<VV> Cheer up, it's Friday

[Sethracer at aol.com]

Glory days ahead  for the Corvair? Ah, the economy. With the Dow in what 
looks like free fall,  and housing prices sliding fast – and houses don’t slide 
uphill - it is nice to  know that we of the Corvair persuasion, seem to have 
made a good choice in our  passion for restoration. Of course some will say they 
have pulled that foolish  401K money out of the market and invested it is a 
safe collectable, like a 70  Barracuda Hemi. Note – at current Barrett-Jackson 
prices, that would totally  deplete my 401K. But our Corvairs are not just 
collectables, they are  “drive-ables” too. Even as gas drifts down toward a year 
ago’s nightmare of  $3/Gallon, the Hemi, at single digit MPG consumption, is 
still the Arab oil  company’s best friend, next to the Cadillac Escalade, 
perhaps. (For some, it may  come as a surprise that the three countries which 
supply most of the US imported  oil are Canada,  Mexico and  Saudi  Arabia. Not 
too many terrorists in  Canada and  Mexico, and although we may be hated  by a 
bunch of entry-level Saudis, their country’s government has been a  reasonable 
ally over the years.)  Our Corvairs, in good tune and driven with a bit of 
sense –sometimes even  without – can still turn in respectable mileage. So - 
take that  Canada!  But before I totally lose my point, I  think the Corvair may 
finally be turning the corner – something it has always  been good at – and 
will become the socially acceptable collector car from the  60’s, until well 
past the point I will care about it!  In good original tune, the Corvair  
exceeds almost all still-running 1960’s cars for mileage and overall economy.  (PS, 
the original Falcon sixes became oil clogged and have been dead for years.)  
Even our parts are cheap for repair and refurbishment. (Okay, not as cheap as  
the same parts were in the 60’s, but a fuel pump for a 2002 Camaro is $300, I  
can testify!) And the Corvairs are pretty simple to keep running. The problem 
I  see is that we older owners have been declining in ability (and desire for 
 repair work) as the new cars are getting harder and harder to fix. That 
makes  the older cars perfect for us doddering old fools! Also we have the time, 
and  still enough funds in the 401k, to change out a Corvair Fuel pump, etc. We 
owe a  big debt of gratitude to the folks who produced the Tech guides and 
the Basics  books. Those make the simple jobs even simpler, and the tough jobs 
doable! Even  if you don’t have tool J-4523 in your tool box.  
So, get out and drive your Corvair, maybe to the DooWop drive-in, but at  
least to your Corvair Club meeting. Make it a festive October/November/December.  
You have plenty to celebrate this holiday season. You own a Corvair, you don’
t  own Lehman Brothers stock (anymore),  you have no more than $100,000 in any 
one bank. (You don’t, do you?) Many, many  things to celebrate. After the big 
Bailout plan – Oops, I mean Rescue plan - is  funded, the only “Change” we 
will see may be in the Government, there certainly  won’t be much in our 
pockets! America will be nostalgic for the early 1960’s,  when Cars were cool and 
gas was cheap – although only those 60’s cars are still  available – that cheap 
gas was used up “Somewhere West of Laramie” a couple of  decades ago. Go 
have fun and be proud that you don’t have to drive your  retirement plan around, 
even if you do have to park your car in your retirement  plan’s driveway each 
night. Glory days ahead? In the wink of a young girls  eye!   - Seth  Emerson
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