<VV> Trivia, was: Late spoiler

[airvair]

All this talk of the front "spoiler" on the '66-9 cars, and I bet nobody
knows the real GM name for it. FWIW, it's a VALANCE PANEL. GM never
intended it to "spoil" anything, rather it was meant only to cover up
the view of the mechanics underneath. THAT's why the center is angled
back, instead of pulled forward. A REAL spoiler would have been pulled
forward, so as to cut into the air and duct it around the car. Being
angled back, it probably shoves more air underneath than it does duct
around. This is also why the Corsa Enterprises' spoilers (and similar
designs) work so much better.

-Mark

NOSVAIR@aol.com wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 3/5/2004 10:15:29 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> virtualvairs-request@corvair.org writes:
> 
> > All the 66 models had a taller front spring as stock, and
> > always sat higher in the front. I believe the stock spoiler does, indeed,
> > make a
> > difference in the highway handling, especially in cross-winds.
> 
> I often wondered why a '66 looked ungainly without it's stock spoiler
> attached.  In this form more than half of the tire height can be seen from a frontal
> view.  Not very attractive given the LM's superior styling.  Every Corvair can
> benifit from the use of a front spoiler.
> 
> Bruce Webster
> '60 500 Sedan
> '61 700 Coupe
> '64 900 Coupe