<VV> Accurate numbers?

[Tony Underwood]

At 01:30 hours 12/13/2004 -0500, Marc Sheridan wrote:
>If you break down '66's by engine, then you have to do the same for the
'69's for an accurate comparison. A '69 140/4 convertible, like Rick Norris
has, is more rare than a '66 180/4.
>




Of course if you wanted to split hairs and define rarity by option
packages, the blue '69 Monza in the driveway is as scarce as any Corvair
anywhere with its particular option packages...  HD suspension,
quick-steer, 140 w/"special" transmission (nothing but a different governor
but hey, it was an option), tele wheel, AM/FM w/rear speaker, 3.55 Posi,
factory 'CORVAIR' mats, mag wheel covers (since removed and swapped of),
and a couple others I don't recall right offhand.   According to stats,
only a minute percentage of the '69 Monzas were thus optioned.    

Do I care?    The car came to live here because it was offered to us by its
PO Bill Burleson who was dying, and knew I always appreciated the car and
offered it up cheap, and I mean cheap.   It had been stored away for 8
years, hadn't run in that time and needed "recommissioning".   I did it up,
took it to  Bill's place several times so he could see his old daily driver
again.    I think he regretted selling it, sorta, after the fact; last time
we saw Bill alive we waved to him as we left in the blue '69 and he stood
there and watched us until we were out of sight.   A few days later he went
to stay with  relatives, health issues cropping up...  then he started
going downhill and passed shortly after.   

I don't care what options are on it.   It's kinda like Bill entrusted the
car, so I've tried to do good work on it.  

The car had a few body issues.   It had been banged at a Vair show many
years ago, delivery truck backed into it and bashed the passenger side rear
fender.   Maaco did the repairs, repaint as well...  both of which were
crap as witnessed how poorly they held up afterwards.   All the sorry-assed
enamel was cut off the car, along with all the bondo packed into the rear
fender... and the rust that had festered under the bondo was cut out and
repaired with patch panels.   Then the lead in the front windshield
panel/fender joints was removed and the joint reinforced/replaced with hand
formed sheet metal patches.   The car has been "gone over" and any other
evidence of any Maaco "body work" has been cut out and replaced with
mig-welded sheet metal patch panels.   As a bit of trivia, the fender patch
which was welded onto the rr fender was cut from the cast-off steel fenders
that David Clemens removed from his race car when he replaced the steel
panels with fiberglass.   I still have the rest of the fender in storage;
nothing is wasted.    

The '69 is just about ready for paint, having been stripped, sealed,
primed, and is currently sitting the winter out.   It runs well, is now
solid and straight, no bondo left in it anywhere, haven't been able to find
any more places that need attention with the mig welder, thank you Maaco.     

Hey, It's Bill's old '69 Monza.  It was originally sold by the local Chevy
dealer here in town and has lived in this city all its life.   It's had
three owners.   It has odd options.    And it's gonna get painted come
spring.    I don't care diddly about whether or not it's scarce or rare or
whatever.   It's just a Corvair Monza that looks like most any other
Corvair to anybody else.   Nothing special about it.    However, it's
important because of where it's been and who owned it and how they cared
about it and what it's endured.   It has history.    

Whether it's a rarity or not is inconsequential.   That's not why it's
here.    


tony..    


tony..