Tag: mechanic
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A Yenko Mechanic Shares Tales From Inside The Shop
Outside of CORSA, Hagerty may be doing more work to promote the Corvair than all other publications combined. If you are looking for insurance for your Corvair or other classic car, or just enjoy reading about the classic car hobby, you can’t go wrong with Hagerty. Many thanks to member Bruce Mooers for sending this…
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Tech Tip: Metallic Brake Shoes
This article comes from Jim Simpson and our friends at Group Corvair who are based out of the Washington DC originally published in their Aug 2026 newsletter. When I bought my ’66 Corsa turbo, I ran it hard. I quickly learned that the original GM brakes really weren’t up to the task of hauling the…
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Racers Electric Fuel Pump Kits
For years, Corvair owners were in the woods for an electric fuel pump setup if they either decided to go electric, or the quality of aftermarket mechanical pumps made the decision for them. Corvair enthusiast and all around good guy, Craig Nicol, decided to make a kit that he wanted in his Corvair. One that…
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Tech Tip: Carburetor Overhaul
Ahhh… the Corvair carburetor. This little marvel of fuel atomization has been the thorn in the side of many owners. Are they sticking? Are they dirty? Are they bogging down? Are they leaking? Too rich? Too lean? Ethanol eating them from the insides out? Fear not, my Air Cooled brethren! Our friend Mike Dawson from…
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Tech Tip ~ Late Model Powertrain Installation
Today’s tech tip is courtesy of Fran Schmit of the Minnesota club and originally appeared in the Feb 2007 issue of the CORSA Communique magazine. This procedure solves a difficulty with installation of the powertrain, which requires doing what I tell you before you begin to remove it. I was reminded recently of this when reading a CORSA article about how much trouble someone was having re-installing their late model drivetrain. A late model with its drivetrain out has its rear wheels hanging down a mile. When you want to re-install the drivetrain you can’t get the strut rods back onto the differential housing. The shop manual is of little help as it says, “support torque arm so that spring is compressed to be near curb height”…
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Tech Tip~ Electric Fuel Pump Conversion
Fuel. Gas. Petrol. It seems to be a hot topic of conversation lately! Within our little community, it has been a topic of conversation for a long time. What type of gas should I run? What type of fuel additives should I use? Why does my engine bay smell like gas? Where can I get…
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6 Dangerous but common DIY mistakes
We are big fans of Kyle Smith and of Hagerty! Kyle owns a 66 Corsa and references it frequently in his articles. Hagerty not only insures many of our Corvairs, but their genuine love of the classic car hobby is unmatched. It shows in their digital media, Drivers Club magazines and customer service. If you’re…
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Tech Tip ~ Checking Your Spark Plugs
Checking your spark plugs can tell you a lot about your engine. Is your car running “too rich” or “too lean”? Are you having “hard starts”? Does your car start ok but perform poorly when driving? Do you have regular “pinging” or “pre-detonation”? Not all of these issues can be fixed with a cleaning or…
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Tires!
Tires. We all have them. Some are sporty. Some are skinny. Some are fat. Some are bald. Some are European and exotic, while others like to maintain a low profile. The topic of tires came up at yesterday’s SFBA Holiday lunch. Based on the chatter throughout the room, I would imagine that hundreds of topics,…
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Doug Hargrove’s V8 Corvair
The Modesto area has a rich history of Corvair racers. SFBA life member Doug Hargrove is one of those race car builders and drivers. We thought you would enjoy reading about Doug’s undertaking of an abandoned V8 project Corvair. The original article and a massive archive of V8 powered Corvairs can be found on the…