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NARRATIVE FOR LEE EGLESTON’S CARS
A-1
In 1968 Lee Egleston of Marshalltown, Iowa started the work required to convert his red 1962 Monza coupe into a mid-engine conversion with a unique exhaust system and sound. The build took about a year to complete. Lee decided to build a mid-engine conversion because that seemed like the easiest place to position the engine. He had a 327 small-block Chevy engine from a 65 Chevrolet. His plan was to mount the engine without moving or modifiying the Corvair transaxle or shift linkage. He fabricated a 1/2 inch adapter plate to mate the engine bellhousing to the Corvair transmission and he milled an input shaft from a 3-speed Chevy transmission to complete the assembly. When it came time to install the engine, Lee took advantage of the bridge crane in the 12,000 sf building that was a part of the family’s electric business. The Corvair body was lifted above the engine and lowered down over it and then connected.
At this time Lee was unaware of what Ted Trevor was doing at Crown Manufacturing in late 1966. Later after his car was finished, he remembers reading articles in various hot rod magazines about kits that were available.
A-2
With the engine in place, Lee spent $300 fabricating and welding the custom exhaust system from flanges and pipe that he fitted together. The header tubes ran through the opening behind the engine and then down and under the flat mounted radiator towards the back.
The exhaust system sounded like an Indy race car when the baffles were removed from the hand built mufflers. The mufflers were fabricated from the drive shaft of an old Mercury. The exhaust system fired R-L- R-L etc. resulting in the unusual sound.
The radiator for his project came from a real Ford Cobra. Another kid in town drove a Cobra that his dad bought him. The boy totaled the Cobra when he rolled it. Lee went to the salvage yard and purchased the radiator and instrument cluster for his conversion project. The radiator laid flat behind the drivetrain. A shroud was fabricated and a single bladed fan was attached on the top side of the shrouded radiator. The fan blew upwards and hot air was exhausted through the louvers in the original engine deck lid. Lee indicates that he had no cooling problems with this configuration. Although the engine cooled well, the driver needed all the windows down due to the heat generated and the engine/exhaust sounds.
A-3
The instrument cluster from the Ford Cobra was mounted on top of the dash board. Since the Cobra tachometer was cable driven, Lee elected to use a Sun tachometer instead. Too much trouble to make the Cobra tach function.
A-4
Lee is pictured in his Monza coupe in 1968 before the Cobra gauges were installed on top of the dash. He didn’t need that missing door rear view mirror. He was too busy watching where he was going. There was probably nothing behind him anyway.
Although Art Silva and Bob Sotto had built early Corvair Conversions with V-8 engines in the rear engine compartment during the early 60’s, Lee’s car, according to our records, holds the record for the first mid-engine early model Corvair. There’s one recent report of an early model Corvair with the remnants of a mid-engine conversion in a Kansas salvage yard, but this car has not been confirmed. Based on Lee’s conversation, his car was crushed. As his story goes, he sold the Corvair 6 months after building it due to a divorce. The new owner got in trouble with law and joined the military to avoid jail time. The Corvair sat in his grandmother’s driveway until she was tired of seeing the car sitting there; so she called a wrecker service to haul it off to the salvage yard. Although Lee didn’t see the car crushed, he has no reason to believe it wasn’t. Before it was hauled away, the grandmother allowed Lee to remove the Cobra gauges and some other parts. At 80 years of age, he still has those parts and the memories that they bring back.
A-1
In 1968 Lee Egleston of Marshalltown, Iowa started the work required to convert his red 1962 Monza coupe into a mid-engine conversion with a unique exhaust system and sound. The build took about a year to complete. Lee decided to build a mid-engine conversion because that seemed like the easiest place to position the engine. He had a 327 small-block Chevy engine from a 65 Chevrolet. His plan was to mount the engine without moving or modifiying the Corvair transaxle or shift linkage. He fabricated a 1/2 inch adapter plate to mate the engine bellhousing to the Corvair transmission and he milled an input shaft from a 3-speed Chevy transmission to complete the assembly. When it came time to install the engine, Lee took advantage of the bridge crane in the 12,000 sf building that was a part of the family’s electric business. The Corvair body was lifted above the engine and lowered down over it and then connected.
At this time Lee was unaware of what Ted Trevor was doing at Crown Manufacturing in late 1966. Later after his car was finished, he remembers reading articles in various hot rod magazines about kits that were available.
A-2
With the engine in place, Lee spent $300 fabricating and welding the custom exhaust system from flanges and pipe that he fitted together. The header tubes ran through the opening behind the engine and then down and under the flat mounted radiator towards the back.
The exhaust system sounded like an Indy race car when the baffles were removed from the hand built mufflers. The mufflers were fabricated from the drive shaft of an old Mercury. The exhaust system fired R-L- R-L etc. resulting in the unusual sound.
The radiator for his project came from a real Ford Cobra. Another kid in town drove a Cobra that his dad bought him. The boy totaled the Cobra when he rolled it. Lee went to the salvage yard and purchased the radiator and instrument cluster for his conversion project. The radiator laid flat behind the drivetrain. A shroud was fabricated and a single bladed fan was attached on the top side of the shrouded radiator. The fan blew upwards and hot air was exhausted through the louvers in the original engine deck lid. Lee indicates that he had no cooling problems with this configuration. Although the engine cooled well, the driver needed all the windows down due to the heat generated and the engine/exhaust sounds.
A-3
The instrument cluster from the Ford Cobra was mounted on top of the dash board. Since the Cobra tachometer was cable driven, Lee elected to use a Sun tachometer instead. Too much trouble to make the Cobra tach function.
A-4
Lee is pictured in his Monza coupe in 1968 before the Cobra gauges were installed on top of the dash. He didn’t need that missing door rear view mirror. He was too busy watching where he was going. There was probably nothing behind him anyway.
Although Art Silva and Bob Sotto had built early Corvair Conversions with V-8 engines in the rear engine compartment during the early 60’s, Lee’s car, according to our records, holds the record for the first mid-engine early model Corvair. There’s one recent report of an early model Corvair with the remnants of a mid-engine conversion in a Kansas salvage yard, but this car has not been confirmed. Based on Lee’s conversation, his car was crushed. As his story goes, he sold the Corvair 6 months after building it due to a divorce. The new owner got in trouble with law and joined the military to avoid jail time. The Corvair sat in his grandmother’s driveway until she was tired of seeing the car sitting there; so she called a wrecker service to haul it off to the salvage yard. Although Lee didn’t see the car crushed, he has no reason to believe it wasn’t. Before it was hauled away, the grandmother allowed Lee to remove the Cobra gauges and some other parts. At 80 years of age, he still has those parts and the memories that they bring back.
Photo A7
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A-7
In addition to the Corvair Conversion, Lee built several other vehicles. He installed an Olds 88 engine with a 4-speed Hydramatic transmission in a 50’s era 6 cylinder Ford pick-up truck. To make the steering easier due to the extra engine weight, a power booster from a Ford car was added which improved steering noticeably.
From there he constructed his own personal two-seater roadster by using donor parts from numerous vehicles. At the age of 35, Lee is pictured in his roadster. Check out those handmade fenders and radiator cover. The roadster sported a 1956 Chevy 265 V-8 coupled to a PowerGlide transmission and the chassis was from a 1958 Chevrolet shortened 24 inches. The seats were Ford, Chrysler gauges, Jeep wipers and Olds headlights. The 2-seater was street legal and is still floating around somewhere in the Iowa. Lee would love to have it back. Contact us if you’ve seen Lee’s roadster.
C-1
Lee has four sons and he built this small race car for the oldest pictured in the car. It sports a handmade chassis made from ½ inch water pipe and an 18 GA sheet metal body. The engine is a 4 HP mower engine with a variable clutch drive and disc brakes for quick stops. A small adult could also fit into the cockpit. With the restrictor on, top speed was 25 mph, but with it off, the midget racer could do 35.
Lee, Jr. went on to serve and retire from the Marines. His interest in race cars continues. The youngest son Richard at age 50 is an insurance company executive and finds ample time to fly around the country to race tracks where his Porsche Team is waiting with his trailered race car.
Lee still has fond memories of his days as vice-president of Egleston Electric Co. in Marshalltown. His fabricating and welding skills during those days provided him with hours of time for his automotive hobby. Now he looks back at his accomplishments with a smile knowing that he passed his enthusiasm for fast cars on to all four sons. Lee’s story first appeared in Hemming’s Classic Cars. Once the V-8 Registry became aware of this car and its owner, we were compelled to post his story for our members and to offer Lee Egleston Honorary Membership in our group.
In addition to the Corvair Conversion, Lee built several other vehicles. He installed an Olds 88 engine with a 4-speed Hydramatic transmission in a 50’s era 6 cylinder Ford pick-up truck. To make the steering easier due to the extra engine weight, a power booster from a Ford car was added which improved steering noticeably.
From there he constructed his own personal two-seater roadster by using donor parts from numerous vehicles. At the age of 35, Lee is pictured in his roadster. Check out those handmade fenders and radiator cover. The roadster sported a 1956 Chevy 265 V-8 coupled to a PowerGlide transmission and the chassis was from a 1958 Chevrolet shortened 24 inches. The seats were Ford, Chrysler gauges, Jeep wipers and Olds headlights. The 2-seater was street legal and is still floating around somewhere in the Iowa. Lee would love to have it back. Contact us if you’ve seen Lee’s roadster.
C-1
Lee has four sons and he built this small race car for the oldest pictured in the car. It sports a handmade chassis made from ½ inch water pipe and an 18 GA sheet metal body. The engine is a 4 HP mower engine with a variable clutch drive and disc brakes for quick stops. A small adult could also fit into the cockpit. With the restrictor on, top speed was 25 mph, but with it off, the midget racer could do 35.
Lee, Jr. went on to serve and retire from the Marines. His interest in race cars continues. The youngest son Richard at age 50 is an insurance company executive and finds ample time to fly around the country to race tracks where his Porsche Team is waiting with his trailered race car.
Lee still has fond memories of his days as vice-president of Egleston Electric Co. in Marshalltown. His fabricating and welding skills during those days provided him with hours of time for his automotive hobby. Now he looks back at his accomplishments with a smile knowing that he passed his enthusiasm for fast cars on to all four sons. Lee’s story first appeared in Hemming’s Classic Cars. Once the V-8 Registry became aware of this car and its owner, we were compelled to post his story for our members and to offer Lee Egleston Honorary Membership in our group.
