<VV> 60s economy ride

[Chris & Bill Strickland]

We had a Morris Minor dealership in the town where I grew up , so they 
were quite common there in the late fifties, early sixties -- and nobody 
bought a "new" car for economy, they bought used cars 'cause they were 
less money, ie, more economical.  The mpg was not an economy 
consideration in those days, as gas was insignificantly cheap, but the 
cost of the car and insurance was what made it economical (or not), and 
little, used, low hp cars were way cheaper to insure for a teenage son. 
A Vette would often have higher insurance payments than car payments. We 
had a Chrysler New Yorker, and later, a Jag sedan, for a family car in 
those days, plus a plethora of Morris Minors (still own a Traveler), a 
DKW, and yes, a VW bug (which my sister rolled) and a bit later, the 356 
Porsche that I now have via purchase (Dad wasn't gonna just "give" a 
Porsche away, although it too was a used $400 "economy" car when he 
bought it).

If you bought a New Corvair, it was because you wanted a new car, not an 
economy car, and thought that rear engine to get around in the winter 
like the VW's was a good idea, but you didn't want one of those tiny 
German cars -- after all, you landed on the beach in Normandy and 
survived, and you didn't wnt to give the Germans a second crack at you  
(recall, above, I described what my sister did to the one VW Dad had 
bought ...).  Don't know how the Porsche got through after that -- I 
think Mom thought it was "cute", and she could be quite persuasive in 
those days, fully understanding the value of "cute".

My first, and second, and third, etc, Corvairs were "economy" cars -- 
bought in the early 70's for $25-$50, until I fell in love with that 
Corsa dash instrument cluster and bought a drivable 140 '65 Corsa coupe 
out of a wrecking yard for $200 (eeew - Big Spender), followed by a 
slightly wrecked 66 Corsa Vert 180.  By then I must've been thinking I 
was rich -- paid $350, in installments.  Stilll less than Dad paid for 
that Porsche ...

Bill Strickland