Spyder, was: <VV> Corsa/Monza

[airvair]

That's something that I get asked, too, and I begrudgingly have to set
them straight. If anything, GM kept the Spyder name alive too long. Or
at least they should have amended the Corsa (with a turbo engine) with a
"Corsa/Spyder" name. The reason they dropped the Spyder name in '65 was,
I believe, because the Corsa would have the normally aspirated 140 as
standard, and the turbo optional. This differenciated it from the
earlier models.

In my not so humble opinion.

-Mark

BTW I've always refered to the air cleaner crossover as a spider, even
if it's on a 110.

WadeHalsey wrote:
> 
> NicolCS@aol.com wrote:
> > Now the only
> > question I will have to suffer is the inevitable "Is it a Spyder?" question...  Why
> > the heck did Chevy drop the good "Spyder" name when they changed from the
> > "practice" models to the "real" Corvairs?
> 
> I agree that Chevrolet should have kept the Spyder name because very few folks
> know what a Corsa is but most remember the Spyder.
> It is interesting that at least half of the people who want to talk about my
> Corvair, ask whether it has "the Spyder motor". Of course, I patiently explain
> that only turbo-charged engined early models were so equipped. On one occasion I
> raised the engine lid to show my carbureted engine and learned something myself;
> my questioner thought the air cleaner with its four air-cleaner tubes looked
> like a spider and therefore this WAS one of the famous Spyder motors. I'm
> guessing that a lot of people think the same thing and that is the reason we get
> this question over and over.
> 
> Wade Halsey (full of opinions that I mostly keep to myself)