1966 Corsa Coupe Crown Conversion

George built this car in 1969 with all the options offered by Crown. 1966 Corsa It was panel painted in 1970. 1966 Corsa

The body is stock with no modifications beyond the cooling air cutout below the front bumper. Air Cut Out

Inside we find a good example of the Crown seat Crown Seats unit nicely upholstered in leather and carpet with pleated door panels to match. The engine cover lid has a removable Plexiglas center section. The compartment has been insulated for heat and noise. A four-point roll cage has been employed in case things get upside down and provides a good place to anchor the shoulder belts. The stock dash instruments are supplemented with a huge tach  Instrument Panel  mounted to the A pillar and a classic RAC three gauge panel mounted below the dash. The steering wheel is another classic by Grant with a wood rim and deep dish. The B & M ratchet shifter looks right at home on the floor along with the fire extinguisher. Ratchet Shifter

The engine is a 1970, 350 C.I. blue printed small block Chevy with a 327 crank and forged pistons, which de-strokes it to about 337 cubic inches. A set of early double hump heads topped with polished aluminum valve covers and 2.02" valves were installed along with a Crane 270 hydraulic cam and lifters. The cam is 2 degrees retarded. Cam The Holley 650 C. F. M. carb sits on an Offenhauser dual plane aluminum intake manifold and wears a stock snorkel air cleaner with hose piping in cool air from Intake Manifold the rear window grille. The carb gets its gas from a Holley electric pump. The distributor is a point type with no vacuum advance and a modified advance curve firing through Taylor 8 MM wires. A high volume oil pump sucks from a long sump oil pan Oil Pan from a 1963 split window Vette.

Exhaust is by a set of powder coated Crown headers and a set of Thrush mufflers exiting out the rear beneath the valance panel. Thrush Mufflers

The transaxle sports a competition built Power glide transmission with a deep finned aluminum oil pan. Finned Aluminum Pan A 12 foot cable and a B & M ratchet shifter moves the gears. The transmission uses two coolers. One is in the radiator and an auxiliary cooler is mounted in the rear compartment with it's own fan. The differential is stock Corvair 3:89 posi unit with set of Crown spider gears. The ring and pinion gears have been heat-treated and set to close tolerances for better wear characteristics. A Crown lower strut rod bracket is used with steel strut rods and Heim end connections. Lower Strut Rods

Springs front and rear are stock height Crown heavy- duty units with a set of air shocks on the rear  and Konis on the front. Sway bars are 1" front and rear with urethane bushings to keep things level in the turns. Quick steering arms from the Crown option list are used with a steering damper.

Cooling is handled by a Corvette aluminum cross flow radiator mounted vertically in the front. Radiator Two electric fans mounted front and back are used to help move air through the radiator. A Mustang fan is used in the puller mode while a 12" heater fan is in the pusher mode. The incoming air is directed from under the front bumper to the radiator by sheet metal shrouding with a top piece made of clear Plexiglas. Plexiglas Cover Hot air is expelled through the Crown recommended mesh- covered openings in the inner wheelhouse and an opening in the trunk bottom. The tall filler neck is also a Crown piece. The truck dual master cylinder is another signature Crown piece.

The rear compartment houses the Hayden transmission cooler and fan along with dual batteries. Rear Compartment The main wiring was modified for convenience with terminal strips mounted on a plate in the rear.

Wheels are 14" Western's with Goodyear P-235-60R-14 tires.

For specific comments or questions contact George at edwards8008@bellsouth.net