<VV> Re: Back in the daze

[Charles Lee at Proper Pro Per]

Why do the British drink warm beer ?
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They have Lucas refigerators.

Oh, they have a Corvair, too, to get lunch while their Jag-you-er spends the 
better part of its life in the garage. <- Corvair content.



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Padgett" <pp2 at 6007.us>
To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Saturday, August 19, 2006 5:08 PM
Subject: <VV> Re: Back in the daze


>
>>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
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