<VV> Re: Back in the daze

[Padgett]

>You just can't appreciate how well a Corvair drives (especially the EMs) 
>unless you've alsodriven a Falcon, or a Valiant, or almost any other 
>mid-size or large car from that period.

a) Them's wuz small cars then "compacts" even. Small only in comparison to 
the American cars of the '30s and '40s.which were gigantic (and no power 
steering).
b) Before the Corsa (which I did not discover until introduced by Warren 
around 1970) the choice was pretty much furrin. For me those were Jaguars 
which were in the $1500 (XK150S)-$2000 (E-type) range back then, they did 
not hold their value (or oil pressure) very well.
c) First "made in the USA" I had was a Chevvy Camaro after deciding that a 
LeMans Sprint with OHC-6 was just too big. See 
http://padgett.ws/files/camaro.jpg . That picture was taken in early 1968 
before departing on an all expense paid tour of SEA.  Autocross trophies 
were not very big. No, those were not DOT approved tires. Only  one V-8 
Camaro in 1967 had no engine insignia but then no-one noticed.
d) Still dwarfed just about everything else at an autocross. Did I mention 
that American cars have always been really big ?
e) The biggest difference between then and now was tires. Great handling is 
impossible without and then they were terrible. Radials were just being 
introduced but the Michelin X quickly was known and uncontrollable in a 
skid. True or just different I can't speak to now. Cantilevered tires were 
for "off road use only". A set of wide ovals cost $100 and wore out in 
under 10,000 miles.
f) Furrin cars were from Europe and not the far east then and were the 
source of many Lucas jokes (if anything Italian electrics were worse - self 
heating dashes in FIATs were common). BMW was voted the "Best sedan under 
$2000".
g) In short, you had to be there to appreciate 135 mph on tires that "were 
not even safe in the driveway". How we ever survived it I have no idea.
h) Have come full circle now with the 66 Monza Convert 110/PG - a car I 
would not have even looked at back then but can appreciate it now. Have 
just always liked the sound of a six.

Padgett