1962 Chevrolet Corvair Super Spyder Concept

The Chevrolet Corvair was an intriguing canvas for automotive designers, with its unconventional rear-engine configuration birthing drawings that were dramatically different from those seen before. Its compact platform was sporty and youthful and many of the designs catered to these qualities, complemented by the vehicle's technically advanced underpinnings. Along with the numerous concept cars created - some even coming close to production - the Corvair was built in a variety of body style configurations and trim levels, from convertibles to club coupes, and from sedans to the iconic Rampside Pickup.

The first concept to bear the Corvair nameplate was the Corvette Corvair Concept, a Corvette-based fastback coupe using the chassis and powertrain from the Corvette, with a European and aircraft-influenced design. In 1954, it was shown at the GM Motorama in New York City, but its fate was sealed with the slow sales of the Corvette, ultimately being sent to the crusher. GM revived the Corvair name in 1960 for its rear-engined compact car, followed by a concept dubbed the Sebring Spyder in 1961, foreshadowing the convertible that would follow a year later. It was a near-production concept with a few unique styling elements including a low-raked windscreen, fixed door windows, and dual headrests built into the rear deck.

The GM Design Studio, under the direction of Bill Mitchell, would build four concept cars atop the Corvair platform, including the XP 785 Super Spyder.

The Super Spyder Concept

The Super Spyder was built on the 1961 Corvair platform but with a wheelbase shortened by fifteen inches. It used the rear-mounted, horizontally-opposed turbocharged six-cylinder 150-horsepower engine and transaxle from the production Monza Spyder along with the four-wheel independent suspension system. It retains some of the production car's styling cues for the front, but the side profile was much different, revealing the racing-inspired windscreen, extended fiberglass tonneau cover, a driver's head rest that tapered into the engine cover, and three chrome exhaust pipes exiting behind both rear wheels. Three vertical louvers were positioned directly in front of the rear wheel opening, directing air flow to the vehicle's mechanical components.

The Corvair Super Spyder Concept remained a styling exercise and did not enter production.

Additional Corvair-based concept cars that followed include the Corvair Monza GT and SS Concept Car and both made their public debut in 1963 at the New York Auto Show. Both wore styling by Larry Shinoda under Bill Mitchell's direction.

The coachbuilder Pininfarina built a coupe design with a unique headlight design. It, too, remained in the concept stage, never making it to the European-intended market. Designer John Fitch transformed his sketches to sheet metal with the Fitch Phoenix concept built on a 95-inch Corvair wheelbase (13 inches shorter than stock) and powered by a 170-horsepower Weber carbureted Corvair engine. Only the prototype was created as its fate was sealed when General Motors ceased production of the Corvair.

The Corvair Astro I was a futuristic design with a small frontal area and extremely low roofline, demonstrating the harmony that could be achieved between aesthetics and aerodynamics. Its bodywork was formed from fiberglass and the roof contained an intricate mirror system to provide the driver with unobstructed rearward vision. Centrifugal blowers were utilized to cool the engine while keeping drag-inducing body openings to a minimum. At less than three feet high, it was the lowest concept model ever created by GM Design, so low that passengers had to use elevator seats to get in and out.

The Astro II that followed a year later was a collaboration between GM Design and GM Research and a much closer production-practical sports car. It was another design in a series of mid-engine concepts created by Mitchell and Corvette Chief Engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov, with input from Larry Shinoda, as a potential future Corvette. The Astro III of 1969 was a two-passenger experimental car resembling an executive jet aircraft. It had four wheels even though the front pair were placed close together under its nose, appearing as though it had a 'tricycle' design. Mounted midship was a Model 250-C18 gas turbine engine, and a power canopy top moves forward and upward for entry, and rear vision is provided by closed-circuit TV with a screen on the center console.

1969 was the final production year of the Corvair just 6,000 examples were built. One example was custom-built for Bill Mitchell, the Vice President, Design, General Motors Corporation. It features a special pearlescent tangerine paint with Daytona Radial Spoke wheels and a slightly tuned engine.

by Dan Vaughan

Time magazine named it one of 'The 50 Worst Cars of All Time.' Ralph Nader highlighted its design flaws in his influential book Unsafe at Any Speed. Yet the Chevrolet Corvair, which faced more negative press during its lifespan than any other car of the era, continues to have a loyal following of true enthusiasts.

Different from any American cars before or since, the unique Corvair has become most notable for its flaws. The car had its merits as well, but the more agreeable facets of the Corvair have been largely disregarded by the public and held onto only by an adoring group of fans enamored with the vehicle.

A rear-engined car, the primary flaw of the Corvair sprang from Chevrolet's inexperience with the new drivetrain layout. The Corvair was designed to be a mass-produced compact car able to compete with the incoming wave of tidy foreign vehicles. For inspiration, Chevrolet looked to the king of the compact—Volkswagen.

With a name that translates literally to 'People's Car,' Volkswagen had nailed the formula for affordable and charming transportation with the evergreen Beetle. When the Corvair was introduced, it borrowed heavily from the Beetle. Like the VW, the Corvair used an air-cooled engine mounted at the rear, with a trunk located up front. The Corvair also used a swing-axle rear suspension similar to the Volkswagen's. While VW had many years to perfect its engine and suspension, Chevrolet jumped right in with the Corvair. With no real experience making such cars, Chevy's new compact was bound to have some serious teething issues.

When it debuted for the 1960 model year, the Corvair suffered from grave problems. Its rigid steering column was aimed just right to impale unlucky drivers when the cars were involved with collisions. The car's most notable fault, though, came from its suspension design. Though the light and underpowered Volkswagens could use a similar design without serious problems, the heavier and more powerful Corvairs developed dangerous handling characteristics due to the use of a swing-arm rear suspension.

Under hard cornering, the inside rear wheel of Corvairs had a tendency to tuck. When this happened, and it happened often, the cars became uncontrollable. With barely any surface area gripping the road at the back of the car, a tucked wheel could easily cause a spinout. Even worse, many cars would roll over when the suspension gave out in a turn.

Chevrolet recognized the problem and began working to remedy it as early as 1962. For 1964, a transverse spring was installed to compensate for camber changes under cornering. By 1965, with the introduction of the second generation Corvair, an entirely new suspension design had replaced the flawed swing-axle layout. Salvation came late, though. Also released for 1965 was Ralph Nader's book Unsafe at Any Speed that targeted the glaring problems of the early Corvairs. The improved models were hurt by the infamous reputation of their predecessors. Sales slowed to a trickle, and production was ended after the 1969 model year.

Despite the follies of the early cars, there was plenty to like about the Corvair. Its styling was crisp and clean with a sporting flair that couldn't be seen on other American compacts. The forward slanting nose with its four small headlights and absence of a grille looked distinctive and fresh. The car's lines were taut and athletic, a welcome step away from the American excess of just a few years prior.

Later Corvairs, with their improved rear suspensions, offered engaging driving dynamics. The improved handling made Corvairs fun cars in the corners. The air-cooled, aluminum flat sixes were versatile engines. Offered in 145ci and 164ci displacements, they produced anywhere from 80 to 180 horsepower. More affordable trim levels, like the 500 and 700, made due with less power while the sportier Corsa, Monza, and Spyder trims were all given more gusto. Four carburetors were offered on some models, and for the 1965 and 1966 model years there was even a turbocharged variant of the 164ci engine. It was this turbo engine that, when ordered in the Corsa, put out a hearty 180hp at 4,000rpm. The relatively light weight of the Corvair coupled with such power provided astounding acceleration. The ¼ mile could be achieved in the 13-second range.

Ushering in such innovations in an American car was a brave move for Chevrolet. The Corvair had dire flaws—problems that ultimately led to the car's end. It represented Chevy's willingness to take risks, though, and in doing so showed that the American car industry could step outside its bounds and create its own distinctive brand of transportation to take on a new class of cars from all over the world. With the support of a large group of admirers who continue to voice their praise over the cynics' criticism, the Corvair has become the car world's most successful failure.

Sources:

Aube, Gary. Corvair Corsa Web.23 Jul 2009. http://www.corvaircorsa.com/.

GM: The First 75 Years of Transportation Products. Second. Detroit: Automobile Quarterly Publications, 1983. Print.

by Evan Acuña