<VV> Various Vair Stuff

[Dale Smiley CPBE]

Folks,

    I have been following the 'Ralphie' thread and agree with the 
gentleman who said he is yesterday's news! He isn't worth all the brain 
power being used to either condemn or defend him. I do take issue with 
the statement that we can thank him for 'three more years of our 
favorite car.' Here is why.

    The bean counters at GM, looking at the number of Vairs sold, 
numbers predicted to be sold given the reports of what the competition 
was coming out with, burning incense, animal sacrifice, and other black 
arts accountants use, decided to stop Corvair production because it 
wasn't profitable. This was in 1965 if I remember correctly, and being 
the penny pinchers they are, they would wait until the retooling costs 
at Fisher body for the LM were fully amortized. They calculated that 
this would be at the end of the 1969 model year, so that was to be the 
last year of production. They also decided that development would stop 
after 1967, except for that mandated by the Feds. These decisions were 
made at least six months before anyone heard of Ralph Who? This 
information is in an apparently little read book "On A Clear Day You Can 
See General Motors" co-authored by one John Z. DeLorean. He later tried 
to distance himself from the book, fearing that "GM could crush me like 
a bug."

    So think what you will of Ralph, I just don't think he is worth ANY 
thought after all these years later!

JMHO of course, YMMV!

    OBTW, I have met 3 presidents and I know Indiana Congressman Andy 
Jacobs, Senator Dick Lugar and former Indiana Governor 'Doc" Bowen. I 
have also met Birch and Evan Bayh. For the most part, just regular guys 
doing jobs most of us wouldn't want. My favorite 'famous person story' 
is the day I got my picture taken with Nichelle Nichols in front of a 
poster that said "All I Ever Needed to Know About Life I Learned from 
Star Trek!"

Dale Smiley
'66 Corsa 180

Back to lurking!