[Richard D]

I'm a new member building a '62 Corvair, with a custom chassis, solid front and rear axles, and a front mounted engine. I have seen a few photos, of unknown origin, that look to have been taken in the 60s of cars similar to mine on the strip. I'm kinda curious, what class would this type of car run? Altered? Gas Coupe? Street Freak?!?!?

 

[OpelGasser]

GREAT idea to build a Corvair.

After looking at the stance of the Corvair picture I am sure most people would say "gasser"...... especially with the "Gasser Frenzy" that is currently going on in the hot rod world.

I would GUESS to say that based on the "rules" from back in the day that a car setup like the one you described would run in the ALTERED CLASS.

Even though everyone (including myself) consider our Opel a "gasser" because of the amount of engine "setback" being more than the "back in the day rules" more than likely the car would have ran in the "altered class".

Welcome to the forum. Hope you find a home here to share the unique build you are doing.

 

[1937Austin]

I think it could run altered easily, ut it's possible with the rules for the Gas classes it could easily run Gas class too. Gas class rules limited altering the wheelbbase, and your's appears to be close to stock wheelbase. They also limited engine height to crank centerline of 24", so if your crank is not higher than 24" it would be OK for the Gas class. They allowed 10% engine setback, but obviously your engine is not setback at all, it's way forward, so I'd guess they would base the engine location as to how far the "firewall" is moved back. If your engine sits in there without too much firewall movement from where the original trunk wall was, then I think it could run the Gas class too.
At the end of the Gasser class era they were pretty loose with the rules, and a Corvair body on even a tube chassis could easily pass NHRA tech and run in the Gas class.

 

[SlikWilly]

Don't know what class they would run in but I had a 65 corvair Monza convertable back in the mid 70"s,, I set a 455 Olds Tornado engine and trans axle in the back seat, 'needless to say there is absolutely no way to make the thing hook up, but damn sure a kick in the pants to drive,,,,