100 hp Corvair engine

Much has been written, spoken and rumored about Corvair engines and we will not add unnecessarily to the abundant data (but you may wish to visit some of these other sites for details, opinions and installations by real people). Also, please take time to compare it to other automotive conversions and other Corvair versions.

Then download our Spec Sheet to compare.

Our philosophy has always been reliability and simplicity. Without the need for a PSRU reduction gear, the Corvair has one less component subject to failure, maintenance, vibration, etc. Its air-cooled design does away with the weight and complexity of a water jacket, radiator, possible leaks, etc.

Bernie Pietenpol was one of the first to realize the tremendous potential of the Corvair engine and many followed in his tracks. Unfortunately, some folks started to proclaim themselves the true geniuses behind the Corvair engine when there is really very little innovation that has come our of them in the last 20 years. One of them still insists that it is impossible to install a vacuum pump on a Corvair. We won't argue with them but have a look at our site and you will discover the truth. If you ignore the hype and self-promotion, the Corvair engine has been proven by countless pilots and homebuilders in numerous aircraft over last 40 years.

Remember that Bernie Pietenpol flew the Corvair engine with almost no modifications other than attaching a propeller to one end. In fact, we refuse to call this a "conversion" since so little needs to be done to upgrade the engine for use in an aircraft (more on this on our Guide page). But again, when you realize that so few performance modifications are needed to make it airworthy, you might wonder why some people claim such unique expertise. Millions of people have owned Corvairs over the last 40 years and have been working on them. Our analysis was this: how is the Corvair different from an 0-300? Some of the differences could not be bridged economically - like the sturdy front bearing. Other differences like nitride-hardening of the crankshaft were obvious. Certificated engines have done this for over 50 years. Even Chevrolet did this to the high-performance Corvairs in the 60's. So why did a self-proclaimed expert need numerous crankshaft failures and a dozen years to think of it? Beats us, it seems so obvious to anyone with aircraft knowledge.

We have received many enquiries regarding the sale of individual parts to pilots who have had enough of waiting for parts from one of our competitors who doesn't even return their calls and e-mails after they have paid for their orders. So let us clarify one point: we do not sell individual parts for the time being and if we did, they may not match any parts you currently have installed. For example, our propeller hub is based on a very popular prop extension so it may not interface properly with components you may have purchased from other Corvair suppliers. The reason we chose this design: it's an aircraft component designed by aeronautical engineers, not some improvised design by some mechanic somewhere.

Some of the ways that we are different:

- we only install 12-plate coolers. We tested it and the 12-plate cooler runs 9-12 degrees cooler. You decide what makes the most sense.

- we use cast iron exhaust manifold and don't even offer pretty-looking headers as even the best designed headers are more prone to leaking and burn-through is virtually impossible with the stock manifold. You decide if you prefer reliability or pretty showroom parts.

- we include our (patent pending) vacuum pump adapter because we believe this system should be present on all aircraft (even if you have a glass panel) just as it is standard on nearly all certificated GA aircraft flying today so you can install any standard dry vacuum pump. Our competition doesn't offer any type of vacuum pump and even claimed that it was impossible to add a pump to a Corvair. You decide.

- we do NOT recommend welding the intake pipe directly onto the intake manifold since we believe this adds unnecessary complication and risk so our engines have a bolt-on intake pipe. You decide. By the way, when we have to have something critical welded, we have it done by a licensed retired (and tremendously experienced) air force welder who use to work on C-5's here at DAFB. (At this point, you may be wondering if we are partial to hiring experienced veterans: we are).

- our custom alternator bracket holds the alternator lower in the cowling so that intake air has unimpeded access to improve cooling of the engine. One of our competitors thinks the best design is to block most of the right intake with a large monolithic alternator bracket. We respect the intelligence of our clients so you decide what's best for you and the safety of your friends and family when you fly: a proven aircraft-like design or a design that makes the right intake virtually useless.

Finally, we guarantee our engines for up to 500 hours (make sure to read our Where's the catch page). Even if you throw out the engine after its warranty, this works out to a net cost of only $12.40 per hour. And when you consider that this engine sips autogas at less than 4.5 gph at cruise, this comes out to a grand total of $26 per hour of flight even if you decide to buy a new engine after only 500 hours! Compare this to the average cost of running a Lycoming, Continental, Jabiru, or Rotax. Homebuilders contemplating building an engine themselves may find this an attractive alternative simply on a financial basis since it removes all the financial uncertainty from the engine purchase

The Corvair engine is a smooth and reliable engine for light aircraft in our experience. For less than half the price of a new Rotax 912 or Jabiru 2200, and less than a high-time and multi-overhauled Continental, the Corvair provides the homebuilder enthusiast with a freshly-overhauled and tested powerplant. Of course, for around half of that, one can rebuild it oneself - a little research will show that only incremental improvements have occurred in the last 40 years. For those exasperated by the absence of a detailed, chronological assembly manual, we also offer our own Rebuilding Guide. There are several upgrades you can make to this basic "conversion," not to mention the pleasure and independence of being able to perform inspections and overhauls yourself. And you can always perform a condition inspection in around 30 hours in your garage for yourself for a few hundred dollars!

Included with every engine is our complete step-by-step Rebuilding Guide to guide you through condition inspections and overhauls in the future. This Guide takes you systematically through the entire assembly procedure with photographs of an actual engine overhaul and rebuild with warnings and recommendations from our experienced mechanics.

Finally, let's talk about delivery times. We know how our some in this industry act: promise quick delivery but after the order is placed and they have your money, they find excuses and don't return you phone calls. So we do not ask you to front us the money, just deposit it in escrow. And our guarantee on engines includes an additional pledge to you: when you are ready to order an engine, we will guarantee a shipping date (usually within 60 days from receipt of you order). If we fail in our promise to you, we will pay you a 5% monthly penalty. That's right: we are so certain of our expertise and order management that if we do not ship your engine on time, we will pay you a penalty. And you need not be worried about us rushing the job because all our engines come with our standard-setting 12 month/500 hour warranty against defects. All for less than you would pay for a mid-time, multi-overhauled Continental. And like any self-respecting company, we put our guarantee in writing.

A few more words about our engines. One of the first questions that folks ask us is how can we sell the engine for so little when others sell the same engine for so much more. Here are a few reasons: we have not spent years of research trying and abandonning all sorts of fancy and unnecessary "speed mods" instead of trusting in the tried and true and only addressing shortcomings as Pietenpol did; we are professional managers who spend our time developing and selling products instead of spending hours on the phone (we only have one incoming line so you will often than not get our voice-mail); we focus on customer service so we can rely on word of mouth; we employ seasoned and licensed mechanics to do the work right the first time with no waste and we consult with A&Ps for advice when needed; our mission is to improve flight safety at a reasonable cost.

In addition, this is still quite profitable. If you bought all the parts and hired an experienced A&P mechanic at $100 an hour, you would have trouble spending more than $5,000. The 20% margin helps cover our overhead, our profit and our liability costs. You do the math and decide.

Rebuilt and Tested Corvair Powerplant $6,200.00 (e-mail us for shipping options)

* Photographs and specifications are for illustrative purposes only. Actual engine may vary according to customer's specifications and accessories. Please inquire for a firm delivery date, options and serial number assignation.