Originally published at: A beautiful example of a 1962 Chevy Corvair Loadside pickup | Boing Boing
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Corvairs earned a reputation for very bad handling and oversteer due to the unconventional suspension and weight distribution from the rear engine setup, but I never saw anything about them being especially explosion-prone compared to other vehicles of the time. Maybe you’re thinking of the Ford Pinto?
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I cannot get over how bizarre the idea of a two speed transmission is. I mean, how? Why?
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Not that bizarre. Engines back then had lower & wider power bands than modern engines.
I have a 1960 Corvair with an 80 HP engine and the 2 speed Powerglide. Also non-power steering and unboosted drum brakes, like all Corvairs. Very pleasant as a weekend cruiser.
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Neither does anyone else, since that wasn’t a thing. And besides, in the Corvair pickups and vans, the fuel tank was protected from frontal impact by the squishy bag of meat behind the wheel.
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Back in the late '90s I saw a '69 Monza being worked on at a shop. Just regular maintenance. The car’s owner claimed to only drive it on weekends and, from what I could see, kept it in super immaculate condition. The crowd that was gathered around the car (like me, others getting their cars serviced there that weekend) were sort of mesmerized, checking out the engine (of course) and everything else. I suspect the owner was used to this sort of behavior.
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How wild. I just saw that episode last night.
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Explain, please? 
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I’ve been watching a Gerry Anderson production I’ve never seen before, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons.
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Also roads were crappier, so there wasn’t as much need for high speed. Just a guess tho
“Chariots of Fire”
Ah! Very good. Wait until you see the Angel Interceptors.
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If it’s on Bring-A-Trailer, then it’s going to end up going for way more than any normal person could afford.
That’s a VW.
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The Vanagon version was called a Doka. I dunno if there was a special name for the Bulli/Transporter/Microbus era.
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It’s a VW Transporter. They came in both 2 and 4 passenger models. I drove one in the late 70’s when I worked for a company in the Northbay that rebuilt VW transaxles, picking up from and delivering to mechanics all over the Bay Area. I’d kill for one now. Plus you could haul full-size sheets of plywood and drywall with the sides and rear gate folded down.
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I think the vans vented the battery hydrogen into the passenger area due to the battery placement. Bad juju in the days when loads of people smoked.
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If you want to buy something like this one, this guy restores wrecked WV Kombis and send it to US, Europe and even New Zealand.
https://www.jcnet.com.br/noticias/regional/2018/09/531512-paixao-total-por-kombi.html
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