[Rhodes22-list] Corvair

Steve rhodes2282 at yahoo.com
Thu Dec 4 09:27:19 EST 2003 

Funny how many people on this list has had a Corvair!
Interesting to me, anyway.  Mom has always talked
about that car but I never knew anyone else that had
one.  Most people don't even know what they are if you
bring up the subject.
Steve


--- "Eaton, Gil" <GEaton at IKON.com> wrote:
> 	This is weird, I owned a '65 Corvair Corsa, Marina
> Blue, turbo, "180
> hp", 4 speed.  I broke it in commuting to Dulles
> Airport for a summer job,
> would frequently run 100 mph on the Dulles access
> hiway (no cops) until the
> temp gage would climb too high.  It was a blast in
> college, running over the
> Appalachian mountains on road trips, watching the
> boost gage and speedo
> climb going up mountains.  Got the Lexington Va. to
> Lynchburng Va run down
> to 20 minutes.  Third party fan belts were only good
> for a month or two, but
> the GM (Gates?) belts that cost twice as much lasted
> 6 months.  Only other
> problem was a snapped clutch cable.  She had an
> early demise the next year
> when my sister took it to school (her turn)...down a
> cliff near Flagstaff
> Arizona.  She was unurt, car totalled.
> 	Bringing back memories keep the brain cells happy.
> 	gil
> 
> Gil Eaton
> S/V Closing Time
> Spring Cove Marina
> Rock Hall, MD
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
> [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org]On Behalf
> Of Roger Pihlaja
> Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2003 6:54 AM
> To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
> 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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> 
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