<VV> Corvair vs Falcon

[kcvair at netscape.com]

My opinion, and it's only an opinion, as to why the Corvair was kept in production so long was that they may have had commitment to suppliers for parts to be delivered or maybe were stuborn about the fact the the book "Unsafe at any Speed" was not going to force them to quit making the car.  Ken Clark

KCVAIR
66 CORSA CN W/AIR
65 CORSA CP

--- ricebugg at mtco.com wrote:

From: "James P. Rice" <ricebugg at mtco.com>
To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Subject: <VV> Corvair vs Falcon
Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2009 10:59:53 -0600

Bill:  Actually Cole and company did capitulate. Or was it an attack of good
judgment, seeing they were in business to make money by selling whatever
cars the public would buy, meaning conventional cars.  Whatever the reason,
they began work on the Chevy II six months after the Corvair's introduction.

I have the actually sales numbers in a file I'll use in the Corvair Timeline
article I'm slowly working on for the Communique.  As I remember the
numbers, the Falcon out sold the Corvair about 2 to 1 immediately, and
continued to do so.  When the Chevy II was introduced in the fall of '61 as
a '62 model, as I think I remember, it out sold the Corvair immediately, and
continued to do so.

The question I wish I had an answer for was why the Corvair was kept in
production so long, given the sales compared to Falcon's and Chevy II's.
There are few left to ask, and no known documentation of the discussion and
decision making process.  I suspect it they decided to recoup the
development cost and mixed in was some amount of pride and love of the car.
It appears all the car guys at Chevrolet & GM loved the Corvair, while the
marketing, sales type and the dealers did not.  Then there was the general
public, most of whom yawned at the Corvair.  They voted with their pocket
books and the rest is history.

That Chevrolet/GM did the LM is just mind-boggling to me.

Historically Yours,
                   James Rice

***************************************

Message: 6
Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:31:54 -0700
From: Bill Kronen <billpat at telusplanet.net>
Subject: <VV> Converting To Electric
To: virtualvairs at corvair.org

"Just think where we would be if  Ed Cole and crew gave in to the criticism
they must have received. " What?  A rear, air cooled engine, independently
suspended, uni body.  You should build something like the Falcon or the
Valiant"  Thank goodness he didn't.  Happy and healthy New Year to all."

Bill Kronen
63 Spyder 'Vert, 66 Monza Coupe, 63 Volvo PV544


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