Chevrolet Corvair

Chevrolet Corvair The Corvair joined an emerging group of compact cars for the 1960 model year. There were only a few other cars in this class including the Plymouth Valiant, Ford Falcon, Studebaker Lark and the Nash Rambler. Most of these cars were merely scaled-down versions of bigger cars. Not the Chevrolet Corvair, which had the most radical design in this group. The 6-cylinder engine, made completely of aluminum, was placed in the rear of the car, “where the engine belongs”, according to Chevy’s advertising. The luggage storage was in the front of the car, like in the VW Beetle, except that the Corvair ... Read Full Story

In the pantheon of unloved, some say infamous, cars, the Corvair surely must rank near the top of the list. The Corvair always seemed just a bit too odd-looking for me, but I have something of a late-developing affection for it for a number of reasons: the engineering was innovative in a lot of ways, it was a radical departure for an American manufacturer, and it got what is, in hindsight, an undeserved bad reputation in terms of safety. The Corvair’s supposed safety concerns and the resulting bad publicity didn’t kill it off, but they certainly didn’t help. 
 Like many, however, my first introduction to the Corvair ... Read Full Story

A Corvair for Dummies book! If you are under 40, odds are you have never heard or seen a Corvair! Learn how to repair the most common restoration issues for the Chevrolet Corvair, 1965-69. Step by step procedures on critical issues. Learn the history about America's only rear engine, air cooled engine car. As its author, I chose the issues that I had to deal with when I purchased my 65 convertible and 67 coupe. Although both had only 50,000 original miles, they both needed various things. In my case, the engines were solid, so no rebuilding needed, but changing the push rod tubes, ... Read Full Story

Language has always fascinated me. The ability to use words and phrases to redefine a particular issue is the mark of power. Let me give you an example. Back in the late 60’s and into the 1970’s, perennial presidential candidate Ralph Nader was able to redefine how America defined one automobile. In his book “Unsafe at Any Speed,” Nader raised a question about the safety of the Chevrolet Corvair. This compact car was a revolutionary design for Detroit standards. Complete with four wheel independent suspension and an air cooled six cylinder rear mounted engine, the Corvair was presented by Nader as an automobile that ... Read Full Story

In 1966, Chevrolet advertised its new rear engine air cooled Corvair model with an ad that has "implied" sex all over it. You know the story. The same old story of the middle aged guy, not so attractive caused by the ravages of age in sleek, cool, sports car-this time, a Corvair convertible! A long-legged, nicely shaped 20-something blonde graces her body on the Corvair body. The middle age man glances back at her. There is little doubt about what he is thinking or wants besides his new 1966 Corvair. For 1966, it was a spicy ad that still holds up today. Read Full Story