<VV> Oh say can you see

[airvair at earthlink.net]

That's not exactly correct. First off, convertables are exempt from
rollover standards. Second, few convertables have rollbars. Granted, some
do, and some even have pop-up roll bars. But roll-bars are strictly
optional. The Mustang doesn't have one, other Chrysler convertables don't,
the SSR didn't, etc.

No, there is really no good reason why there can't be a true hardtop.
Especially on a car with a roof like what the new Camaro has. That "C"
pillar's size practically qualifies for a rollbar all by itself.

-Mark 

> [Original Message]
> From: <aeroned at aol.com>
> Subject: Re: <VV> Oh say can you see, was:  Modern Corvair vs. mundane
FWDs
>
> The reason NO car is a hardtop today is the roll over regulations imposed

> on the car industry by the US government. The convertibles have roll
bars, 
> some  unobtrusive and others not so much. Have you seen a PT Cruiser
'vert?
>  
> Ned
>  
> In a message dated 1/19/2010 12:29:02 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
> airvair at earthlink.net writes:
>
> I wonder  if they would do a "retro" Corvair the same way they did the new
> "retro"  Camaro. It's got a great modern "retro" revision of the '69
Camaro,
> but  it's a sedan. The original was a hardtop. Fact is, that is my 
biggest
> complaint about it, the Challenger, and even the Mustang. They're  ALL
> sedans, not hardtops. The LM Corvairs were beautiful as hardtops, and  to
> make them into sedans would ruin them.
>
> What's worse is  illustrated by the quarter windows in the Camaro. Just
look
> at how much of  the glass is blacked out, and what's behind all that
black.
> On the inside  you have a humoungous plastic trim panel that no doubt
hides
> a lot of  steel. My question is why? Especially since per square inch,
glass
> is  heavier than steel, so you'd think that the weight-savers would be  
> going
> ballistic over putting glass over steel and hiding it with black  paint on
> the glass and a trim panel on the inside.
>
> The result is  that the outward vision is horrible. From the driver's
seat,
> the right  quarter window looks like a postage stamp, while you can't even
> see out the  left quarter window. The blind spots are the size of semi
> trucks. I am  imagining a lot of new Camaros are going to end up with rear
> end damage  from people backing into things.
>
> That's the one thing the Corvair was  always praised for, its outward
view.
> Especially the LM 2door hardtop had  great visibility. No "B" pillar, and
> thin "C" pillars. If a Corvair were  done today, would it suffer the same
> fate as the Camaro? Would you end up  with a 2door sedan with horrible
> rearward  vision?
>
> -Mark