[SCG] Looking for Corvair Collections

[henry kaczmarek]

Mark
Trust me, you have no idea.  Customers blow me away every day
People think that a "Hardtop" is a non-convertible car. 
"Well. it's not a soft top now, is it?"  you hear. 

They have no idea what the difference is between a post sdn and a HT is.  Then you get into Chrysler "Fastop" styling and you REALLY lose them. 

People think all they have to do is tell you "it's a 38 Plymouth" and you know everything about their car.  "well, aren't they all the same? "  Sheesh. 

GM owners are completely ignorant of the old Firewall Plates with Model and Style codes on it.   If you look at the Steele catalog, many of the parts we sell for GM cars are listed by the Style Code only.  Especially Windshield, Backlite and Vent Window Gaskets.  

I temporarily lose a lot of sales because I have to convince the customer that "THEY'RE NOT ALL THE SAME", and to go look at their firewall plate. 

Then of course you have the guys who say "The firewall plate was missing when I bought the car", then you have to send them pictures of all of the models that theirs could be so they can figure out what the hell they have. 

Bastardizing of the proper body terms by manufacturers has NOT helped. 

Luckily the days of dual and single cowl phaetons are gone, but those who like Lincoln K's and Pierce Arrows know what they're talking about, or take their cars to someone who does. 


Hank
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Mark Corbin 
  To: henry kaczmarek ; whubbell at umich.edu ; Stock Corvair Group 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 01, 2008 5:08 PM
  Subject: Re: [SCG] Looking for Corvair Collections


  Hank,

  Actually, it is. At least in industry lingo. It's the Chevy marketing department that bastardized the word "sedan" by attaching "sport" to it to designate a 4door hardtop. Just like they bastardized the coupe designation for the 2door hardtop. (A coupe is, properly, a status upgrade from a 2door sedan.) It's STILL not industry standard, which was my point. Yet because of such linguistic bastardizing, the general public has swallowed the concept of a sedan automatically being a 4door. And THAT is what grates against my nerves, because a sedan (of any number of doors) was always considered a lesser value than the hardtop equivalent. By going hardtop, the LM Corvair was actually upgraded in stature. So why are we (in the club) so willing to downgrade it?

  I don't have a problem with using Chevy marketing's bastardized termonology, though begrudgingly so. But ONLY when it's used in its entirety.

  I also find it annoying that the term "sedan" has been so misappropriated, to the point of becoming something it isn't, in the minds of the general public. It behoves us as REAL, educated, car enthusiasts to inform them that a sedan can have any number of doors, and that a "sedan"  is NOT an automatic designation for a 4door. We as REAL car enthusiasts owe it to the hobby to speak in correct termonology. Otherwise, we become as foolish as those who don't know any better.

  -Mark


    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: henry kaczmarek 
    To: airvair at earthlink.net;whubbell at umich.edu;Stock Corvair Group
    Sent: 12/31/2007 6:44:05 PM 
    Subject: Re: [SCG] Looking for Corvair Collections


    Mark
    Actually that's not completely correct.

    Any Chevrolet  4Dr Hardtop was considered a "Sport Sedan"
    In GMese.  Just as any 2dr HT was considered a "Sport Coupe"

    Oldsmobile called their Pillarless Hardtop Models "Holiday"

    Hank
      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: Mark Corbin 
      To: whubbell at umich.edu ; Stock Corvair Group 
      Sent: Monday, December 31, 2007 4:56 PM
      Subject: RE: [SCG] Looking for Corvair Collections


      You could add Mike McKeel, Gaston, IN to the list. Mostly lates, particularly a/c cars and 4 door HARDTOPS. (Note that there is no such thing as a LM sedan, as all LM's were hardtops.) 

      -Mark


        ----- Original Message ----- 
        From: Bill Hubbell 
        To: Stock Corvair Group;Virtual Vairs
        Sent: 12/30/2007 7:42:44 PM 
        Subject: [SCG] Looking for Corvair Collections


        As a resource tool for the Stock Corvair Group, I would like to compile a listing of known "collections" of unrestored vintage Corvairs (junkyards, businesses, private collections, etc.)  This will help the SCG know where to look for information when a particular research project is identified.  In addition to listing the locations of such collections, I would like to attempt to also identify the vehicles in each collection by year, model, etc.

         

        In attempt to get the process started, I am listing the following collections known to me:

         

        Corvair Ranch - Gettysburg, PA (business) - Over 600 Corvair cars, trucks, and Ultravans are located outdoors on the property

        Bruce Hewitt's farm - Vale, NC (private) - over 100 Corvairs are located outdoors on farm

        Paul Whelan's farm - Dinwidde, VA (private) - over 50 Corvairs are located outdoors on farm

        Norm King's Garage - Flint, MI (business) - 

         

         

        Bill Hubbell

         



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