FW: [T3] corvair engine?

[Craig Wiland <cwiland@pktechnology.com>]

-----Original Message-----
From:	Craig Wiland 
Sent:	Thursday, November 18, 1999 11:08 AM
To:	'Phillip Bradfield'
Subject:	RE: [T3] corvair engine?

Hi Phillip-

 I believe the final clay styling models of the Corvair, approved by the big
shots at GM, were photographed and released to Engineering in late '58. Bill
Mitchell's design was admired and copied by other European makers (Renault,
Simca, BMW). Corvair just had its 40th "birthday" of introduction to the
public at Chevy dealers, Oct. 1959. Production wasn't exactly sufficient to
actually drive one home then, but you could place your order and wait for it
to show up.

 As to why ole' Ralphie didn't pick on VW for the T3 Ghia, well I'd bet GM
was a much bigger target. He needed to make a name for himself...what better
way than to take on a mammoth like GM. Porsche, VW,and Mercedes Benz all
had swing axle cars which are mentioned in "Unsafe at any speed". By the
way, Corvair was exonerated of all counts against it around 1970 with
testing done by NHTSB...so you could say 'vairs are the only car "approved"
by the government! Sadly, production of 'vairs ceased in May of '69 at the
hands of GM herself. An internal management decision to stop development was
set in 1965---BEFORE Ralphie's book came out!

Craig, portland
'70 fasty
'72 square
'63 Corvair Monza convert.
'64 Corvair Spyder convert.

		-----Original Message-----
		From:	Phillip Bradfield
[mailto:phillip.bradfield@adidasus.com]
<mailto:[mailto:phillip.bradfield@adidasus.com]> 
		Sent:	Wednesday, November 17, 1999 2:35 PM
		To:	type3@vwtype3.org <mailto:type3@vwtype3.org> 
		Subject:	RE: [T3] corvair engine?

		My '69 Squareback had a Corvair motor in it while it was in
possession
		of
		the PO. I never saw it run, but it was sure cool looking. I
think he
		used
		a Kennedy adapter plate. My brother originally bought the
car from the
		guy.
		He sold it to him minus engine/trans. I then bought it from
my brother.

		While we're on the subject of Corvairs, I am wondering what
the story is

		about the Type 3 Ghia and the Corvair. They seem fairly
similar in
		style/design. Who copied who? I know the first production
year for the
		T3
		Ghia is 1961, but I've seen a 1960 prototype in Wolfsburg.
When did the
		Corvair first hit the streets?

		Also, based on similarity, why didn't Ralph Nader criticize
the Type 3
		Ghia?
		Didn't it have the same swing axel design? What was
different?

		Just wondering.

		Phillip Bradfield - Portland, Oregon

	
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