<VV> Mainstreaming the vairforce

[Dave Keillor]

Corvair owners tend to be a breed apart and a lot of them seem to have a
persecution complex.  There seems to be a perverse pride in being an
owner of a car that once was maligned -- even to the point of wanting to
keep it going.  I enjoy attending all-makes shows and cruise-ins and
seldom go to all-Corvair events.  The Corvairs always attract a lot of
attention -- virtually all of it positive.  No car make is without its
detractors.  For example, some people remember our Nova as a
"grocery-getter".

The insularity of the Corvair and its owners is diminishing, though, as
mainstream cars get more expensive (priced a 1st generation Camaro
lately?).  The cult is slowly disintegrating. 

Dave Keillor
 
-----Original Message-----
From: virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org
[mailto:virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org] On Behalf Of Russ Moorhouse
Sent: Saturday, March 29, 2008 7:23 PM
To: VV
Subject: Re: <VV> Mainstreaming the vairforce

Gary Rinehart <doduckinn at centurytel.net> wrote


-- 

There should be a certain amount of pride in any endeavor, and is not
lack
of that emotion with Corvair Owners.  But equally important to the human
emotion to something akin to snobbery.  We see it every time we go to a
gathering of Packard's, Mustangs, Pontiacs, Corvettes, T-Birds, etc."
--

Russ responds:

I've never noticed this myself, but now I'm wondering if this person
isn't 
correct:

A fellow Corvair owner in our local, "non-Corvair", car club has taken
their 
car to a 2 day Corvair event twice and even took a prize for their car. 
Overall they came away from the 2 shows feeling that Corvair owners were
the 
biggest snobs they ever met. They also requested them to bring their 
Corvairs to some of our local clubs charity events shows, but they never

have.  So it would appear that people are coming away with this feeling
of 
snobbery when they attend any car club event that's devoted to any one
type 
of car, even Corvairs.

Both of us take our Corvairs to other shows and cruise-ins and the get a
lot 
of attention with our cars.  I've attended many other car shows without
my 
car and only twice have I seen a Corvair at any of them.  The last one I

came across was at a Cruise-in in Dover, DE and that was the day a DE. 
Corvair club was having it's yearly big show.  I asked him why he wasn't

there and he said he liked coming to these type events because of the
wide 
variety of autos there, and talking to the people who remember these
cars. 
Then he said Corvair shows only draw in Corvair people, not the public
like 
a cruise-in does.

We're located between two Corvair clubs and only once has a Corvair
shown up 
at any of our clubs events from one of these clubs, even though they
have 
been invited.  What's the deal here??  Are Corvair owners really snobs
or 
come across to others as such?  Are they afraid of not getting the 
glory/attention if they attended another show?  That certainly hasn't
been 
my case.  I once had more people looking at my Corvair and talking with
me 
than owner of  the beautiful Ford roadster next to me at one cruise in. 
Maybe Corvair owners are more of a cult and only want to associate with 
fellow cult members, the same as Corvette, Packard, and other cars
mentioned 
above and to be appreciated only by like minded people.

Get out and show them, or you'll never get the attention of the young
people 
outside of the Corvair Cult.

Russ Moorhouse
'65 Corsa coupe 140 HP
Kent Island, MD

PS:  I had my Corvair parked outside of Mc Donald's a few weeks ago.  My

wife and I were walking out behind behind two young boys, about 12 or 13

years old.  They got on their bikes and the one boy noticed the Corvair
and 
got all excited over it.  He didn't notice us coming behind them and he
kept 
telling his friend what a beautiful car it was and going all around it. 
When we opened it up he had a bunch of questions and praise for it.  I
think 
his friend was a lost cause, but this boy is the kind we need to reach
out 
to. That experience was worth more to me than any trophy!!

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