<VV> CORVAIR UNDERGROUND 1974-2009

[Alan and Clare Wesson]

Hi Lon

I'll miss you! I know I don't buy that much off you, but that's because I 
don't buy much stuff, period! When I buy stuff, I usually buy it from you!

I'll miss you being there. But I am sure you are doing the right thing - 
your health (and Linda's sanity!) are the most important things, and I hope 
you will find you can enjoy Corvairs more once you don't have to work on 
them any more! And I hope you find alternative gainful employment - 
remunerative if you need it!

Best wishes for the future!

Alan



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "corvairs" <corvairs at pacifier.com>
To: "Virtualvairs" <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2009 12:08 AM
Subject: <VV> CORVAIR UNDERGROUND 1974-2009


CORVAIR UNDERGROUND
1974-2009

It would be trite of me to say that this is the hardest letter I have
ever had to write. It would be trite and, well, untrue as well. All of
us have had negative events in our life, some worse than others. On a
scale of negativity this letter ranks pretty high, but I’ve seen worse.

In 1974 I was young and stupid. I started a part time business that, by
any rational measure, looked like an eccentric lark. For reasons I still
don’t fully understand that excursion blossomed into a full fledged mail
order business.

When my 2nd wife and I separated in 1982 I almost lost the business. But
I kept stubbornly plugging away and, with the help of Linda (whom I
married in 1983), managed to rebuild the Corvair Underground into a
legitimate International player in the Corvair parts market.

35 years is a long time for any business to last, but very little lasts
forever. 2009 marks the year that Linda and I will begin to liquidate
our corporation. We’ve seen and had to make many changes in the way
we’ve done things. That’s how you survive 35 years.

But the past 3 years have been just a bit much. First we tried to sell
the business for somewhat less than it was worth. Then we tried to sell
it for a lot less than it was worth. Then we almost gave it away. In
every case the “serious” buyers passed up on a real opportunity, mostly
because of a lack of funds.

I have had health problems before, but my heart/stroke surgery 2 years
ago really threw a monkey wrench in everything. Add that to failed
attempts to sell, losing my key employees in the process, and a general
downturn in the economy has made the going rough. Truthfully I promised
Linda Winter before last that we would not struggle through another
Winter (Our traditionally slowest time of the year). And here we are.

It’s time for me to do something else. What that is, I have no idea. But
I do know that it’s time to wind this business down.

Our intention is to have Corvair Underground closed by late Spring of
this year. Whether that will be possible or not remains to be seen. Even
though our operation is considerably smaller than our “heydays” of the
past 35 years, there is still an unbelievable amount of inventory here.
I would still claim that we are the second largest inventory of new and
reproduced Corvair parts in the world. We also have about a quarter mile
of shelving and a lot of other equipment and stuff.

Is there a buyer out there? Time’s running out. I may have to dump all
this stuff on the open market and though “garage” sales. Not really
looking forward to that.

If you have even a passing interest in our clearance make sure you’re
signed up for our electronic NEWS. It’s free and easy. Just log into our
website at www.corvairunderground.com. That will be the primary way I
will be announcing open house sales dates and other breaking news.

So far as continuing to take and process your mail orders - that will
not change at all. A number of our reproduced items will NOT be replaced
and some inventory that requires large purchase commitments will not be
replaced either. In the meantime we’ll keep processing orders for the
foreseeable future just as we have since 1974.

Has Corvair Underground been a positive force in the Corvair parts
market these past 35 years? Well, the age of self-promotion of my
business has ended for me. Other people and history will answer that
question, eventually.

Lon Wall
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