1970 Covair Microbus

hi all
just picked up our first bus today from Midland Early Bay
a 1970 Delux Microbus fitted with a Corvair engine and box
hopeing to get it up and running with this unit in,
will be having a play on Sat to get stuck into it,


all the best Peter and Gail

http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff437/dodge6x6/peteriphone064.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Looks good, more pics

Very nice 8)

some work done today










think there may be a cooling problem





going to replace brakes as matter of course, suspention rubbers u/s, head lining torn, window rubbers hard as nails,
but vertually no rust floors solid underside solid (that ive seen) some rust to below windscreen but apart from that it looks ok

cheers Peter and Gail

top buzz mate have fun and keep the pictures flowing

great bus. stick with that corvair lump. flat 6 with plenty of grunt. i nearly bought 2 of those engines but they are a rare beast. they spin the wrong way and parts are hard to find but there seems to be loads of info on the web and spares in the usa. lots of guys used to run them in aeroplanes.

this ones got the Corvair box fitted so still rotates the correct way, the conversion looks like it must have been done many years ago
i realy want to get it running,
hit a couple of bumps today, dynamo is U/S bushes have fallen apart, and one cylinders low on comprestion but it winds over freely.
there was one complete carb rebuild kit and part one, also a fan belt were all in back of motor.
Ran out of time today to go any further so will have another play tomorrow hopefully.

regards Peter

Amazing. You've got to get this running. I've read a little about the Covair but don't know much. Once you get it running put up a video clip I bet it sounds sweet.

well you dont hang about !!!!at least you can run it up like that for a while ,with no cooling ,to check bearings ect.super solid bus ,i think the colour and the engine put peeps of it :roll: just needs vision.side scops in july wolks world.One on one restorations.£50 pair @ vwoneonone.co.uk.

well had another play today,
did some cleaning out and tried to have ago at polishing the outside (soon got bored with that lol)
so had a go at rebuilding carbs, one had been part done and had a spring missing, but luckely found something that would do, then thought sod it and refitted carbs, connected up fuel pipes, put coil back on, and hey got a spark so pored a bit of petrol down the carbs, connected up a bottle with petrol in and a wire to the coil, and she lives ,
whey hay only run it for a few miniutes cause havent got covers on but with being sat for so long well didnt think it would
well pleasesed, will have to repaint the tinware and refit it, need to get a couple of seals first then i will be able to give it a good run before refitting it nback in bus,
think the dynamos up the spout but will see what i can do with that,

cheers Peter

67panel said:

well you dont hang about !!!!at least you can run it up like that for a while ,with no cooling ,to check bearings ect.super solid bus ,i think the colour and the engine put peeps of it :roll: just needs vision.side scops in july wolks world.One on one restorations.£50 pair @ vwoneonone.co.uk.

Click to expand...

thanks we realy like the colour, and if it gets resparyed it will be done the same, as for the engine well pleasesed now i heard it running

anyone out there got the contact details for the side scoops from that artical if not will see about getting a back issue from them,

Cheers Pete and Gail

Hi Peter

As Dave said you dont hang around do you!!

Glad you are keeping it as it is and glad the engine runs, it always was a good bus but the engine was putting people off so really glad we found an owner prepared to keep the period conversion. Keep the pictures coming :mrgreen:

Hi Graham
thanks for comments
been having a bit of a play over weekend,
she runs, a bit rought but runs, need to get some seals, but main problem is dynamo is totaly u/s ,
will have to figure something out on that,
a mate at work said he would have a go at polishing the bus and here are some early results

before

after a lot of work
1000 wet and dry, 2 grades of scourers, T cut, normal polish, and tripple wax, might try other methods to
try to make it easier.


im just working on engine bits and pieces, hes got the hard bit lol

got a full weekend again this weekend on it so going to have a go at getting some brakes on it

cheers Peter

google vwoneonone and thers a link with phone no ect for your scoops.can you mod a honda or mitshibushi alternater (will run correct direction,anti clockwise),small as well.

thanks for the info, but cant access vw one on one on google, have sent the dynamo away for assesment to see if its repairable, just started ordering parts from USA for engine, looks like i will get replacement rebuilt carbs for it throtal spindles all worn,
got all replacement brake shoes, cyclinders, hoses, tie rod ends and other bits for working on it this weekend,

enough to keep buisy
cheers Pete

update photos

origional paint under all mats and door pannels

fuel tank looks like new

little bit of old damage to n/s rear wheel arch, battery trays solid both sides

rear o/s corner been repaired at some time above lights


cheers Peter

now for something differant my other weekend getaway vehicle
a 1943 dodgewc63 6x6




photo taken at Americana International a couple of weeks ago
cheers Peter

Hi awesome bus Love the colour love it's sooooo retro ,anyhow if memory serves me right a few years ago (2005)I bought a spilt of Wayne at Volkshaven which had corvair engine conversion the bus didn't have the engine when I picked it up, but maybe he has the engine lying around ? Might be worth giving him a bell you never know ! He's always got oddballs in :lol:

Keep up the great work

Chris

Got to love that corvair engine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJoU-edJ4Dc&NR=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Check out the trailer !!!

hiya got some work done over weekend,
stripped brakes and repainted backing plates and spindles before refiting with, new brake shoes, slave cylinders,brake flex hoses, freed up all brake adjusters, new hand brake cables, just waiting on master cylinder to come, then finnish brakes. hose between brake reservoirs replaced,
also replaced fixed tie rod, drag link, tie rod ends on adjustable side, drive shaft gaiters and clean and check all drive joints,
new ball joints got for suspention and that will finnish the front off,
parts starting to turn up from america for corvair engine but more needed,
problem with bits missing from steering colum so will have to look into that,

thats it for now but it was a good start
cheers Peter