Randy Mitchell - Marseilles, IL
The Art Silva kit included a cast aluminum bell housing, fabricated steel struts that bolted solidly to the block and to stock Corvair engine mounts located at each frame rail; reverse rotation cam and distributor drive gear; reverse rotation alternator drive /pulley (fan blades “backwards”); reverse rotation starter motor; aluminum alternator mounting plate and two double edge fan belts. There is a whole list of non-kit parts that were required, such as 215 flywheel and Chevy V-8 clutch, etc.etc.
I have made a few improvements over the years. I didn’t like the cantilever engine mount setup placing upward bending forces on the aluminum block, so I had a steel tab welded to the bottom of the oil pan (along with Art/s suggested oil control internal baffle to keep the oil intake in oil on during hard acceleration) around which I passed a length of threaded rod bolted to the outer ends of the struts, thus triangulating the mounting setup. Not pretty, but I have never worried about block stress when hitting big dips in the road. Never liked Art’s water pump drive setup because of insufficient wrap at the pump pulley and reliance on his double-edged belts. When these were no longer available I designed a new setup that uses a standard, premium single-edge belt. The kit alternator mounting plate failed from fatigue, so I fabricated an identical one from steel plate. It will never fail. BTW, the kit was $440. After reading the Hot Rod article I had to have it. No regrets. The car has been driven to two far away Corsa conventions—in Denver and Seattle.
I have done many other minor mods over the years. Art’s recommended Holley 465 cfm carburetor works well, but there are fuel injection kits now available that look really good. I am leaving that project to the next owner.
It looks like my car has a KEP bellhousing. I attached a couple of pictures of the bellhousing as well as the V8 installation overall. The car is in "as purchased" condition - I bought it 5 years ago and it has been parked in my building ever since. One of these days...
I have made a few improvements over the years. I didn’t like the cantilever engine mount setup placing upward bending forces on the aluminum block, so I had a steel tab welded to the bottom of the oil pan (along with Art/s suggested oil control internal baffle to keep the oil intake in oil on during hard acceleration) around which I passed a length of threaded rod bolted to the outer ends of the struts, thus triangulating the mounting setup. Not pretty, but I have never worried about block stress when hitting big dips in the road. Never liked Art’s water pump drive setup because of insufficient wrap at the pump pulley and reliance on his double-edged belts. When these were no longer available I designed a new setup that uses a standard, premium single-edge belt. The kit alternator mounting plate failed from fatigue, so I fabricated an identical one from steel plate. It will never fail. BTW, the kit was $440. After reading the Hot Rod article I had to have it. No regrets. The car has been driven to two far away Corsa conventions—in Denver and Seattle.
I have done many other minor mods over the years. Art’s recommended Holley 465 cfm carburetor works well, but there are fuel injection kits now available that look really good. I am leaving that project to the next owner.
It looks like my car has a KEP bellhousing. I attached a couple of pictures of the bellhousing as well as the V8 installation overall. The car is in "as purchased" condition - I bought it 5 years ago and it has been parked in my building ever since. One of these days...
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Randy's '65 Crown mid engine Vair
