Ultravan #520 arrives home & I like to think all who helped.

[UltravanOwners]

Hello everyone,

I was able to safely tow the coach (Ultravan #520) home by leave the Toronado power plant in the back of the coach and just remove the axles.

I like to thank everyone who helped with advice.

Here are some pictures I thought I share and hope you enjoy.

Working on UV520. Checking the bearings, removing the rear axles and putting on the new tires I brought with me.


I have mounted the custom two bar that I had made and the new tires are sitting in front of the coach ready to be put on.


I was not able to remove the 1 and 1/2 inch nuts from the rear axles -
so I had to hire one of those mobile tire repair trucks to come out and use their large 3/4" air gun.
It cost me $105 but was well worth it to get it done and be able to leave sooner than later.


Sunday morning, July 14, 2013, I towed the coach to the hotel I was staying at for the past 6 days.
I took a shower, put my presonal stuff in the turck and checked out.


I made it to Greenwood, IN, Sunday July 14th to stay one night at the host hotel.
I met up with the Circle City Corvair Club Monday morning July 15th to carvan with members to the Kalamazoo, MI convnetion.


This is Port Huron in MI. I had to walk over to the doors to the right of the sign just behind the truck to export Ultravan #520 out of USA.


Here UV520 sits just before I leave USA soil and cross the border.


Heading towards the bridge to enter into Canada.


I made it home, safe and sound - Thank God, in the driveway by 8:40pm July 21, 2013.


Thanks agian for all your input, help and support.
Sincerely, Tony

[J-Rooster]

Golden_HVAC wrote:
You might want to check out this picture of a 4 door Corvair too.

clicky

Fred.

Thanks for the Clicky Fred!

[Golden_HVAC]

You might want to check out this picture of a 4 door Corvair too.

clicky

Fred.

[Golden_HVAC]

There is a convertable Corvair pictured here.

Clicky Take a minute to check it out.

Fred.

[UltravanOwners]

Thanks everyone for the encouraging words.

FYI - This is our 6th Ultravan. I'm blessed to have a great wife, these Ultravans and so much more. Lord willing; we plan to have a small private museum with the different Ultravans and some Corvairs. EDIT - Even a Corvair boat called a Wayne 100.

The two different factories made 330 Corvair coaches, 47 Chevy V8's and some of the coaches over the years had a conversion to the FWD Toronado 455 in the back where the Corvair or the Chevy V8 was.

EDIT - Why the designer/builder used the Corvair - becasue it came out at the same time he was coming up with his idea for a coach like this. If the Toronado came out first - There more than likely would have never been a "Corvair" Ultravan.

UV520, in the pictures above, was a factory Chevy V8 with Corrvette rear disc brakes. EDIT - One of it's owners' over the years did the Toronado conversion to it.

UV256 with a Corvair power plant weighed in at 3,620 with only 5 gals of gas.
I've driven UV256 (Corvair) at 72 to 75 on the Hwy with no problems..


Tony

[popeye766]

Enjoyed your story and pics.....Iam an old corvair guy having over 30 of them over time, including show cars, SCCA and offroad cars... Marvelous cars after 1965....similar rear suspension to corvett and with a good 140 eng , lots of fun. Ultravan is made like an airplane and lightweight.
thanks for the story....

[hershey]

Isn't it amazing at how something that large can be driven at highway speeds (kinda) and powered by a Corvair engine?
You just have to ask youself a question sometimes... like who would have come up with the idea to build a MH and put a Corvair engine in it???
Or the first guy who looked at a lobster and said to himself.....I think I'll eat that big bug.

[Golden_HVAC]

So you are thinking the 300 HP Toronado engine will get it motivated better than the air cooled Corvair engine? I guess there is no replacement for displacement. How many cubic inches is the Toronado anyway? I think they made a Olds 455 and put a 496 in the Cadillac model.

I did hear about a rebuilt turbocharged 496 put into a GMC motorhome! It could smoke the tires.

I am a bit surprised by how tall the F-150 looks near the Ultra Van. Thanks for sharing your story.

Fred.

[ScottG]

I've always wanted to do a project like this but I know I never will.
I would really enjoy hearing what all you have planned for it.

[gbopp]

Thanks for sharing. I'm glad to hear it went well.
Please keep us updated. 🙂