[Rupert]

My wife actually regretted it when we bought a house in town and she had to give up a 12-mile one-way commute, because the trip was very scenic.

I can tell you this.....after coming back from Amarillo last week, the road from the Ft Worth area to Amarillo an back may be the ugliest scenery on earth. Maybe worse than Midland/Odessa...if hat is possible?

Regards!

[Racer X 69]

I'd like it if Subaru would buy just one set of brakes for all their cars. The turbo cars have rear brakes that are larger than the front brakes on the normally aspirated cars. I think they should all be the same size. Just my $0.02.

Brakes are sized differently for various vehicles for a number of factors. Weight and power output require that the braking system has the capacity to safely bring the vehicle to a stop.

[grhazelton]

Brakes are sized differently for various vehicles for a number of factors. Weight and power output require that the braking system has the capacity to safely bring the vehicle to a stop.

I owned 2 1965 Corvairs. IIRC Chevrolet used the same brake drums, etc. - this was before discs were in general use - as the Chevelle. Since the Corvair was lighter it had brakes "to spare," and with its rear engine weight transfer gave the front and rear brakes roughly equal use under heavy braking. That car would really stop, and I don't ever recall having brake fade even while doing some rather stupid things.

[Tom S.]

I owned 2 1965 Corvairs. IIRC Chevrolet used the same brake drums, etc. - this was before discs were in general use - as the Chevelle. Since the Corvair was lighter it had brakes "to spare," and with its rear engine weight transfer gave the front and rear brakes roughly equal use under heavy braking. That car would really stop, and I don't ever recall having brake fade even while doing some rather stupid things.

But then came Ralph....

[grhazelton]

But then came Ralph....

Oh, yes. And GM was foolish enough to attack him personally, rather than point to the enthusiast reviews of the 65 and later Corvairs, and discuss their improvements. My 'vairs never scared me, even though I recall cornering hard enough to starve the hydraulic valve lifters. On a winding road the 'tangs were toast. As were 4 cylinder 911s, maybe. I remember losing to one because I selected the wrong gear. IIRC the gear box and U joints on the '66 and '67 were strong enough to handle a small block V 8 mounted amidships. What a Q ship that must have been! Serious power, and better weight distribution.

[Rupert]

Back in late 67' or early '68 I was going to LA via San Diego in my '67 Camaro. It was a 327 and not particularly fast but it would hit the 120 mark on a straightaway easily. I was coming down off the big hill on the long stretch toward Yuma and put it on the floor. Divided highway, no traffic, why not? That is a boring drive at night and at that speed you don't tend to want to doze off.
A couple of miles down off the hill I saw headlights far behind me...and with each look in the rearview they seemed to be getting closer/ A cop? If so, it's too late now, I just kept the speed and went on. In no time a silver Corvair was alongside me and there were smiling faces peering out the windows....for only a few seconds then they left me like I was in park.

About 20 minutes later I came to a truck stop and there it was. I went in an looked around, it was thinly occupied. There were those faces, four young Black guys headed back to college in LA from a visit back home in Alabama. I sat down and had some coffee with them. They wouldn't say more a than "it has juice" when I tried to find out what they were running. They laughed a lot and were all some really fun guys. I went on and maybe 10 minutes down the road they puled alongside of me again. showing those big wide smiles and a thumbs up...and left me again.

I have often wondered....anyone have a guess as to what kind of engine was in that Corvair? You know, I never sat in one, or rode in one. They looked sort of neat to me in a funny kind of way.

Regards!

[Just1MoreDave]

I have often wondered....anyone have a guess as to what kind of engine was in that Corvair? You know, I never sat in one, or rode in one. They looked sort of neat to me in a funny kind of way.

Regards!

I wonder if it was aerodynamics. They offered up to 180hp from the factory, a turbo version of the 140hp 2.7 liter flat 6. That sounds like your Camaro should have beaten it easily with almost double the horsepower. But it was air cooled, engine in the back. At 120mph most of your power is going towards overcoming drag. The Camaro has a ordinary open grille and radiator, while the Corvair has mostly sheet metal in front. The Corvair is about 6 inches narrower, possibly lower too but I can't find those numbers.

Gearing for each car might make up for the rest of the story. A high (numeric) rear axle ratio in a Camaro would mean turning high revs, maybe past the peak power. Maybe the Corvair was geared to make the right revs at those speeds, closer to its peak.

[Tom S.]

There was also a Spyder option that helped pep up the "Vair".

[Ratcheteer]

Gearing for each car might make up for the rest of the story.

if i remember correctly the 67 327's base engine final drive ratio is 2.73 which isn't very quick when the engines stock output is 210hp regardless of transmission
also the corvair would of been at least 300kg lighter and has a more acceleration friendly 3.27 final drive ratio

[Rupert]

Interesting possibilities. I guess I will always be wondering and never know for certain. Remember, it was also loaded with 4 big guys, if I recall they were basketball players and looked pretty cramped in that little car. I was alone and wasn't over 150 # back then...in the "good ol' days" of eat all you want and never gain an ounce! I bet some of you guys remember those days too?

Regards!

[Racer X 69]

Also keep in mind that some people dropped Chevy V-8 engines into the Corvair. Some were wedged directly in place of the original engine. Others slipped in where the back seat was.


A few misguided souls even placed a V-8 up front, in the boot. (not a good choice, IMOHO)


A tidy package in either case.


And very fast.

[wtlwdwgn]

And a few put a V-8 in the cabin in front of the rear axle to make a mid-engined Corvair.

[Rupert]

A V-8 in a Corvair sounds sort of scary to me? Handling?

Sort of like a 351 Cleveland in a Pinto?

Regards!

[Racer X 69]

Others slipped in where the back seat was.

And a few put a V-8 in the cabin in front of the rear axle to make a mid-engined Corvair.

A V-8 in a Corvair sounds sort of scary to me? Handling?

Sort of like a 351 Cleveland in a Pinto?

Actually, placing the engine where the back seat was created a fairly well balanced car.

[hks_kansei]

I bought this last week as a sensible runabout.


(right side is mine, left is just a random one I saw..... odd since very few of these were sold in Australia)



I love that it has 5 seats, a torquey engine, and so many comfort gizmos that it's better than my house in many aspects..

I hate that the engine is wedged in and almost every job needs the intake manifold removed, and that every vaccuum line was made of a rubber that under heat and oil has turned so hard and fragile you would swear it was glass..

And tomorrow I have the misfortune of replacing every single vac line........