Corvair entered in Tire Rack Cannonball One Lap of America

Corvair owner enters turbo-charged Corsa in
Tire Rack® Cannonball One Lap of America

Ron Blachut's Corvair and a team to run with the pack

Ron plans to tweak a nearly 40 year old turbo-charged Corvair to a reliable 250 horsepower and run it to the finish line in the Cannonball One Lap of America. In his opinion, success will require a duo of experienced racers, a good manager and the support of committed sponsors. He hopes to build a network of believers—Corvair experts, parts suppliers, owners and enthusiasts—to shadow his team's progress and cheer it along the 6,000 mile (9,656 kilometer) Cannonball route.

2004 Cannonball One Lap route

With a little luck, Ron and his team will do the Corvair proud within the federation of fast...the men and women of the Cannonball in their Ferraris, Vipers, Corvettes, and the inevitable pack of stealthy American muscle cars. For the Corvair, this is a tall order, but hey, have you priced a Lamborghini lately?

Vintage American Class

Running in Vintage American Class means you don't have to beat the big-timers flogging that Maserati in the next lane. Still, it's no cakewalk, and it's not cheap. Adding to the expense of prepping the car are the road costs; nightly hotel stops, food and fuel, and of course, the omnipresent potential need for emergency repairs requiring some serious homage to the money gods.

1965 Corvair Corsa Cannonball racer (rear 3/4 view)

Countdown to Cannonball 2005

After registering for the Cannonball, Ron started work on the Corvair. He freshened up the brakes and seals before turning his attention to the interior, which would have to be as comfortable as possible for its busy occupants. Cannonball racers spend very little time in hotels, and often can only manage a quick shower and a short nap before moving on.

The interior received a new headliner and visors. Sound deadening material was added to the parcel shelf area and new carpets were installed. Two Halon 1211 Liquefied Gas 10-B:C fire extinguishers were then bolted in place.

Meanwhile, Spence Shepard of Charlotte, North Carolina, was retained to build a Corvair engine to approximately 250 HP. This is an output that can easily be handled by the Corvair's stock block.

The To-do list

Dual master cylinder retrofit
Mount top-of-dash tachometer w/ shift light
Add auxiliary gauges including: oil temperature, oil pressure, volts
Relocate battery to trunk
Upgrade headlights including the possible addition of auxiliary driving lights and wiring upgrades to handle extra loads.
Fit electrical ports and map lights to passenger and rear seat areas
Change front springs (current fronts are too short and stiff for long haul highway use)
Install Koni shocks
Install new racing seats set up to tip forward for access to the rear seat area
Install 250 HP engine
Mount specially-marked tires from Official Sponsor - Tire Rack

Preparations continue...

Ron reports that within the Corvair community at large, enthusiasm and support is growing. A first major sponsor, Clark's Corvair Parts of Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, has signed on.