<VV> V-8 Convertibles

[James P. Rice]

Mark:  You are correct most of the V-8 conversions seem to be coupes.  I'd
suggest you find CORSA's SIG on the subject matter:  v8registry.com 

They have a bunch of photos and other info about the various water-pumper
conversions. 

Historically Yours,
		James Rice  

Message: 1
Date: Wed, 25 Nov 2015 17:22:21 +0000 (UTC)
From: Mark Morgan <rangermk at sbcglobal.net>
To: "virtualvairs at corvair.org" <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Subject: Re: <VV> VirtualVairs Digest, Vol 130, Issue 42

Well, with that rollbar looming over the intake stakes, it does kind of look
like someone kit-bashed an LM with a McLaren M6B.....
BTW, anyone aware of other convertible V8 conversions?? Seems the ones I've
seen in the past were typically coupes, which probably lessens the
appearance impact.? 
Mark Morgan 

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Message: 1
Date: Tue, 24 Nov 2015 20:40:59 +0000 (UTC)
From: Bruce Alexander <brucealexander11 at yahoo.com>
To: "virtualvairs at corvair.org" <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Subject: <VV> ultimate V8 Corvair?

The engineering is thorough and impeccable.The paint and overall finish
seems flawless.Suspension seems well engineered and excellent.The interior
is nicely done and utilitarian..OK Then! Why does it look so UGLY
overall.The late model design is an acclaimed beautiful design.  It somehow
has been morphed into something that barely resembles a Corvair.  Just my
opinion.  I'd Like to hear from someone else? interest in overall design? In
spite of that I'd love to own it

...,Bruce Alexander.

-----------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Wed, 25 Nov 2015 19:25:40 -0500
From: "Steven J. Serenska" <corvair at serenska.com>
To: virtualvairs at corvair.org
Cc: brucealexander11 at yahoo.com
Subject: Re: <VV> ultimate V8 Corvair?

Bruce:
> The engineering is thorough and impeccable.The paint and overall finish
seems flawless. Suspension seems well engineered and excellent.  The
interior is nicely done and utilitarian..  OK Then! Why does it look so UGLY
overall. The late model design is an acclaimed beautiful design. It somehow
has been morphed into something that barely resembles a Corvair.Just my
opinion. I'd Like to hear from someone else?   Interest in overall design?

I couldn't agree more.  It really does look "UGLY overall".

I'm biased as all get-out, but I think the various reasons why it's so ugly
are testimony to just how strong the LM's design is.  If you tamper with
even the smallest part of it, the vehicle's whole presentation goes <poof>
into a cloud of dust.

Here's where I specifically think he went wrong:

- He put an over-flared (IMHO) air dam on the front.  It's all really,
really nicely done as far as body work goes, but it makes the car look 
like one of those aging actresses who pumps a bit too much silicone into her
lips in an attempt to look comely.  Look quickly between this image and the
car's front: 
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/65/7b/ec/657bec06bbdfa208ee1422744
07a3e65.jpg 

- He put the spoiler at kind of an odd location and I think it interferes
with the lovely flowing hip lines of a stock LM.  I've seen LM Corvairs with
spoilers that look kind of cool -- when they're perched just above the cove
-- but this guy's is so far forward on the rear 
deck, it takes on the appearance of being a second windshield frame.

- He put small flares on the wheel wells.  I think these are the least
intrusive of the body changes he made but, when taken together with the
others, they start to become too much.  A touch of mascara can be fine, but
when you combine it with big false eyelashes and globs of mauve paint on
your eyelids, you can end up looking like Amy Winehouse PDQ
(http://a1.files.biography.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,g_face,h_
300,q_80,w_300/MTE1ODA0OTcxNDM0MDgzODUz.jpg). 
Any father who watched while his teenage girls were learning to put on
makeup knows what I'm getting at...

- Finally, one of the biggest issues I can see is also the most subtle.  The
final design's removal of the back seat and top boot area and 
replacement with a massive aluminum engine shroud takes away many of those
interesting LM curves your eye expects to see. The elongated appearance
almost makes it look like someone started down the path of turning it into a
stretch limo, but then gave up. For me, the long, uninterrupted flowing line
starts to resemble the "Monkee Mobile" 
(http://www.dialbforblog.com/archives/438/monkeemobile2.jpg).

In sum, I'd say this car suffers from AMC Pacer disease.  Each of the design
ideas, when written down separately on pieces of paper, probably looked
pretty strong in the design room.  However, when they went out to the shop
floor and assembled all of them into the final package, BLECCH.

As a few people have said, some pretty smart guys at GM thought long and
hard about the Corvair and they got most of it right.  Tamper with it at
your peril.

Steven "opinionated?  me?" Serenska
Bristol, RI
1965 Monza Convertible, 110/4, bone stock
1966 Corsa Coupe, 140/4, bone stock