<VV> An American Revolution!

Tue Apr 8 14:25:57 EDT 2008

I'm sorry Keith, I don't agree with you.

Driving and owning a Corvair is nostalgic driving (39-48 years?).
Now I know some of you drive Corvairs as daily transportation (I used to), 
but I LIKE the instant start fuel injection gives me. I LIKE the safety of 
an air bag in front and beside me in case some bozo T-bones be. I LIKE air 
conditioning. I LIKE the headlights coming on automatically. My Corvairs 
don't have these new fangled advances...but then there's the beauty and 
uniqueness of the Corvair.

At LEAST I say in the General Motors family.

harry yarnell
Poohbah of Perryman
perryman garage and orphanage
hyarnell1 at earthlink.net
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Keith Hammett" <keith.hammett at stainlessfab.com>
To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2008 10:13 AM
Subject: <VV> An American Revolution!

> In the quest for the automotive industry to "give us what we want" and
> to simplify our driving experience they have actually begun an
> irreversible process.  You ask what the process could possibly be.  The
> process is called the "Dumbifing of America"!  This is a simple process
> that your tax dollars are hard at work doing.  With the attention to the
> automotive industry practice of "building unsafe" automobiles in the mid
> sixties we have steadily raised the price of autos while making our
> driving experience "safe" (so we have been told).  To this we can thank
> Ralph!
>
>
>
> I too was caught up in the wanting of the new technology that made the
> driving experience more pleasurable (or so I was brain washed).  When I
> started driving I wanted the new and "safer" and more convenient vehicle
> that was being produced.  The hydraulic clutch made the shifting of the
> transmission much easier on my legs.  The lights were wired with a
> buzzer to let me know that I was dumb and left the lights on before I
> left the vehicle.  Seatbelts are wired to alert me that I had not put it
> on.  Air conditioning is a standard feature to remove me from the
> environment that I was driving in.  Antilock brakes took the brain
> control out of applying the brakes in a controlled stop, now you just
> have to push the pedal and it will do it for you.  The accelerator pedal
> is a nice smooth and effortless motion, no real feel for what is
> happening under the hood.
>
>
>
> Then ten years pass and again I am once again noticing the new shining
> vehicles.  They are silently calling my brain, "you know you want me,
> just test drive me and you will see".  Kind of like Green Eggs and Ham,
> they just keep on until you finally decide that you must stop in and
> look at those new vehicles on the lot.  As soon as you step foot out of
> your old car they have the hook in you.  Then they start showing off the
> new and improved features of the vehicles.  Windshield wipers that are
> intermittent and even automatic have replaced the driver controlled
> units.  New safety devices have been added, they call them air bags (and
> they are sensitive to if someone is sitting in the seat).  Headlights
> are automatic, so you don't have to fuss with them.  Some models even
> will notify authorities if you have been in an accident.
>
>
>
> You might ask just how someone would notice these small changes that
> have occurred in the process called "Dumbifing of America".  This is
> very simple; all you need to do is drive your new "safer" and convenient
> auto for awhile; then step back in time into a Corvair and experience
> the way driving is supposed to be!  As soon as you get behind the wheel
> you can feel the excitement and you know that you are going to be in
> control.  You close the door and have that solid feel and sound, like a
> door is supposed too.  Then you work the throttle just to get the car
> started, no fuel injectors to do the work for you.  Next you pull the
> lights on, click the seatbelt and check your mirrors.  Now you slip the
> transmission into gear and start off on your adventure.  You must work
> the brake in order to have a controlled stop.  It starts to rain so you
> reach down and turn the knob for those wipers to come on, then you
> proceed with the unconscious dance of turning them on and off as needed.
> When you get to your destination your experience isn't over with just
> the flip of the key, no you need to reset the knobs in order to complete
> your adventure.  You have arrived safe because you were in control and
> not just along for the ride.  Then it hits you that the automotive
> industry and Ralph have been "Dumbifing America", you just smile as a
> coworker pulls up next to you in their fancy new vehicle and they wonder
> why you own a Corvair.  You can answer them because its "An American
> Revolution".
>
>
>
> This was my experience this morning!  What was yours?
>
>
>
> Keith (in control) Hammett
>
> '62 Rampside
>
>
>
> P.S. Anybody know how to put intermittent wipers and oh yes automatic
> headlights on a Corvair?  <GRIN>
>
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