The Ramper

With the drivetrain in pieces in the garage, removing and refreshing the rear suspension is obvious. But first… I removed the emergency brake cables, partly because they were (slightly) in the way but mostly because they were rusty, can’t have that! So, I removed the brake lines, they were rusty, and neglecting the brakes is plain stupid. The heater ducts and fan housing were right there, easy to remove and refresh, so out they came too. The fuel line was rusty… Next, I disassembled the rear brakes, removing the axles, backing plates and boxing-up all the widgets, springs and doohickies that make drum braking happen.  I removed the springs and the A-arms to lighten the load I would have to drag from under The Ramper. THEN, I dropped the rear suspension. Something cool - factory chalk marks. (I have no idea what they mean though.) Inspection My theory is that the 55K miles on the ticker may be accurate; some evidence to back the claim. Original shocks: The Ramper ...

  Why did Chevrolet build the Rampside?   It was part of a larger plan to take on VW and Porsche and compete in the small car market.   In the 60’s, the flat-faces had a moment. In the 60’s, Chevrolet was the biggest car company in the world and could afford to build a car that wasn’t a guaranteed success.   America built big, heavy cars while Germany, Japan, and other European manufacturers ruled the small car market.   Chevrolet figured why not dominate that market too. Ed Cole hoped the Rampside would beat this VW at its game Ed Cole, Chevrolet’s chief engineer and later general manager, really had Porsche’s air-cooled rear engine set up targeted, at least for the Corvair cars, but he wanted the Corvair “Forward Control” vehicles (called “FC’s” because the driver sat forward of the front wheels) to challenge VW’s Transporters, both the vans and trucks. Chevrolet hoped that "economy" would be the key for success in this market. Why a Flat Face? Shoving ...

You gotta wonder when you take on a new derelict vehicle project, why was it parked, in this case, some fifteenish years ago?  (Actually, fifteen is what Ronnie told me the guy he bought it from said, but in truth I have no idea how long he snoozed in that barn.   I suspect after tearing it down some, that he sat longer than that.) I found out why he was relegated to a corner in the barn. Why The Ramper Got the Barn After jacking and cribbing The Ramper’s butt in the air, I dropped the drive train and started stripping it to pieces.   As it turns out, the #2 piston was a wee bit loose in the cylinder, in fact it clicked as I pushed with my finger.   That must have sounded bad.   Also, after removing the heads, I could tell the #2 piston was replaced as it was a different brand than the other five.   That was enough for barn confinement, but there were other problems.   The transmission, differential and engine block looked like a swarm of dirt ...

  Restoration projects without a plan waste tons of time and money.   Knowing where you’re going helps you figure out how to get there.   A plan prioritizes spending money but more importantly it prioritizes where I’ll spend my time.   The Ramper isn’t going to be a show horse, but he will probably grace a few Cars and Coffee meet ups.   So, what’s the plan for The Ramper? Let’s call it a “patina” restoration or better yet, a “character” restoration.   He’s done the work, he carries the scars, and I’m honoring them. If a component is there, I’ll get it working.   For example, someone did a homemade heater-delete, but all the components of the stock heater are there, so it will work again.   Same with the windshield washer unit on the wiper motor. Drivetrain Will be immaculate and work perfectly!   Everything will be Corvair (meaning I’m not swapping the engine) but not slavishly original.   I have a chrome top shroud that I thou...

  THE RAMPER I’m not new to Corvairs , we go way back.   I was 15 in 1978, and my father was dumb enough to let me buy a derelict 1963 Monza 900 coupe, no floorboards, someone had poured white house paint in the engine, more dents than aluminum foil, and it barely rolled.   All for $125, my net worth at the time.   Two years later it ran with a garage paint job, and I loved it.   Corvairs are just a thing. My '63 coupe at a Corvair Show in Atlanta (around 1994) Since then, I have restored a ‘62 Corvair Spyder convertible and got ‘63 Spyder coupe back up and running, and I have worked on who knows how many Corvairs that weren’t mine.   I helped start and wrote a newsletter for a local Corvair club, I drank the Corvair Kool-Aid deeply.   But in 2006, I sold them and thought I was over Corvairs... My '62 Spyder around 1997 I didn't restore my '63 Spyder coupe but I should have! (Around 2006) Twenty years later, the itch came back.   I needed a new pr...