Community Forums

UV Owners · 12-26-2012, 08:59 PM

Hello everyone,

My name is Tony and I’m new here. Marie and I love the Ultravan coach!
We both love the idea of traveling. We talked about doing it when we first met.
However, life changes shortly after we got married kept us at or near home for 8 years.
In 2008 after 3 surgeries Marie was able to walk again without any aid(s). That is when we purchased the first two RVs from the same seller. We purchase and took delivery of Ultravan #248 aka Itchy Feet in the spring of 2008. We thought we’d restore UV248 first. However, once we took delivery, cleaned it out and started a list; I found a major problem with the passenger side suspension. A few months later we purchased UV256 aka Itchy Feet II and it was delivered in the summer of 2008. I purchased UV256 to use all the best interior parts to ensure I could restore UV248. But not to let UV256 go to waste - I have always planned to customize it. Within one year I was able to get UV256 on the road with a Corvair drive-train, like most of the Ultravans came with. I wanted to be sure we truly were okay driving a coach like this and enjoyed having this style coach too. Throughout 2009 and 2010 we enjoyed taking it to some local car shows and cruise nights, even thought it still needed body work, paint and new interior. It was our ugly duckling and we could not be more proud to own her, and all our coaches. UV362 and UV512 were delivered Nov 2012. Marie loves the look of the Ultravan. I like the look and because I’m a retired mechanic; I’m in awe of how they were built and the story behind how they came about. I cannot wait till I finally have my garage. (Grin)

For more information about the Ultravan see History of the Ultravan at: http://www.corvair.org/chapters/ultravan/history.html

Some people might call us crazy. We simply feel blessed and that we are caretakers.
In 2010 we purchased a smaller house but with a lot more land so we can carry out our plans/desires of having a small collection and private museum of Ultravans and Corvairs; which we plan to use each and every one as they were meant to be, and enjoy doing so.

The coaches in the pictures below are shown in order as we purchased them. Most of the coaches we currently have and plan to save are the ones most people would pass on and would end up in a junk yard at some point. Because I was a mechanic and I guess one could say “I root for the underdog” I get a great feeling to know I got a vehicle back on the road again. We plan to restore and use the nicer coaches first and work on the other ones over time while displaying them all, in a small museum, at our farm.

I hope you enjoy the pictures.
Thank you for stopping by!
Sincerely, Tony

UV248 aka Itchy Feet was delivered spring of 2008.

UV256 aka Itchy Feet II was delivered summer of 2008.

From left to right: UV362 aka Itchy Feet III and UV512 were delivered Nov 14th 2012.

SarahW · 12-26-2012, 09:35 PM

Great looking collection! Thanks for sharing. Have you started renovating any of them yet? Be sure to post lots of pics to show your progress.

Sutler · 12-26-2012, 09:41 PM

I would be curious to see pictures of those two all restored myself they look cool.

UV Owners · 12-26-2012, 09:54 PM

Thanks SarahW and Sutler.

SarahW, I was able to get UV256 on the road within one year of owning it.
Even though it needs body work, paint and new interior, we still took it to local car shows and cruise nights.

I have a project thread started on Rv.net, which I found before this site.
I hope to post one here soon too. But until then you can find it under Projects and Upgrades.
I went and got the URL to make it easier for those who want to see it - before I can post it here.
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fu...d/26601664.cfm

Sutler - Which two. GGG
The first ones or the second ones. LOL

Tony

sdennislee · 12-27-2012, 12:19 AM

Hi and

Love to see the finished pics when you are done.

SarahW · 12-27-2012, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UV Owners

Thanks SarahW and Sutler.

SarahW, I was able to get UV256 on the road within one year of owning it.
Even though it needs body work, paint and new interior, we still took it to local car shows and cruise nights.

I have a project thread started on Rv.net, which I found before this site.
I hope to post one here soon too. But until then you can find it under Projects and Upgrades.
I went and got the URL to make it easier for those who want to see it - before I can post it here.
RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Getting Ultravan #362 ready for 2013 CORSA Convention in MI.

Sutler - Which two. GGG
The first ones or the second ones. LOL

Tony

Great pics, Tony. I believe I saw a similar Ultravan leaving the Camping World outside of Houston last weekend. It was a great restoration and a real head-turner. I'll be watching for more pics!

BigTonyB · 12-27-2012, 04:18 PM

Nice collection, Tony! As a former Corvair owner, I understand the attraction of the Ultravan. Good luck with your restorations and museum!

UV Owners · 07-18-2013, 07:25 AM

So far so good..

I'm on a long round about trip that started July 5th and I hope to be back home with our latest Ultravan - UV520 by July 23rd.

It all started with me leaving Prescott, ON (Canada) and dropping off some new Ultravan windshields at a members' house in Hayward, WI then drove down to De Witt, IN and picked up a FC corvair engine. From De Witt, IA I drove to Terre Haute, IN. I spent the next couple of days, July 10 to the morning of July 14th, getting UV520 our latest addition for our Ultravan collection ready to tow back home.

Here is a video of me leaving from the Circle City Corvair Club show and shine on Sunday the 14th in Whiteland, IN. Sadly I made it there, from Terre Haute, with only one hour left for the show and most of the Corvairs had long since left. Boy was it hot that day...
7 14 13 Circle City Corvairs Get Together Vid - YouTube

But the Ultravan UV520 is towing better than I thought it would.

Here is a video of the next day, just after our lunch break, starting the second part of the Caravan to Kalamazoo, MI.
Indy Corvairs Caravan Ta Kalamazoo 7 15 13 - YouTube

I'm now in Kalamazoo, MI at the Corvair Convention and a GMC owner, I believe his name was Bob, Please forgive me if I'm wrong, (I have a poor memory and names are even worse for me) he stopped by to see how things were going. That was very kind and thoughtful of him and it was nice to meet him and talk for a while.

BTW - It has been hot every day so far.

July 20th at the Gilmore Museum, near Kalamazoo, MI, will be an outdoor display of Corvairs and Corvair Ultravans if anyone close by would like to come.

Tony

UV Owners · 07-25-2013, 09:23 AM

Hello everyone,

I was able to safely tow the coach home by leave the Toronado power plant in the back of the coach and just remove the axles.

I like to thank everyone who helped with advice.

Here are some pictures I thought I share and hope you enjoy.

Working on UV520. Checking the bearings, removing the rear axles and putting on the new tires I brought with me.

I have mounted the custom two bar that I had made and the new tires are sitting in front of the coach ready to be put on.

I was not able to remove the 1 and 1/2 inch nuts from the rear axles -
so I had to hire one of those mobile tire repair trucks to come out and use their large 3/4" air gun.
It cost me $105 but was well worth it to get it done and be able to leave sooner than later.

Sunday morning, July 14, 2013, I towed the coach to the hotel I was staying at for the past 6 days.
I took a shower, put my presonal stuff in the turck and checked out.

I made it to Greenwood, IN, Sunday July 14th to stay one night at the host hotel.
I met up with the Circle City Corvair Club Monday morning July 15th to carvan with members to the Kalamazoo, MI convnetion.

This is Port Huron in MI. I had to walk over to the doors to the right of the sign just behind the truck to export Ultravan #520 out of USA.

Here UV520 sits just before I leave USA soil and cross the border.

Heading towards the bridge to enter into Canada.

I made it home, safe and sound - Thank God, in the driveway by 8:40pm July 21, 2013.

Sincerely, Tony

Stripe34 · 08-05-2017, 12:53 PM

I found your old thread...

Did you have pics of this UV finished?

UV Owners · 08-05-2017, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stripe34

I found your old thread...

Did you have pics of this UV finished?

Here is the old thread.
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f65/ultra...ed-170875.html

I got it running in less than a year. However, I have been dealing with an overheating issue ever since. UPDATE on UV520.
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f65/long-...20-353147.html

Thank you for your interest,
Tony