mgs
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Vegas, Corvairs; long with scant LBC content

To: mgs@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: Re: Vegas, Corvairs; long with scant LBC content
From: Matt Kulka <Matt.Kulka@hboc.com>
Date: Tue, 19 May 1998 11:29:17 -0400
I don't mean to start a war, but I've just been reading some automotive
history, and wondered if anyone else could clarify.

I'm certain the Tucker had a rear-engine.  It was actually a helicopter
motor (Bell?  Huey?) which makes me believe it was also air-cooled.  (I
know that heat and noise made them switch to a more standard automobile
motor later.)  

As to first floor shifter, do I mean to understand all those '30's Ford
roadsters had column shifters to start with?  Again I don't have enough
knowledge to debate, but I was under the impression that a floor shifter
was common, and the move to a column shift was a comfort item.  If you
consider the differences in the linkage setups, it would seem that a
floor shift would be the natural beginning.

Lastly, I too wish the Corvair had had a better chance at life.  I
admire Chevy's initiative to try something new and it looked like it
could have been extremely successful.  At that time Americans were
looking for new and exciting things in their automobiles and I think
Corvair could have filled the bill for small, economical and fun to
drive.  I think it could have been a good competitor for VW in America. 
I think it's an interesting tossup whether Ralph Nader or Mustang/Camaro
was responsible for its demise.  Enough to say that it happened and that
was a shame.

I almost bought a '65 (?) Corvair instead of this MG about a year ago. 
It had been freshly painted and upholstered 12 years hence and been
sitting in a basement since then.  ("It ran fine when I drove it in here
and parked it.")  I was really looking for something that I could drive
away.  Little did I know that four months later the MG would become a
permanent resident in my garage.  Now I'm back where I started.

Matt Kulka
'74 B - the neighborhood's largest bookend.

>>> William Elliott <William.Elliott@mail.mei.com> 05/19/98 10:11am >>>
 <<I owned (as opposed to trading) several Corvairs.  Those little
engines were tough, but they weren't all that radical.>>

>Pretty radical for a US company. First modern US air-cooled, 
>first (and last) modern US rear-engine design, first US 4 wheel
>independent suspension. First modern US car (ex Corvette) with 
>buckets and floor-shift... proved the market for later pony-cars.
>Also, first modern turbo production charged car. (OK, the Olds 
>Jetfire 3.5 by a couple of weeks...)

Bill Elliott
Lake Mills, WI
LBC's and Corvairs




<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>