63 SWC fuelie

[John H.]

Re: 63 SWC fuelie

We used thousands of "top-hat" screws on the '66-'69 Corvair underbody center tunnel cover, and on the sheet metal retainer strips that secured the rubber seal ring around the engine top shroud to the engine compartment side, rear, and front rails. The beanies hated them, as they cost about six times more than the ordinary indented hex-head tapping screws. But they worked a LOT better at 65 cars per hour.

[John D.]

Re: 63 SWC fuelie

Hi John, So the screws were not used on a 64 Corvair. Just 66 till the end of production. Tranny tunnel. Worth buying one of those cars just to get the screws so you could retire on ebay. MH said I was wrong about the screws being on a 64. So chalk up another error for me. Thanks, John

[John H.]

Re: 63 SWC fuelie

John -

The original fastener release for those applications on the Corvair was an ordinary 5/16" hex-head tapping screw, but it was hopeless at 65 per hour, even with magnetic sockets; we found the "top-hat" screws on some other application and mis-used them on the tunnel cover and engine seal retainers to solve the production problem, which caused an inventory crisis for the released "top-hat" application. We used that crisis to beat on Engineering, and they finally relented and released the "top-hat" screws for us. Long time ago, but as I recall the running change was made part way through the '65 model year, in late '64. Production guys do what they gotta do to "git 'r done"

[Chuck G.]

Re: 63 SWC fuelie

Speaking of Corvairs and Top Hat screws.........

There are a LOT of L headmark 5/16 hex screws on old Corvairs too. Look in the trunk, holding the windshield washer bracket.

Also....under the hood....where you don't see high hats, you'll find L's.

Chuck

[GL Anderson]

Re: 63 SWC fuelie

Speaking of Corvairs I have a couple of tons of Corvair parts and a couple of parts cars. I can check to see if I have any of the screws your looking for. Let me know who wants what. GL