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My V-8 Rampside Holds the Dear Memory of a Late Friend
I’ve been a Corvair fanatic for 45 years. The best part of owning Chevy’s rear-engined compact is making friends and building relationships with like-minded folks. One of those folks was Ken Arnold, a well-known member of the community who was a pioneer of the V-8 swap. I met Ken in 2012 at the annual Corvair Springfest event in Helen, Georgia, and we became fast friends. That day, he was driving a gorgeous yellow Rampside pickup truck with a Chevy 305 V-8 in the bed, a TH350 automatic transmission, and a C4 Corvette rear end. It was the coolest Corvair I had ever seen.
Four years later, Ken invited me up to his home because he was trying to downsize his collection of Corvair parts. He took me out to lunch in the V-8 Rampside, and I was amazed at how fast it was off the line from a stoplight. As I was preparing to head home with my haul of parts, Ken said to me, “I’m thinking about selling the V-8 Rampside.” I was at a loss for words since the Rampside was Ken’s baby, but I had dreamed about owning the V-8 Corvair since I first saw it. “Hold it right there! I want first right of refusal,” I blurted out. Two weeks later, we completed the deal, and I drove the Rampside home.
I have taken especially good care of “our truck,” as Ken and I used to call it. I replaced the windshield, repainted the dash, installed a Restomod Air HVAC unit, hinged the rear decklid, refinished the Camaro wheels, installed a larger LED third brake light, and tinted the windows.
I sent him photos whenever I entered the Corvair in a car show because I wanted him to enjoy the shows as much as I did. Unfortunately, Ken passed last year. He was a close friend and a mentor. I will miss him terribly, but I am glad to be his Rampside’s caretaker.
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My late father, an electrical contractor at the time, had the van version. The delivering dealership brought the new purchase down from a higher level in the building — can’t remember if it was an elevator or ramp — but remember the presentation from 60 plus years ago!
That’s one nice V-8 Corvair! I built a Corv-8 back in 1978 with a 67 Corvair, 350 Chevy, and conversion parts from Crown & IECO. It wasn’t a looker, but did pretty well at the drags. The car is long gone, but I still have the modified transaxle. Perhaps one day…
I think it’s a cool modded Corvair Rampside. The V8 exposed in all it’s glory looks pretty neat back there.
Love the colors, really looks great
I’ve always thought the Rampside was a neat vehicle….. in between my 65. Monza Cvt and the 66 Monza, I was looking around for one……bit pricey, One other thought tho, a V 6 Cyclone twin turbo would tuck in the back very nice with room to spare.
I love Rampys. I love V-8s. Guess how I feel about a V-8 Rampy? 😉