on october 2nd, 1959, the 1960 chevrolet corvair went on sale to the public.
and
here is a cool first-person account of the development of the corvair
on october 2nd, 1959, the 1960 chevrolet corvair went on sale to the public.
and
here is a cool first-person account of the development of the corvair
The prestige car in it's class?
What class was that kindergarten?
Spent a number of hours in and under one of them. Used the engines in many a dune buggy. I can't really say I ever really liked them, except as dune buggy donors and then they made the back end so heavy it let you pull cool wheelies.
got a friend restoring a 65 vert for a client, and he just finished a rampside for the same client
Here's my favorite piece of Corvair film. It shows some preproduction prototypes and footage of Lime Rock when the track was only a couple of years old.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmPpry8JiK0
A comment I read somewhere probably sums it up best: The Corvair was the kind of car we should have had in the 70's, but didn't.
Woody wrote: Here's my favorite piece of Corvair film. It shows some preproduction prototypes and footage of Lime Rock when the track was only a couple of years old. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmPpry8JiK0
FUNNY!
I never realized the Corvair was an offroad vehicle!
The dramatic footage where it showed the Corvair has "the power, the traction, the stamina to go just about anywhere." had my heart racing! LOL
That's the river that runs along the straight at Lime Rock.
Love that video.
Is it bad that I liked the "disguised" corvair shots better than the final production body?
20 miles up stream? Take that amphicar!
Woody wrote: That's the river that runs along the straight at Lime Rock.
Any Corvairs left in that river? 
Growing up with Corvairs and having one of my own, they are great cars and easy to work on. As much of a bad rap as they got, they were still great cars. I really wish Chevrolet could have held on a little longer.
noddaz wrote:Woody wrote: That's the river that runs along the straight at Lime Rock.Any Corvairs left in that river?
I'm surprised that there's any fish left in that river.
are the fish rear-engined?
mad_machine wrote: are the fish rear-engined?
they swim by moving their tails, right?
Is it wrong that the music and narrator made me think of sex ed class?
probably one and the same person.
It reminded me of Dan Akyroyd pitching the Super Bass-o-Matic 76.
"They locked the wheels so it HAD to roll over"
I did enjoy the video.
I liked the "running over random plants" test. Very scientific.
AngryCorvair wrote:mad_machine wrote: are the fish rear-engined?they swim by moving their tails, right?
That's rear drive.
For all you doubters, how about the fact that a 1966 Corvair was the basis for the Yenko Stinger, produced by Yenko Sportscars in Canonsburg, PA. Oh yeah, by the way, Jerry Thompson drove one to the 1967 SCCA NATIONAL Championship in D/Production..... Handle that, Ralph!!
... so that's how crop circles are formed
ValuePack wrote:AngryCorvair wrote:That's rear *drive*.mad_machine wrote: are the fish rear-engined?they swim by moving their tails, right?
Rear drive, mid engined. Damn fish are cool!
In February, I got a chance to see the Collier Collection in Naples, FL. It's a great collection, but almost more significant is its library. There are always people there doing research for books. While I was there I met Paul Ingrassia, who writes for the Wall Street Journal and has a few major books on the auto industry. He was doing research for a new book he's writing about the 20 most significant cars of the 20th century. I of course asked for his list. I think Model T was #1, but Corvair was #2 or #3. I asked, why? Engineering? He said, no. It launched the modern lawsuit industry...he wasn't kidding.
--Carl
yenko_charlie wrote: For all you doubters, how about the fact that a 1966 Corvair was the basis for the Yenko Stinger, produced by Yenko Sportscars in Canonsburg, PA. Oh yeah, by the way, Jerry Thompson drove one to the 1967 SCCA NATIONAL Championship in D/Production..... Handle that, Ralph!!
Do you know if a Corvair ever won the SCCA DP championship? I don't know but I do know that it wasn't that many years ago that several were in the field at the runoffs with 1 or two running up front. I always pulled for them. It's funny how "huge" they looked in a field that included Lotus 7s.
Graefin10 wrote:yenko_charlie wrote: For all you doubters, how about the fact that a 1966 Corvair was the basis for the Yenko Stinger, produced by Yenko Sportscars in Canonsburg, PA. Oh yeah, by the way, Jerry Thompson drove one to the 1967 SCCA NATIONAL Championship in D/Production..... Handle that, Ralph!!Do you know if a Corvair ever won the SCCA DP championship? I don't know but I do know that it wasn't that many years ago that several were in the field at the runoffs with 1 or two running up front. I always pulled for them. It's funny how "huge" they looked in a field that included Lotus 7s.
the highest-finishing corvair in "recent" years was Jon Brakke in his white GT3 #89, which finished 5th in the late '90s. this was back when speed was speedvision and they broadcast the runoffs live. i have that race on VHS.
jon raced that corvair since 1970 iirc, and finally sold it after about 30 years. it is widely recognized by corvair people as the best-developed corvair SCCA road racer. jon jumped ship to an EP miata, in which he's won at least one national championship.
last i heard, the new owner of the #89 corvair is still racing it with at least one vintage organization.
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