<VV> UNCLE and AMT

[James P. Rice]

All: The UNCLE car, as noted, originally was the Piranha by Winfield, also
as noted.

Originally, the car was called the CRV. It was a thermoplastic experimental
car made out of Cycolac.  Came about because Borg Warner's Marbon Chemicals
Div wanted to showcase the material.  The CRV was introduced at the SAE
convention in Detroit in Jan 1965.  I was there.  I also saw the molds in a
local (north Detroit area) business I made deliveries to as a gopher for a
local tool & die shop I worked for at the time.

AMT bought the project, planning on getting into the 1:1 scale kit car
business.  It was to be run by Winfield out of his AZ location.  Body and
most of the chassis was fiberglass, with tube subframes.  Unfortunately, as
AMT got into the business, the Corvair was in it's death spiral, and the
project died.

Between the two companies, best info is that less than 20 were made.
Incidentally, the first one was mid-engine and Sunbeam Imp powered.  I
suspect it was converted to Corvair power, as all the others were so
powered.

See the Jan 2004 Communique for write-ups about both cars, pages 10 & 14.

If the car at the Toss is the one I believe it is, it has been campaigned in
left coast vintage races as a 2 liter 1960 creation.  BOGAS.  But it cracks
me up that someone has gotten it past the eyes of some very serious left
coast vintage racing sanctioning bodies.

A favor.  If the car shows up again at the Toss, would one of you take a
good set of pictures (3/4 front and 3/4 read opposite side, engine
compartment and cockpit, and suspension if visiable) and send them to me.
I'd like to add them to my files.  If non-digital, I'll pay development and
postage cost.  Thanks.

Historically Yours,
                   James Rice
                   CORSA member since mid-70's
                   Former Chairman of the Competition Committee
                   Member of original CPF Advisorary Committee
                   CORSA/CPF Bod member and CPF Liaison 1999-01
                   Occasional contributor to the Communique

Think outside the quadrilateral parallelogram.


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Message: 1
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 00:35:37 -0700
From: "Charles Lee" <Chaz at ProperProper.com>
Subject: <VV> ?The Man from ?U.N.C.L E.? from 1967 ~~ Piranha
To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>

Quite right ~ my mistake !

That was the Piranha that was used in the series and one was at the "Toss"
last year.  Should have known that.

Charlie

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Message: 3
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 04:48:34 -0400
From: "Gary Swiatowy" <gswiatowy at rochester.rr.com>
Subject: Re: <VV> AMT ?The Man from ?U.N.C.L E.? from 1967, #912
To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>

Nope, it is not the Bertone Testudo.
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/tag/bertone-testudo/
or http://www.carphotoalbums.com/albums/showphoto.php/photo/1430

That is the Gene Winfield AMT Pirahna, also Corvair based:
http://www.c-we.com/piranha/

Gary Swiatowy

From: "Charles Lee" <Chaz at ProperProper.com>
Subject: <VV> AMT ?The Man from ?U.N.C.L E.? from 1967, #912

AMT ?The Man from ?U.N.C.L E.? from 1967, #912

Is this the Corvair  "Testudo" ?

http://cgi.ebay.com/AMT-The-Man-from-U-N-C-L-E-TV-Car-from-1967_W0QQitemZ180
576800770

Charlie