Do It Yourself Hot Rod Kustom Website

	1954 Corvair Fastback (It's a Corvette!) 1954 GM Prototypes - From top to bottom: Corvette convertible, Corvette hardtop, Nomad and Corvair Fastback Anyways, my next car project after the Pontiac is completed (do they ever get completed?) will be a 1954 Corvair Fastback. The project is to build the 1954 Motorama Corvair Fastback showcar. It is basically a fastback 54 Corvette. In 54, they still hadn't decided if the Corvette should be called a Corvair or Corvette (both fast naval ships). It is such a neat project that I thought I would put up this website with all the photos that I've come across and ideas on how to build it. I hope that this will inspire someone to build a vehicle along its lines. By the way, a wonderful 54 Nomad was built up and is documented at the above Nomad link. 1954 Corvair Fastback I first started thinking about the 54 Corvair Fastback when I bought the book "Cars of the Fabulous '50s" (great book!) and saw a picture of it. I put it on the backburner as I couldn't find a source for 54 Corvette bodies. I purchased a 57 reproduction Vette body and was planning on converting it to a 54 model and after owning it for 18 months, I came across a great deal on a never been used, fresh out of the mould 1954 Vette body. Here's a picture of my two car garage with 3 cars sitting in it: 3 cars in a two car garage Trying to make room to swap the frame from the white 57 Vette to the red 54 Vette Artist rendering Another drawing in black and white B&W sideview with lady (Do you have the original of this or the following picture? or know where it is from? - email me!) Lady is tired and resting hand. Rare front view The front is identical to a 54 Corvette except for two rows of what looks like louvers on the hood and 3 air vents on the front fender. The rear fenders look the same as the 54 Corvette also. Can see hood "louvers" in this picture The windshield is different and looks almost like a 54 Chev wrap around windshield and the door's have roll-up windows. 54 Corvette didn't have roll up windows because of the shape of the windshield. The major bodywork would be to build the roof (not too hard) and the unique backend. It looks like it would be a fun project except you would be working with fiberglass (itch itch...). I think that building the 54 Corvair fastback would be easier than building the 54 Pontiac Kustom as basically all the parts are relatively new and very little machining would be required in comparison. I particularly like the air vents on the C pillar and rear end treatment. All of the pictures that I've seen about the 54 Corvair Fastback detail the rear of the car. I guess this is because they wanted to emphasize the differences between the Corvette. Originally I thought that I would use the new straight 6 Vortec engine with a 6 speed overdrive manual transmission. The Vortec engine is 270 Hp stock and can be built up to over 500 hp! Unfortunately, the Vortec 6 is almost impossible to get running on its own as its tied so tightly into the computer system. I followed a discussion group for over a year and the best that people could do is get it to idle. Too much problems! Tripower on small block chevy engine - got to repaint the block Chevy orange! I thought that I would make my Corvair Fastback as if it were a 1955 production model as opposed to the original show car. My Corvair Fastback has a small block chevy V8 with tripower setup - period correct Corvette valve covers and finned air filters. The GM tripower setups were just on the horizon so this would be plausible, another good choice would of been the mechanical fuel injection. I have a T5 5 speed tranny that will fit in just perfect. A 4 speed would be period correct but this car will be made to run. The original show car had the roof just set on top of an existing 54 Corvette body. It wasn't a true fastback - mine will be a true fastback with a fastback interior space as a production model would be. The windows will be roll-up windows with interior door shells from a 57 Vette. The body color will be the original burgundy red color as opposed to the seafoam green. The suspension is from a 1984 Corvette IRS and IFS for handling with coil over shocks - I've taken some liberties here as you won't be able to see the suspension. I have orginal hubcaps and will be running wide white wall original size tires on steel rims. The most difficult part will be the windshield and the pillars. These will have to be custom made. I have plans figured out on how to make both - I have metal casting experience so that's going to help. Seems to me that type of thinking has gotten me into trouble before... I came across another website devoted to the 1954 Corvair by David Palmeter that he put together with help from Hobby Heaven Bulletin Board with lots of excellent pictures. By the way, I know of another 1954 Corvair Fastback being built that will be a reproduction of the original. It is being built on an original 1954 Corvette and will be completely accurate to the original show car. It will be painted seafoam green.