Ecomodding my 1966 Corvair

[Frank Lee]

Corvairs are pretty clean underneath already so a bellypan would do even less than it normally does.

My '66 is nice and stable cuz it still wears it's factory chin spoiler. I also replaced the skinny 13" wheels with Nova 14 in ralleys in the front and wider Camaro ralleys in the rear. I've read about the Vair chin spoiler being added specifically to enhance stability.

[Gibsonvair]

I couldn't figuire out how to reshape the front quarter panels to direct air around the front tires and although I bought some conveyor belt to make the front air dam, I moved on to something more exciting and easy.
This weeked I replaced the distributor and coil. The distributor is a modified unit from a 2.8 liter GM 60 degree V-6. The total advance is 71 degrees with initial, full mechanical and full vacuum. It runs better with steadier timing and less hesitation. The engine is worn-out, but a spare is now being rebuilt. I will find out in two more days how the gas mileage is doing after my first tank of gas.
I hope to report back soon!
Steve Gibson

[autoteach]

umm, I am not real sure that 71 degrees of timing is a good thing. I have worked on cars for a while, and 8-15 initial and max of 55ish (think HIGH rpms) was about all we could run on anything.

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[Gibsonvair]

The original installed distributor was set @ 20 degrees static, 13 degrees full mechanical by 2000 rpm, and 16 degrees of full vacuum advance @ 25'' mercury.
The new is set @ 20 degrees static, 7 degrees full mechanical by 2700 rpm, and 24 degrees full vacuum @ 10" mercury. I'm carrying a timing light in case there is pinging.
Steve Gibson

[cfg83]

Gibsonvair -

Fount this by chance :

An Illustrated History Of Automotive Aerodynamics – Part 3: Finale | The Truth About Cars

We’re not going to pursue the evolution of racing aerodynamics further in this limited survey, but the Chaparrals’ influence would also quickly spill over into passenger cars. GM hired an aerodynamicist back in 1953 to assist with wind tunnel tests on its turbine concept cars, although he was grossly underutilized for years. But GM’s technical assistance to the Chaparral team was a well-known fact. How much of that was aerodynamics is not clear, but the first mass production car to sport a chin spoiler like the 2B above was the 1966 Corvair. It was added in the second year of the Corvair’s 1965 re-style to reduce drag and improve down force and cross-wind stability.

CarloSW2

[Gibsonvair]

After 260 miles: No noticable FE gain...but no loss. 25 mpg. Much better drivability and lugs better. Should lend to low speed, high gear driving for fuel efficiency.
Steve Gibson