1965 Monza Crown Conversion

Ted Trevor, the originator of the Crown mid-engine V8 conversion for the late model Corvair still owns one. It isn't the first one he built but it has more than a few of the original parts.

In 1997, during the National Corvair Convention in Lake Placid NY, much to everyone's surprise, Ted appeared at the V8 Registry meeting. He drove down in his Butternut Yellow V8 Vair.

He was asked to speak before the members and he very graciously did, to everyone's enjoyment. Ted does get out to some events evidenced here by his visit to the Rialto, California   show in 2001.

Ted's car has no body modifications except for the standard cut out under the front bumper for the trunk mounted radiator and some aftermarket wheels.

The interior is stock Corvair with the full Crown fiberglass engine cover and seats with a  Plexiglas divider behind the driver, leaving the engine in full view.

The seat belts are anchored as per the Crown instructions and the driver side is a vintage correct aircraft style with quick release buckle.

The engine is a mild 350 Chevy with a four barrel, HEI provides the power, exhausting through a set of Crown headers and some very quiet stock mufflers. The bell housing in this car is an original Ansen. That's got to be a collector's item.

Keeping things cool is the old Hemi radiator with a modern day electric fan installed as a pusher. The original brackets are visible where the old Crown supplied fan with a heater blower motor was mounted. Electric cooling fans as we know them today did not exist when the Corv-8 hit the market. All the water pipes are vintage Crown. Also seen in the trunk is the dual GM dump truck master cylinder using one side for brakes and one side for the clutch slave cylinder.

The inner wheel wells have been cut out for cooling air exit and covered with steel expanded mesh, right out of the Crown instruction manual.

The old engine provides plenty of room for a trunk and Ted has his carpeted.

Although he is retired and has moved back to his home state of New Hampshire, he still tools around in a Corv-8.

For specific comments or questions contact Ted at  trevor@Worldpath.net