snow, ice, or loose dirt. The force
to the wheel with greater traction is reduced to about that of the low traction
slipping wheel by the differential gears. This lack of force to the wheel with
traction causes the car to accelerate poorly, if at all. There is an option to
overcome this problem called a limited slip differential design that will be
discussed here.
Ring and Pinion Gears -- While the ring and pinion change transmission output
rotation to the wheels by 90 degrees, they also operate at a ratio (typically in
the 1960's at three or four input rotations from the transmission for every one
rotation of the wheel). This came about during many years of early automotive
design to minimize transmission gear size (and weight) and to allow a
satisfactory sizing of the differential parts.
Side and Satellite Gears - the differential case gears allow one axle to turn at
a different rotation rate versus the other axle. A side gear connects to each
axle. The satellite gears are on a shaft mounted in the case that is driven by
the ring and pinion housing. The satellite gears allow equal force to be applied
to each side gear and axle.
NOTE: Different names are used for these gears.
Side gear called: Sun or Drive bevel gear.
Satellite gear called: Planetary, Spider, Pinion (not to be confused with the
Ring and Pinion).
Refer to following simplified diagrams that better illustrate how a differential
works. A more detailed illustration is in the Corvair Chassis Shop Manual.
The vehicle is traveling in a straight ahead. Both axles have the same traction
and rotate at the same speed. The green satellite gear (via the purple ring gear
and differential case and shaft into the green satellite gear) does NOT rotate
and connects to the side red and yellow side gears that rotate at the same speed
as the ring gear to turn the rear wheels.
The vehicle has one wheel turning faster than the other. The illustration shows
how the green satellite gear rotates when the red side gear and axle shaft moves
slower than the yellow side gear and axle shaft. The red axle has greater
traction than the yellow axle and causes the green satellite gear to rotate with
the yellow side gear and axle to equalize force to each side gear and axle.
Images credit: The images were originally uploaded on en.wikipedia.org by user:
Wapcaplet., CC BY-SA 3.0. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or
modify the images under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.
Limited slip differential -- Initially this design was meant to ensure that if
one wheel had far less traction than the other a minimum force would still be
transmitted to the axle with greater traction. The intent was to provide some
traction on slippery surfaces, but they found great favor with racing folks and
off- road enthusiasts to get a lot of engine power to BOTH wheels for greater
traction. This resulted in more robust locking differential designs that were
never used by the Corvair and will not be reviewed here.
Corvair Positraction limited slip differential --
Chevrolet offered a limited slip differential called "Positraction" for the
Corvair. It is a modification of the "open" differential gear system using
friction plates (clutch) that bind each axle together via a preset torque (the
Corvair shop manual specifies a minimum 50 ft.lbs. at the axle). The limited
slip clutch connects both axles to the ring and pinion carrier to ensure a
minimal force of 50 ft.lbs. is transmitted to the wheel with greater traction
when the other wheel has less traction. Yes, this is a compromise of how the
open differential works in a turn, but overcomes the slipping wheel problem when
one wheel loses traction on a slippery surface. Most driving is straight ahead,
that minimized clutch slipping and heat build-up that only occurs during vehicle
turns or when one wheel in on a slippery surface.
Corvair Positraction limited slip clutch -- Unlike some Chevrolet Positraction
clutches that use a friction material on the clutch friction plates, the Corvair
clutches are solid metal with no friction material attached. Some of the plates
are curved and some are flat. The plates either connect to the differential ring
case via four outer protrusions, or they have inner small protrusions that the
axle side gear fits into. The plates are assembled (refer to Chassis Shop
Manual) so they fit together under pressure and have friction between them.
Refer to images.
Curved clutch plate with outer protrusions to fit into ring gear
differential case slots.
Curved clutch plate with inner protrusions to fit onto side gear ridges.
Flat clutch plate with outer protrusions to fit into ring gear
differential case slots.
Early vs. late Positraction -- The early design was an option on model years
1961-1964, then a more robust design was used for the option during model years
1965-1969. The early design case side cover has a history of occasionally
failing. Chevrolet improved the design for the 1965 models. The most obvious
difference is the early design was assembled with six bolts while the latter
design was assembled with nine bolts. Refer to illustrations of good earlier
carrier versus one that has failed.
Early POSITRATION case side cover.
Early failed POSITRATION case side cover fractured and separated.
Corvair Positraction lubrication - Some limited slip differentials require
lubrication additives for proper functioning of the clutches. The Corvair 1961
through 1965 model year shop manuals make no recommendations about adding
Posi-traction lubricant additives to the gear oil.
The Corvair 1966 and 1967 model year shop manual supplement states NOT to add
limited slip additive to the gear oil as follows: On vehicles equipped with
Positraction axles use the above mentioned lubricant (equivalent of GL-4 80W90
gear oil), as (adding) Special Positraction lube will cause hard shifting on
standard transmissions in cold weather. Others have reported gear clash while
shifting when limited slip differential lube was added.
The 1969 shop manual supplement states: CAUTION: With Positraction rear axles
use special Positraction lubricant.
What to do? Dirty, worn, or improper lubricant will cause the clutch disks to
overheat and wear during turns or when driving on slippery surfaces. The audible
symptoms are "squealing" or noisy "chattering" when the vehicle is in a turn. If
this happens the consensus is to add a limited slip additive. Once the clutch
packs are silent during a turn, change the gear lube without an using an
additive.
It is suggested that Posi-traction equipped Corvair, should have the transaxle
lubricant changed every 10,000 miles, more often if the car is raced, to prevent
damage to the clutch plates. This may seem overly cautious, but transaxle
lubricant is less costly versus rebuilding a differential clutch pack.
The FOUR satellite gear modification -- The Corvair differential design used two
satellite gears. The purpose of adding two additional satellite gears is to
reduce force on individual satellite gear teeth that could cause them to fail.
Either the open or limited slip differential can be modified to four satellite
gears.
The Corvair differential has an undeserved reputation for satellite gear
failures. A common cause of satellite gear failure is worn out lubricant causing
gear, shaft, and thrust washer wear. Another cause is aggressive driving, like
engaging the clutch rapidly at high engine RPM. If you are going to drive your
Corvair aggressively, or race it, then modifying the differential from two to
four satellite gears is warranted. Refer to the following illustration showing
four satellite gear installation.
Adding two extra satellite gears requires:
* Two additional satellite gears
* Two additional satellite gear thrust washers
* A block to hold the two additional satellite gear shafts
* Two additional satellite gear shafts
* Machining the differential case
Over the years there have been several four satellite gear modifications offered
for the Corvair differential. Not all are the same. For best function and
reliability, the following features are recommended:
* Prevent case wear by satellite gear shaft rotation. The main satellite gear
shaft is anchored by a split pin (see illustration). To prevent rotation of the
added satellite gear shafts they should be machined to fit the curvature of the
original satellite gear shaft or anchored by another method. See illustration.
* The differential case should be machined, in a manner like the original
satellite gears and thrust washers, to hold the additional satellite gears
thrust washers.
* Worn or damaged satellite gears should be replaced with new or re-manufactured
(examined for fractures and typically re-coated).
Two satellite gear differential (stock)
Four satellite gear differential (modified)
* * * * * * * *
NOTE: When my 1966 Corvair was new, I noticed that occasionally, when turning at
low speed, there would be a "moaning" sound from the rear of the car. It was
more noticeable when cold, and this was in Alaska so it got pretty cold! I don't
remember when I learned that the transaxle was supposed to have a special
positraction additive, but I added it. I was worried about its effect on the
transmission, but I don't remember blaming the additive for any shifting
problems. As the car aged the moaning sounds eventually went away. In fact, I'm
not sure I could ever tell whether the limited slip Positraction actually
worked. -- Jim
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| February 2023 | March 2023 | April 2023 |
| Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa | Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa | Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa |
| 1 2 3 4 | 1 2 3 4 | 1 |
| 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 | 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 | 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 |
| 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 | 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 | 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 |
| 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 | 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 | 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 |
| 26 27 28 | 26 27 28 29 30 31 | 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 |
| | | 30 |
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SAT 04 FEB 10:00 AM Meeting: Highland Senior Center
131 Monroe St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108 Phone: (505) 767-5210
WED 15 FEB 7:00 PM Board Meeting via Zoom
SAT 18 FEB 12:00 noon WHEELS MUSEUM VISIT - Concert is at 11:00 AM
WED 22 FEB 7:00 PM NEW MEXICO CAR COUNCIL MEETING - FOURTH WEDNESDAYS
Manzano Mesa Senior center - 501 Elizabeth St SE
FRI 24 FEB 9:00 PM Deadline for items for the March newsletter
MON 27 FEB ******* TARGET FOR PRINTING, MAILING MARCH NEWSLETTER <<
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SAT 04 MAR 10:00 AM Meeting: Highland Senior Center
131 Monroe St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108 Phone: (505) 767-5210
SAT 11 MAR ???? AM First "Old Route 66 Cleanup" of the year. Maybe 9:00 AM ?
WED 15 MAR 7:00 PM Board Meeting via Zoom
SAT 18 MAR x:xx xx Tentative date for our 49th Anniversary Party
WED 22 MAR 7:00 PM NEW MEXICO CAR COUNCIL MEETING - FOURTH WEDNESDAYS
Manzano Mesa Senior center - 501 Elizabeth St SE
FRI 24 MAR 9:00 PM Deadline for items for the April newsletter
MON 27 MAR ******* TARGET FOR PRINTING, MAILING APRIL NEWSLETTER <<
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SAT 01 APR 10:00 AM Meeting: Highland Senior Center
131 Monroe St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108 Phone: (505) 767-5210
WED 19 APR 7:00 PM Board Meeting via Zoom
WED 26 APR 7:00 PM NEW MEXICO CAR COUNCIL MEETING - FOURTH WEDNESDAYS
Manzano Mesa Senior center - 501 Elizabeth St SE
FRI 28 APR 9:00 PM Deadline for items for the May newsletter
MON 01 MAY ******* TARGET FOR PRINTING, MAILING MAY NEWSLETTER <<
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SAT 06 MAY 10:00 AM Meeting: Highland Senior Center
WED 17 MAY 7:00 PM Board Meeting via Zoom
XXX xx MAY xx:xx AM NMCCC / ALBUQUERQUE MUSEUM Car Show
WED 24 MAY 7:00 PM NEW MEXICO CAR COUNCIL MEETING
FRI 26 MAY 9:00 PM Deadline for items for the June newsletter
MON 29 MAY ******* TARGET FOR PRINTING, MAILING JUNE NEWSLETTER <<
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See the New Mexico Council of Car Clubs Web Site for more "NMCCC" activities
======================== http://www.nmcarcouncil.com/ ======================
SUGGESTION: A visit to the new WEATHER LAB at the Balloon Museum
SUGGESTION: A visit to the Soaring Museum in Moriarty
SUGGESTION: Activities with other clubs such as VMCCA
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Happy Birthday Wishes to February CNM'ers:
Phillip Brock
Bob Kitts
Anthony Shortle
Happy Anniversary Wishes to February CNM'ers:
Rita & Steve Gongora
Diane Tweedy & Tony Lawler
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SEVEN YEARS AGO [ FEBRUARY 2023 VOL 49 Nr 2 ISSUE 569 ] Jim Pittman
2016 Vol 42 Nr 2 #485
The yellow Wiker Monza at a Saturday Morning Club Breakfast at Sergio's Bakery.
President Ray Trujillo said we'd be visiting the Unser Racing Museum in
February. New Members were Victor & Belinda Sanchez. Robert Gold told about the
new web page for the Car Council. From the Denvair News: Eric Schakel told what
happens when a transmission gear fails at 75 miles per hour. Jim told how he
used to warm up the 1966 turbo Corsa at 40 below in Fairbanks, Alaska. We
included a Nomination Form for the 2016 Meissner Award.
2009 Vol 35 Nr 2 #401
Larry Hickerson's awesome Rampside. VP Pat told about a new member, Bill Darcy,
owner of 5 Corvairs. Our bank balance was $3,511. Rafee Corvair in Wister, OK
was a dealer in Corvair parts; try 918-753-2486. Corvair Underground, a
long-time parts dealer, was closing. Tarmo told us of a 1928 Lincoln in Santa
Fe, for sale for a mere $110,000. Our anniversary celebration was planned for
the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. We needed nominations for the Ike Meissner
Award. We needed more tech sessions at meetings. Brenda reported on planning for
the Taos Tri-State. Kim Patten planned our next breakfast. Heula presented Part
2 of the series "Can You Identify This Member?" and Steve Goodman gave us tips
on winter maintaining and driving our Corvairs. Photos: Corvairs at Jimmy's
Cafe; Tarmo's new 180-HP engine for the red convertible. Tech tips: in 1996 Bill
Reider told how to take care of your steering box, Mark Domzalski outlined an FC
transaxle swap, and Bill and Mark discussed speedometers.
2002 Vol 28 Nr 2 #317
The cover: an early coupe. Cartoon Billiken was job hunting. It was hard due to
the collapse of Boeing and the dot-com bubble. We were investigating a better
investment than our money market account. Bill recommended GMAC. Corvair Ladies
planned the ever-popular progressive dinner, a garage tour to the Doll Museum
and Dave Langlois' shop and a tour to Bosque del Apache. The April tune-up
opportunity was at Old Car Garage. The award committee's report to the board was
covered. President Robert Gold reported on the tour to Bosque del Apache,
including a ride in a big white school bus. A Greenbrier van was seen in a
recent Hollywood movie. Mark Martinek reported on the January Car Council
meeting. There were many tourist opportunities near Grand Junction, Colorado at
the 2002 Tri-State Event. Jim reported on the state of CNM's web presence: Steve
posted many photos, club history and recent news on the club's "official" CORSA
web site. Jim posted current and back issues of the CNM newsletter on his web
site. There seemed to be little interest in the web sites because few of our
members had internet access, or maybe it was just TOO SLOW.
1995 Vol 21 Nr 2 #233
Cover: a 1965 8/10 Cord. The replica car was front-wheel-drive, powered by a
Corvair engine, with a body of Royalite plastic. According to Road & Track, only
30 were ever sold -- a rare Corvair-powered vehicle indeed. The "8/10" name of
the replica car comes from its size: eight tenths scale compared to the original
1936 Cord 810. The innovative Cord was powered by a Lycoming aircraft V-8 engine
and had disappearing headlights. The 1929 Cord L-29 was the first
front-wheel-drive car sold in America. President Larry ran our meeting. Planning
continued for our Tri-State "Red River Rendezvous II" and our 1996 CORSA
Convention in Albuquerque. At our board meeting we asked for more tech tips and
set dollar rates for "For Sale" ads by non-members. We discussed programs for
meetings and proposed to set up registries for tool loans, patterns, free parts
and advice. We hoped these registries would pump new life into the under-used
CNM Library Van. A third edition of the "Care and Feeding" booklet was under
way. Bill Reider contributed an article on rebuilding a differential, and
drawings of special tools were included. Chuck Vertrees reported on the use of
Milk of Magnesia to treat bolts that would be exposed to high temperatures.
Finally, a tech tip liberated from another newsletter told us all we needed to
know about installing a 1963 padded dash.
1988 Vol 14 Nr 2 #149
Mark Morgan's cover drawing showed a rear-engine Renault with 180-hp. We learned
we had $464 to spend. Dale Housley found a source of club jackets at $30 each.
Our guest speaker was from MADD and reported on that organization's efforts to
curb drinking while driving. At the board meeting we proposed a dues increase
(postage rates were going up) and LeRoy listed items to be auctioned in
February. We planned a garage tour to see the facilities of LeRoy Rogers, Butch
Uher and Bob Philips. Your editor reviewed THE RECKONING by David Halberstam and
highly recommended it to car buffs. It was a study of Ford and Nissan as car
companies with very different philosophies, failures and successes.
1981 Vol 7 Nr 2 # 65
The cover featured the now-familiar CNM dragon and his friends jumping into
Noah's Ark - but the ark looked like a Rampside. George Morin brought in two
pressure plates to let us see why one was acceptable and the other was not.
Robin DeVore brought in samples of carpets, one by Clark's and one by American
Corvair. Bill Reider showed us how to rebuild starters. A tech tip discussed the
effects of dirt in the carburetor float bowl and how to deal with it.
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FROM THE PRESIDENT
Greg Nelson
February Program
We'll finish the John Glenn CORSA video and check the prices from the
January Mecum Auction. Especially the one that stated $143,000 in restoration
costs.
How Much?
I had a brief discussion with Larry Blair after we watched Part 1 of the
John Glenn Restoration video and we wondered how much $$ was spent to restore
his Corvair. That got me wondering: "How much have I spent?" I tallied the
receipts from most of my 1964 Monza binder and the total, to date, is $9,125.
Hmmm. That's not too bad. Next, I'll take a look at the binder for the 1963
Spyder. It won't be that high but I'm sure it'll catch up pretty quickly.
1964 Monza
After completing the door panels the next job to tackle is trunk rust. I
have three tools to choose from: an Eastwood Surface Conditioning Tool, a
Craftsman multi-tool and a Harbor Freight mini-belt sander. I can manage about
15-20 minutes of sanding even with gardening knee pads. The cement floor is a
killer on the knees. And if I stay down there too long it's a bit of a struggle
getting back up. That's due to 30 years or so of fencing -- the sport, not the
wood/metal border around the property. I also wear eye and ear protection. I use
a 16 galloon Craftsman wet/dry vacuum to help keep the rust-dust floating around
the garage to a minimum. To reduce the dust, I use the canister filter, a
high-efficiency vacuum bag and a folded filter over the vacuum exhaust port.
Field Trip
Several of us are planning a field trip to Las Vegas, NM during the
President's Day weekend. Lupe and Jim have been doing some initial scouting and
contacting the local hotels. I think we've come to the conclusion that Las Vegas
will be the site for the 2024 Tri-State and now the hard logistical details need
to be ironed out. And speaking of Tri-State don't forget to register for this
year's event on the Pikes Peak club's web page. I've already registered online.
Rescued by Wonder Woman!
Small world! Look who I found at the Albuquerque Comic Con. Lupe and Jim
also attended the event on Saturday, and we managed to cross paths despite the
large crowd. (This is a large crowd for Albuquerque. San Diego and Denver Comic
Cons are over 120,000 attendees.) I actually managed to keep under budget. Which
I'm sure I'll spend on Corvair parts.
March Birthday Party
Next month we'll celebrate CNM's 49th anniversary. I mentioned we would
meet on the 4th Saturday, at a place TBD, but I would propose we meet the third
Saturday in March (18th). We can discuss why and vote at the February or March
meetings.
Not Trash Month Yet
The second Saturday in March will be our first pickup of the year
although I hear that our mile section looks pretty clean. That just means it's
still too cold to throw trash out the window or pull over, eat dinner and dump
the packaging on the roadside. Uhhh. Did I say that out loud? Oops.
Senior Center Membership
Hmmm. Don't forget at the January meeting the staff of the Senior Center
mentioned that everyone needs to be a member of the rec center. It's 'only'
$20/year and is good for all the city recreational facilities. So please
consider joining.
Cheers Y'all -- See ya at the February Meeting
Gregory Nelson -- CNM President
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THE START OF OUR CNM NEW YEAR
Brenda Stickler
We had fun at our last meeting, deciding what events held the most interest for
our car club members for 2023. We are starting with one that has been on our
wish list for a year or so.
In February there is a great interest in going to the Wheels Museum at 1100 2nd
Street SW. Not only does it have a collection of unique vehicles -- but also has
some old objects of interest, mostly themed around transportation. We have that
event scheduled for Saturday, February 18th at 10:00 AM. There is also a
Concert that will take place mid-day at that museum on Thursday, February 16,
from 11:00 AM until Noon. Cost is $10.00.
The second item our board has been working on is the 49th Anniversary
celebration for Corvairs of New Mexico in March. I am still working out
arrangements with a restaurant to host us. We are trying for Saturday March
25th. We'll have the correct date and time soon.
Lupe Arellanes is the leader for our Tri-State in New Mexico, scheduled for next
year. If you know what committee you would like to assist with, do let her know
so she can compile a list of Tri-State 2024 committee members. A primary
decision: Where to hold the Tri-State. New Mexico locations in the past include
Raton, Red River, Chama, Taos and Las Vegas. We are leaning toward Las Vegas.
Help us decide! Where would you like to go?
Your Club Board of Directors is looking forward to another great year with our
members. Thanks for your support.
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Reprinted from: VEGAS VAIRS -- "VISION" -- DECEMBER 2017 -- PAGE 8
"LET THERE BE LIGHT"
Harry in Las Vegas, Nevada
A Quick Dual Purpose Trunk Light (Especially For Late Models)
Howdy. Just thought I'd pass along a quick method of mounting a cheap light in
your late model trunk. See the accompanying image for inspiration.
The battery operated light pictured is a staple item carried by Harbor Freight
stores and probably many other chain retail outlets as well. The push button
control lets you select either a spot or flood light beam. There's a handy built
in hang hook that allows you to make mistakes with both hands free! Also,
there's a magnet on the back of the unit that enables you attach it wherever on
any steel surface.
Inside the trunk on late model 'Vairs you'll find the three mounting screws from
the chrome Corvair name plate on the driver's side nose shielded with black
rubber covers. The aforementioned light nestles perfectly upon these rubber
sleeves and is held in place by the magnet. On flood setting it will really
illuminate all the trunk junk that should really be cleaned out! And, of course,
you can always remove it and use it as a flashlight.
I keep an additional light affixed inside the engine compartment. I can't
remember, but there must be handy locations to install this unit in early model
'Vairs as well.
Harbor Freight (I own no stock) sells these lights outright but usually includes
them at no charge with a minimum purchase.
I'm suggesting battery powered lumens here as an alternate method for hard wired
brightness since I previously melted my engine compartment electrical loom
whilst attempting to install a really large light in my engine bay. Hey, it wuz
made in China and was manufactured to use a POSITIVE GROUND!
Live and learn (sometimes) -- I'm just say'in.
-- Keep that dipstick clean, Harry in Sin City
VISION is a publication of VEGAS VAIRS - Chapter 891 of CORSA
P.O. Box 621925, Las Vegas, NV. 89162-1925
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Enchanted Corvairs Newsletter is published monthly by Corvairs of New Mexico,
chartered Chapter #871 of CORSA, the Corvair Society of America. Copyright by
the Authors and by Corvairs of New Mexico. Articles may be reprinted in any
CORSA publication as a service to CORSA members, provided credit to the Author
and this Newsletter is clearly stated. All opinions are those of the Author or
Editor and are not necessarily endorsed by Corvairs of New Mexico or CORSA.
Material for publication should reach the Editor by the 15th of the month. Send
material via e-mail ( jimp @ unm.edu ) or submit a readable manuscript. I prefer
ASCII TEXT, but MS Word or RTF are fine. Photographs are welcome. The newsletter
is composed using Apple computers. Software includes Mac OS-X, AppleWorks,
Photoshop CS, GraphicConverter, BBEdit and InDesign CS. If you care, ask for
more details. When I'm 64, I'll get by with a little help from my friends.
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