Chevy Corvair production began with the 1960 model year and ended with the 1969 model year. The Chevrolet Corvair was a unique American automobile when it was introduced with it’s rear end air cooled engine and, what we believe, was a sporty look. VW of course had many years behind it with their air cooled rear engine design technology. Chevrolet on the other hand jumped right into it in 1960 with the Corvair. The Chevrolet Corvair was listed as a compact vehicle.
The Second Generation Corvair
The car featured in this article is the 1965 Chevy Corvair Corsa Convertible and was among the second generation Corvairs.
As many know, the Chevrolet Corvair became a rather controversial automobile due to the publication of Ralph Nader’s book “Unsafe at Any Speed” which highlighted Corvair design flaws. Nader’s book actually took on the entire American auto industry accusing it of ignoring vehicle safety features to attain greater profits. He accused them of putting out unsafe cars.
In regards to the Chevy Corvair, Nader’s primary accusation was that the car was unstable while cornering. It was a suspension issue for the rear engine mounted automobile. Whether Nader’s book was spot on or an overly sensational publication, the automobile industry did take note. The Corvair did receive a new suspension system which apparently corrected the cornering problem.
Chevy Corvair Popularity
Regardless of Ralph Nader’s book, the Chevrolet Corvair was an overall popular car. The car was sporty and the convertible models looked terrific.
The Corvair did have it’s detractors, mostly those that found the car a bit too foreign looking for their tastes. No doubt, the Chevy Corvair was a radically designed automobile but there were many that took a liking to the little sporty vehicle.
Some may remember that the early Corvairs, starting in 1961, were also produced as wagons, vans, and even a pick up truck design.
A bit over 1.7 million Chevy Corvairs were produced from the 1960 to 69 model years. There were two Chevy Corvair design generations. These were 1960-64 and 1965-69. The first generation Corvairs were basic four-door sedans in “500” and a bit more deluxe “700” trim levels. Standard was the three-speed floorshift manual transmission and as an option a two-speed Powerglide automatic.
The Chevy Corvair Corsa
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