[Rhodes22-list] Corvair (Warning for Rummy: Don't read - Politics)

Peter Thorn pthorn at nc.rr.com
Thu Dec 4 09:30:04 EST 2003 

Roger,

Yes, I'm sure there were lots of problems.  I was probably very lucky, and
just never experienced any of them.   For me, that car represented freedom,
style (it was a convertible) and fun.  It seemed an American icon.  I bought
it in 1968 for the (then) large sum of $400, with a college kid's summers
earnings.

My father was an ME for RCA 35 years.  Those were the days when corporations
seemed more loyal to their workers, and were trusted more.   Now we now know
that was an illusion and that they're only after the fast bucks!  GM
certainly could have made a better car.  Weren't they just trying to capture
some of the VW Beetle's enormous popularity?  Perhaps they cut too many
corners in haste.

Lou Dobbs on CNN each night gives 'em hell about exporting our jobs.   Go
Lou!  In the interest of the stockholders of global corporations, our gov't
is dropping protective tariffs left and right.   When our steel
manufacturing is totally dead, will our govt care what we'll pay for steel
then?  The interests of global corporations clearly are much different from
the interests of the American people.  When our production capacity is gone,
what will we be?  A nation of Big Mac servers?

Roger, I don't know how you lost your job, but I would bet the farm that it
was not due to your job performance.  Did someone think you made too much
money?  Was your division wiped out?

Anyway, you have earned my respect for handling it with grace, style,
creativity and tenacity.  Good luck in your finals!

PT


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Roger Pihlaja" <cen09402 at centurytel.net>
To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2003 6:54 AM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Corvair


> Peter, Steve,
>
> I had a 66 Corvair Corsa with a 4-speed for a while when I was in college.
> I couldn't keep the 4 carbs in sync, the serpentine fan belt was always
> coming off at high speed,  the thermostatic bellows that controlled the
air
> dampers on the engine temperature regulation system was always failing,
and
> there was a slight oil leak that caused the defroster to fill the car with
> at least a hot oil smell & sometimes oil smoke.  Yeah, when the car ran,
it
> was had a lot of scoot & it handled great.  But, in terms of relibility,
it
> wasn't ready for prime time.  My relibility problems weren't unique, they
> were typical of most owners of the Corvair.  Even by the standards of mid
> 1960's American car relibility, the Corvair was poor.  When you add in the
> rollover problems of the 1960 - 1964 models because of the swing arm rear
> suspension, the Corvair is a classic example of GM releasing new
technology
> on the public before the technology is ready.  GM tried to do too many new
> (at least for them) things in one car, skimped too much on cost (that's
> where the swing axles came from), and probably didn't do anywhere near
> enough reliability testing prior to releasing the car.
>
> Roger
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Steve" <rhodes2282 at yahoo.com>
> To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 5:00 PM
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Corvair
>
>
> > Peter
> > Yeah, mom really liked that car.  She still talks
> > about it.
> > Steve
> >
> >
> > --- Peter Thorn <pthorn at nc.rr.com> wrote:
> > > Steve,
> > >
> > > I had a '64 Corvair Spyder with 4 speed manual; it
> > > was great fun!  Your Mom
> > > is right - it was quick off the line.  Never got
> > > stuck in the Vermont snow
> > > drifts, even without snow tires.  Too bad Nader
> > > killed it.
> > >
> > > PT
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Steve" <rhodes2282 at yahoo.com>
> > > To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list"
> > > <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > > Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 10:12 AM
> > > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Corny energy source
> > >
> > >
> > > > Roger
> > > > My mom had a Corvair.  She said that was a great
> > > car.
> > > > >From stop light to stop light, she said she could
> > > beat
> > > > my dad in his 57 chevy.  But if they made the
> > > first
> > > > stop light, he pulled away good.  Appearently, the
> > > > Corvair had a fast start to it.
> > > > Steve
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --- Roger Pihlaja <cen09402 at centurytel.net> wrote:
> > > > > Rummy,
> > > > >
> > > > > I saw GM's hydrogen powered concept car at the
> > > 2003
> > > > > NAIAS.  It was also at
> > > > > the 2002 NAIAS, although not as fully developed.
> > > > > So, you're right, GM is
> > > > > moving forward with the project.  It's a neat
> > > > > concept with a lot of very
> > > > > creative ideas.  But, until the hydrogen
> > > > > infrastructure is in place, the
> > > > > market will be very small.  At the moment, the
> > > > > hydrogen would have to come
> > > > > from, are you ready ... natural gas!  Boy, now
> > > > > there's a great use for a
> > > > > scarce unrenewable natural resource.  I haven't
> > > seen
> > > > > any crash test data on
> > > > > the prototype or any long term reliability data
> > > on
> > > > > the fuel cells.  GM has a
> > > > > long & undistinguished history of releasing new
> > > > > technology onto the public
> > > > > before it's ready & then having a big mess on
> > > their
> > > > > hands - the Corvair, the
> > > > > Vega, the in-line SOHC Pontiac 6 engine, etc.
> > > > >
> > > > > Roger
> > > > >
> > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > From: "Todd Tavares" <sprocket80 at mail.com>
> > > > > To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list"
> > > > > <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > > > > Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 2:22 AM
> > > > > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Corny energy source
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > > OH THE HUMANITY!!
> > > > > >
> > > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > > From: R22RumRunner at aol.com
> > > > > > Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2003 06:00:47 EST
> > > > > > To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
> > > > > > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Corny energy
> > > source
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Roger,
> > > > > > > At last years Detroit auto show, GM unveiled
> > > > > it's new vehicle platform
> > > > > which
> > > > > > > is hydrogen based. The platform includes
> > > > > steering and propulsion and is
> > > > > > > approximately 8 inches high the entire
> > > length.
> > > > > The body is fitted to the
> > > > > platform
> > > > > > > and all connections, including joy stick
> > > > > steering are made through one
> > > > > > > electrical connection. When presented at the
> > > > > show, the oil industry
> > > > > spokes people said
> > > > > > > they weren't interested, but GM is going
> > > full
> > > > > speed forward with this
> > > > > project.
> > > > > > > This is no longer conceptual, it is already
> > > > > here. They put safety first
> > > > > and
> > > > > > > hired some of the best people available for
> > > this
> > > > > project. I read an
> > > > > extensive
> > > > > > > article a while back in one of the
> > > International
> > > > > trade magazines I
> > > > > get.....very
> > > > > > > cool project.
> > > > > > > The cost for the new vehicle is reported to
> > > be
> > > > > somewhere around a mid
> > > > > size
> > > > > > > luxury car, say around $20,000 fully
> > > equipped.
> > > > > Bodies can be changed
> > > > > easily in a
> > > > > > > home garage. Mom can have a station wagon
> > > during
> > > > > the week and the kids
> > > > > can
> > > > > > > have a sports car on the weekends.
> > > > > > > The byproduct of burning hydrogen is water.
> > > > > Water is the only emission.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Rummy
> > > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > __________________________________________________
> > > > > > > Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help?
> > > > > www.rhodes22.org/list
> > > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > --
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > ___________________________________________________________
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> > > > > >
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> > > > >
> > > > >
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