Designing a Corvair Custom Hydraulic Tractor

[CorvairGuy]

J J, Thanks for for your help and popping in. I started reading some of your post, the other day, and turly enjoyed them. I look forward to reading more.

Hooked, Using the Corvair rearend was merely a thought. I already have one. But I know it would make more sense to use a hydraulic diff from a used tractor. However, not being around tractors - I myself don't know of any. I was told just yesterday that some tractor company has a hydraulic diff that he thought might work.

I need to look at my notes to recall what tractor/company it was. I will post it here once I have it.

I want my tractor to be a good size garden tractor - that can use the attachments listed in the first post. If anyone knows of a mid-size tractor using a hydraulic diff - PLEASE let me know.

And for the viewing pleasure of those who like pics - - below are a couple of our toys and our new farm. NOTE: the toys are why we purchased the farm this past summer and the last two pics are of our current home. :thumbsup: :laughing:

Hope you enjoy,

Tony

 

[DanD78]

I worked for a mechanic when I was in high school that was a Corvair nut. Pretty simple to work on. I agree with the idea of finding a doner tractor or tractors and mixing parts. I don't think the Corvair rear end will take what you have in mind or take the weight transfer needed. Have you thought about a govonor? If I recall there is a rod going acorss the top of the engine that controls both carbs unless you get the manifold to put on one carb. A mechanical govonor driven off another pully on the front may work. I can't remember where the Generator sets. Been a long time. You should be able to recover some good heat off the engine for winter use.

Sounds like a fun project

Dan

 

[brokenot]

I will also have a way to lock the engine RPMs at 1,500 to 2,200 to run other hydraulic attachments - but I still want the pedal to control my speed of the tractor.

Are you installing a governor of some sort? That's the only way you'll be able to maintain a target rpm as loads change. Setting up some sort of simple throttle stop won't give you the results you're looking for.

Something like this would work if you can fab up some mounting brackets and linkage to your carb. You'll then need to dial it in:

Mechanical Governor (engine) 4cyl- 6cyl - eBay (item 320615450191 end time Dec-09-10 15:03:19 PST)

Alternatively, you could use an electronic governor and actuator like this:

PG Engineered Control Solutions > Products > E-361 Three Speed Control for Spark Ignition Engines

You provide the company with some "ballpark" parameters and they can build one for you. Once you get it installed, you remove the rear cover and fine tune rpm settings and governor response with trimpots.

Lots of people have used car engines for projects like this, but they often overlook the governor, (and its expense), until the project is done or nearly done...

 

[/pine]

I like the roller skates...

 

[CorvairGuy]

Hi Dan,

Up here the winters are cold. We see -40f. Way to cold for this southren guy. My wife is from here and we all know who moved. :laughing:

EM = Early Model - Corvairs came with a gas fired heater that could really toast you out. I'm hoping the one I have in one of my parts cars - will work
nicely, for my tractor porject, and the cold weather up here to keep me warm while removing the snow.

Our farm is at the end of the road. Or should I say the house and the barn are at the end of the road. Our property starts a the telephone pole in the first picture and you can see the barn in the upper left. The property continues way past the barn and is wide too.

We are truly blessed to have this property! We lost out on it in Mar of 2009. A year after it sold the new owner had to let it go and we were able to get it this past summer. It has 154 acres and is land locked with park land all around us.

The township maintains the road to our barn - because they want to be able to use our turn-around. In the second picture I'm standing at our barn looking toward our closest neighbor. You can see just how far away it is and the township takes care of all that right to the barn. Everything on the right to that same neighbor is Crown Land.

I only have to take care of the laneway from house to barn and behind our barn. Our laneway from the house to the barn is about 75 feet. You can see the snow piling up from where the township uses the turn-around to clear the road. From there looking towards the house is what I have to look after.

 

[beenthere]

Will also be interested in your progress.

Friend of mine has his original Corvair from HS days, and is presently putting the Corvair body on a Porsche Chassis (almost an exact match he says) with the Porsche engine.

Where is "up here" ?

 

[CorvairGuy]

Thanks Brokenot.. :thumbsup:

Things like this - are why I am asking for help.

BTW - I'm also working with a local hydraulic supplier. However, I don't want to keep hit him up with so mnay questions - that he gets tired of working with me.

I plan to build this once!
I need to get it right.
I need this tractor, I have lots to do around our new farm next year.

Tony

 

[CorvairGuy]

Beenthere,

I'm in Ottawa, Canada where my wife is from.

If your friend does not already know of Corvair Center - have him check it out.

There is one guy who has done or is doing the same set up as your friend. Another guy is doing a subaru engine in the place of the corvair.

Lots of detailed info and pictures of many other Corvair projects on this site too.

The link is: Corvair Center :: Corvair Center Forum

Tony

 

[CorvairGuy]

I found the name of the tractor company my friend was talking about.

It was Ingersoll.

Here is a link to their site.

BTW - because the Corvair engine is a flat six; the heads stick way out on each side and the exhaust manifolds would hit where most tractor frames are.

For ground clearence I need to have the engine above the frame and not below.

I plan on making a frame simular to the one in the picture below. Note the area with the four bolts right above the front tire and how the frame mounts to the bell-housing. It should be easy to have someone, cut something out of flat stock, with one of those programable cutting tables, using a drawing or cad program with my design.

 

[kude]

Not to be a dissenting voice, but did you ever read Unsafe at Any Speed? Good luck with the project.