


e could have easily titled this story “Pull Me Over Red” as that truly is the Chevrolet name of this factory color. But alas we didn’t give way and stayed the course as to what the ’65 Corvair Corsa really is–a RareVair. (The Corsa is to the Corvair what the SS is to the Chevrolet line.) If you have followed along the past two issues of Modern Rodding you will be aware of the construction articles penned by Ron Ceridono on this RareVair. What was once an old and tired ’65 Corvair is now resurrected into a ’65 RareVair brimming full with great ideas, amazing craftsmanship, and nifty parts all from the fertile mind of Lonnie Gilbertson of Oregon.
The mid-engine power comes from an ’09 Corvette LS3 that’s an all-aluminum V-8 that now sports a Comp Cams kit, mild head work, and is topped off with a Holley Sniper EFI and their vintage-looking valve cover system. Because of the polished and chrome Spectre Performance air cleaner system. It’s outfitted with a Holley EFI kit working in conjunction with a standalone PSI Engineering engine harness adapted to work with a stock GM computer while all of the wiring chores were handled by Mike Markovich. One will also be quick to notice the full-custom exhaust effort by Tom Phillips. Lonnie, being a racer at heart, has always enjoyed the look of 180-degree headers and he knew he just had to have them on the RareVair. From this point John Keller of Keller’s exhaust built the exhaust system from the collectors and utilized a pair of polished stainless Borla S-Type mufflers.

The wheels are the ET Sebring that feature a pin drive knock-off. The wheels are based on 16-inch diameters and mounted to them are Toyo Proxes R888Rs (205/55ZR16 and 255/50ZR16). I’ll let Lonnie tell us this part of the story.


The front fenders were pulled out just a bit at the rear of them in order to assist with the cosmetics and the flow of the new bodylines resulting from the widening of the rear. A word on the bumpers, which are stock. The rear bumper had to be widened and curved to compensate for the widening of the rear quarter-panels. It should be noted that Mastercraft was responsible for all of the chrome work on the RareVair.


Another nifty piece of sheetmetal work is the use of what appears to be six taillights, ala Impala. In reality the outer four lights are just that, taillights. The inner two are really the exhaust pipes and when the engine is running there’s a bright red ring that is lit.
A word on the paint–yep, named by Chevrolet as “Pull me Over Red.” Ben Conley handled all of the body- and paintwork.


Onto the interior. The seating most assuredly grabs your attention and it should be noted that the twin buckets are ’69 Camaro and the seat tracks from the early Corvair will bolt to the Camaro seats and, voilá they bolt right in. Dan Leisy of Dan’s Auto Upholstery is responsible for the upholstery and he obtained a Camaro bucket seat kit with side bolsters and stitched them onto the what is now Corvair seating. Leisy took control of the interior knowing what Lonnie wanted and after looking at Dino Ferrari seats his inspiration came from them.
Initially the seats were bolted into the car and you can see a center console that runs from the firewall to the back flowing between the seats. Initially Lonnie sat in the driver’s position, and while holding a gearshift ball in his right hand and resting his arm as if he were in a comfortable driving position measurements were taken. It was at this point that the exact height of the console was determined. It also allowed for the positioning of the Patrick Engineering cable shifter in the position that he thought was most comfortable. From here Marty Strode and Lindsay hand-formed the center console and dog house out of aluminum.

Glass was another project of rather large proportions. Every piece of glass in the RareVair is curved. He was able to find a great deal from one supplier but the rear glass proved to be an impossibility and until he found Ball’s Rod and Kustom it wasn’t looking good. As it turns out they have a custom glass service. Lonnie then sent the old rear glass to them and they used it to make a mold and make a fresh piece of glass.
There’s lots more to tell but you get the picture. I bet Ralph Nadar would be impressed with this Corvair! Whether you call it a RareVair or Pull Me Over Red, this is one Corvair that will pull its weight at any hot rod event.