RMC News 5-09.indd - Rocky Mountain CORSA
Transcription
RMC News 5-09.indd - Rocky Mountain CORSA
The Denvair News May 2009 Vol. 35, Issue 7 A Member of the Corvair Society of America rocky mountain corsa ears old! RMC is 35 Y What Made A Stinger A Stinger? How The Yenko Stinger Happened, Part II Eric Schakel When Don Yenko finally made the decision to proceed with the Stinger project, there were few successful road-race Corvairs. There were road rally Corvairs, there were class-winning drag racing Corvairs, but the 1960-1964 Corvairs, even in Monza Spyder trim, had hardly set the world on fire. From Yenko’s perspective, there were three items that made the Corvair Corsa a desirable starting point for a sports car conversion: CORVAIR 1. The Corvair was the lightest car GM had ever put on the market. After watching the Corvette grow portly (Yenko raved about the 1963 Stingray’s hide-away headlamps weighing 68 pounds, right on the nose of the car!) while the Cobra actually lost weight, the low weight appealed to him. 2. With a 164 cubic inch power plant, the Corvair wouldn’t be classed against the V8 cars of any other manufacturer. Since Chevy had no V8 car to compete with the Mustang, the narrow-track four and six cylinder British and Italian cars would be his targets. 3. The final element was the market success of the 1965 Corvair restyling and revised independed rear suspension. The Corvair Corsa was the final step of the Corvair’s slow transformation from inexpensive economy car to Europeanstyle sporting car. Stinger gatherings are monochromatic - thank goodness Warren LeVeque painted YS-015 red! Number 37 car in the foreground was purchased new from the Canonsburg dealership by then-Yenko employee Mark Gillespie. The challenge, of course, was to make the car fast. In an era when headers, intake, big carb, and cam grind were the speed tricks, Yenko had picked a car with cast-in manifolds and exhaust stacks with clearance notches for pushrod tubes. And because he had selected a production sports car class, the old homily “When in doubt, bore it out” was not applicable for Sports Car Club of America events. Chevy had already taken the engine bore and stroke out to the practical edge of displacement. Yenko turned to the folks at R.S.T. Engineering for his engine inspiration. The very first racer Yenko fielded was powered by an RST engine. There are varying views on exactly how “stock” the 140 Corvair powerplant actually was. No K&N air filters back in The Day, but little else has changed in the engines. Note that this car, with cut-out fender liners and roll cage would not have been eligible to race under SCCA D Production rules. Thanks to the Yenko Sportscars marketing literature and surviving purchase orders for aftermarket parts, a relatively clear picture of the Stinger options emerges. Continued on Page 5 Flash! Tremendous Tri-State Tune-Up Turnout - Details in June! Rocky Mountain Corsa (RMC) has been a chartered chapter of the Corvair Society of America (CORSA) since October 1974, and is dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of Corvair automobiles. Membership & Dues Rocky Mountain Corsa annual dues are $23.00, Corvair Society of America (CORSA) annual dues are $38.00, which includes a subscription to the Corsa Communique, an award-winning monthly magazine. Combined dues are The Denvair News is a monthly publication for members $61.00 annually. Checks should be payable to RMC, mailed and affiliates of Rocky Mountain Corsa. The Denvair News is to: RMC, c/o John Dinsdale, 3240 Billings St., Aurora, CO now available as a PDF by request to the Editor. 80011-2231 Editorial Contributions We encourage your participation! Please forward stories, ideas, jokes, recipes, and/or photos to the Editor. Content must be received by the 15th of the month prior to the desired publication month. Electronic files are mucho preferred. Classified Ads Individual RMC member ads are free. Classified ads are limited to 25 words, and may include a photo. All ads will run for three issues. Non-members may advertise for $10.00. Please submit ads to the Editor, with payment due in advance to the Treasurer. Please make checks out to RMC. Monthly Meeting RMC holds meetings the 1st Friday of each month at our host dealership, Burt Chevrolet, 5200 South Broadway in Englewood. Join us at 7:00 PM in the upstairs meeting room. RMC Officers President: Larry Yoder lyoder1279@msn.com 303.420.1279 Vice President: John Dawson john.dawson@RTD-Denver.com 303.779.4356 Secretary: Linae Schakel linaes@earthlink.net 303 660-0914 Business Advertising Commercial advertisers are welcome. The following per-issue Treasurer: John Dinsdale rates apply: john_dinsdale@adp.com 303.341.2327 Business card size – $2.50 Historian: Steve Goodman ¼ page – $5.00 rearengine.steve@worldnet.att.net 303.934.5027 ½ page – $10.00 Full page – $20.00 Newsletter Editor: Eric Schakel eschakel@earthlink.net 303.660.0914 RMC Merchandise Past event t-shirts, RMC name badges and other merchandise Auditor/Trustee: John Drage 303.466.8755 are available. Please contact Larry Yoder (until a new Activjcdrage@msn.com ity Director volunteers) for a current list of goodies. Temporary Activities Director: Gary Hoffman GnKHOFFMAN@aol.com 303.233.7020 RMC Mailing Address Correspondence, ads, & articles may be snail-mailed to: Auditor/Trustee: Rob Brereton RMC rob.brereton@baxa.com 303.730.0820 PO Box 27058 Lakewood, CO 80227-0058 Membership Chair: Paul Seyforth pseyforth@comcast.net 303.280.2025 Denvair News - May 2009 - Page 2 President’s Letter Larry Yoder My goal this month (other than finding a job) was to get ready for the Tri-State Tune Up, which was postponed a week due to weather. I put the drum brakes back on the front to get back to original brake balance. The disc brakes completely unbalanced the brake system. That required I re-align the front-end. After doing that I decided I might as well give it a lube job. That’s when I discovered one of my outer tie-rod ends would not take grease. After working on it a while, and calling the guru at Rear Engine Specialists for advice, I concluded that it was not reparable and needs to be replaced. I’m going to look for it locally to see if I can get it on and the font-end re-aligned AGAIN before the Tri-State Tune Up this weekend at Eric’s. I took the Fiero in to get the tires balanced today (there was a vibration last Saturday while driving on 6th Avenue). While it was off the ground and before they took the tires off, I checked the front-end play. One side is a little loose. I hope all it needs is wheel bearing adjustment. We’ll see... The weather put a damper on the School of Mines E-Days show, but there was still a reasonable turnout. We were represented by Gary with his Jeep and Dale and I with our Corvairs. Several new Corvettes showed up along with a gaggle of new BMW’s. Andy was there with his 912. There was also an all electric utility truck on display. It looked like a toy. The weekly cruises were not as well attended during the last week or so due to weather. Again, a few die-hards continue to bring their cars out. Last Wednesday the Hamburger Stand parking lost was mostly full and we had 10 or 15 cars show up at Tami’s on Sunday. The Prez ! RMC Cor vair Happenings let on Broadway, 7:00pm C Meeting at Burt Chevro • Friday, May 1, 2009 — RM upercruise.com for more info Super Cruise. Visit www.goldens lden Go 9 200 t Firs — 9 200 • Saturday, May 2, @ the Best Western Kachina Lodge Event in Taos, NM. The hotel is tate Tri-S 9 200 31— y Ma , • Friday, May 29 - Sunday event for the group rate. 275. Mention that it is a Cor vair $69 per night. Call 575.758.2 tation subject, next issue on Broadway, 7:00pm – Presen let vro Che t Bur at g etin Me C • Friday, June 5, 2009 — RM This could be a scene from 1967 - throw in a Triumph TR-4A and make it a Championship race. Photo from Yenko 40th Reunion at Nelson Ledges race track, where Yenko tried the R.S.T. Engineering Corvair. Pick up and/or drop off parts at either of these shops - they work together to make your life easier! Denvair News - May 2009 - Page 3 RMC Meeting Minutes — April 3, 2009 The April RMC meeting was called to order by President Larry Yoder at 7:07pm and adjourned at 8:18pm. There were 21 members in attendance. sure you get what you want! Contact Larry Yoder with size and quantity. Shirts are available in T-style for $15 in sizes S through XL, or $17 for XXL. Polo shirts are $20 for S through XL, $22 for XXL. We’re lobbying for XLT, and will report progress! Old Business Coming Events ✔ Treasurer John Dinsdale reported a bank balance of $3014.83. ✔ We're coming up to the Tri-State, 5/29 through 5/31. Have you made reservations? ✔ Minutes were approved as written in the April Denvair News. ✔ The Golden Super Cruise will resume the first Saturday of each month. First 2009 Cruise will fall on Saturday, May 2. This is a very cool event to spectate or participate in. ✔ Paul Seyforth reported on the 2011 Convention location opportunities that he and John Drage have investigated. • The Ranch (county fairgrounds facility near Loveland) wants $14k for the facility rental, but could host everything on the premises, including the autocross. The concours could take place in an enclosed Event Center, and there is plenty of parking and space. Local Embassy Suites, however, would not budge below $119 per night. • Crowne Plaza (near DIA) is a good new facility with most of the amenities needed to host a convention. Again, the rooms are slightly above the $100 target at $109, and there is no lot nearby for an autocross. This location would, however, be the closest to High Plains Raceway, and other large parking areas could be investigated. • The Denver Chamber of Commerce identified several potential venues. The ones investigated so far (Westing Omni) were dramatically above price window. ✔ Someone was looking for some good early steel 4-bolt rims. Didn’t record name, but (poor) memory suggests it was John Dinsdale. New Business ✔ Tri-State is coming up. Order your shirts early to make ✔ John Drage reports a Keenesburg Car Show coming up June 6, and a downtown Fort Collins show on June 13. Sorry, no additional info yet - you might try John for details. Meeting Activity ✔ Larry Yoder brought a special tool for show and tell - a “custom ball-joint spreader”. It was made from a coupling nut and two bolts. Simple, yet effective, and at a Corvair price! ✔ Steve Goodman gave a presentation about gasket sealant, complete with examples of RTV oozing out of joints. Eric Schakel joined him with a display of various adhesives and sealants. The key take-away is: A little bit goes a long way. The second tip is: Read the application directions. Refreshments: Lynn Yoder provided snacks. Door Prizes: Door prizes were provided by Gary Hoffman, standing in for John Dawson. Winners were Melissa Brereton, Larry Yoder, Eric Schakel, Carolyn Taylor, Paul Seyforth, and Steve Goodman. What happened to our resolution to provide only three gifts? 50/50: Harlan Colburne walked out with $28.00, and the same amount went to RMC. Submitted by Linae Schakel, RMC Secretary Christy Barden is selling the white boys, both classic and detailed examples of early Corvairs. See the ads. Larry Schubert, on the other hand, is putting the finishing touches on his home-painted red Monza coupe, and hopes to spin up the Hands wheels soon! Denvair News - May 2009 - Page 4 Continued from Page 1 Five Stages of Tune All original 100 Stingers began life as 1966 Corvair Corsa coupes, with the 140 hp engine and four-speed transmission. Yenko built the car in five stages of tune, with Stage I as the base model. Stage II and up were engine updates, with the exception of a modified paint scheme for Stage III and up cars - the entire front deck was painted in the blue color of the stripe to identify them as the race versions. A quick review of the Yenko Tune Specifications (shown below) suggests that mechanical changes of the Stage I cars were limited to bolt-ons. All 140 Corvairs featured Tuff-Trided cranks and Moraine M-400 bearings, so this was simply restating stock items. Stage II was the next step up – the Yenko Stinger Tech Manual states, “Stage II is our best seller and why not? It’s virtually a Corvette in Corvair clothing.” Judging from the specifications, the Stage II engine used common tuning items from the era, but had the added advantage of head milling for higher compression. Beyond Stage II When a Stinger was prepped beyond Stage II, it joined the elite ranks of cars built specifically for competition. Sure, the Stage III car could be street-driven, but the ported cylinder heads were a highcost upgrade that took away from the low-speed response. The Stage IV cars may have had the larger carburetors (called “Bill Hartley Webers”, they had bored Rochester H bodies that flowed 50% more than stock) and slant tube exhausts. As with all Stingers, there are no records to show how many were built, and it is likely no two Stage IV Stingers were alike. Denvair News - May 2009 - Page 5 Stage V was illegal for SCCA racing, but at least one Stage V Stinger was a race winner in the Canadian Sports Car Club, driven by Mo Carter. Another Stage V car appeared in the 1966 Sebring 12 Hours, driven by Donna Mae Mims and John Luke. And at least one Stage V Stinger was equipped with Rochester mechanical fuel injection. Marketing literature and press releases from Yenko suggest that he originally intended to hologate the Stinger for FIA (European sports car series) racing. Unfortunately, 500 copies were the minimum for FIA approval, and that was a level Yenko never reached. Fortunately, the Stage V Stinger was allowed to run as an exhibition car. The Stage V designation appears to have been given to any Stinger that didn’t meet SCCA rules: In addition to the larger bore engines and the experimental fuel injected car, there are records of one Stage V Stinger that raced in D Sports Racer class with a pair of 58mm Weber three choke carburetors from a Porsche. That setup would later become the defacto standard for road-race Stingers. A Successful Race Car... By all accounts, the Stingers were successful race cars right out of the gate, under the guidance of the R.S.T. Engineering folks. Russ MacGrotty also raced a Stage III Stinger successfully, as did a number of amateur racers across North America. The real “victory” for the Stinger was the 1967 SCCA D Production National Championship. Jerry Thompson (often confused with Dr. Dick Thompson, the racing dentist, who also raced a Stinger) and the RST Engineering team pulled off the win against the factory-suppored Group 44 Triumph team – a remarkable feat for a car developed by a small-town Chevy dealer. Finally, the unibody construction was from GM may well be based in truth. One notably more rigid than the body-on-frame story suggests the Stinger graphic showed construction of other era cars. up in Yenko’s mail one day, with no return address or information. Today, drum brakes might be viewed as a weakness for the Stinger, but at the time On the other hand, there was probably they were adequate for the rear-engine support from Chevrolet in the form of sharcar. GM sintered metallic friction mateing information. If a question was asked, rial was available, and the extreme rear and the answer was already in the GM weight bias of the Corvair was an asset data bank, it was likely given to Yenko. in this area, giving good stability (weight One example of this would be the use transfer from the rear actually balanced of a dual master cylinder in the 1966 the car nicely) under heavy braking. Stingers. The development work had With the excellent handling characteristics certainly been completed at GM for the of the Corvair essentially available at no 1967 Corvair by the time the Stinger was introduced, and Yenko may have been given part numbers. Another example might be placement of the cooling flaps on the fiber glass Stinger deck lid: A Corvair enthusiast who also happens to be an aerodynamics engineer has done calculations and testing on the Stinger’s airflow. Seems the cooling flaps are placed exactly in the optimal airflow area... Coincidence? Again, the answer may never be known. Of course, Yenko didn’t do it by himself. In addition to the work performed by RST Engineering, engine development work conducted by What is clear is that Yenko Gulf Oil Research in conquickly moved beyond the junction with Bill Hartley, Stingers. Chevrolet support the race shop mechanic in road racing started up from Yenko Chevrolet. The The 2006 Yenko 40th Reunion brought more Stingers and Ringers (Stinger clones) again, but Yenko was not Corvair engine proved together than any event since the Stingers were unloaded in the field behind Yenko one of the chosen. GM supto be quite durable when Chevrolet in late 1965. And they weren’t afraid to get dirty! port went to the fledgling the oil and cylinder head Penske/Donohue team for temperatures were kept under control. added cost, Yenko was able to focus on the Camaro Z/28 in Trans Am events, engine work and virtually ignore the rest while international endurance racing After the first year of successful engine of the package. was spearheaded by Jim Hall with his work, Yenko shifted his attention away Chapparal cars. The 1968 Corvette Sting from the Stinger. There was a new car Did General Motors Help? Ray was campaigned successfully by a coming: The Chevy Camaro Z/28, which Somewhere in the archives of General number of racers, with development conYenko attempted to rebrand as the Yenko Motors, the answer to this question may ducted by Zora Arkus-Duntov’s Corvette Stormer. exist. It’s unlikely that Don Yenko, in his engineering team. One key item did make the option list in last-minute vacillation, didn’t get some Perhaps Chevy’s support of others caused 1967: A close-ratio transmission that cut type of help from GM. Yenko’s interest in road racing to wane a second or more from lap times at many That help may have come in the form of in the late 60’s. Again, it’s unlikely we’ll of the tracks where the Stinger raced. GMAC assistance – cash flow on 100 ever know for sure, but the long-term What Made the Stinger Work? Corvairs must have been staggering legacy of Yenko Sports Cars will be the muscle-car big-block Camaros, Novas, On the suspension side, the Corvair’s IRS for a small rural dealership back in that era. The order would have been placed and Chevelles. was dramatically better than any other volume production car. And with a flat six through GM’s Central Office Production Nevertheless, the Yenko Stinger remains Order system (COPO) as a fleet order, engine, the center of gravity was several the pinnacle of Corvair performance, with and extended terms were almost certainly inches lower than any other production a proud history of racing successes that offered. sports car except the Porsche 911 or the continue even today. VW Karman Ghia, neither of which the Engine development work was likely not Corvair would be classed against. The forthcoming from GM, as the Camaro Corvair also had a track width advantage program was well under way at GM against the narrow TR-4A Triumph, which by the time the Stinger came to life. The improved cornering even more. rumors about the name and logo coming Denvair News - May 2009 - Page 6 Editorial Ramblings Eric Schakel 40 Years Ago In May Production of the Corvair ceased on May 14, 1969. Even on its’ final day, the Corvair was enigmatic to GM management: Where so many other models just quietly ceased, automotive journalists petitioned Chevrolet to allow them to cover the story of the last Corvair to come down the production line. They relented, and the journalists were present in the “Corvair Room” at the Willow Run Assembly Plant when the Olympic Gold Monza Coupe rolled out. It was 1969 Corvair number 6000, and Chevrolet disappointed collectors and corporate executives alike by refusing to put it up for sale. The fate of the Corvair had very likely been decided within GM while the 1966 model year was in production. The Ford Mustang had single-handedly created the “Pony Car” market, and matched the Corvair’s bucket seats and 4 on the floor with a powerful V8 that the Corvair simply couldn’t offer. By 1966, Chevrolet was also very familiar with the higher production costs associated with a stand-alone platform. Many of the cost-sharing Corvair models had already gone by the wayside, and the Division’s economy car laurels had been taken over by the unsophisticated Chevy II/Nova models. In comparison with the Corvair, the Nova was a volume leader, and shared mechanical parts with other cars in the GM family. After all, after building up a lot of speed, why should I have to give it up just to go around a corner? The 1967 Camaro was an instant success when it hit the market. The rest is, as they say, history. That Corsa made an indelible impression on me. The Corvair was, and remains, a symbol of efficiency in the face of the bigcubic-inch muscle cars. It was different, and 40 years later I still treasure that. But I could no more afford a Z/28 Camaro than I could a ride in an Apollo capsule... Sooo, what car looked like a Camaro, had a reputation for good handling, and (by late 1969, when Dad’s 1965 4-door Plymouth Fury III was far too Ford had tapped their Falcon economy embarrassing to be seen in) had become car for their stunning Mustang, which kept incredibly cheap? production costs very low. Chevrolet did exactly the same thing: It now seems only Enter a black 1965 Corvair Corsa. It was a 4-speed 140 car with 110 heads and logical that they would take the Nova red interior. I paid $200 for it the same platform to create the Camaro as quickly as their resources could bring it to market. year Corvair production ended. As a gearhead kid entering high school in 1967, I lusted after a Z/28 Camaro. Then again, you probably have an inkling I was never genetically disposed toward drag racing for some reason, which made of what I’m saying. Red Green would put the newfound Trans Am racing series very it this way: “We’re all in this together.” appealing to me. It made a lot of sense to have a car which was multi-dimensional. Stuff For Sale For Sale: 1965 sedan parts car. PG, engine block only, glass good (except windshield), no rust, body panels good. Need parts? This car has them. $1.00, bring car trailer. For Sale: 1964 500 Coupe – PG. Owned 29 years, 2nd owner. All original except exterior paint. 46K mile. Excellent condition, LEAKS NO OIL White w/turquoise interior. New ww tires. Drive anywhere, $4,900. For Sale: 1960 500 Sedan – PG. Senior Division car. Owned 33 years, 90K miles. 3K miles on complete restoration finished in 2005. Redone to original specifications. One of the best representations of the price leader for 1960. Drive anywhere. $9,900. Christy Barden 303 530-1288; e-mail: ChristyBarden@cs.com. (Located in Boulder; contact Christy for digital pix of these fine vehicles) Cars For Sale: 1962 Monza Spyder Coupe and 1963 Monza Convertible. Both cars have been hibernating way too long in my garage. Time for someone else to tackle the restoration. Very original and not rusted out. Any interest.....take a look. Jim Reich 303-257-3733; email: vaircraft@aol.com Parts: - 1964 Carburetors $20.00 each 2 rear air outlet grills - one ‘65, one ‘66-69 free to good homes John Dinsdale 303-341-2327 303-873-4599; email: john_dinsdale@adp.com Car For Sale: 1960 Corvair 700 white 2-door with 90,000 miles. Runs good! Has normal gas tank issues. Headliner is good, seats are there but need recovered. Brakes are great. New radials on car, but have set of bias plies with paperwork showing 1973 installation. Body very straight, paint solid but fading. Found this car in a shed where it was sitting since 1982, but too many projects. Call or e-mail - lots of photos available. Asking $2600 OBO. Rob, 719-688-5287; email: corvair4sale@yahoo.com Denvair News - May 2009 - Page 7 Due Dues Reminder May Jim & Jackie Arnold Ben Auslaender & Family The Breretons Jim & Janet Brossard Russ Church Melissa Daluz Jeff Golden Darrell & Elaine Jackson Andy Keller Jeremy & Kellie Verne April Garrie Fox Thomas Jochem Marcus Miller Lyle Muir March Sergio Hernandez Robert & Joyce Remick Whoa! That’s a sle w of folks coming due in May c’mon, now, don’t make us beg... For fast turnaround, make your check payable to RMC and mail it to: RMC, c/o John Dinsdale, 3240 Billings St., Aurora, CO 80011-2231 , consider adding a larger shift For your summer driving pleasure ry knob found on most Corvair facto tiny The air. knob to your Corv to provide more clearance for ned shift levers was apparently desig engage reverse, rather than a the driver’s leg when attempting to gh the gears. throu rely secu grippy handle for moving if you fall off the flat and that is se, cour of fit, Another big knob bene cornering maneuvers, se inten g gripless factory “bucket” seat durin a larger diameter shift on self your le impa to likely less you’ll be much knob. about driving quite like a good, Finally, nothing says you’re serious een the seats. Finding reverse baseball-sized knob sticking up betw Do yourself a favor while addtoo! ia, inert little a is much easier with ing a little leverage to your Corvair. (Izzy Guiffe) You have a Corvair! If you aren’t already a member, we invite you to join Rocky Mountain Corsa (RMC), a local chapter of the national Corvair Society of America (CORSA). RMC is dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of Corvair automobiles. We meet the first Friday evening of every month at Burt Chevrolet, 5200 S. Broadway, in Englewood. Meetings are held in the upstairs training room, starting at 7:00pm. There are a number of benefits from joining the group, including an annual show, monthly group events, a monthly local newsletter, Denvair News, and Corvair Communique, an award-winning monthly magazine published by CORSA. Whether you race, show, or just drive your Corvair, you’ll find others who share your interests. Combined single/family membership to both RMC and CORSA costs just $61.00 per year. Dues can be mailed to RMC, PO Box 27058, Lakewood, CO 80227-0058, or simply pay at the monthly meeting - we hope to hear from you soon! Membership Application Name(s): Street Address: City, State, Zip: E-mail Address: Telephone Info: Corvairs in your life: Referring Member (if applicable):