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Jim Adney wrote: > The styling similarity with the type 34 has always struck me as amazing, but we > have to admit that Chevy did it before VW. People who know automotive styling > trends better than I can probably point to examples earlier than the Corvair, > however. These may all trace back to the Italian Ghia stylists. I've done some research on this, and I think the Corvair design had few precedents. It was a strong influence on European auto design in the early 60s as evidenced not only by the Type 34 but also the NSU Prinz, Fiat 1300, and Hillman Imp, to name a few. There's a little Corvair in the pronounced beltline of 60s BMWs too. Road & Track magazine even printed an opinion piece in 1962 complaining about Corvair design knock-offs (including the 34). The Type 34 was designed at a time when Ghia and Chrysler stylists were still working closely together (under the direction of Virgil Exner, Chrysler's styling chief until 1961), and so there are also a lot of similarites between Chrysler products of the early 60s and the Type 34. Take a good look at the 1961 Plymouth and you'll see a strong family resemblance. It's the Type 34's ugly sister. The designers of the BMW 1600/2002 must have been familiar with the Type 34. The similarity is not only in details like the taillights, but also the overall proportions and scale. It's no wonder many people mistake the 34 for a BMW. Scott 62 343, 65 361 ------------------------------------------------ To unsubscribe, E-mail to: <type3-off@vwtype3.org> For more help, see http://vwtype3.org/list/