1966 Chevrolet Corvair Corsa Turbo

As the Monty Python Comedy Troupe used to say "...and now for something completely different!" Chevrolet's Corvair failed as an economy car, however it did well as a sporty compact with the popular Monza model. As an economy compact, Chevrolet's rear-engine Corvair was too radical to sell well against Ford's conservatively designed Falcon. What saved Corvair's skin was the mid-1960 Monza coupe, which uncovered a  new market for affordable cars with bucket seats, floorshift, and other sporty features.

Consumer Protection advocate Ralph Nader branded early Corvairs "unsafe at any speed," due to the odd handling of the tail-heavy swing-axle design by 1964.  So, a dramatic redesign of the Corvair happened in 1965. The new body showed influence from the Corvette Stingray and the 1963 Buick Riviera.Corvair's  mild "Coke bottle styling" set the trend for GM cars for the next fifteen years, (even foreshadowing the 1967 Camaro.) For the first time, none of the passenger cars had a "B pillar", making all closed models true hardtops.  A new fully fully independent suspension, similar in design to the Corvette, replaced the original swing axle rear suspension. However, the Corvair used coil springs at each wheel instead of the Corvette's single transverse leaf spring unit.

The Corsa came standard with an instrument panel featuring a 140 mph  speedometer with resettable trip odometer, a 6,000 rpm tachometer, cylinder head temperature gauge, analog clock with a sweeping second hand, a manifold vacuum/pressure gauge and fuel gauge. A much better heater system, larger brakes borrowed from the Chevelle, a stronger differential ring gear, and significant chassis refinements were made. AM/FM stereo radio, in-dash All Weather Air Conditioning, and a Special Purpose Chassis Equipment "Z17" handling package, consisting of a special performance suspension and quick ratio steering box, were all new options.

A 4-speed synchromesh transmission using the standard Saginaw gear set with 3.11:1 first gear ratio used by other GM 6-cylinder vehicles was now available for 1966. The steering column was changed to a two-piece design with universal joint, lessening the danger of intrusion during a front end collision. A plastic air dam was installed below the front valence panel to conceal the front suspension and underbody, and lessen crosswind sensitivity. In front, The Corvair script nameplate was moved from the top of the trunk lid to a position next to the driver's side headlight bezel.

The new Corsa Hardtop Coupe and Convertible  carried a 140-horsepower version of Corvair's latest 164-cubic-inch air-cooled flat-six; a 180-bhp turbocharged version was optional. (Other Corvairs had either 95 standard horses or 110 optional.)

However, the Corvair was now under attack by Ford's wildly popular new Mustang in addition to Mr. Nader. Chevrolet decided to halt Corvair development to concentrate on a true Mustang-fighter, the 1967 Camaro. With all this, the Corvair was doomed, and "went the way of the Dodo bird" after 1969. The  Monza convertible hung on to the end, though in fast-decreasing numbers: 10,345 for '66, 2109 for '67, 1386 for '68, and a mere 521 for '69.

Shame...it was a fun, quick, quirky little semi-muscle car.