CORV8 built by me in an 1966 Yenko Stinger Corvair #99. This is a Corvet 350cubic inch Corvet V8 engine in the back seat of a Corvair!
The reality of the situation is, if I had left the Yenko stock instead of putting $3000 and endless hours into the supe up conversion, the car would
have been worth more today!
 

Corv8 In Mark's garage in 2001 Sold again in 2001	My Corv8 engine from front taken through windshild.1973	My Corv8 during build in MA from left rear showing license plate. 1973	My Corv8 from left rear.   Scene of V8 from left side pre seat instalation. Engine is where rear was in stock Corvair.Scene from left side of dash and bare floor. 1973
My CORV8 Shot from left side showing dash, floor boards & little of engine.1973	My Corv8 from right side showing  the top of the engine.1973	My CORV8 Shot of Corvair trunk area that is now the radiator compartment. 1973	Rear of CORV8 during builkd in  Wilbraham MA. See mom & dad's garage. 1973
Shot from rear on Right side 1973	Side View during build in MA 1973 All From 2-1/4X 2-1/4 color Slides	CORV8 at Mark's place in 2001 Sold on E-Bay by Mark ( owner #3)	Yenko Stinger Nom 99  Title for Mass.in 1974 This was registered as (6) cylinder,  even though I put down 8 !!! They thought they knew better.

This is not old #99, as there are shown two rear deck flaps for carb air.

 
 

Building a CORV8
The Car
CORV-8 Built in 1966 Yenko Stinger #99.
The car with abt 90K miles on it was purchased from the original owner in the Hartford CN area about 1968. The engine was removed & sold.I had put abt. 7K miles on it my records show.
The Brake System
The entire brake system was renewed, including the rusty lines! The new brakes were sintered metalics.
The New Engine
The engine was purchased new from Chevy in a crate. It was a 1970 LT1 350 Solid Lifter version. It was new in crate from Chevy in West Springfield MA. It was last one Chevy had to ship. It was a replacement for CORVET engine & came new in big wooden crate I returned bell housing, holly carb, and few other extras I did not need or I already had for credit! As the wanted 350 Corvet hydralic version was just discontinued, I purchased the solid lifter version. This would prove a bad choice
for my private conversion.
I found the half valve keeper shortly after during an oil area check. Very lucky not to ruin the engine.
During hill climb test in Wilbraham Mountain, I dropped a half a keeper. It was a mile up and very steep , but nicely paved. Vision was good for safety. There was a fellow at top of hill that
came out a few times to shake his fists at me. I guess the dual exaust and mufflers could be heard well while I was in 2nd or third gear. I think the tack was not reading properly and I likely
over reved!
The Carb for V8
The stock carberator that came with the crate engine ( 950 Holley as I remember) was exchanged for a slightly tamer Holley version. The bell housing was also returned for refund.
Remember the conversion needed a special bell housing to mate with the Saginor (sp) box.
The Radiator
The new radiator was ordered as all the conversions I knew of at the time were having trouble with engine overheat!
I ran just water in the summer as I felt it was providing better heat removal from tests. This is in contrast to 50/50 for antifreeze fluid.
The radiator chosen was a Corvet copper cross flow replacement version, not the stock Aluminum one at that time. The radiator was electric fan cooled and hot air exited via the oval holes cut in the
tops of the front wheel wheels. Another hole was cut in the floor board area in front of the driver to allow hot air from the radiator compartment to enter the passenger area on a cold day. I
had a sliding flap over it so the driver had control of volume of air & heat. Remember the radiator was put in front in what used to be the luggage compartment in a stock Corviar.
The radiator fan in the front was driven with a (larger that kit) truck electric radiator fan motor and a double bladed blade that was in at that time.
I remember getting on it while commuting home from Farmington CN & via Hartford Center in the summer. My back was glowing from the engine radiated heat. This is through the foam
sprayed on the back of the seat & the appolstry we had to provide.
The Tansmission
The transmission was blown up early in testing. I decided to redesign the motor to transmission shaft & bearings. I think part of the failure was from case bolt assembly errors however. I
changed the kit design of small Corviar sized bearings &  shaft diameter to a high speed version used in the Chevy Impalla as I remember. Larger bearings. I had the special shaft made in a
Springfield MA machine shop to my specs.
The transmission was converted to a close ratio box via Corvet Eng. Help. It used gears from other Chevy Saginaw boxes. I was able to start off in 4th gear very easy, no strain. Only for
testing.
I developed a strong spring idea on the outside of the transmission to help the shifting.
Best records say transmission was a close ratio box ( 2.54) per Corvet Engineering & my purchase new their recommended parts ( gears) .
Working With Corvet Engineering
I was at that time conversiing with at least one Corvet Engineering Engineer via telephone.
The Big Move To DC Area
The conversion was uesd for about 10K miles and then trucked via moving van to Washington DC area where it sat looking tired & lonesome in my tickey-tack house.
The Sale in MD
I sold it to a fellow
MD person ( Mark) after advertising it in the CORVAIR Magazine. This was about 22 yrs ago. As far as I know, it still sits in a barn in central MD without its engine.
Oil System
As it only had room for a stubby oil filter in conversion, an extra full flow larger filter was added in line.
Fuel Milage
It got about 6 mpg during periods of GETTING ON IT.
Fuel Pump
Records indicate it likely was a Mechanical Fuel pump, not electric ?
Windshield
Windshield was cracked / broken in MA garage during build & was replaced.
Steering Column
It had an adjustible steering column.
Yenko Paint
I kept it as a Yenko paint version. All I have left are memories & the glove box book.
Air Intake & Filter System
The air intake was from the rear intake for the original Corviar engine. The air from the out side of rear window was ducted to the V8 carb and included a pressure relief hole to prevent
unintentional leaning out of the Rochester Quadra Jet Carb mixture.
Tires
The tires were kept at only 6 inch width Goodyears to protect the clutch & transmission.
Crown Kit
A friend of mine copied the kit himself & was doing almost non recoverable wheelies! Its hard to steer with your two front tires in the air!
Seats
The seats were the stock kit double bucket seats. I remember getting a cleaning rag caught in the fan belt and running my fingers over the pully. OUCH!
Rear End
Stock 3.89 Yenko RE gears & Posi. Best gears were used from 3 REs I had. Posi plates replaced with new ones. RE was upgraded with Crown Kit extra spider gears. Also, gears ( shaft) was preloaded by me with an inch-pound torque wrench & blue prussion dye to check tooth mess pattern via Corvair book.
Other
There was of course NO fan blade on the engine front.
The engine compartment in the old Corvair back seat area was covered with the stock kit cover. It was very noisy with the solid lifters. 16 tiny hammers!
 

I don't at this writing remember if I used an electric fuel pump or not. I do remember amassing 3 transmissions & 3 rear ends before starting assembly. I wanted to put the best parts in one.
I kept the Yenko stoch 3.89 Rear End & Posi unit. It was upgraded to the 4 spider gears as recommended however.
I had several buddies help me with the work. This included two strong fellows that lifted the crate engine up and into the car . I did lots of pop rivet work that included air ducting areas as
well as other. The car used capicator discharge ignition. It had a fire estingisher in front . It had aircraft style seat belts into the buckets seats for only two.

Origional Page Done----7-19-99

Front Page / Cover	Yenko Stinger Price List
	Rear Page / Cover

Front Cover	Rear Cover	Crown Kit Book Cat #6 from 1970s Pages Related to CORV8 Kit

My 66 Yenko Corvair Glove Box Manual ---for Yenko #99--Front Cover 30 Pages + 3 more intro--March 1967 Publish