<VV> Re: Corvair Handling

[vairologist@juno.com]

> From: "slmizel@juno.com" <slmizel@juno.com>
> Subject: <VV> Corvair Handling
> ------------snip----------------
 When I bought my "new" vair last spring I 
> almost killed myself the first time I drove it on the highway.  The 
> front end was drifting all over the place -- so much so that I 
> slowed down to 45 mph and even then was stressing a bit (normally no 
> big deal, but I just happened to be driving it home in St. Louis 270 
> rush hour traffic). 
-------------------------------------
Smitty Says;  Steve, I don't know what year you are driving but even the
worst of the Earlies shouldn't handle like that.  Being an Early lover I
enjoy driving all 5 of mine.  My wife's Rampy never is a happy camper at
elevated speeds (80), constantly cycling and hunting for a direction to
go.  All the others are fine high speed tourers.  Yes affected by gusts
and cross winds but nothing a minor steering correction can't handle.
With reasonable tire pressure and differential they are stable at any
speed I care to drive them.  Spike is comfortable at 120 per.  It is my
opinion that a lot of bad reports of poor handling in Corvairs is just a
new owner making the transition from a lead barge front engined car to a
light delicate handling rear engined car.  Any deviation from straight
ahead is seen as "going out of control" where in reality it is just a
shift of the chassis due to outside forces.  Ignore it and it will go
away before you can react to it.  They are not inherently unstable.  
        Let me finish by saying that if your car was as unsettled as you
say then you may indeed have a mechanical problem, so check it out before
you condemn the Fair.