<VV> GMese as relates to Corvairs and other GM marques

[henry kaczmarek]

Now that Mark and Smitty have finished their semantic sparring, here's a little history I learned in the auto weatherstripping business.   

In my line of work, you need to know the difference between single and dual cowl Phaetons, hardtops and "Post Cars", club coupes, business coupes, Sedanets, Aerosedans,fixed and non fixed B pillars (mopars and some caddies had these), and the terminology that the manufacturers used. 

General Motors liked to use catchy names to describe their more desireable models. In the 50's, when the hardtop cars appeared, a Cadillac Hardtop was a "DeVille", Buick  was a "Riviera", an Olds Hardtop was a "Holiday", Pontiac was a "Catalina", and Chevy was a "BelAir".   Just a marketing gimmick to distinguish the hardtops from the post cars.  In 55, Chevy had series 150 and 210 post cars, and a 210 HT OR a CVT was a Belair.  Buick, in Special, Super, Century and Roadmaster Series cars, had 2 and 4 door "Riviera" HT's. 

This continues in the 1960's.  Impala 2dr Hardtops were "Sport Coupes" and 4 dr hardtops were "Sports Sedans".  Just a way to highlight the hardtops.  Incorrect terminology in the case of the Sedan, but The General didn't seem to mind.  

When the hardtop Corvairs came out, they were called Corvair Sport Coupes and Corvair Sport Sedans.  Some Greenbriars were called Sport Wagons.  Not that a van should have been considered a "Wagon" in the heyday of the Station Wagon, but none the less, they were called wagons in some if not all of the literature. 

Sport Coupe and Sport Sedan were used to highlight the sporty looks of the hardtops. 

If this is all there is to be discussed, I need a couple guys I know well to venture out to NC and help me start stripping my Rampside  down for restoration.  Or I could send them both a cylinder head and some custom hack-saw blades and they can wear themselves out deflashing.   At least there would be a measureable result after all the effort. 

Hank