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the fifth wheel
Newsletter of Lehigh Val ley Corva ir Club Inc . (LVCC)
The Fifth Wheel is published monthly by Lehigh Valley Corvair Club Inc. (LVCC), a chartered chapter for the Cor-vair Society of America. We accept articles of interest to Corvair owners for publication. Classified advertising ofinterest to Corvair owners is available free of charge to all persons. Commercial advertising is also available on afee basis. For details, email our newsletter editor, Allan Lacki, [email protected].
Inside this issue
Next LVCC Meeting:Wednesday 10/24/2018
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Hands AluminumWheels
2
LVCC Meeting NotesSeptember 26th
2
Gallery: Genuine HandsWheels
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Gallery: Hands Wheelson Non-Corvairs
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Car Life Ad: CorvairContinental Kit
5
Car Life Ad: DouglassCorvair Trombones
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Car Life Ad: You NeedTraction Bars. (Not!)
7
Car Life Ad: TurboniqueDoubles Your Power!
8
Local Car Show andEvent Listing
9
LVCC Classified AdsCars & Parts
10
LVCC OfficerContact Information
10
Next Meeting! Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Time 7:30 PM. Place: Lehigh and Northampton Transportation AuthorityHeadquarters (LANta), 2nd Floor Meeting Room, 1060 Lehigh Street, Allentown ,PA 18103.
LVCC Meeting Information: Time 7:30 PM. Place: Lehighand Northampton Transportation Authority Headquarters(LANta), 2nd Floor Meeting Room, 1060 Lehigh Street,Allentown , PA 18103. Latitude : 40.587607 | Longitude : -75.474405. Bring a guest!
Don’t get locked out. If you arrive late, the main door of theLANta office building may be locked. But the facility isopen around the clock, so ask one of the garage employ-ees to direct you to the second floor.
OCTOBER 2018 ESTABLISHED 1976
PAGE 2 THE FIFTH WHEEL OCTOBER 2018
wheels measured 15” x 5.5.” Again,it’s unclear if Hands made a 15 inchversion.
Copy Cats.
Dan Gurney Racing Wheels, Perform-ance Specialties and Western offeredvariants of Hands wheels. ‘They areeasily distinguished from the originalsbecause none of them have the uniquecast-in hub snout that was characteristicof the original Hands wheels.
LVCC Meeting Notes
We held our last meeting on September26th. Here are notes from that meeting.
President Dennis Stamm opened themeeting at 7:30 PM. In attendancewere John Egerton, Tom Hambel,Steve Hurst, Allan Lacki, Jerry Moyer,Dale Parkhurst, Ed Prescott, FredScherzer, Dennis and Dick Weidner.
Dick read the minutes from our Junemeeting and presented the treasuryreport. In June, we had a checkingaccount balance of $1,453.85. Sincethen, we collected membership duesamounting to $190 and spent $19.07 onnewsletter photocopies and postage.As of September, the balance was$1,604.78. Motions were made toapprove the minutes and the report.Both were approved as read.
Dick reported that 47 Corvairs wereshown at Das Awkscht Fescht onAugust 5th – a great turnout. Fifty Cor-vair owners had registered but three didnot turn out, probably due to soggyweather over the weekend.
Dick circulated a number of items fromhis collection including an issue of the
(Continued on page 5)
bly manufactured by Hands for Por-sches although it’s unclear if thesecame later.
Although we associate Hands wheelswith the Fitch Sprint, they were not ex-clusively made for Corvairs. They ap-peared on at least two Detroit proto-types: the 1963 Ford Mustang II andthe 1963 Rambler Tarpon as well asTex Smith’s innovative XR-6 T-buckethot rod built in 1962-63.
According to Fitch Sprint expert RickLoving, “Hands Engineering offeredthe Hands style rim with the cast inraised hub up and 3 ear spinner thruthe mid 60's...One would assume thatproduction on that pattern stoppedaround late 64 mid 1965 as John Fitchcould not get a set for the Fitch Phoe-nix right around its debut in 66.”
Where Did Hands Go?
Word has it that Hands sold its manu-facturing equipment to National SprintCar Hall of Fame inductee GordonSchroeder in the mid-1960s and that hisfirm, Schroeder Racing Products, con-tinued to manufacture the same wheelsfor a some time afterward. However,the name “SRC”, not “SRP”, is castinto the backsides of the wheels, sothere is some doubt about their prove-nance.
Irrespective of the actual manufacturer,SRC wheels were optional on SunbeamTigers and, aside from the SRC mark-ing, are identical to the original 13 x5.5 inch Hands wheels.
SRC apparently made the Hands-stylewheels in larger sizes, too. For exam-ple, Jack McAfee sold SCR wheels un-der his own label to Porsche ownerswho wanted something wider than the4.5 inch wide Fuchs wheels then beingoffered by Porsche. The McAfee
Editor’s Note: We would like to thankseveral folks who are active on the Cor-vair Center Forum. They providedmany of the facts in this article. Spe-cial thanks go out to Rick Loving andCraig N. Coeur d'Alene.
Hands aluminum wheels are wellknown in the Corvair community be-cause they were sold by John Fitch aspart of the Fitch Sprint accessory pack-age. But their background is a mystery.There are few if any ads for them in oldcar magazines and little factual infor-mation about them on the internet.
Where Did They Come From?
Hands wheels were manufactured byHands Engineering based at 4159Whiteside Street in Los Angeles. Youmay be wondering where the name“Hands” came from. It's an acronymfrom the name of Hands Engineering'spredecessor, H and S Metal ProductsCompany. The fact that Hand Engi-neering was preceded by H and S iscorroborated by the fact that theyshared the same street address in LosAngeles.
It's not clear how and why H and S gotits start, but it must have been around along time for a magnesium fire was re-ported at their factory in 1952. Some-time during the 1950s, H and S beganusing the trade name “Hands" and be-came the go-to choice for go-kartwheels. By the late 1950s, Hands wasalso manufacturing wheels for quartermidget racing cars.
Introduction of the Fitch-Style Wheel
Sometime around 1961, Hands intro-duced its iconic eight-spoke roadwheel. Sizes included 13" x 5.5". JohnFitch liked what he saw and soon of-fered them in his Corvair Sprint acces-sory catalog. A 15” version was proba-
Hands Aluminum Wheels
PAGE 3THE FIFTH WHEELOCTOBER 2018
Genuine Hands Wheels
True Hands Engineering wheels had cast-in hub snouts. Top left: Snout is in evi-dence here! Top right: Knock-off spinnermounts to the snout. Left: Hands Engi-neering wheels are usually marked as suchon the backside. Although it may be hardto see in this photo, the casting says“Hands Engineering.” At least one othercompany, notably Offenhauser, sold Handswheels under its own label. Photos byRick Loving and Craig N. Coeur d'Alene.Below: A convertible 1965 Corvair FitchSprint and a Corvair-powered Devin C,both equipped with Hands wheels whichwere offered as options by Fitch andDevin.
THE FIFTH WHEELPAGE 4 OCTOBER 2018
Top left: Handswheels on TexSmith’s 1963 XR6hot rod. Top right:Hands wheels on the1963 Ford MustangII show car. Left:Hands wheels on theRambler Tarponconcept car.
Jack McAfee wheels aren’t trueHands wheels, but they’re trueto form in all respects exceptone: they were available inlarger diameters. They weremanufactured for McAfee byHands Engineering’s succes-sor, SRC and were quite popu-lar among Porsche owners.Here, we see a Porsche 356equipped with 15x5.5 McAfeewheels. True Hands wheelsare marked as such on thebackside.
Hands Wheels on Non-Corvairs
PAGE 5THE FIFTH WHEELOCTOBER 2018
Ah! Just what a Corvair needs! A bit moreground-hugging weight over the rear!Source: Car Life magazine, March 1961.
“Junkyard Primer” book. This popularperiodical, published annually,provided part number cross-referencesfor all popular cars including Corvairs.He also circulated a copy of “New '62Cars” by Bill Carroll. And to top it off,he circulated a very rare hardcoverbook titled, “Everthing I Know AboutCorvairs,” by “Ralph Nader.” All thepages inside are blank. This wouldmake a great gag gift for any Corvairenthusiast!
Ed Prescott told of his encouragingexperience with classic car insurance.He has a policy with Hagerty. Whileworking underneath his Corvair, hissocket wrench fell on his face andbroke his tooth. The dental billamounted to nearly $3,000. At first, hedoubted if Hagerty would cover it, butjust for giggles, he filed a claim. Andsurprisingly enough, Hagerty paid theclaim. Ed said, “It's worth checkingwith them!”
For Show and Tell, Dick demonstratedhow to use a UniSyn and a vacuum /pressure gauge for synchronizingcarburetors. Either tool works fine.
After that, Fred Scherzer showedeverybody his “Portable IgnitionSystem for Highway Breakdowns,”known more formally as K-D Tool2632. This handy device is intended tobe used when ignition problems arise.When hooked-up, it provides atemporary by-pass around the ignitioncoil, points and condenser; making itunnecessary to do tiresometroubleshooting while stuck on the sideof a highway. They come up for salefrom time to time on eBay.
Fred actually used his K-D 2632 on his1963 Chevy Impala. One afternoon,while coming home from a car show,the normally-reliable Impala began tosputter and eventually came to a halt.Coincidentally, Fred had his K-D 2632in the trunk, so he decided to try it out.He bought it second hand and hadnever used it before, so he was unsureif it would help. But it worked just fineand Fred was able to drive back home
(Continued on page 6)
PAGE 6 OCTOBER 2018THE FIFTH WHEEL
without getting a tow. Fred noted thatit makes a buzzing sound - a continuousspark inside - while it's in operating.Incidentally, he later traced the problemto a faulty condenser. It happens moreoften than you think.
Tom Hambel passed around his brand-new OPGI Corvair parts catalog whichhad just arrived in his mailbox thisweek. He hasn't had a chance tocompare OPGI's prices to Clark's, but itlists sheet metal for early Corvairs, andthat's something Clark's does not offer.
John Egerton discussed his '64 Corvairtrack car. He autocrosses it and runs itin time trials conducted by theNortheast Corvair Council. Originally,it was a $50 car. The prior owner
couldn't get the engine to start, but afterbringing it home, but John and his songot it running in a few minutes. Overthe years, he has put much more timeand effort into it, including theinstallation of a race-prepared engine.John's coupe was featured in our Sep-tember issue of The Fifth Wheel.
Dennis Stamm said he and five otherfolks from the Philadelphia CorvairAssociation participated in Corvair Dayat Hershey this month. Dennis droveMrs. Stamm's '65 Corvair to the eventand was awarded first-place in the dailydriver class.
We also had a discussion about antiquelicense plates. Stories were tradedabout people who tried to by-pass the
state inspection laws by licensing theircars as antiques. Dennis noted that, ifyou have antique plates on your pickuptruck, you'll be fined it the police seeyou hauling anything in the bed!
One of the members mentioned that hehad to replace a fuel tank on hisCorvair. Dennis said it's much easier toaccess if you first remove the entirefront suspension assembly. It maysound like a huge project, but only sixbolts hold it in place. Dennis' secret isto whack the bolt heads with a punchand sledge hammer and then soak themwith WD-40. That loosens the rust.Turn the bolts ever so slightly with abreaker bar and then spin them outusing an impact wrench.
PAGE 7THE FIFTH WHEELOCTOBER 2018
PAGE 8 OCTOBER 2018THE FIFTH WHEEL
Local Car Shows and Other Events
Sunday October 21, 2018 ::::: Cabela's Car Show To Benefit Disabled VeteransLocation: Cabela's, 100 Cabela Dr, Hamburg, Pennsylvania 19526. Time: 9 AM to 1 PM. Price: $15 day of show. Rain orshine. Features Trunk or Treat, open to all makes and models, door prizes, dash plaques and goodie bags for first 100 registered,Chinese auction, 50/50. Hosted by Berks County Mustang Car Club, Inc. berkscountymustangcarclub.com
Saturday October 27, 2018 :::: Curt Rhine Memorial Car Show, BlandonLocation: Maidencreek Community Park, 753 Park Road, Blandon, PA 19510. Time: 9 AM to 3 PM. Price $10. BenefitsNorthern Berks Emergency Medical Services. This is our 4th annual show. Contact (610) 926-3858 or [email protected]
Sunday October 28, 2018 :::: Old Car Show & Flea Market, KemptonLocation: 83 Community Center Drive, Kempton, PA 19529. Time: 8 AM to 3 PM. Price: $10 day-of-show. Rain, shine, orsnow. All makes & models welcome. Judged show, no Corvair class. Conducted by the Free Spirit Chapter of the Buick Clubof America. Website: www.buickfreespirit.org
Sunday November 4, 2018 :::: 28th Annual Riegelsville Fall Roll Out Car ShowLocation: Riegelsville Ball Park, Route 611, Riegelsville, PA. Time: 8 AM to 2 PM. Price: No entry fee. Rain or shine. NoVehicles newer than 1993. Vintage, antiques, street rods, customs & trucks. Vendors space approx. 20×30. $25- Vendor pre-registration available. First 475 exhibitors receive dash plaques. People’s Choice Trophy Awards. Borough Ordinance NO petsor bicycles! http://riegelsville.org/fall-rollout-car-show/
Also, be sure to visit the Corvair Society of America website to see events being conducted by our neighboring CORSA chapters!Go to www.corvair.org and click on "Events".
Clark’s Corvair Parts®
Our catalog lists over 15,000 parts for your Corvair. We carry engine parts,body panels, upholstery and much more! There are 1,000’s of reproduceditems available, pages of technical information and lots ofother helpful hints.
Clark’s Corvair Parts® 400 Mohawk Trail, Shelburne Falls, MA 01370(413)625-9776 www.corvair.com email: [email protected]
Clark’s supports LVCC by donating gifts every year for our door prizes at Das Awkscht Fescht.
PAGE 9THE FIFTH WHEELOCTOBER 2018
Postscript:
Left: A real Handswheel. Notice the hubsnout!
Right: Dan Gurney Rac-ing wheel. No snout!
For Sale: 1964 Corvair Monza 2-door coupe. 110 hp engine. Power-glide automatic transmission. Gold-wood yellow exterior. Black vinyland deep weave fabric interior.Great condition. 77,000 miles.$7,500. Contact Wayne Troxell, An-dreas, PA. (570) 386-4347
For Sale - Make Offer: 1964 deck lid. 1964 left convertible door. Two 1964 rear cross springs. 1964 used wheel open-ing moldings. 1964 used rocker panel moldings. Various 1962 13” spinner wheel covers. Various full 13” wheel covers. 1962right & left front grill moldings (pitted). Four 1962 13” rims with belted tires. Late drums (non-finned). Early door side glass.1961 engine, rear, trans for parts. Various starter parts. 1965 used single exhaust pipe. 1964 Turbo block with cam and crank.Call or email Fred Scherzer. (484) 948-5142. [email protected]
For Sale: 1966 Chevrolet Corvair Monza 4 door sedan, with workingfactory air conditioning, it was repainted the original willow green 3years ago, the front seats have fresh upholstery from Clark's Corvairparts and the carpet is new. It is powered by the 110 hp motor withPowerglide transmission. It has tinted glass all around. The mileage isbelieved to be original 36,557 as of this writing. Also have the originalowner's manual with Chevrolet Protect-O-Plate. Located in Cherry Hill,NJ. Asking $8500 or best offer. Call Curt Stone at 201-776-8328
Go Electronic! Still getting black & white copies of The Fifth Wheel in your US Postal mail box? Give us youremail address and we’ll send it to you electronically. It will save photocopy and postage costs for us and help youprotect the environment. And besides, the email version is in living color and it’s beautiful!
PAGE 10 OCTOBER 2018THE FIFTH WHEEL
LVCC Classified Ads!
LVCC OfficersPresident: Dennis Stamm Phone: (610) 926-4723 Email: [email protected] Pres: Fred Scherzer Phone: (484) 948-5142 Email: [email protected] / Treasurer: Richard Weidner. Phone: (610) 502-1414 Email: [email protected],Newsletter & Website Editor: Allan Lacki. Phone: (610) 927-1583 Email: [email protected]
