| You'd have to be over 60 to remember the Corvair. | | | | proved to be the safest car in the country when you |
| As soon as I had a good paying job, I plunked down | | | | looked at the number of accidents per mile driven. This |
| $2100. on a new 1960 Corvair Monza. I was attracted | | | | was attributed to the quick reacting independent |
| to the unusual engineering and features that no other | | | | suspension which helped avoid many an accident. |
| car could claim. It had a heater that started warming | | | | Further investigation discovered that many of the |
| your feet in 1 minute, the first comfortable bucket | | | | accidents involving Corvair and other rear engine cars |
| seats on any American car, and drove like a kiddy car | | | | were due to the fact that the tires were being driven |
| around curves. The dash was simple and no | | | | on contained only 10 to 15 psi! |
| nonsense, but since the Corvair was advertised as an | | | | In a front engine car, this dereliction of tire safety would |
| economy car, I didn't mind the Spartan treatment. The | | | | result only in premature tire wear and more resistance |
| first thing I did was rub down the Roman Red paint | | | | to turning. But in a rear-engined car, this low tire |
| with white compound to a brilliant cut-glass shine, coat | | | | pressure could result in the swapping of ends, front for |
| all the chrome (cars still had chrome bumpers) with | | | | back, surprising the driver. Of course he would have to |
| clear lacquer, and insulate the engine from the interior. | | | | be going around a curve at three times the posted |
| The six cylinder engine had plenty of power, but I | | | | speed or on glare ice for this to happen. |
| wanted more and drilled out the economy carburetor | | | | I drove the 1960 Corvair for about 60,000 miles and |
| jets for 15% morehorsepower. | | | | sold it three years later for $50.00 less that I paid for it. |
| All the furor about the Corvair handling badly was | | | | My sister and I made a car trip out to California and |
| brought out by Ralph Nader's book, 'nsafe at any | | | | back with no trouble at all with the exception of one |
| speed'. It read like a scandalous disclosure and sold | | | | flat. While not being strictly legal, the back seat folded |
| millions of copies. It was his contention that the rear | | | | forward to make a nice bed with the addition of an air |
| weight bias snuck up on a driver and caused too | | | | mattress. There was room for an ice chest and the |
| many accidents. He used any and all statistics to | | | | front trunk held two medium sized suitcases and many |
| prove his point and I'm sure scared the hell out of | | | | other items. The Corvair was American ingenuity at its |
| prospective buyers and Corvair owners alike. One | | | | best, the car lasting for nine years, bringing driving fun |
| statistic he omitted from his book was one from a | | | | and economy with a flair. |
| large insurance company who stated that the Corvair | | | | |