CERV I

As you would expect in a race car, interior was tight and relatively sparse. Note Corvair steering wheel and Corvette shifter.

   Motive power came from a highly experimental V8 with the same physical dimensions as Chevy’s production 283. Unlike the street going 283 however, CERV I’s power plant was made with extensive use of lightweight alloys. By casting the block from aluminum instead of iron engineers saved 90 pounds. Because the aluminum contained a high percentage of silicon the cylinders did not need iron liners, saving still more weight and foreshadowing what would later appear in the Corvair.
   Further mass was trimmed by using aluminum for the cylinder head castings, flywheel, water pump, clutch pressure plate, and starter motor housing. Magnesium was used for the bellhousing and inlet manifold. Fully dressed the engine weighed a relatively paltry 350 pounds, more than 175 pounds less than its regular production counterpart.
   Fuel delivery came from a highly modified version of Rochester Product’s mechanical fuel injection system. With the engine mounted mid-ship behind the driver, forward visibility was not an issue so the inlet manifold could be unusually tall.