Loading onto a Chevrolet Corvair pickup

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,507]

I do believe this image has been posted on here before, but I'm too lazy this morning to try and find it.  It's currently showing up on some random truck facebook group page and there seems to be conflicting guesses on the lawn tractor.

 

 

[Retired Wrencher 5,468]

T-MO interesting pick up! Never seen one like that.  

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,507]

It's shown in this video at around the 55 second mark:

 

 

[squonk 41,169]

Hope the mower deck is turned off? 

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,507]

On the Corvair pickup, VW had a pickup version of their bus, and so the US carmakers made their own.  Ford had their Econoline vans and pickups, Chevrolet had the Corvair, and Dodge had their A-100 vans and pickups.  The Corvair was closer to the VW design as it had a rear engine like the VW.  The engine in the Corvair, I believe was an inline 6, air cooled if I remember correctly.  Ford and Dodge had front mounted, liquid cooled engines.  Chevrolet did bring out a front engine mounted van, but I can't remember if there was a pickup version.

[953 nut 55,377]

45 minutes ago, T-Mo said:

The engine in the Corvair, I believe was an inline 6, air cooled if I remember correctly.

It was an opposed air cooled flat six cylinder engine.              

The garden tractor being loaded appears to be a Speedex.     

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,507]

I was hoping someone like you, 953, that may have more knowledge on the Corvair design.  I do remember now, that the 6 in the Corvair was horizontal opposed, but to be honest, I haven't been around too many of these old Corvairs, cars or vans/pickups.

 

On the lawn tractor, I hadn't even thought of the Speedex.

[squonk 41,169]

Turbo -air 164 80 HP.    2 1bbl carbs one on each side.

 

I had a 67  " Vair " with the 110 HP and Powerglide. It would go like stink! 

[953 nut 55,377]

Those Corvair ramp-side pick-up trucks were a bit underpowered, didn't have much load capacity and the floor wasn't flat because of the rear engine. However the ramp-side was much lower than the VW drop-side so it was easier to load. The Ciorvair was also much quieted than the Ford Econoline or Dodge A-100 forward cab where the engine was right beside the driver. 

[ri702bill 8,381]

The Corvair and its variants used one fanbelt that was bent 90 degrees over the path, much like the later mule drive on a WH.

Chevy had the G90 and G108 front engined van with the engine between the seats. The 90 and 108 designated the wheelbase. It did have a straight axle up front, along with the very annoying clutch & brake pedals that moved downward in an arc... you had to lift your entire leg to work the clutch. They were made from 1965 t0 1969 (the one I drove was a 1969) Think the Scooby Do van....

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,507]

Just now, ri702bill said:

The Corvair and its variants used one fanbelt that was bent 90 degrees over the path, much like the later mule drive on a WH.

Chevy had the G90 and G108 front engined van with the engine between the seats. The 90 and 108 designated the wheelbase. It did have a straight axle up front, along with the very annoying clutch & brake pedals that moved downward in an arc... you had to lift your entire leg to work the clutch. They were made from 1965 t0 1969 (the one I drove was a 1969) Think the Scooby Do van....

Yes, I knew of those front engined Chevy vans, but did Chevy make a pickup version?  I don't recall ever seeing one, but that don't mean there wasn't one.

[ri702bill 8,381]

Makes you wonder just how many of those @Pullstart Kevin could fit.....!!

 

Edited September 14 by ri702bill

[ri702bill 8,381]

Just now, T-Mo said:

but did Chevy make a pickup version?  I don't recall ever seeing one, but that don't mean there wasn't one.

Not from the factory - did see a few "custom" vans turned into pickups in the 70's. Just Ford, Dodge, & VW.

[Pullstart 62,925]

I saw one of those trucks yesterday!  There was something in the way of parking my Horse however… 

[tunahead72 2,424]

5 hours ago, T-Mo said:

It's shown in this video at around the 55 second mark:

 

 

 

No straps, not even a bungee, what could possibly go wrong?

 

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,326]

3 hours ago, squonk said:

Turbo -air 164 80 HP.    2 1bbl carbs one on each side.

 

I had a 67  " Vair " with the 110 HP and Powerglide. It would go like stink! 

You sure the stink wasn't you and your squonk eggs?

[ri702bill 8,381]

4 hours ago, squonk said:

with the 110 HP and Powerglide

Ah, yes... the 2 speed Powerglide. With two forward speeds - "slip" and "slide"

[pfrederi 17,742]

2 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

Ah, yes... the 2 speed Powerglide. With two forward speeds - "slip" and "slide"

 

Lever shifter in the Dash board...No Park position had to pull the emergency brake lever under the dash.

[squonk 41,169]

20 minutes ago, pfrederi said:

 

Lever shifter in the Dash board...No Park position had to pull the emergency brake lever under the dash.

Mother in law had a "Vair" She forgot the brake one day and the car disappeared from her driveway. It ended up a block away after rolling down the hill!  

 

When my wife was in college she wanted a Christmas tree but had no money for one. She cleaned a high school at night and the school gave her this giant tree they used for the play. She got that tree jammed into the trunk. 

 

When I bought my 67, there were 31 empty quart motor oil bottles jammed all around the engine where the spare tire usually sat. It smoked like a fish until I replaced the pushrod tube seals. 

[ri702bill 8,381]

My FIL worked for a large local Chevrolet Dealer as a front end mechanic for 12-15 years before opening his own shop.

If there was no front end work, he got stuck with the "Orphans" that came in doing Warranty work- Impalas with air ride that failed & would get switched to conventional coil spring & shocks, Replacing the forgotten Turboglide CVT with 2 speed Powerglides, and the infamous Corvairs.Kind of like a VW bug, remove 6 bolts and some wires, the whole engine/transaxle drops out the bottom.... THAT was the best timesaver to replace the pushrod seals & clean the cooling fins (as they were packed with dirt from the oil leaks). 

When he left to go on his own, guess which band of faithful followers tagged along... the Corvair owners!!! A VERY common sight at the garage to see one up in the air and the drive guts on a jack.....

[squonk 41,169]

I remember replacing the pushrod tube seals. When I was adjusting the valves I had 2 exhaust flex pipes running under my overhead door and 2 mufflers laying on the ground, Folks who drove by had quite the sight. 

[wh500special 2,188]

9 hours ago, squonk said:

…It smoked like a fish…. 

I nominate that one for Quote of The Year. 
 

😎
 

Steve

[squonk 41,169]

8 hours ago, wh500special said:

I nominate that one for Quote of The Year. 
 

😎
 

Steve

I worked with this old guy who we called Spike. He would always get his sayings mixed up." Smoked like a fish " instead of drinked like a fish was one of my favorites. My absolute favorite was " you're gonna open up a pan of boxes" instead of Pandora's box. I use them all the time now. My son gets a big kick out of them..

[Pullstart 62,925]

Fits with our very own @wallfish too 

[8ntruck 7,025]

On 9/14/2024 at 9:06 AM, Pullstart said:

I saw one of those trucks yesterday!  There was something in the way of parking my Horse however… 

 

There seems to be some Little Red Wagon influence here.