- Posted on Tuesday, October 28th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
From the Archives: 1960 Chevy Corvair
Thanks for your requests for photos from General Motors’ archives. Please keep them coming.
This week’s featured photo is of a 1959 Chevy Corvair.
Keep checking back as we post more of the photos you asked for. And keep those requests coming. - By Will Stewart, blog editor
13 Comments
Bruce McGettrick
Great concept, if our engineers could have kept the rear axles in the car!
Wendell Mercantile
I’m somewhat surprised you had the courage to show an image of a Corvair.
Barry Johnson
The Corvair wasn’t released until the 1960 model year — although it may have been photographed in 1959!
They still handle incredibly well as long as you keep the tires pressurized correctly. Wendell — check out the NTSA’s study of the Corvair — they found it had no more problems than similar models of the era — and in fact, performed better in most cases.
George Jones
Great picture of a 1960 Corvair. FYI, even the ones made in 1959 were considered 1960 models. A great little car, and an exquisite example of ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking, it’s too bad that GM doesn’t have any more Harley Earl’s, Ed Cole’s or Zora Duntov’s in their design studio’s anymore.
Ned Madsen
First of all, the photo is a 1960 Corvair.
Second of all, there wasn’t a problem keeping “the rear axles on the car.” Ralph Nader contended that the swing rear axle made the Early Corvair (60-64) prone to roll over accidents. The design was changed to a fully independent suspension on the 1965 model. The NTSB tested the Corvair, both early and late models, as well as several other cars in 1972. They found that the Corvair was actually LESS prone to roll overs than the other cars, there by proving Mr. Nader wrong.
Finally, there are many Corvair on the roads and race tracks today, a testimony to the great design, GM’s forward thinking and loyalty of Corvair owners. And yes, my opinion is biased, I drive and race a Corvair!
Joel Rushworth
There was nothing wrong with the Corvair axles. And it’s too bad GM doesn’t show more of the kind of courage it took to bring such a revolutionary vehicle to market, as it did back in 1960 with the Corvair.
Love the licence plate! it reads “4U 1960″
Editor
Thanks for the info, George and Barry. I updated the headline to reflect the 1960 model year. Will Stewart, blog editor
Gary Swiatowy
The Corvair pictured was a 1960 model, it may have been released in 1959, but Corvairs were produced from 1960 - 1969. There was NO 1959 model.
Jeffrey Aronson
Good for GM for recognizing the Corvair, one of the most remarkable cars ever produced by a US manufacturer. I still drive my 1966 Corvair on a daily basis, year-round, because it delivers a wonderful driving experience - handling, traction, cabin feel, and fuel economy. I once owned an early model, like the one in the photo, and it served me very well in northern New England’s seasons.
Please know that Chevrolet has not produced a car that succeeded so well in transferring engineering vision into reality, except maybe the Corvette. The rest of GM has done little better. You have not produced a car that has made me “need” to go out and get a car since my late model Corvair. I know you can because your predecessors did once.
Bruce Schug
The photo is indeed not only a 1960 Corvair, but a very early one at that. On the driver’s side of the front of the car, under the bumper, you can see the small vertical slots. These were for the horn - to let the noise out! Only the very earliest ’60s had these. Very cool and exclusive.
My ‘67 coupe continually gets remarks at how cool it is and inquiries to buy it. Such a fun car!
Richard Widman
Yep, a very early 60. I have always loved the looks of that car, ever since my mother brought one home in the fall of 1959.
I’m currently restoring a 1960, with 21 months of step by step documentation on line if anyone wants to see it.
http://www.widman.biz/Corvair/corvair.html
Jeremiah Bentz
Quote “The design was changed to a fully independent suspension on the 1965 model. ”
I believe the suspension changed in 1964….
Cool Picture of the Corvair !!!
I Love the Car and they stopped Building it before I was Born but I have 2 Now and counting !
62 700 Coupe
64 Spyder
Joseph Benedetto
In 1964 GM upgraded the original Corvair suspension by softening the coil springs, adding a stabilizer bar to the front axle and a transverse leaf spring to the rear axle to make the car handle better. It was, in effect, the same suspension but with add-ons to alter the way the car handled.
For the 1965 model, however, the front and rear suspension system was changed entirely. The front coil springs were softened from 182 lbs/in to 130, the front track was widened by nearly an inch, and the rear axle was replaced with a new design based on the rear suspension of the highly successful Corvette Sting ray. So you can make a point on changes in both model years…
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