VAIRC R June 2009

HEART of AMERICA CORVAIR OWNERS ASSOCIATION

WWW. HACOA.ORG

Mike and Sandy Dawson hosted what most attendees hope will be the first of many Working Tech Sessions. Mike shared his experience, his knowledge and his specialty tools along with his sense of humor with club members anxious to improve their Corvairs. Mark Whitman and Scott Allison got together to rebuild Mark’s transmission. Scott, who has become a bit of an expert on manual transmission repair, guided Mark through the disassembly, cleaning and repairing of the transmission that Mark will be using in his 1963 restoration project. Kevin Koch got down and dirty to install a new starter and replaced his alternator with a internally regulated model on his 1968 Monza Convertible. Gary Moore added spacers between his block and cylinder barrels, an operation made much easier with the use of one of Mike’s specialty tools. Don Wagner chased an illusive oil leak on his 66 Corsa Convertible. Jack Hill’s project was the gas tank out of his grandson’s Corvair. The tank had just been cleaned and relined. Jack repaired the fuel level sending unit. Mike assisted in a few tune-ups and inspections. After Kevin replaced his alternator, Mike gave an impromptu lesson on proper wire soldering and showed the correct method of rerouting the wiring for the internally regulated alternator. As members finished their tasks they joined the support crew, assisting those still working on their cars. The support crew did kick in mightily when it came time to start the cooking. Bill Bennett manned the grill and others converted the shaded area east of Mike’s garage into a great picnic spot. The hamburgers, hot dogs and brauts

Mike inspects Mark and Scott’s work. Kevin bolted up a new starter.

Gary only thought he was finished; until Mike suggested he check the clutch.

Don hopes he has fixed his oil leak.

Mike solders two wires together while the support crew watches.

Bill the grill man.

Flag day June 14Father’s day June 21

were delicious as were all the side dishes and desserts that were served. All in all the session was great fun and pushed a few projects toward completion. The club would like to thank Mike and Sandy for their hospitality.

Working Tech Session is a Hit!!!

VairCor Photo Contest, submit your favorite pictures of your Corvair. send to HACOAnews@gmail.com or give them to Gary Moore. Photographs will be returned. We need at least 9 more entries to make a calendar!!!

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Social Calendar at a glance - Chairman Mike Dawson June 5-6- Frontier Holiday Festival at Albany, Mo. - hosted by Bob and Jean St. John.June 9- Annual meeting in the park, Sar-Ko-Par Park, 87th and Lackman Rd. Lenexa, KSJune 20- Juna Tuna WichitaJune 27 - HACOA 45th Anniversary Social at Gary & Helen Moore’s.July 13-17 - National Convention - Jacksonville, Florida.July 25- Social at Scott Allison’s followed by a trip to Grain Valley Speedway. August 8 - Play at Crown Center “Are we there yet?” September 26 - Overland Park ParadeAugust 29- Fire and Ice Autocross and Picnic Iowa Corvair Enthusiasts- Marshalltown, IAOctober 2-3-4 - Great Plains Roundup in Wichita, KansasDecember 4 - Christmas Party hosted by the Kochs at their home.

Frontier Holiday Festival-Albany MO June 5 and 6 Join Bob and Jean St. John Friday June 5th in beautiful downtown Albany for ribs and such around 5:00 with Bob’s sister and her husband, Helen and Harold Davis. The Davis’ home is located at 104 N. East Street. Spend the night at The Countryside Motel in Albany 660-726-5633. (They may have some more vacancies as a Wedding party has had some cancellations). June 6th the parade starts at 11:00 Saturday morning so get there early. The line forms at the MFA Exchange at the corner of South and Birch streets. In addition to the parade, the activities Saturday include arts, crafts, antiques, and food booths set up around the courthouse square. A car, motorcycle and antique tractor show sponsored by the Albany Charity Bikers Association and the Albany Chamber of Commerce starts at 8:00 am in the high school parking lot. Let’s show off our Corvairs again.For more information please contact Bob St. John (816-289-8711), Mike Dawson (816-322-4057). See May VairCor for map.

June 9 Meeting in the Park Our Annual meeting at the Sar-Ko-Par Park gives us a chance to show off our cars and get together in a different set-ting. Please remember that this a carry in your own food event. Glass bottles are prohibited in the park. Map on page 9. http://www.lenexa.ks.us/parks/sarkopartrails.html

HACOA 45th Anniversary Social- June 27 Join Gary and Helen Moore at their home near Lawson MO for a cruise and a celebration dinner. The party begins at 1:00 with a meet and greet. At 2:00 we will begin our cruise that will take us through Excelsior Springs, then on to Kearney, returning past the James Farm (Jesse and Frank) and the Watkins Mill State Park passing through Lawson and back to the Moore’s. Following the cruise will be a pot luck dinner. The Moore’s will supply the meats, please bring a side dish and beverages to share. Helen will be baking a cake for the occasion. Games will follow the din-ner. Please be advised there is a pond on the property and being a outdoor event you might encounter various bugs, animals, amphibians and reptiles. Please bring a lawn chair unless you just like sitting amongst the bugs in the grass. Map on page 7. For more info or to RSVP call Gary Moore at 816-296-7819 or email Hacoanews@gmail.com FYI: Excelsior Springs Mo is having their annual ‘Waterfest” the same weekend. A car parade is on the schedule for the same day so we may have to either join their parade or not interfer with it. For more information on the Waterfest visit their site on the web. http://www.exspgschamber.com/waterfest.html

THUNDER IN THE VALLEY - July 25Come on out to Grain Valley for lunch and fun around noon on Saturday, July 25th. Later in the day we will motor to the Grain Valley Speedway for a night at the races (one third mile circle, dirt track...check out their web-site). Please let Scott Allison know if you are interested so he can research group rates and observation deck opportunities. More in the July VairCor. http://www.thundervalleysanddrags.com/

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Valve Lifters: Wonderful little inventions that usually work so well they are never touched for the life of the engine, assuming you change the oil regularly. If you don’t or someone else didn’t, you will probably become familiar with them.

Corvair lifters are hydraulic, meaning they fill with oil under pressure and keep the valves adjusted “automatically”. They will make a noise for two reasons (assuming your cam is good): lifter tapping will occur if the lifter is low on oil or if it is so far out of adjustment that the range for automatic adjustment is exceeded. If you listen carefully you can hear a small extra “clink” along with the tap when the lifter is actually out of adjustment. Remember that a lifter that is noisy cold but becomes quiet when hot is not out of adjustment. A lifter that is quiet cold and noisy hot may be out of adjustment (unless you have very poor oil pressure).

The cold startup noise that disappears hot is a lifter that has lost its oil because the valve spring pressure exerted on it overnight has pushed the oil out through a leaking check valve system. Lifters can lose their ability to retain oil usually for two reasons: the lifter is worn internally making it impossible for the check valve system to hold the oil, or there may be dirt in the check valve system causing it not to seal. Two oil changes close together combined with some highway driving might cure the latter. It is possible to replace one lifter that has a rapid leak down if you can isolate the problem. More than likely you will have other lifters do the same thing.

A lifter that is adjusted too tight will cause the engine to miss when cold but smooth out when warm. This will eventually cause loss of compression due to material build up on the valve seat or a burned area. Check compression cold if you suspect this.

Lifters are easier to remove if the engine is warm; work fast and have a strong round magnet to fit the bore. If there is varnish on the exposed portion of the lifter in the crankcase you need to be patient and wiggle a lot – in

worse cases, you may have to apply carburetor cleaner to the end of the lifter exposed on the inside of the case where the varnish has built up. Be sure you use the correct lifter for replacement and coat the bottom with a break in lube or STP. Check the bore for noticeable wear and be sure the lifter slides in the bore freely.

Once you finish your work in the valve train area, use the second style valve cover with the wider area at the bolt holes to accept the spring reinforcements, install all four reinforcements and ¾ inch grade 8 bolts. You can use 1 inch bolts but chase the threads first. A rubber valve cover gasket with no sealer works best if you tighten the bolts just until the spring reinforcement bends in and touches the cover.

One final note: Valve lifters that are full of varnish or have been sitting for a very long time in dirty oil will not only be very difficult to adjust but they may not let oil flow into the pushrods and out onto the rocker arms and valve stems. The wrong lifter can also cause this. A dry valve cover area, worn out valve guides and worn rocker arm balls would certainly indicate the need for a check of pushrod holes, oil pressure and probably new lifters.

Next month: valve adjustment.

THE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE SERIES Mike Dawson

August 8 “Are We There Yet”

We have 7 seats still available for the 4:00 matinee performance. American Heartland Theatre is located in Crown Center, 2450 Grand Avenue, Kansas City, Mo. near the Liberty Memorial and WWI museum, and Union Station Science City.

From American Heartland Theatre, comes a roller coaster ride through the lives of modern American families! This merry musical romp includes everything from hysterical family car trips and mothers praying for hits at their sons’ baseball games, to fathers sitting through ballet lessons and the joy of sex after 60! This lively musical portrays the love and chal-lenges of the old adage, “You can pick your friends but you can’t pick your family.” One thing is for sure, you will definitely relate to this family musical and “enjoy the ride!”

Call Gary Moore for more info 816-296-7819http://ahtkc.com/

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Helen and I traveled to Higginsville to visit with Bob and Jean St. John on a bright sunny Sunday afternoon. We arrived to find the television tuned to the Indianapolis 500. We sat in the St. John’s living room for the interview, a living room filled with comfortable furniture and decorated with plenty of family photos—something that seems to be a theme with most the members we have interviewed.

As usual the first thing I asked them was how they met. Bob was a power salesman for Platte Clay Electrical Cooperative; the company was giving a party for the county executives from the counties that they served. Jean the Clinton County Assessor, was attending the party. Bob being what might be described as a lobbyist did his best to make a good impression. It probably didn’t hurt that he was also the bartender that night. They became better acquainted later when Bob ran into Jean while shopping for a new stereo in North Kansas City. They spent the rest of the afternoon getting to know each other better; the time went by so fast that Bob was late for another date that evening.

They married in August of 1976, combining their families. Jean has three sons and Bob has a son and a daughter. Not too long after their marriage Jean was in charge of organizing the National Convention for Assessors. Part of her duties was to assign rooms to the attendees. She and Bob were “assigned” to the Governor’s Suite for the convention. Perks of being in charge. I asked Bob what made him interested in Corvairs. He immediately handed me a pamphlet about the 1973 Elite Laser 917 kit car. The car was designed to use a Volkswagen Beetle as a base. Bob wanted something different and asked a car salesman friend if he had any used Corvairs. The salesman didn’t have any right then, but would let him know if they got one in. As it happened one became available not long after that and Bob bought a ‘65 Monza with a 140 hp engine for $50. The Laser 917 project never really got off the ground, but Bob had his first Corvair.

Bob and Jean have owned many a Corvair, coupes, convertibles, vans and two Rampsides. It was hard for them to pick out their favorite. Jean thought that a 1963 white

coupe with automatic and A/C was one of her favorites. Bob said he liked them all, but maybe the red ‘66 Monza convertible with red interior and a white top was his favorite.

Like all Corvair owners, Bob has a “biggest mechanical goof” story. While putting the shroud covers back on an engine he had just rebuilt he dropped a screw down inside the cover. He didn’t think much of it and just got another screw. But what he did not know was the screw had found its way into an open spark plug hole. He installed the engine, started it up and heard a very disturbing noise. He removed the head to find the screw had been stamped into the head when the piston had reached the top of its travel. Bob removed the screw and taped it to his toolbox to remind him not to ignore a dropped screw again. Jean’s mechanical failure story happened out in public. She was driving their ‘67 convertible when about a block from home the engine fell out of the car. She called Bob, he replaced a broken rear motor mount and drove the car home.

Helen always asks the wife, “Is there a Corvair moment that made you roll your eyes at him?” With a smile Jean told of attending last year’s Corvair Homecoming Event in Detroit. Bob noticed an ad for a 64 convertible and thought it was worth looking into. He asked Jean if she wanted to ride along. She declined thinking it would be safe to let him go alone; after all they were several hundred miles from home with no way to get the car back home. So she let him go, but told him, “Don’t do anything stupid”. You guessed it, he bought the car, put it on layaway and later he and Bob Brought made a whirlwind trip to Detroit to bring it home. It is now in Higginsville being prepared for the trip to Arizona.

Bob can claim that he is the first to drive a Corvair across the new Ike Skelton Bridge over the Missouri River at Lexington, MO and also the last one to drive a Corvair across the bridge it replaced, the old and scary Highway 13 bridge.

Bob and Jean joined HACOA in 1980 after seeing the display at the 1979 Metro North Car Show where they met the Dawsons. Since then Jean has served as the club’s

Members of the Month Bob and Jean St. John

Examples of Bob’s Vairs

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vice president once, and twice as secretary. Bob has served on the board and the two of them have twice served as VairCor editors. They have attended several CORSA National Conventions. In 1999 they put 4,200 miles on their 66 Monza convertible in ten days, sightseeing and attending the Lake Tahoe Convention.

As most of you know, Bob and Jean will no longer be snowbirds but will be moving to Arizona for good in October of this year. They have the distinction of belonging to the two oldest Corvair Clubs in CORSA. The Cactus Corvair Club of Phoenix and the Heart of America Corvair Owners Association of Kansas City debate as to which club is the oldest but Bob and Jean can just say, “We belong to the oldest Corvair Club,” and leave the listener to argue over which club they mean.

Bob and Jean have promised to keep in touch while in Arizona, but they will be missed. The club would like to thank them for the socials they have hosted and the service they have rendered.

Good luck in Arizona!!

Bob did build his Corvair powered kit car. This GT40 replica is cur-rently owned by Terry Kalp of Wichita (who can’t sit in it conformably either).

Bob with his 63 Spyder in Coronado National Forest

Just another example of the Bob’s Corvairs

Bob and Jean photographed at a early 80’s HACOA Holiday Party

Bob and Jean with their 65 Monza coupe. The “Don’t do anything stupid” convertible is in the background.

Tool Crib

Tool Harmonic Balancer Puller Ramps, Auto

Torque Wrenches:

1. 1/2” drive 20-150 ft.lb 2. 3/8” drive 100-1000 lb. Floor Jacks and Stands Ring Grove Cleaner Dwell-Tach Meter Greaser:Blower Motor and Idler Pulley Hubs:Rear Towing for LM Powerglide

$3.00 $4.00

$15.00$15.00$25.00 $3.00 $5.00

$5.00

$5.00

$1.00$1.00

$2.00$2.00$3.50$1.00$1.00

$1.00

$1.00

Deposit Rental Fee

Contact: Ken Ragan

Ragan Enterprises212 Warner Rd

Bonner Springs KS 66012913-422-5778

E-mail: kenragan@sbcglobal.net

For Sale: Rebuilt Corvair alternators converted to 63 amp internally regulated. $75.00Rebuilt Corvair starters with solenoid. $85 Installation available - Mike Dawson 816 322-4057

Send Classified Ads to: HACOAnews@gmail.complease type classyfieds in the subject line

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CLASSYFIEDS

Wanted: 61-69 unknown condition or junk differentials that I can use for parts; Powerglide or manual. Donations appreciated or trade for items of equal value. Mike Dawson 816 322-4057 or mdawson1961@sbcglobal.net

1964 monza spyder convertible 4 speed, 150 HP turbocharged, soft yellow with black top, 83M miles Southern car, well maintained, garaged with cover. $13,500 (negotiable) can be driven anywhere. (pictures available) Thanks Johnnie Shumate 205-387-1107 cell 205-275-5257

FOR SALE:1965 MONZA CPE, AUTO, AC, AM/FMw/CASSETTE.14” RALLY WHEELS. WHITE w/WHITE INTERIOR. 1966 CORSA CPE. NEEDS TIRES & PAINT. NEW IN-TERIOR, 14” WHEELS, AC, 3.27 DIFF, BORED .060, w/MOON PERFORMANCE CAM, PETRONIX IGNITION. 1 set of early 13” wire wheel covers.1 set of late 13” wire wheel covers.3 sets of early 14” wire wheel covers (FC).

All used parts to be sold very cheap (repeat) CHEAP. Some Free!!All Shop equipment for sale at very reasonable prices.

RECONDITIONED turbo engine, 150 hp, 3 turbos, 5 carbs, exhaust pipes ,air cleaners, Exhaust Bullets, cylinder heads, more all sold as 1 lot. cylinder heads, transmissions, differentials, etc all very reasonable. You pick up

Bob St. John 816-289-8711 or 660-584-7106

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Map to the 45th anniversary HA-COA social at the home of Gary and Helen Moore.

On June 1 Don Wagner received this message from Tim Baxter online editor for GrassrootsMotorsports.com.

I’m hoping you can help me out. Way back in the day my mother had a 1965 Corvair convertible. She loved that car, but gave it up when she had me. She’s always missed it and would love another. Her 60th birthday is coming up next week, and I thought it would be really special for her to get a Corvair again. It would need to be a late-style convertible, in very good condition (since she isn’t a restorer). If you know of such a car any-where near the Kansas City area, please let me know. baxter@grassrootsmotorsports.com

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From the PastArticles and Photos from Past NewslettersThis month VairCor articles are Kevin Koch’s “From the President” article from June of 1994 and the front page from the 20th Anniversary June 1984 issue. The financial report is from June 1971 The Windmill, CORSA’s monthly newsletter.

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President’s Corner – June – Don WagnerCome to the next meeting and be with us at Sar-Ko-Par Park at the North Shelter on June 9th. The park location is at 87th and Lackman Rd. in Lenexa, KS (see map below). We will be starting the meeting 30 minutes earlier at 7:00 PM and we have a permit to have 3.2 beer but it has to be in cans. If you need to get some food there are many places along 87th street that you can get food. The St. Johns are having a social in Albany, MO on June 5th & 6th. On Friday night they will be having a dinner for the group and Sat. the club will be showing off our cars in the parade. The Moores will be have a social

at their house to celebrate HACOA’s 45th Anniversary. If for some reason you didn’t get the Club 2009 roster by e-mail or slow mail let me know. Mike Dawson said at the last meeting that we still have room in July and Sept. for some more events for the club.

Join us at Sar-Ko-Par park for the June 9th Meeting.

The program for the May meeting was on home beer brewing presented by Kevin Koch. He circulated some catalogs and handed out a little known facts quiz to begin the presentation. Kevin displayed the equipment needed to brew beer at home. He stressed that all equipment must be clean or the correct chemistry will not happen and being incorrect can lead to problems. The ingredients of water, malt (malted barley), and hops are combined in a brew pot and boiled for a period of time. This mixture is known as the wort. The wort is poured into a fermenter and allowed to cool. Yeast is then added. The fermenter is sealed the yeast will consume the sugars in the brew and multiply. After 7 to 10 days the yeast will have consumed all it can and will start falling to the bottom of the fermenter. The liquid is then siphoned from the top of the fermenter into a glass carboy jar for inspection and final sediment removal. From the Carboy the beer is transferred into bottles. Kevin demonstrated the use of the capper to seal the bottle. Bottles are then set aside to allow the beer to mature and carbonate. Kevin explained that care must be taken when filling the bottles so that they do not explode during the carbonation period. After the presentation Kevin gave out small samples of his beer. His ale was quite flavorful and had a good body without being bitter. I believe the brew masters would call it a triumph.

The Art of Brewing Beer

FYI: For those not attending the June 6th Albany trip Rick Ebbeson would like to invite fellow HACOA members to the Wings Over Whiteman Air Show at Whiteman Air Force Base near Knobnoster MO. Rick will be involved in the Open House for Cold War Veterans located near the deactivated Oscar 1 missile silo. The Open House is sponsored by the Warrensburg Area Amateur Radio Club which Rick is also a member.

HEART of America Corvair Owners Association16001 Oakland AveBelton MO 64012

A group of friends devoted to the fun, preservation and restoration of all Corvairs

Founded 1964

Meetings 2nd Tuesday of each monthAt Chappell’s Restaurant

323 Armour RoadKansas City MO

VairCor is the official publication of the Heart of America Corvair Owners Association (HACOA), the oldest incorporated continuously active single marquee Corvair club and Chapter 640 of the Corvair Society of America (CORSA). The membership fee in HACOA is $15.00 annually, payable January 1. CORSA membership is required. HACOA monthly meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm., with a 7;00 pm Social time at Chappell’s. 323 Armour Rd, North Kansas City, MO 64116

Bob and Jean St. John and their 1965 Monza Coupe