Corvair… love or hate?

[oprn]

Speaking of GM oddball experimentation, anyone heard of the "Caddyback" project from the '50s? Gm was developing a rear engine Cadillac. Apparently the project was killed due to tire technology not being good enough to support the weight in the rear without going to duals! Flats on the rear were the order of the day on the GM test track.

[oprn]

[Erik G]

anybody looking for corvairs should come looking in TX. there seem to be a lot of them out here for a decent price. I am not really into them myself, but I do think one of the side loader corvair trucks would be cool. there is one here that has AC and tows a small vintage camper for shows

pinche borracho


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[WesleyGarrard]

My wife and I are pretty well jazzed about our Corvair. It was gifted to us by her uncle on the condition that we get it back into driving shape and make good use of it.

https://drivetribe.com/p/a-1961-chevrolet-corvair-...nLY47EWubQ


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[KTPhil]

[Chickensoup]

I actually forgot this until you mentioned motor mounts but I remember my grandfather in law telling me about how he had to help a co worker out and fix some motor mounts on his covair in the parking lot because they rotted or rusted completely off or something like that. This was in CT so they probably rusted off.
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'66 RIP
'69 RIP
Hosea 4:6 "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge"

[Zundfolge1432]

[KTPhil]

[KTPhil]

[Zundfolge1432]

You remember GMs fix? A chain or cable to secure the engine, no kidding
Looking back into history the first auto recall involved Model T . Henry used Spanish moss for seat padding but it was full of red bugs. Oooops

[Erik G]

haha, had a girl friend who's little sister has a mustang that when reved, popped the engine up and punctured the oil filter. her dad wouldnt fix it, kept her from racing lol
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[Tram]

[KTPhil]

[oprn]

[67 Florida Deluxe]

Dangerous defects weren't relegated to just old cars. I had an '87 Audi 5000CS that was maybe 5 years old when I bought it. Just for giggles and grins I decided to check out the operation of cruise control between exits on the interstate through town and it worked. Switched it off as I approached the off ramp but the car didn't slow down. Checked again and the CC was off and hitting the brake didn't disengage it. So I was coming off the interstate to a stop light at the bottom of the off ramp at 55 mph. I took the right turn sweeping yield/merge standing on the brake and swung into a parking lot and switched off the key, then put it in park. Popped the hood and found the push rod from the cruise control vacuum actuator to the throttle linkage had dropped off the vacuum actuator connector (little plastic grommet had split in half). The actuator linkage fell against the top of the intake manifold and kept the throttle engaged. Removed the cruise control actuator rod from the throttle assembly, went home and washed my drawers.

But I still like Audis and I've always wanted to drive a Corvair!
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-Kent (BaT "daleallen")

OG member of the '67 Posse

A few of my toys, past and present
'56 Oval, '66 KG Conv't, '67 21-Window, '67 Bug, '79 SuperVert, '55 Pre-A Continental

[oprn]

I know I have said this before on this site but here it goes again...

The reason Ralph's judgement of the Corvair is strictly political in my mind is because at the same time Peugeot, Renault, Mercedes, VW and possibly others all used the same swing axle rear suspension. Then in '65 Ford turned it around, put it under the front end of all thier pickup trucks, called it the "Twin I Beam" and sold it for many more years! All of them have the same jacking characteristics in a hard corner.

Funny thing is that "protector of the consumer Ralph" never went after any of them... or did he ever mention GM's motor mount issue...

[Q-Dog]

You can believe what you want, but you can't make your own facts.

Yes there were other vehicles that used a swing axle. No, they did not all implement them in the same way. The heavy rear engine really does change the equation and GM engineers knew the car had a tendency to tuck the wheels and roll. Their solution was a front roll bar to shift weight while cornering. Simple. But, cost-cutting bean counters at GM put $$$s ahead of safety and decided the sway bar wasn't needed even though engineers disagreed. It was a clear-cut example of cost-cutting that affected safety ... and it wouldn't be the last time GM picked lower costs over safety. By the time GM fixed the Corvair's problems, it was too late to salvage the car's reputation.

If the Corvair had simply used a front roll bar, it might have behaved less like a Corvair and more like all the other examples you mentioned.

The Ford twin I beam uses much longer axles, not hinged near the center like the Corvair and VW, thus doesn't act like them at all. Plus, there is the whole front versus rear thing that makes a big difference too.

Similar is not at all the same.
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Brian

'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle

[VOLKSWAGNUT]

I truly think the Corvair got a bad rap ... near the end of the run they were pretty good little cars.. That was way before my time but I have some experience around them.


On the reaward engine note...

We (GM Shop) received our first new mid engine Corvette a couple weeks ago... .. all the sales and all but a couple of us seasoned techs were surrounding it... once the mass of sales onlookers walked away... I walked up in the middle of the group... and said..

Hmmmm... a GM car.. with an engine out back.... howd that go for the Corvair and Fiero ... I guess time will tell. The older guys got my meaning and chuckled..

I honestly could care less to touch a mechanical thing on it... . Im sure Ill end up with all the electrical issues that will surface.. .

From the reports.... GM actually did some homework on it....Sure looks snazzy..

I honestly cringe when I see ANY Corvette roll in the shop.. .. most owners are total tools and the cars fit them perfectly. Pain in the ass and all joints to work on..

Id rather own and work on a Corvair..


.
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aka Ken {o\!/o}
Its your vehicle- stop askin' for approval-do what YOU like for cryin' out loud
Better to roll em' how you want and wear em' out-than lettin' em' rot out
Its about the going not the showing
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[KTPhil]

Link

[ach60]

My mother had a strange sense of humor.
Most but not all people in about '63-4 knew the Corvair was rear engine.
My mother would send bag boys to the Corvair with her keys to put the groceries or what ever in the trunk.
When they opened the trunk, My Mother would scream "SOMEONE STOLE MY MOTOR !!!
My oldest Sister in High School didn't like the joke.
I always like the looks of the second gen. Corvair.
My Brother John worked for the Center for Auto Safety in the mid 70's had no real use for Ralph Nader.
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Good Luck
Al