Alluring At Every Speed:
The 2nd-Gen Chevy Corvair
Is this the best-looking American car ever made?
Honestly—I’d take a ’65-’69 Corvair in a heartbeat over contemporary muscle cars. It’s arguably more attractive than even the C2 Sting Ray ‘Vette. Yes, I think it’s that good. Add in a generous helping of uncharacteristically daring (for GM) engineering, and it’s a done deal. Sign me up.
The well-written Ate Up With Motor article on the history of the Corvair calls out its “Italianate curves” as a debit relative to its then-new, formidable competition—the Mustang—what with the Ford’s long-nose, short-deck proportions and less exotic styling, but I’ll take the ‘Vair hands down. The subtle hips, the rakish nose, the unadorned flanks—it’s got it.
While still sporting the rear-mounted, air-cooled flat six, the 2nd gen Corvair was in many ways a completely different car than the notoriously-flawed ’60-’64 1st generation. The earlier car was the subject of Ralph Nader’s career-making exposé of unsound decision-making practices at GM that knowingly produced a car occasionally difficult for the average driver to handle, but the 2nd gen was improved in every way. Gone was the rudimentary swing axle rear suspension in favor of a new multilink design, and the independent front suspension was revised as well to better coordinate with the rear, producing a car with remarkable—and predictable—dynamics for a car from Detroit. Firm up the suspension a bit, tighten the steering a hair and it could easily pass for something European.
Even the cabin showed atypical restraint for the day. A clean swath of vinyl with only minor chrome fluting, the only “excessive” element was perhaps the over-instrumentation. The driver was treated to six gauges: A speedometer, tach, fuel, clock, cylinder head temp and manifold pressure. As an enthusiast who likes to have as much information as possible about the car’s current state, the plethora of gauges is actually a major selling point.
Yes, even though I’m not generally of fan of cars from my native country, I’d make a very notable exception for the 2nd gen Corvair. Lovely looks, interesting (and unique) engineering, and treats in the details. It’s a standout.