Midweek Matinee: Corvair in Action, 1960
Posted on Sep 21, 2014 in Featured | 2 comments
The 1960 Corvair, in all its initial release glory.
The Chevrolet Corvair was named Motor Trend’s Car of the Year for 1960, due in part to its air-cooled, OHV, 139.6 cu.in., horizontally opposed six, featuring an aluminum alloy crankcase and heads and detachable ferrous alloy cylinders, fed by dual single-barrel Rochester carbs—all of which resulted in 80 hp and 125-lb.ft. of torque at its debut.
Chevrolet was eager to promote its new and radically different (for GM at least), rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive compact, with its welded steel unit-body and rear independent swing axles. That last item quickly proved controversial.
True, maybe this wasn’t your typical Lime Rock fare, given its Road & Track-tested 0-60 of 17.5 seconds, quarter-mile of 21.5 seconds at 65 MPH, or a top speed of 85.5 MPH…
…but still: lookit how she’ll go all-terrain commando on ya in a heartbeat.
Of particular interest is this “disguised Corvair” used for initial testing, along with the obligatory crash tests where our intrepid Corvair goes to battle with both a ’59 Impala Sport Coupe and Kingswood Station Wagon.
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Lime Rock is a treasure for those of us in New England and what a place to see the Corvair!
For all the criticism lodged against GM’s various styling, engineering and marketing missteps over the years, it deserves credit for having the temerity to roll out a completely unconventional car. The Corvair was an expensive gamble and as it turned out, a pretty good car that was made better every year.
Moreover and often unsaid is that the Corvair and its success in the marketplace begot the idea for Ford’s Mustang and as such the Corvair was a important little car indeed.
Loved the Lime Rock footage, home to toddler George on a number of sunny Saturdays.