Steve Goodman - Golden, Colorado (Steve sold the car @3-2024)
Typical early CROWN conversion. 300hp - 327 Small Block Chevy and 66 4spd with 3.08 r/p and 4 spider gears.
The car was completed in early 80s. The original builder used a very nice and straight body. The grill/air opening in the front is under the bumper and rally wheels with not too wide tires. The car looks like the normal Corvair Coupe. Even dual exhaust outlets appear as typical Corvair although larger but no outrageous noise. A fun car on city streets or on twisty mountain roads.
The car was completed in early 80s. The original builder used a very nice and straight body. The grill/air opening in the front is under the bumper and rally wheels with not too wide tires. The car looks like the normal Corvair Coupe. Even dual exhaust outlets appear as typical Corvair although larger but no outrageous noise. A fun car on city streets or on twisty mountain roads.
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Steve is the owner of Rear Engine Specialists in Golden, Colorado. The business was started in 1967 as a part time venture with myself and Speed Roberts. We wanted money to race on so after working on cars and machinery during the day, we fixed up CORVAIRS and VW's at night. Soon we were inundated with CORVAIR repair and the constant offers to buy or even take for free, CORVAIRS sitting in people's yards. By 1970 we decided to go full time with the shop. In the late 1970s the shop seemed destined to decline, mostly because of GM's role in discontinuing lots of parts. Luckily the two nationally known vendors (Underground and Clarks) began reproducing parts plus the interest in the CORVAIR seemed to be gaining popularity. On the unlucky side, Speed was injured in a traffic accident and we dissolved the partnership in 1981. I have continued on by myself and today the shop is still busy.
Through all of the years REAR ENGINE has been involved in CORVAIR powered midget open wheel race car, various dune buggy and kit car projects and v8 builds as well as the normal maintenance that the CORVAIR seems to need on a regular basis. Plus I feel particularly fortunate to have been the builder of CORVAIR UNDERGROUND'S carburetors for about the past 10 years.
REAR ENGINE SPECIALISTS, INC. offers in part the following services:
General CORVAIR repair and maintenance
Through all of the years REAR ENGINE has been involved in CORVAIR powered midget open wheel race car, various dune buggy and kit car projects and v8 builds as well as the normal maintenance that the CORVAIR seems to need on a regular basis. Plus I feel particularly fortunate to have been the builder of CORVAIR UNDERGROUND'S carburetors for about the past 10 years.
REAR ENGINE SPECIALISTS, INC. offers in part the following services:
General CORVAIR repair and maintenance
- Stick transmission rebuilding
- Differential rebuilding
- V8 transaxle rebuilding
- Engine rebuilding, from stock to __?__
- Turbocharger repair and rebuilding
- Cylinder head repair and rebuilding
- Late Model rear wheel bearing rebuilding including ULTRA VAN
- PLUS lots of parts in stock for the do-it-yourselfer and helpful advice if needed
February, 2022 Update
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The white coupe started life as a 1965 140hp Corsa here in Denver. The original owner (whose name is lost now) did rudimentary work to turn it into a Crown V8 in very early 70s then lost interest. The next owner was Dean Schmidt (RMC member) here in Lakewood. Dean already owned a 1965 Corsa 140hp convertible and was a customer here at my shop. The body was in very good condition and rust areas were almost none.
Dean started by undoing some of the original builders' work and repairing it with far more quality craftmanship. Dean installed the 300hp 327ci SBC and I was lucky to be able to rebuild the Crown adapted transaxle.
Dean searched for all of the bright trim not available from GM and pieces such as the cove trim were purchased from GM. Deans' brother-in-law did the body work and paint that is still on the car today. Dean drove the car on weekends around town in the summertime and occasionally even to his work when weather co-operated. Dean didn't like the 3.55-1 r/p and had me build a 3.08-1 for 'longer legs'. It was more fun on the highway but still can be taken from a stop sign in 2nd gear easily. Dean put the car up for sale when he needed the garage space for another car.
The car was bought by Jim Richards another local club member (RMC) in the mid-90s. Jim had a 65 Corsa turbo convertible and a 66 Corsa 140hp coupe with some body mods too. With three cars to choose to drive none of Jim's cars got a lot of use. Jim died in a motorcyle accident and the car was for sale again.
Garrie Fox was/is a club member in Colorado Springs (PPCC). After Garrie bought it the car finally got some use. Garrie drove it to a number of Tri-State Corvair Meets held in different mountain towns each year as well as local club events in both Colorado Springs and here in Denver area. The car needed very little while Garrie actually was using it which attested to the work that Dean put into it in the beginning. Garrie decided to sell the car in 2015 and I grabbed it. The real reason I had for wanting to own the car was that I knew the car from the beginning and had done most of the service work through the years.
So now it is in my hands and continued to be driven some distance every year. It is still as originally done by Dean and is the original CROWN assembly with the tops of the front wheel inner fenders open (with grill work to cover the cutouts) for hot air to escape from radiator and nicely cutout (and partially hidden) air inlets below the front bumper again with expanded metal coverings. The car has always had quiet dual glass pack mufflers and doesn't announce itself when the throttle is opened. It also sits on the road in the same manner as most other Corvairs with wheels & tires tucked into wheel wells. I have always described the car as a subtle example of a car with great performance and handling without showing its' cards to everyone on the street. I particularly enjoy the times when someone will pull alongside me at a traffic light and ask if it is stock. As I grin and say "oh yeah" I give the engine a bit of throttle which of course doesn't make a Corvair sound. The quizical look on their face is priceless.
Dean started by undoing some of the original builders' work and repairing it with far more quality craftmanship. Dean installed the 300hp 327ci SBC and I was lucky to be able to rebuild the Crown adapted transaxle.
Dean searched for all of the bright trim not available from GM and pieces such as the cove trim were purchased from GM. Deans' brother-in-law did the body work and paint that is still on the car today. Dean drove the car on weekends around town in the summertime and occasionally even to his work when weather co-operated. Dean didn't like the 3.55-1 r/p and had me build a 3.08-1 for 'longer legs'. It was more fun on the highway but still can be taken from a stop sign in 2nd gear easily. Dean put the car up for sale when he needed the garage space for another car.
The car was bought by Jim Richards another local club member (RMC) in the mid-90s. Jim had a 65 Corsa turbo convertible and a 66 Corsa 140hp coupe with some body mods too. With three cars to choose to drive none of Jim's cars got a lot of use. Jim died in a motorcyle accident and the car was for sale again.
Garrie Fox was/is a club member in Colorado Springs (PPCC). After Garrie bought it the car finally got some use. Garrie drove it to a number of Tri-State Corvair Meets held in different mountain towns each year as well as local club events in both Colorado Springs and here in Denver area. The car needed very little while Garrie actually was using it which attested to the work that Dean put into it in the beginning. Garrie decided to sell the car in 2015 and I grabbed it. The real reason I had for wanting to own the car was that I knew the car from the beginning and had done most of the service work through the years.
So now it is in my hands and continued to be driven some distance every year. It is still as originally done by Dean and is the original CROWN assembly with the tops of the front wheel inner fenders open (with grill work to cover the cutouts) for hot air to escape from radiator and nicely cutout (and partially hidden) air inlets below the front bumper again with expanded metal coverings. The car has always had quiet dual glass pack mufflers and doesn't announce itself when the throttle is opened. It also sits on the road in the same manner as most other Corvairs with wheels & tires tucked into wheel wells. I have always described the car as a subtle example of a car with great performance and handling without showing its' cards to everyone on the street. I particularly enjoy the times when someone will pull alongside me at a traffic light and ask if it is stock. As I grin and say "oh yeah" I give the engine a bit of throttle which of course doesn't make a Corvair sound. The quizical look on their face is priceless.
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