<VV> Cadet=Corvair?

[Bruce Schug]

The new June issue of "Automobile" has an article about Peter Brock.

In the article, is says that he joined the Design department of GM  
when he was 19. It continues: "An after-hours conversation with design  
legend Harley Earl led to Brock conceptualizing and styling a tiny,  
rear-engine commuter car that would later take larger shape as the  
1960 Corvair."  In a picture it identifies the car as the Cadet and  
says: "Cadet: This GM exercise -- a rear-engine, two-seat 1956 design  
on a 67 inch wheelbase--was green-lighted by design czar Harley Earl  
and later took larger form as the 1960 Corvair."

I am aware of the Cadet.  It does resemble a Corvair with a small  
Corvette-type top.  I did not remember that this turned into the  
Corvair.  Is this generally recognized as being true?

Googleing "1956 gm cadet" brings up a couple of articles, including  
this one that has a picture: http://tinyurl.com/2fyhkvq

None of these articles say the Cadet became the Corvair.  I think the  
truth was that the Corvair was GM's next small car but it didn't  
really evolve from the Cadet.  What do you think?


Bruce

Bruce W. Schug
CORSA South Carolina
CORSA member since 1980
Performance Corvair Group
Stock Corvair Group
VirtualVairs
FastVairs
'67 Monza, "67AC140"
bwschug at att.net