<VV> Knowing when to say "When"

[peter koehler]

I, too, hate to see a Corvair get scrapped if there is any 
chance for resurrection. Over the years I have tried in 
vein to save some Corvairs that really did deserve to die. 
I was just too hard headed to accept the obvious. Seems 
that when I do say "When" and send a potential project car 
to the scrap heap I feel bad about it. How long I feel bad 
depends on much I wanted to save said Corvair.

Example: I am still disappointed that I let go of 1960 
Corvair #327 back in 1984. Yeah, it was toast. But it was 
the oldest known surviving Corvair in the World. Period. 
And I let it go... Shame on me!

Another example: I am sorry that I couldn't save Larry 
Claypool's Lazarus 1962 Rampside with Toronado power. By 
1995 Larry finally figured out that he couldn't give it 
enough time and effort and money to bring it back from the 
brink. He gave it to me to try. Took me several months to 
figure out what Larry already knew. Hey, I never said I 
was the smartest Corvair enthusiast around!!

Yet another example: My brother found a well optioned 1966 
Corsa turbo convertible for me several years back. It had 
been parked along side a garage in the dirt for too many 
years. We pulled it out of the hole it was in and hauled 
it back to my brother's shop. Man, was it rusty! I didn't 
have the skill to replace the bottom  six inches of both 
sides of the car. The guy who bought the carcass from me 
probably took it down and parted it out. One less turbo 
convertible makes the rest of 'em that much more valuable 
and rare. I'm not proud of that one either.

And there are numerous Corvair projects that I did tackle 
and some of them met with some level of success. The moral 
of the story is that not everyone can save every Corvair 
left on the planet. Pick you poison and enjoy doing to it 
whatever your desire is. If it is the wrong car for you 
don't get despondent. Just get another Corvair and try 
again!!! This is our hobby and we are supposed to be 
having fun, as my good friend Bob Marlow needs to remind 
me now and again. - Caveman Pete