Share Pics of People Hauling or Towing Something Wrong

[Xfaxman]

2nd generation Corvairs were cool looking (65-69). Pintos, not so much IMHO. A Corvair rear engine station wagon was quite a vehicle.

Especially this one: https://www.youtube.com/@MattsOffRoadRecovery

It was rear engine, but not now!

 

[Oaktree]

Bottom of tires look flat. Suspension hanging as if the car is resting on its wheels, wheels not hanging low as would be if the car was jacked up.

The tires were my first clue, didn't really notice the suspension until you mentioned it. Also, those straps don't seem to be tied to anything on the truck.

The original Corvair had only one CV joint per axle so the rear wheel would tend to tuck under in hard corners. This is less than optimum for handling but is the same as the Volkswagen bug. Nader went after GM instead of VW (in spite of the VW having a lot more cars on the road) because GM was such an attractive target.

Speaking of old VWs, don't forget they also had the gas tank in the front of the vehicle with only the spare tire in front of it. I don't know how much protection the tire would give in a front end collision.

 

[old and tired]

....I don't know how much protection the tire would give in a front end collision.

The bug never got going fast enough to be a problem....

 

[California]

The bug never got going fast enough to be a problem....

VW's initial response to safety criticism was 'rear engine'd, tail heavy, so they always spin and go off the road tail-first'. Really!

Slower than the Bug was the Transporter, the no-windows version of the VW van. Compound gearing between the axles and the hubs. Speedometer redlined at 54 mph! BTDT.

 

[Jstpssng]

Especially this one: https://www.youtube.com/@MattsOffRoadRecovery

View attachment 776793View attachment 776794
It was rear engine, but not now!

This was a great build!!!

 

[Jstpssng]

The original Corvair had only one CV joint per axle so the rear wheel would tend to tuck under in hard corners. This is less than optimum for handling but is the same as the Volkswagen bug. Nader went after GM instead of VW (in spite of the VW having a lot more cars on the road) because GM was such an attractive target. The original Corvair wasn't all that bad but the second generation corrected it by adding a second CV joint making it handle very well. But by that time, with the safety campaign and the existing cooling problems, limited production volumn, etc. it was doomed.

After I asked my question I did a search for the same. This Will the Corvair kill you?

is a test drive of the actual 1960 Corvair which Nader once owned.

 

[Jstpssng]

2nd generation Corvairs were cool looking (65-69). Pintos, not so much IMHO. A Corvair rear engine station wagon was quite a vehicle.

Pintos were tough for what they were though. A couple of friends had them in high school and beat the crap out of them the way that only high school kids can do.

 

[joecoin]

Were they really that bad or did Nader just find a way to create a name for himself?

Anecdotal:

I saw the engine fall out of a Corvair onto the street when I was a kid. The story was the guy was on his way to buy insurance.

 

[notaz3]

Especially this one: https://www.youtube.com/@MattsOffRoadRecovery

View attachment 776793View attachment 776794
It was rear engine, but not now!

Matt doesn't mess around and Lindsey is one awesome lady.

 

[John0829]

Anecdotal:

I saw the engine fall out of a Corvair onto the street when I was a kid.

I did not know until I was talking to my wife about Corvairs that she had one when in high school... and the engine fell out of it on the main street of town. At least she was going slow.