Pictures this month are thanks to Isabel Oostdyk

1
year. Make cheques payable to CORSA Ontario and mail to membership chair(address
P.7).
October 2012
#44 ND
CORSA Ontario Membership
Website
.
CORSA Ontario Membership remains at
$25.00 per calendar year with an
electronic newsletter. If you wish to
receive a paper copy the cost is $30 per
Visit our website at:
http://www.corsaontario.com/
Phil Ellis updates the site regularly. Here
you can find archived copies of the news-
Pictures this month are thanks to Isabel Oostdyk & Judy Dean
Page 1 - Corvairiations, CORSA Ontario, October 2012
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Prez Sez,
Hello Everyone,
October, 2012
This newsletter is late in part due to my adventures in two hospitals, Parry Sound and Joe
Brant. It all started Thanksgiving Day with an ambulance ride with sirens, morphine IV
and morphine IM plus other meds that helped me stay the night. At the moment I’m up and
functioning and drinking more liquids for more tests later this week.
Thank you to the Deans who hosted the swap meet in Brantford. There was a good turnout and two new families joined Corsa Ontario..welcome to Don Philips and Bernie Levair
et al. Dave Hughes was able to join us as well.
A week ago we toured the RCAF #6 museum in Dunnville. Despite the rain two LMs made
the trip as well as John Oostdyk in his Rampside. Monika Augustine was in constant touch
with Al at the airport in order to be ready for the barbeque at their home. About 30 sat
down in the heated garage and chowed down on burgers and dogs. Thanks to the Augustines for their hospitality. Stan East pointed out the cabin heater for the Harvard and after
some careful examination we realized that it functions in the same manner as the Corvair
fresh air heater on a much larger scale. The inner tube on the Harvard heater was made
out of stainless.
Kim Stankewicz and Dave Binnie are preparing for the Nov. meeting on the 17th. Start
time is 1.30pm at Kim’s place of business (same as last year) and be ready to see some
heads that Dave has ported while Kim will likely be doing a transmission flush (on my
Rampside??)
Kim Stankewicz, Performance Initiatives
2-25 McIntyre Place Kitchener, Ontario, N2R 1H1 519 584-4333
[email protected]
The Dec. Christmas Dinner details at Lloyd and Debbie Williams home will be sent via email
soon.
John Oostdyk helped me remove the Rampside drive-train before Thanksgiving. If you are
counting, that’s the third extraction in less than 11 months. I have a new engine hooked
up to the transaxle and ready for the implant into the empty bay. All this is taking place in a
tent and the weather boffins are telling us not to panic but Stormageddon is plowing its
way to my backyard in the next few days. Progress is painfully slow and the average
temps are not helping my blood flow.
Remember, ACTIVITY CALENDAR 2013, your contribution is ______________________
Ratchetty Jim
I see that I spelled Stankiewicz with the I last year. 50/50 chance of being right??
Page 2 - Corvairiations, CORSA Ontario, October 2012
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DETROIT 2012
The Detroit event always attracts a great crowd, many of whom are Canadians. There were over
100 Corvairs representing most years and models. The group takes over most of the hotel and the
staff treats us well. The casual atmosphere, the friendly participants and the hospitality room make
for a great few days. The hotel breakfast provides a filling start to the day and the hospitality room
furnishes satisfying lunch choices. Dinner one night was a BBQ and the other pizza. These were all
included in the registration costs. The top 25 vehicles in the Peoples’ Choice parade before the hotel
and then are used for the 2013 calendar..The cost for the calendar is a reasonable $5.
Page 3 - Corvairiations, CORSA Ontario, October 2012
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Corvair Starters
Article by Mike Dawson in the Sept.2012 Vaircor
The Corvair starter is essentially a standard GM starter from that era with a different nose and a longer drive
assembly. It was designed with the potential for multiple rebuilds and the Corvair starter and drive train configuration eliminates the need for shimming to attain the correct meshing when cranking. If you are checking
or performing service, the following items will be useful:
 The shop manual states that the Corvair starter is capable of 30 seconds of continuous cranking before
overheating. That is a long time considering the new car manuals state 10 seconds maximum. Our old
starters are pretty tough.
 All Corvair starters are visually and mechanically identical ( see next paragraph) with the exception of the
1960 model which has a different nose cone; it mounts the solenoid farther clockwise on the starter
(viewed from the back). All the the other starters and rebuild parts are the same. If you are looking for a
starter drive assembly, you will have to get one specifically for the Corvair; the standard GM drive assembly is shorter. O’Reilly lists one for Corvairs, but it is a standard GM and it is too short.
 The Corvair starter for the Powerglide model has a rubber seal installed in the nose cone to protect the armature and brushes from unfiltered air that is forced around the torque converter for cooling. Nobody but
a fanatical Corvair rebuilder will recognize this and I don’t know of any vendor that offers that item (good
used seals are possible). I assume most rebuilders don’t think it is necessary since they never offer it. A
minor item(?) but part of Corvair history. Replacement solenoids made in China are lighter in weight than
original units and come with a shorter and lighter spring to compensate. If you use the new solenoid with
the original spring, the solenoid may not be strong enough to pull in the starter drive. I found this out in
the usual way. Used as a matched pair, the replacement solenoids and springs seem to work fine.
 The 1960-1961 shop manual shows an “assist spring” behind the starter drive assembly but if you check
the 1965 manual you will notice the spring has disappeared from the exploded view. The spring is not
necessary and if you install one it could very well cause the drive teeth to ding on the ring gear while the
engine is running. The ‘60 & ‘61 manuals used an exploded view graphic from full size GM products
which included the wrong nose cone as well as use of the spring. Some other pictures included the wrong
drive assembly. Even in the ‘65 manual there is a picture with the wrong nose cone. Again, use no
spring.
Powerglide Shift Cable Cautions
Article by Mike McKeel Valve Clatter Newsletter, Indy,OH 1999-2000
One of the more tricky things to deal with on a Corvair is the shift cable on a Powerglide transmission. You
have to be careful to prevent damaging the cable or the transmission. To remove the cable, put the shifter in
“R”. The shift valve and the throttle valve (TV) are closely related inside the transmission. Disconnect all
external throttle connections to the trans before trying to remove the cable. As you remove the cable, make
sure the “TV” is rotated all the way counter clockwise (it will rotate more as you remove the cable). Then after the cable is out, use a piece of wire to tie the “TV” lever back to its normal position. This lever can be easily broken off if it hits something hard. The “TV” lever is where all the throttle linkage is connected.
To install the cable, put the shifter in “D”. Rotate the “TV” lever fully counter clockwise as far as it will go
(don’t force it). Slowly insert the cable while holding the “TV” lever counter clockwise, but allow the lever to
move clockwise as the cable goes in. Be sure the cable is going in straight, When all the way in, install the
bolt that holds the cable in the transmission. CAUTION: if the cable did not engage properly, the transmission
will be in “low” range regardless of shifter position Prepare for that possibility when you start the engine.The
cable also has an adjustment that should be checked if the cable,shifter or trans. Is being replaced. This requires a special tool available from some parts vendore. You can set it by trial & error,but the adjustment requires the trans.oil pan be removed to gain access,so that method would be very time consuming. The swivel
on the rod going from the “TV” lever to the carb cross shaft adjusts the shift schedule, so trial & error works
well here. I prefer a somewhat later shift point to avoid lugging the engine and to improve performance. The
Powerglide is a fine transmission, so get it set right and enjoy.
Page 4 - Corvairiations, CORSA Ontario, October 2012
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Corsa Convention Sturbridge Massachusetts 2012
Page 5 - Corvairiations, CORSA Ontario, October 2012
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Sturbridge 2012
Page 6 - Corvairiations, CORSA Ontario, October 2012
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Corsa Ontario Executive 2012:



Past President: David Hughes
905 833-6858
Treasurer: David Hughes
[email protected], 80 McDonald, Maple, Ontario L6A 2B2,
Editor Corvairiations: Norma Diell [email protected]

President & Membership: Jim Diell
[email protected] 401 Beechwood, Burlington,








ON
L7L 3P7, 905 634-1996
Webmaster, Al Kidd, 738 Old School Rd., Caledon, ON, L7C 0V6, 905-838-3533. [email protected]
Technical Director (E-mail) Dave Binnie [email protected]
Program Director: Don Buchanan [email protected]
Website Updater: Phil Ellis
Concours Chair : Stan East
[email protected]
Director at Large: Allan Augustine
[email protected]
[email protected]
Clark’s Corvair Parts
®
Clark’s has been your supp lier fo r quality rep ros for the past 37 years.
This year, we expect to reprod uce even mo re parts for your Corvair.
See the Supplement for the following:
Various New FC Items
1964 Trim
Turbo parts
stainless gas tank senders
Late model steering column
parts
650 Page 2007-2012 Catalog
USA - $6 CANADA - $9.95
Most Other Countries - $12.95
Clark’s Corvair Parts®
400 Mohawk Trail, Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
413-625-9776
www.corvair.com
FAX: 413-625-8498
email: [email protected]
Page 7 - Corvairiations, CORSA Ontario, October 2012
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RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP
We welcome you to (re)join Corsa Ontario. It’s easy to do. The cost has remained at $25.00 per calendar
year for over ten years! $30 if you want it sent by Canada Post! Please use a cheque made out to CORSA
ONTARIO and send it to:
Jim Diell
401 Beechwood Cr.
BURLINGTON, ON
L7L 3P7
905 634-1996 ([email protected])
Your name: ____________________________________________ To-day’s Date_________
Spouse’s Name (or significant other): _________________________ Amount Encl.._________
Your mailing address: _____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Telephone: ___________________
Email:
____________________________
* Important : Are you a member of Corsa International? Circle Yes or No.
We now
must pay a fee of $3 for non-members.
Your Cars: ___________________________________________________________________
Update us about your fleet:
I volunteer to help Corsa Ontario by ______________________________________________
Calendar of Events
Nov. 17,2012 Tech session 1:30 p.m. Kim S. See Prez sez
Dec. 8,2012 Christmas Dinner Toronto SEE Prez Says
This is a Calendar of Events for 2012. Each newsletter it will be posted in the newsletter with changes or updates being made. These will also be e-mailed to those who
have access. If you could co-ordinate one of the meetings please let Don Buchanan or
Jim Diell know. Many hands make light work!
Dave Hughes is making arrangements for the room rental for Jan., Feb., and March.
2013
Program ideas need to be forwarded to Don Buchannon.
Page 8 - Corvairiations, CORSA Ontario, October 2012