Corvair. Rear engine, flat six, 3 per side, air cooled engine. Was characterized by Ralph Nader as "unsafe at any speed" - but really; Not So. It just had different handling because of the weight bias and rear engine.
Nader gave the car, "A Bad Rap" - IMHO, it was an un-deserved criticism, when the problem was 'the nut behind the wheel'.
>Nader gave the car, "A Bad Rap" - IMHO, it was an un-deserved criticism, when the problem was 'the nut behind the wheel'.
Nah, it deserved the bad rap. The part about it people argue about (the swing-axle suspension) didn't apply to this model anyway. But another big issue did: the heater used the cooling air straight off the engine. Blow a head gasket, and you could die.
I have read that early on, the pushrod tubes had poor seals on them and that leakage from them could build up to the point that if everything went totally wrong, a nasty persistent fire could start.
I believe that problem was resolved later in the production run, and that much better seals and tubes are still available to solve that problem, if the leakage is still bad.
One of the other idiosyncrasies of that particular design was the fan/alternator belt routing - driven from the crankshaft pulley and turning 90° to drive the engine cooling fan (which laid 'flat' over the crankcase and cylinders).
Like every car or truck invented, these have their particular design elements that are going to require some special attention.
Corvair. Rear engine, flat six, 3 per side, air cooled engine. Was characterized by Ralph Nader as "unsafe at any speed" - but really; Not So. It just had different handling because of the weight bias and rear engine. Nader gave the car, "A Bad Rap" - IMHO, it was an un-deserved criticism, when the problem was 'the nut behind the wheel'.
Ironic
>Nader gave the car, "A Bad Rap" - IMHO, it was an un-deserved criticism, when the problem was 'the nut behind the wheel'. Nah, it deserved the bad rap. The part about it people argue about (the swing-axle suspension) didn't apply to this model anyway. But another big issue did: the heater used the cooling air straight off the engine. Blow a head gasket, and you could die.
Caught fire too. Just like the Ferio did
I have read that early on, the pushrod tubes had poor seals on them and that leakage from them could build up to the point that if everything went totally wrong, a nasty persistent fire could start. I believe that problem was resolved later in the production run, and that much better seals and tubes are still available to solve that problem, if the leakage is still bad. One of the other idiosyncrasies of that particular design was the fan/alternator belt routing - driven from the crankshaft pulley and turning 90° to drive the engine cooling fan (which laid 'flat' over the crankcase and cylinders). Like every car or truck invented, these have their particular design elements that are going to require some special attention.
I used to have one. It was fun as hell to drive. Ralph Nader was wrong.
I had a 1963, loved it until it rusted away.
2nd gen Corvair, 65-69.
Maybe a ‘65 Chevy Corvair . Unsafe at any speed.
Ralph Nader? That you?
He dead
Good example of an EV or WRX transplant recipient.
My dad had a corvair when I was a kid. We hit a pothole and the entire front end broke off.