Scott, No the opposite. I think it is a Shala because of the features. Not a Shalako. As for Corvair, I bought a corvair engine Imp two months ago. When I looked into the performance parts for it I got sick. I sold it. I wanted a Corvair engine bad but, just and exhaust ugly black headers, was over $200. Front pulley $89.00 Pretty much double the cost of the VW part. So it better make double the HP. It all go back to how Fast can you afford to go. I don't see anyway you can build a Corvair for what you would have in a VW. How about a 2054cc dual 44's. Also the corvair engine would have to stick out of the back. This body was designed to be sleek, not look like a baja bug. Just my :2cents: John . [QUOTE=CairoManx]Stock carbureted Corvairs put out 80, 110 and 140 hp. Stock turbo'd put out 150 and 180 hp. They are built now days to put out 140 to 200+ reliable hp. You can probably get double the horsepower per dollar on a Corvair vs. a VW. http://www.corvair.com/user-cgi/pages.cgi?category=vw[/QUOTE]
The optimum thing to do with the Shalako is set it up mid engine. I agree the Corvair engine is longer and heavier than a VW but its definitely a better bargain. You can find a running used 140hp for about $500. Turbo'd are about the same It will give you an honest 140, 150 or 180hp when you want it and still drive like a street engine. The equivalent VW will have a hot cam and big carbs and drive like a race motor. That's 2700 cc's! You can get all the expensive VW head work you want but the Corvair has 6 intake and 6 exhaust valves. They also have hydraulic lifters. The rear pulley is $90 because its a harmonic balancer. The closest VW equivalent Berg pulley costs more. Corvair engines have forged cranks and were designed by Porsche, just like VW. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CORVAIR-ENGINE_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33615QQitemZ8029356954QQrdZ1 The manx that beat all the sports cars at Pikes Peak had a Corvair street motor. The engine below is turboed, 3187 ccs and mid engine mounted
[QUOTE="newmanx59"]I certainly wouldn't want to drive that thing in traffic. It has to have a huge blind spot. [/QUOTE] Actually there is a cut out for a rear window. Richard. No the hovercraft is still there.
I decided to go VW all the way. mostly because I have all the parts already. Also, I dont know a thing about the Corvair engine. Even the pics posted here with the fan/pully above the crank pully confuses me. I have a similar fan/pully horizontal on the top of the engine... Body is off. Corvair chassis looking for new home (its not in bad shape).
The glass on this body is very thin (1/8") in places. Would adding glass to the underside before paint reduce the value or raise it? (looking at collector value).
Scott, New info just in on a Shala GT. In reviewing files from 1971 - 1979 in the archives storage I found a company called Fulton Engineering in Long Island NY. They advertisied a Shala GT. It looks just like Dick Dean brochure Shala but, it has Ridges on the rear cover! Looks like this might be the one! John [QUOTE=WuZaBuG]I posted a thread of this buggy before looking for information. I was told it could be a couple of defferent models. This buggy is home now. I bought it today. I'm hoping for a definate identification if possible. John, I bet you can come up with some info from your archives. Also, if you want better pics (if you need them) I can email them to you Full set of SW guages in the dash. even has the hours used guage... Thanks for the help guys.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE="Yellermanx"]Not splitting hairs, but it looks like it might be SHA "i" A. [/QUOTE] That could be a Typo or it could be a clever way to get around the use of the name "SHALA" that would have been owned by Dick Dean. Maybe this company was slick enough to make it a "SHAIA GT" Or since in 1968 typesetting was all done manually by a grunt, it could be a typo. Picked up the wrong letter out of the box. If we could just find someone that worked there. ??? John
I sold it. I wanted a Corvair engine bad but, just and exhaust ugly black headers, was over $200. Front pulley $89.00 Pretty much double the cost of the VW part. So it better make double the HP. It all go back to how Fast can you afford to go. I don't see anyway you can build a Corvair for what you would have in a VW. How about a 2054cc dual 44's. 
Also the corvair engine would have to stick out of the back. This body was designed to be sleek, not look like a baja bug. Just my :2cents: John . [QUOTE=CairoManx]Stock carbureted Corvairs put out 80, 110 and 140 hp. Stock turbo'd put out 150 and 180 hp. They are built now days to put out 140 to 200+ reliable hp. You can probably get double the horsepower per dollar on a Corvair vs. a VW. http://www.corvair.com/user-cgi/pages.cgi?category=vw[/QUOTE]
You Are The Man:D That it exactly! Thank you figuring it out for me. Now... to find a top and gull-wing doors...
