RMC News 5-09.indd - Rocky Mountain CORSA

The Denvair News
May 2009 Vol. 35, Issue 7
A Member of the Corvair Society of America
rocky mountain
corsa
ears old!
RMC is 35 Y
What Made A Stinger A Stinger?
How The Yenko Stinger Happened, Part II
Eric Schakel
When Don Yenko finally made the decision to proceed with the Stinger project,
there were few successful road-race Corvairs. There were road rally Corvairs,
there were class-winning drag racing Corvairs, but the 1960-1964 Corvairs,
even in Monza Spyder trim, had hardly set the world on fire. From Yenko’s perspective, there were three items that made the Corvair Corsa a desirable starting point for a sports car conversion:
CORVAIR
1. The Corvair was the lightest car GM had ever put on
the market. After watching the Corvette grow portly (Yenko
raved about the 1963 Stingray’s hide-away headlamps
weighing 68 pounds, right on the nose of the car!) while the
Cobra actually lost weight, the low weight appealed to him.
2. With a 164 cubic inch power plant, the Corvair wouldn’t
be classed against the V8 cars of any other manufacturer.
Since Chevy had no V8 car to compete with the Mustang,
the narrow-track four and six cylinder British and Italian cars
would be his targets.
3. The final element was the market success of the 1965
Corvair restyling and revised independed rear suspension.
The Corvair Corsa was the final step of the Corvair’s slow
transformation from inexpensive economy car to Europeanstyle sporting car.
Stinger gatherings are monochromatic - thank goodness Warren LeVeque
painted YS-015 red! Number 37 car in the foreground was purchased new
from the Canonsburg dealership by then-Yenko employee Mark Gillespie.
The challenge, of course, was to make the car fast. In an
era when headers, intake, big carb, and cam grind were
the speed tricks, Yenko had picked a car with cast-in manifolds and exhaust stacks with clearance notches for pushrod
tubes. And because he had selected a production sports car
class, the old homily “When in doubt, bore it out” was not
applicable for Sports Car Club of America events. Chevy
had already taken the engine bore and stroke out to the
practical edge of displacement.
Yenko turned to the folks at R.S.T. Engineering for his engine
inspiration. The very first racer Yenko fielded was powered
by an RST engine. There are varying views on exactly how
“stock” the 140 Corvair powerplant actually was.
No K&N air filters back in The Day, but little else has changed in the engines. Note that this car, with cut-out fender liners and roll cage would not
have been eligible to race under SCCA D Production rules.
Thanks to the Yenko Sportscars marketing
literature and surviving purchase orders
for aftermarket parts, a relatively clear
picture of the Stinger options emerges.
Continued on Page 5
Flash! Tremendous Tri-State Tune-Up Turnout - Details in June!
Rocky Mountain Corsa (RMC) has been a chartered
chapter of the Corvair Society of America (CORSA) since
October 1974, and is dedicated to the preservation and
enjoyment of Corvair automobiles.
Membership & Dues
Rocky Mountain Corsa annual dues are $23.00, Corvair
Society of America (CORSA) annual dues are $38.00,
which includes a subscription to the Corsa Communique,
an award-winning monthly magazine. Combined dues are
The Denvair News is a monthly publication for members
$61.00 annually. Checks should be payable to RMC, mailed
and affiliates of Rocky Mountain Corsa. The Denvair News is to: RMC, c/o John Dinsdale, 3240 Billings St., Aurora, CO
now available as a PDF by request to the Editor.
80011-2231
Editorial Contributions
We encourage your participation! Please forward stories,
ideas, jokes, recipes, and/or photos to the Editor. Content
must be received by the 15th of the month prior to the desired publication month. Electronic files are mucho preferred.
Classified Ads
Individual RMC member ads are free. Classified ads are limited to 25 words, and may include a photo. All ads will run
for three issues. Non-members may advertise for $10.00.
Please submit ads to the Editor, with payment due in advance to the Treasurer. Please make checks out to RMC.
Monthly Meeting
RMC holds meetings the 1st Friday of each month at our host
dealership, Burt Chevrolet, 5200 South Broadway in Englewood. Join us at 7:00 PM in the upstairs meeting room.
RMC Officers
President: Larry Yoder
[email protected]
303.420.1279
Vice President: John Dawson
[email protected]
303.779.4356
Secretary: Linae Schakel
[email protected]
303 660-0914
Business Advertising
Commercial advertisers are welcome. The following per-issue Treasurer: John Dinsdale
rates apply:
[email protected]
303.341.2327
Business card size – $2.50
Historian: Steve Goodman
¼ page – $5.00
[email protected]
303.934.5027
½ page – $10.00
Full page – $20.00
Newsletter Editor: Eric Schakel
[email protected]
303.660.0914
RMC Merchandise
Past event t-shirts, RMC name badges and other merchandise Auditor/Trustee: John Drage
303.466.8755
are available. Please contact Larry Yoder (until a new [email protected]
ity Director volunteers) for a current list of goodies.
Temporary Activities Director: Gary Hoffman
[email protected]
303.233.7020
RMC Mailing Address
Correspondence, ads, & articles may be snail-mailed to:
Auditor/Trustee: Rob Brereton
RMC
[email protected]
303.730.0820
PO Box 27058
Lakewood, CO 80227-0058
Membership Chair: Paul Seyforth
[email protected]
303.280.2025
Denvair News - May 2009 - Page 2
President’s Letter
Larry Yoder
My goal this month (other than finding a job) was to get ready for the Tri-State Tune Up, which was postponed a week due to
weather. I put the drum brakes back on the front to get back to original brake balance. The disc brakes completely unbalanced
the brake system. That required I re-align the front-end. After doing that I decided I might as well give it a lube job. That’s when
I discovered one of my outer tie-rod ends would not take grease. After working on it a while, and calling the guru at Rear
Engine Specialists for advice, I concluded that it was not reparable and needs to be replaced. I’m going to look for it locally to
see if I can get it on and the font-end re-aligned AGAIN before the Tri-State Tune Up this weekend at Eric’s.
I took the Fiero in to get the tires balanced today (there was a vibration last Saturday while driving on 6th Avenue). While it
was off the ground and before they took the tires off, I checked the front-end play. One side is a little loose. I hope all it needs
is wheel bearing adjustment. We’ll see...
The weather put a damper on the School of Mines E-Days show, but there was still a reasonable turnout. We were represented
by Gary with his Jeep and Dale and I with our Corvairs. Several new Corvettes showed up along with a gaggle of new
BMW’s. Andy was there with his 912. There was also an all electric utility truck on display. It looked like a toy.
The weekly cruises were not as well attended during the last week or so due to weather. Again, a few die-hards continue to
bring their cars out. Last Wednesday the Hamburger Stand parking lost was mostly full and we had 10 or 15 cars show up at
Tami’s on Sunday.
The Prez
!
RMC Cor vair Happenings
let on Broadway, 7:00pm
C Meeting at Burt Chevro
• Friday, May 1, 2009 — RM
upercruise.com for more info
Super Cruise. Visit www.goldens
lden
Go
9
200
t
Firs
—
9
200
• Saturday, May 2,
@
the Best Western Kachina Lodge
Event in Taos, NM. The hotel is
tate
Tri-S
9
200
31—
y
Ma
,
• Friday, May 29 - Sunday
event for the group rate.
275. Mention that it is a Cor vair
$69 per night. Call 575.758.2
tation subject, next issue
on Broadway, 7:00pm – Presen
let
vro
Che
t
Bur
at
g
etin
Me
C
• Friday, June 5, 2009 — RM
This could be a scene
from 1967 - throw in
a Triumph TR-4A and
make it a Championship race. Photo from
Yenko 40th Reunion
at Nelson Ledges race
track, where Yenko tried
the R.S.T. Engineering
Corvair.
Pick up
and/or
drop off
parts at
either of
these shops
- they work
together to
make your
life easier!
Denvair News - May 2009 - Page 3
RMC Meeting Minutes — April 3, 2009
The April RMC meeting was called to order by President
Larry Yoder at 7:07pm and adjourned at 8:18pm. There
were 21 members in attendance.
sure you get what you want! Contact Larry Yoder with size
and quantity. Shirts are available in T-style for $15 in sizes S
through XL, or $17 for XXL. Polo shirts are $20 for S through
XL, $22 for XXL. We’re lobbying for XLT, and will report
progress!
Old Business
Coming Events
✔ Treasurer John Dinsdale reported a bank balance of
$3014.83.
✔ We're coming up to the Tri-State, 5/29 through 5/31.
Have you made reservations?
✔ Minutes were approved as written in the April Denvair
News.
✔ The Golden Super Cruise will resume the first Saturday of
each month. First 2009 Cruise will fall on Saturday, May 2.
This is a very cool event to spectate or participate in.
✔ Paul Seyforth reported on the 2011 Convention location
opportunities that he and John Drage have investigated.
• The Ranch (county fairgrounds facility near Loveland)
wants $14k for the facility rental, but could host everything
on the premises, including the autocross. The concours
could take place in an enclosed Event Center, and there is
plenty of parking and space. Local Embassy Suites, however, would not budge below $119 per night.
• Crowne Plaza (near DIA) is a good new facility with most
of the amenities needed to host a convention. Again,
the rooms are slightly above the $100 target at $109,
and there is no lot nearby for an autocross. This location
would, however, be the closest to High Plains Raceway,
and other large parking areas could be investigated.
• The Denver Chamber of Commerce identified several
potential venues. The ones investigated so far (Westing
Omni) were dramatically above price window.
✔ Someone was looking for some good early steel 4-bolt
rims. Didn’t record name, but (poor) memory suggests it was
John Dinsdale.
New Business
✔ Tri-State is coming up. Order your shirts early to make
✔ John Drage reports a Keenesburg Car Show coming
up June 6, and a downtown Fort Collins show on June 13.
Sorry, no additional info yet - you might try John for details.
Meeting Activity
✔ Larry Yoder brought a special tool for show and tell - a
“custom ball-joint spreader”. It was made from a coupling
nut and two bolts. Simple, yet effective, and at a Corvair
price!
✔ Steve Goodman gave a presentation about gasket sealant, complete with examples of RTV oozing out of joints. Eric
Schakel joined him with a display of various adhesives and
sealants. The key take-away is: A little bit goes a long way.
The second tip is: Read the application directions.
Refreshments: Lynn Yoder provided snacks.
Door Prizes: Door prizes were provided by Gary Hoffman, standing in for John Dawson. Winners were Melissa
Brereton, Larry Yoder, Eric Schakel, Carolyn Taylor, Paul Seyforth, and Steve Goodman. What happened to our resolution to provide only three gifts?
50/50: Harlan Colburne walked out with $28.00, and the
same amount went to RMC.
Submitted by Linae Schakel, RMC Secretary
Christy Barden is selling the white boys, both classic and
detailed examples of early Corvairs. See the ads.
Larry Schubert, on the other hand, is putting the finishing
touches on his home-painted red Monza coupe, and hopes
to spin up the Hands wheels soon!
Denvair News - May 2009 - Page 4
Continued from Page 1
Five Stages of Tune
All original 100 Stingers began life as
1966 Corvair Corsa coupes, with the
140 hp engine and four-speed transmission. Yenko built the car in five stages
of tune, with Stage I as the base model.
Stage II and up were engine updates,
with the exception of a modified paint
scheme for Stage III and up cars - the
entire front deck was painted in the blue
color of the stripe to identify them as the
race versions.
A quick review of the Yenko Tune Specifications (shown below) suggests that
mechanical changes of the Stage I cars
were limited to bolt-ons. All 140 Corvairs
featured Tuff-Trided cranks and Moraine
M-400 bearings, so this was simply
restating stock items.
Stage II was the next step up – the Yenko
Stinger Tech Manual states, “Stage II is
our best seller and why not? It’s virtually
a Corvette in Corvair clothing.” Judging from the specifications, the Stage II
engine used common tuning items from
the era, but had the added advantage of
head milling for higher compression.
Beyond Stage II
When a Stinger was prepped beyond
Stage II, it joined the elite ranks of cars
built specifically for competition. Sure, the
Stage III car could be street-driven, but
the ported cylinder heads were a highcost upgrade that took away from the
low-speed response.
The Stage IV cars may have had the
larger carburetors (called “Bill Hartley
Webers”, they had bored Rochester H
bodies that flowed 50% more than stock)
and slant tube exhausts. As with all Stingers, there are no records to show how
many were built, and it is likely no two
Stage IV Stingers were alike.
Denvair News - May 2009 - Page 5
Stage V was illegal for SCCA racing, but
at least one Stage V Stinger was a race
winner in the Canadian Sports Car Club,
driven by Mo Carter. Another Stage
V car appeared in the 1966 Sebring
12 Hours, driven by Donna Mae Mims
and John Luke. And at least one Stage
V Stinger was equipped with Rochester
mechanical fuel injection.
Marketing literature and press releases
from Yenko suggest that he originally
intended to hologate the Stinger for
FIA (European sports car series) racing. Unfortunately, 500 copies were the
minimum for FIA approval, and that was
a level Yenko never reached. Fortunately,
the Stage V Stinger was allowed to run
as an exhibition car.
The Stage V designation appears to have
been given to any Stinger that didn’t
meet SCCA rules: In addition to the
larger bore engines and the experimental
fuel injected car, there are records of one
Stage V Stinger that raced in D Sports
Racer class with a pair of 58mm Weber
three choke carburetors from a Porsche.
That setup would later become the defacto standard for road-race Stingers.
A Successful Race Car...
By all accounts, the Stingers were successful race cars right out of the gate, under
the guidance of the R.S.T. Engineering
folks. Russ MacGrotty also raced a Stage
III Stinger successfully, as did a number of
amateur racers across North America.
The real “victory” for the Stinger was the
1967 SCCA D Production
National Championship.
Jerry Thompson (often confused with Dr. Dick Thompson, the racing dentist, who
also raced a Stinger) and
the RST Engineering team
pulled off the win against
the factory-suppored Group
44 Triumph team – a
remarkable feat for a car
developed by a small-town
Chevy dealer.
Finally, the unibody construction was
from GM may well be based in truth. One
notably more rigid than the body-on-frame story suggests the Stinger graphic showed
construction of other era cars.
up in Yenko’s mail one day, with no return
address or information.
Today, drum brakes might be viewed as
a weakness for the Stinger, but at the time On the other hand, there was probably
they were adequate for the rear-engine
support from Chevrolet in the form of sharcar. GM sintered metallic friction mateing information. If a question was asked,
rial was available, and the extreme rear
and the answer was already in the GM
weight bias of the Corvair was an asset
data bank, it was likely given to Yenko.
in this area, giving good stability (weight
One example of this would be the use
transfer from the rear actually balanced
of a dual master cylinder in the 1966
the car nicely) under heavy braking.
Stingers. The development work had
With the excellent handling characteristics certainly been completed at GM for the
of the Corvair essentially available at no
1967 Corvair by the time the Stinger
was introduced, and Yenko
may have been given part
numbers.
Another example might be
placement of the cooling
flaps on the fiber glass
Stinger deck lid: A Corvair enthusiast who also
happens to be an aerodynamics engineer has done
calculations and testing on
the Stinger’s airflow. Seems
the cooling flaps are placed
exactly in the optimal airflow area... Coincidence?
Again, the answer may
never be known.
Of course, Yenko didn’t do
it by himself. In addition to
the work performed by RST
Engineering, engine development work conducted by
What is clear is that Yenko
Gulf Oil Research in conquickly moved beyond the
junction with Bill Hartley,
Stingers. Chevrolet support
the race shop mechanic
in road racing started up
from Yenko Chevrolet. The The 2006 Yenko 40th Reunion brought more Stingers and Ringers (Stinger clones)
again, but Yenko was not
Corvair engine proved
together than any event since the Stingers were unloaded in the field behind Yenko
one of the chosen. GM supto be quite durable when Chevrolet in late 1965. And they weren’t afraid to get dirty!
port went to the fledgling
the oil and cylinder head
Penske/Donohue team for
temperatures were kept under control.
added cost, Yenko was able to focus on
the Camaro Z/28 in Trans Am events,
engine work and virtually ignore the rest
while international endurance racing
After the first year of successful engine
of the package.
was spearheaded by Jim Hall with his
work, Yenko shifted his attention away
Chapparal cars. The 1968 Corvette Sting
from the Stinger. There was a new car
Did General Motors Help?
Ray was campaigned successfully by a
coming: The Chevy Camaro Z/28, which
Somewhere in the archives of General
number of racers, with development conYenko attempted to rebrand as the Yenko
Motors, the answer to this question may
ducted by Zora Arkus-Duntov’s Corvette
Stormer.
exist. It’s unlikely that Don Yenko, in his
engineering team.
One key item did make the option list in
last-minute vacillation, didn’t get some
Perhaps Chevy’s support of others caused
1967: A close-ratio transmission that cut
type of help from GM.
Yenko’s interest in road racing to wane
a second or more from lap times at many
That help may have come in the form of
in the late 60’s. Again, it’s unlikely we’ll
of the tracks where the Stinger raced.
GMAC assistance – cash flow on 100
ever know for sure, but the long-term
What Made the Stinger Work?
Corvairs must have been staggering
legacy of Yenko Sports Cars will be the
muscle-car big-block Camaros, Novas,
On the suspension side, the Corvair’s IRS for a small rural dealership back in that
era. The order would have been placed
and Chevelles.
was dramatically better than any other
volume production car. And with a flat six through GM’s Central Office Production
Nevertheless, the Yenko Stinger remains
Order system (COPO) as a fleet order,
engine, the center of gravity was several
the pinnacle of Corvair performance, with
and
extended
terms
were
almost
certainly
inches lower than any other production
a proud history of racing successes that
offered.
sports car except the Porsche 911 or the
continue even today.
VW Karman Ghia, neither of which the
Engine development work was likely not
Corvair would be classed against. The
forthcoming from GM, as the Camaro
Corvair also had a track width advantage program was well under way at GM
against the narrow TR-4A Triumph, which by the time the Stinger came to life. The
improved cornering even more.
rumors about the name and logo coming
Denvair News - May 2009 - Page 6
Editorial Ramblings
Eric Schakel
40 Years Ago In May
Production of the Corvair ceased on May
14, 1969. Even on its’ final day, the Corvair was enigmatic to GM management:
Where so many other models just quietly
ceased, automotive journalists petitioned
Chevrolet to allow them to cover the story
of the last Corvair to come down the
production line.
They relented, and the journalists were
present in the “Corvair Room” at the
Willow Run Assembly Plant when the
Olympic Gold Monza Coupe rolled out.
It was 1969 Corvair number 6000, and
Chevrolet disappointed collectors and
corporate executives alike by refusing to
put it up for sale.
The fate of the Corvair had very likely
been decided within GM while the 1966
model year was in production. The Ford
Mustang had single-handedly created
the “Pony Car” market, and matched
the Corvair’s bucket seats and 4 on the
floor with a powerful V8 that the Corvair
simply couldn’t offer.
By 1966, Chevrolet was also very
familiar with the higher production costs
associated with a stand-alone platform.
Many of the cost-sharing Corvair models
had already gone by the wayside, and
the Division’s economy car laurels had
been taken over by the unsophisticated
Chevy II/Nova models. In comparison
with the Corvair, the Nova was a volume
leader, and shared mechanical parts with
other cars in the GM family.
After all, after building up a lot of speed,
why should I have to give it up just to go
around a corner?
The 1967 Camaro was an instant success
when it hit the market. The rest is, as they
say, history.
That Corsa made an indelible impression
on me. The Corvair was, and remains, a
symbol of efficiency in the face of the bigcubic-inch muscle cars. It was different,
and 40 years later I still treasure that.
But I could no more afford a Z/28
Camaro than I could a ride in an Apollo
capsule... Sooo, what car looked like
a Camaro, had a reputation for good
handling, and (by late 1969, when Dad’s
1965 4-door Plymouth Fury III was far too
Ford had tapped their Falcon economy
embarrassing to be seen in) had become
car for their stunning Mustang, which kept incredibly cheap?
production costs very low. Chevrolet did
exactly the same thing: It now seems only Enter a black 1965 Corvair Corsa. It was
a 4-speed 140 car with 110 heads and
logical that they would take the Nova
red interior. I paid $200 for it the same
platform to create the Camaro as quickly
as their resources could bring it to market. year Corvair production ended.
As a gearhead kid entering high school
in 1967, I lusted after a Z/28 Camaro.
Then again, you probably have an inkling
I was never genetically disposed toward
drag racing for some reason, which made of what I’m saying. Red Green would put
the newfound Trans Am racing series very it this way: “We’re all in this together.”
appealing to me. It made a lot of sense to
have a car which was multi-dimensional.
Stuff For Sale
For Sale: 1965 sedan parts car. PG, engine block only, glass good (except windshield), no
rust, body panels good. Need parts? This car has them. $1.00, bring car trailer.
For Sale: 1964 500 Coupe – PG. Owned 29 years, 2nd owner. All original except exterior paint. 46K mile. Excellent condition, LEAKS NO OIL White w/turquoise interior. New
ww tires. Drive anywhere, $4,900.
For Sale: 1960 500 Sedan – PG. Senior Division car. Owned 33 years, 90K miles. 3K
miles on complete restoration finished in 2005. Redone to original specifications. One of
the best representations of the price leader for 1960. Drive anywhere. $9,900.
Christy Barden 303 530-1288; e-mail: [email protected]. (Located in Boulder; contact Christy for digital pix of these fine vehicles)
Cars For Sale: 1962 Monza Spyder Coupe and 1963 Monza Convertible.
Both cars have been hibernating way too long in my garage. Time for someone else to
tackle the restoration. Very original and not rusted out. Any interest.....take a look.
Jim Reich 303-257-3733; email: [email protected]
Parts: - 1964 Carburetors $20.00 each
2 rear air outlet grills - one ‘65, one ‘66-69 free to good homes
John Dinsdale 303-341-2327 303-873-4599; email: [email protected]
Car For Sale: 1960 Corvair 700 white 2-door with 90,000 miles. Runs good! Has normal
gas tank issues. Headliner is good, seats are there but need recovered. Brakes are great.
New radials on car, but have set of bias plies with paperwork showing 1973 installation.
Body very straight, paint solid but fading. Found this car in a shed where it was sitting
since 1982, but too many projects. Call or e-mail - lots of photos available. Asking $2600
OBO. Rob, 719-688-5287; email: [email protected]
Denvair News - May 2009 - Page 7
Due Dues Reminder
May
Jim & Jackie Arnold
Ben Auslaender & Family
The Breretons
Jim & Janet Brossard
Russ Church
Melissa Daluz
Jeff Golden
Darrell & Elaine Jackson
Andy Keller
Jeremy & Kellie Verne
April
Garrie Fox
Thomas Jochem
Marcus Miller
Lyle Muir
March
Sergio Hernandez
Robert & Joyce Remick
Whoa! That’s a sle
w of folks coming due in May c’mon, now, don’t
make us beg...
For fast turnaround, make your check payable to RMC and mail it to:
RMC, c/o John Dinsdale, 3240 Billings St., Aurora, CO 80011-2231
, consider adding a larger shift
For your summer driving pleasure
ry knob found on most Corvair
facto
tiny
The
air.
knob to your Corv
to provide more clearance for
ned
shift levers was apparently desig
engage reverse, rather than a
the driver’s leg when attempting to
gh the gears.
throu
rely
secu
grippy handle for moving
if you fall off the flat and
that
is
se,
cour
of
fit,
Another big knob bene
cornering maneuvers,
se
inten
g
gripless factory “bucket” seat durin
a larger diameter shift
on
self
your
le
impa
to
likely
less
you’ll be much
knob.
about driving quite like a good,
Finally, nothing says you’re serious
een the seats. Finding reverse
baseball-sized knob sticking up betw
Do yourself a favor while addtoo!
ia,
inert
little
a
is much easier with
ing a little leverage to your Corvair.
(Izzy Guiffe)
You have a Corvair!
If you aren’t already a member, we invite you to join Rocky Mountain Corsa (RMC), a local chapter of the national Corvair
Society of America (CORSA). RMC is dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of Corvair automobiles.
We meet the first Friday evening of every month at Burt Chevrolet, 5200 S. Broadway, in Englewood. Meetings are held in
the upstairs training room, starting at 7:00pm.
There are a number of benefits from joining the group, including an annual show, monthly group events, a monthly local
newsletter, Denvair News, and Corvair Communique, an award-winning monthly magazine published by CORSA.
Whether you race, show, or just drive your Corvair, you’ll find others who share your interests.
Combined single/family membership to both RMC and CORSA costs just $61.00 per year. Dues can be mailed to RMC,
PO Box 27058, Lakewood, CO 80227-0058, or simply pay at the monthly meeting - we hope to hear from you soon!
Membership Application
Name(s):
Street Address:
City, State, Zip:
E-mail Address:
Telephone Info:
Corvairs in your life:
Referring Member (if applicable):