SOB June 03, 2018, 03:35:57 pm Not everyone may have seen one of these. We had never heard of them until we chanced on one last year.A 1966 RV powered by a Corvair engine.Ultra Van: The Corvair Motorhome 5 Likes
Re: SOB Reply #1 – June 03, 2018, 04:02:08 pm Now that's unique! Having owned a '64 Corvair Monza when I was younger, I can't imagine they used the same engine. Plenty of power for the Monza but assuredly under-powered for a RV! 1 Likes
Re: SOB Reply #2 – June 03, 2018, 04:12:11 pm In 1965 you had the choice of a 110 hp 140 hp or a turbo model and if im not mistaken it was the first american made turbo charged car produced. I have owned a few corvair converbiles in the past and find them to be an interesting and fun car. Jody 2 Likes
Re: SOB Reply #3 – June 03, 2018, 05:01:31 pm I had a Corvair Spyder in 1971. It was the turbocharged 6 cylinder and was a kick in the pants to drive. It did have a few rough edges, such as creating enough manifold pressure to blow past the rings and pressurize the crankcase. The oil would then rise up out of the dipstick and dribble down over the hot engine. If I turned on the defroster, it would blow a lovely patina of burned oil all over the inside of the windshield. Smelled pretty good too.Then there was the time the transaxle came apart and the roller bearings lodged between the ring and pinion gears while I was running through some fun corners. When the car finally stopped skidding it had careened backward into somebodies front yard. And of course there was the tuck-under problem. Unsafe at any speed?I got a bad ticket for speeding and running a stop sign while racing with a friend. My dad made me put the car up for sale. We suspect that the two Hells Angels who came by to look at it were the ones who stole it several nights later. I knew one of them, but remarkably, he couldn't recall stealing it. Nice kid. In retrospect, they probably did me a favor.A Corvair powered motorhome? No thanks.Harold 1 Likes
Re: SOB Reply #4 – June 03, 2018, 05:06:16 pm Dear Jody,You are correct in saying that the Corvair Monza was the first American made car with a turbo. Barney Navarro (deceased) was my uncle, who developed the turbo out of his shop (Navarro Engineering in Glendale, CA). He also worked on engines made by American Motors trying to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 and successfully doing so in the now defunct California Raceway. Best,Gary
Re: SOB Reply #5 – June 03, 2018, 06:20:26 pm Harold,If you had fun with the Corvair, Ralph Nader had even more fun trying to keep others from getting their hands on one.According to some authorities Mr. Naders attempts to end the Corvair production had little effect on its popularity. I always thought it looked pretty cool but I always liked the Studebaker Avanti a whole lot more. Wouldn’t mind getting my hands on one even today if for no other reason than to enjoy its stylish lines.https://youtu.be/jmlAjImJzXcDon’t think the Avanti would make much of a MotorHome though perhaps the Lark would.Kent
Re: SOB Reply #6 – June 03, 2018, 09:00:15 pm My dad bought a baby blue Corvair with a black ragtop that I don’t think was really a ragtop, in, I think, the first year it was available in the 60s. I was too young to drive it. Funny looking car with the rear engine. I suppose a cherry one would garner big bucks today. He also bought a red 60s VW Beetle. Pretty sure it was less than $2,000 new. My sisters drove that. Again, too young to drive it myself.He ended up buying a lot of strange vehicles. Mid-80s Chrysler New Yorker (what a turd, I did drive that one), Audi 5000 in early if not first production year for US (front wheel drive, whaaaaat???!) and a Pontiac Firebird that was FAST (scared myself a couple times driving that thing).Good memories. Dave
Re: SOB Reply #7 – June 03, 2018, 10:51:23 pm Yes, the Ultravan really did have a Corvair engine. And yes, it was seriously underpowered. (A few later models were fitted with Corvette engines. That was a different story!)Also, despite being designed by an aircraft designer and optimized for relatively light weight (only 3,420 pounds dry!), it was too heavy for the Corvair suspension and had a bad habit of breaking axles.The Ultravan has a close-knit, devoted following, and although only a few hundred were built, most of them are still on the road. If you'd like to read a story of two young artists (mechanically clueless) who bought one and set off across the country in it, I highly recommend Dori Decamillis's "The Freeway." For more information on the Ultravan's history, see this page on the Corvair Society of America's website. As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
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