Way back in 2011 I spotted a great little Corvair on the move at a particular intersection near my home. How strange that at the very same intersection eight years later I spied another.
Come to think of it the subject for my CC on the 1965 Corvair sedan was located and photographed on the block to the west of this intersection. I now remember a blue convertible that might have been the very car in the 2011 sighting was photographed at length in the shopping center that borders the southeast corner of this intersection. Is there something about this particular spot of geography that attracts Corvairs?
After our recent recognition of Joe Dennis’ lightning-fast photo skills, I vowed that I would grab this one on the fly. By the time my phone camera woke up and reported for duty the little white sedan was well ahead of me.
There, that’s better. Thank goodness for the huge image size that is my phone camera’s default.
Then traffic started to get in the way.
I was able to grab a few shots as it made its way through a left turn . . .
and then it was gone. Vair-y quickly. But no worries – given my history with this spot another will soon be along.
You’re quicker on the draw than I am. On my recent trip that netted the IH truck (and Dodge and Cushman) find, I saw two Corvairs, a first-gen 4 door, and a second-gen coupé. The former was on the road in the oncoming traffic, the latter was parked roadside. First ‘Vairs I’d seen a while, but didn’t get pics of either.
A really cool (perhaps unintentional?) benefit of the shot that also includes the Cobalt coupe is showing the old/new tie-in with Chevrolet’s trademark twin-round taillamp motif.
I don’t know if I’d give Chevy enough credit to call it their trademark look, given how few cars besides the Corvette(pre C7) actually used it after 1973, but I completely agree that’s a cool shot or happy coincidence!
Is there something about this particular spot of geography that attracts Corvairs? Probably just that a Corvair collector lives in the neighborhood. Nice catch on the 4 door as you almost never see them anymore. That is a neat tie in with the Cobalt coupe.
The really tough find is the second-gen 4 door hardtop. I haven’t seen one in decades.
Love it that the driver’s arm is hanging out – can’t do that with modern “gun slit beltline” cars!
Sadly, it’s now illegal to even *hold* a phone while driving in Illinois, and it’s a moving violation if caught. I bought a cheap dash cam recently and need to install it to see how it works for capturing CCs on the go.
On the subject of Corvairs and their (Cor)variants ….Look what I saw recently…
This!
Make sure your picture is .jpg (JPEG format). That’s all the site can display. Most photo viewers can change format either in the edit menu or with a save-as.
Used to see a white corvair sedan frequently at work a couple years back.
The permanent station wagon style roof rack is the first I’ve seen on a sedan. Given the lack of frunk space….
Looking at it from the perspective of half a century, the original Corvair was a very nice styling job and also very influential, if not much for practicality or reliability or safety. The interiors were pretty small, and the back seat on the two-doors unusable. Originally compared to the deluxe Falcon the interiors were also really crap, I guess because of all the money spent on engineering. The non-deluxe Corvair exteriors were pretty grim too. This one isn’t a base model.
Current GM styling is generally nicely done and also usually looks like it was done by committee. (Styling today is generally known as design even if it’s mostly styling.)
My only comment of the day was met with a message about posting too fast, which also for no good reason disappears it. I’ve tried the recommended signing in first before and it didn’t make any difference.
Is the 2020 Corvette is the first Chevrolet with a front trunk since the Corvair, or am I forgetting something?
Also, why did Chevy ditch the neat compartment behind the rear seat starting in 1961? I vaguely remember being a 4 year old and sleeping back there on a cushion cut to the floor size, though it may have been in a VW bug or something else.
“Is there something about this particular spot of geography that attracts Corvairs?”
Yes, there must be a disruption in the Time-Space continuum at this exact spot!
Orange barrels – Is this in Ohio?
Close – Central Indiana.
Question by la673: “Also, why did Chevy ditch the neat compartment behind the rear seat starting in 1961? I vaguely remember being a 4 year old and sleeping back there on a cushion cut to the floor size….”
Answer: Yes, you have a good memory and are absolutely correct! 1960 Corvairs had a rather large compartment behind the rear seat. It was eliminated in 1961. Why? To accommodate the mixing box and blower for the direct air heater, which replaced the gasoline heater in ’61. The mixing box and blower for the direct air heater occupied the space where that compartment used to be.
The direct air heater used engine cooling air as the source of heat for the defroster and passenger compartment heat. That’s why they located the mixing box and blower back there.
Thanks for explaining …. and of course, there already was a whole feature about the 1960-only storage compartment; I should know to check for things like this first. Still seems like alot of space taken up just for a fan and some heater ductwork though.
I have to say that in the UK you’d get a ticket for using a phone like this as a driver, if Plod saw you.
Interesting to see that the Chevy Cruze has the twin round rear light set up of the Corvair.