<VV> Corvair Myths and Facts

[Steven J. Serenska]

Smitty:

The myth I always like is when someone says: "I'm _certain_ that I had 
the one with the push-button shifter."  (As though the little t-bar with 
no "park" position wasn't distinctive enough...). 

Usually, I gently tell them that they're likely thinking of a Valiant, 
but every now and again I run into some mallet head who insists that 
it's true.  He (or she) grinds his pointed little foot in the dirt and 
assures me that I'm the one who's mistaken.  It kills me that it never 
dawns on people like this that someone who cares enough to own and drive 
a Corvair all these years later might just know a smidgen more about 
Corvairs than they do.

The *fact* I like to share with people is that 1.77 million Corvairs 
were built.  That would mean that, on average, approximately 1-2% of the 
U.S. population in the 1960s bought a brand-new Corvair 
(http://www.census.gov/statab/hist/HS-01.pdf).  Assuming that most of 
these Corvairs were at some point traded in and bought again as used 
cars, you might reasonably claim that 4-5% of the US owned a Corvair in 
the 60s.  The dangers simply could not have been as severe as Nader 
claimed, or the effects would have been widespread.  The other fact that 
accompanies this point is the 1973 NHTSA report that completely 
exonerated the Corvair. 

Another fact I like to point out to people is that the Volkswagen Beetle 
(and Porsches) of the era shared the same rear-engine, swing-axle 
design.  An opinion I frequently mix into the conversation is that Nader 
likely perceived GM's pockets to be deeper, so he went after them 
instead of the German manufacturers.

There's a list of myths on the Corvair Underground website 
(http://www.corvairunderground.com/myths.htm).  There's another on 
Hemmings by way of the Vermont Corvair Club: 
http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/nvce/FactsMyths.html .

Can you please share the final list that you come up with?  I'm sure 
with your knowledge and the help of VV, you'll do a good job of it.  It 
would be nice to have them all in one place.

Steven "I'm 'certain' that Myth You was a single by the Rolling Stones" 
Serenska
65 Monza convertible, 110/4
66 Corsa Coupe, 140/4