Amazing 1965 Corvair Is Powered by a Mid-Mounted LS3: Track Time Tuesday
Inspired by Pantera and Yenko models of the past, this 1965 Corvair is a modern-day road racer/show car.
Oftentimes, the LS powerplant is chosen for projects because it’s a cheap and easy way to instill copious amounts of power and reliability into pretty much anything. However, the LS is also the engine of choice for many high-dollar restomod projects that feature seemingly unlimited budgets, too. We’ve seen this time and time again with cars like the second-gen Corvette, but this 1965 Corvair Corsa created by Lonnie Gilbertson of Lonnie’s Place in Milwaukie, Oregon is a truly unique and amazing build.
Dubbed “RareVair,” this 1965 Corvair was originally built for SEMA and was inspired by the fact that Gilbertson’s brother owned a Corsair back in the 1970s. He’s been a fan of the way they look ever since, and always dreamed of building his idea of the ultimate version of the much-maligned and controversial model. However, he also wanted to give it an infusion of Yenko style, which he feels fits the Corvair’s sporty appearance like a glove.
The heart of this beast, however, is its 6.2-liter LS3 V8, which was lifted from a 2009 Corvette. Gilbertson wanted to transform the rear-engine Corvair into a mid-engine machine after restoring a 1972 De Tomaso Pantera for a customer some time ago, which is what prompted him to mate the LS to a four-speed manual gearbox from a Porsche 930 911 Turbo. With a hotter Comp camshaft, Holly Sniper intake, and custom 180-degree headers, the new engine reportedly cranks out around 500 horsepower, and only has to move 2,800 pounds.
From there, Gilbertson got to work on the body, giving this 1965 Corvair wider fenders with rear intake scoops to feed the engine, as well as make room for the largest set of wheels and tires he could cram in there. Underneath, the build features suspension components from Fat Man Fabrication, including a Mustang II-style front end with QA1 coilovers at all four corners and custom anti-roll bars.
Throw in a Yenko-inspired paint scheme, and you’ve got what is easily one of the coolest – if not the coolest – Corvairs we’ve ever laid eyes on. And while it was built to be a show car, Gilbertson also plans on driving this thing a lot. We certainly can’t blame him, because a mid-engine V8-powered Corvair sounds like one heck of a good time to us.
Photos: Lonnie’s Place
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