Corvairs
04-28-2003 | 01:35 PM
#2
Gold Member
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,155
Likes: 2
From: Kissimmee, Florida
Corvairs were a neat car. GM's answer to the Volkswagen.
I'm not sure if the early ones are worth more than the later versions. A 4 speed model is of more value and a Turbo Spyder is even more valuable. My brother had one. It was really quick and the trans was built with the same parts as the Chevy M21 4 speed. The M21 was used in all small block powered cars.
I do know the early models didn't know which end is up. They had a tendency to flip, see Ralph Naders book "Unsafe At Any Speed". He really killed the Corvair with that one.
There's lots of Corvair clubs around, search the net for them.
I'm not sure if the early ones are worth more than the later versions. A 4 speed model is of more value and a Turbo Spyder is even more valuable. My brother had one. It was really quick and the trans was built with the same parts as the Chevy M21 4 speed. The M21 was used in all small block powered cars.
I do know the early models didn't know which end is up. They had a tendency to flip, see Ralph Naders book "Unsafe At Any Speed". He really killed the Corvair with that one.
There's lots of Corvair clubs around, search the net for them.
04-28-2003 | 03:28 PM
#3
Banned
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 25,191
Likes: 0
From: Deland, Florida
We had one growing up. I remember my older brother was driving it, and apparently a fuel line melted and burned the engine.
My cousin also had one. He, his brother and I drove one from St Pete Fla to Portland Oregon. It was quite a trip. We had to push start it all the way there. We got to where we would park on hills at rest areas to sleep, so we wouldn't have to push it in the morning. This was back in 74 or 75, right when there was no gas to buy anywhere. We sat in a gas line for two hours in Arizona, and still couldn't see the station. I finally got out and walked up, there were still 77 cars ahead of us. We gave up on the gas there and got back on the hiway. We were doing 40 down the interstate to save gas. It got real good mileage at that speed. As soon as we crossed into Cali, there was gas everywhere. Heading up I 5 into Oregon, it began to snow. Of course we had no heat and the windsheild wipers didn't work. We were driving while we were in sleeping bags, with our heads stuck out the window.
It was a fun car to take out in the mud, the rear engine would let it kind of plane through the mud, IF you kept your speed up. It was a Spyder or Monza I think, I remember it was 140 horse.
My cousin also had one. He, his brother and I drove one from St Pete Fla to Portland Oregon. It was quite a trip. We had to push start it all the way there. We got to where we would park on hills at rest areas to sleep, so we wouldn't have to push it in the morning. This was back in 74 or 75, right when there was no gas to buy anywhere. We sat in a gas line for two hours in Arizona, and still couldn't see the station. I finally got out and walked up, there were still 77 cars ahead of us. We gave up on the gas there and got back on the hiway. We were doing 40 down the interstate to save gas. It got real good mileage at that speed. As soon as we crossed into Cali, there was gas everywhere. Heading up I 5 into Oregon, it began to snow. Of course we had no heat and the windsheild wipers didn't work. We were driving while we were in sleeping bags, with our heads stuck out the window.
It was a fun car to take out in the mud, the rear engine would let it kind of plane through the mud, IF you kept your speed up. It was a Spyder or Monza I think, I remember it was 140 horse.
