Jeff and I got started on the Vair Friday night at about 8:30 p.m. The first step was to make one last pass at adjustment of lifters. After receiving numerous e-mails from more experienced Virtual Vairs members, I decided that we would be adjusting the lifters cold, following the shop manual, and giving them 1/2 turn past zero lash per Bill Hubbell's suggestion. This done, the mufflers went into place, the right heat shield was installed (the left will have to wait until I get the appropriate muffler strap).

 That done, we pulled the distributor. Jeff took a long metal rod and fashioned a flat blade on it, and I chucked this into a DeWalt 18v cordless drill and ran the oil pump for a while, since it had been a while since the motor was assembled, and the oil had been drained once.

 When that was done, we walked through the shop manual procedure for installing the distributor. Since we had just finished adjusting the lifters, it was no big deal to pull the motor through backward one turn to get back to TDC for # 1 cylinder. We checked the oil level, opened the garage door, and I climbed up in the car.

 We got out the fire extinguisher.

 I put on my Nomex suit. (O.k., I know, you're on to me now.)

 I turned the key.

 The motor fired immediately and ran just fine.

 Of course, we still had a bit of work to do. Back under the car we went to lube the u-joints and attach the strut rods. We ended up putting a flat board on a jack, and jacking the tires up one at a time to bring the inner brackets into alignment, again, pretty much what the shop manual tells you to do.

 This done, it was time to get the car back on the ground. We walked it down one side at a time until the jackstands were fully compressed, lifting the car with a three-ton jack against a four by four under the rocker panel pinch weld seam. Then we let the front down by jacking at the front cross member, lifed the sides with the four by four again, and lowered the car the rest of the way.

 For the first time since April, my car was back on the ground again.

I put her in reverse, drove down the yard to the driveway, and Jeff and I pulled her onto the road while my son Jake took pictures.

Then we went cruisin'. We found out we had a really wild rear camber setting. At about 50 mph the car really wanted to do the boogie woogie. We kept off the freeways. It leaks no oil, and the valve train is quiet. It does not ping at all. I need to synchronize the carbs and see how aggressive I can get on the timing, but the car is running great right now, just as is.

I got up early Saturday morning and drove to St. Johns in the hope that they could squeeze in a quick alignment. They were booked solid until next Tuesday, but the Midas across the street was open and strangely empty of customers. Any port in a storm.... I got it aligned to the '67 Corvair spec they had on their computer, and the handling was much better, although still pretty quirky on the freeway.

I drove home and Jeff and I took the Vair and the '68 Cutlass up to the car wash. Then it was back home and hurry up, hurry up, we're late....

The Western Michigan Corvair Club color tour was scheduled to leave Hastings at 12:30. Our two-car convoy pulled in amid curious looks from members who had not seen this car before, since I just joined the chapter. I got a big grin and handshake from John Cole and after some tire kicking we headed out for Lansing and the R.E. Olds Museum.

I have created a gallery of pictures of my '65 Corsa that you can enter by clicking here.

I would like to thank some people without whom this successful project would have been a complete disaster. First, of course, is my good friend Jeff Guill who worked like a slave late into the night many times on someone else's car. Second is the unsung heroine of this story, my wife Joy, who was simply a saint throughout this summer. If I did one thing right in my life, it was marrying this woman.

Finally, I owe an immense debt to all of the Virtual Vairs readers whose comments, criticisms and witticisms kept me on the straight and narrow. Thanks for your help, and if I can ever return the favor, please don't hesitate to ask.

There's one final item of business. By the clock on my camera, my Corsa pulled out onto Turner Street at 10:55 p.m. on October 18. That would make J.R. Read's guess of 10:39 p.m. on the 18th the closest guess, with a margin of error of only 16 minutes. Bob Kenan came close at 11:40 p.m., but Bob, second place just means that you are first loser. So J.R., if you would send me a snail mail address, I'll send you your choice of a taillight lens or hubcap, autographed if you prefer.

Thanks again for all the help.

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Back to Part 20.

All images and text copyright Norman C. Witte 2002.