|
September 27, 2004
Chevrolet Corvair pickups, 1961-1964
Story and photo by Bill Vance
When
General Motors introduced its Chevrolet Corvair compact car for 1960 to
counter the rising foreign car invasion, it was clear that it had
followed the general layout of the top selling import, the Volkswagen
Beetle.
Like
the Beetle, the Corvair had a horizontally-opposed (flat) air cooled
alloy engine located behind the rear axle, although the Corvair had six
cylinders while the VW had four. Both the Beetle and the Corvair had
independent suspension all around, the Corvair's via coil springs and
the VW's with torsion bars.
Since the Corvair so slavishly copied the VW car's configuration, it was
not surprising that when Chevrolet decided to enter the light commercial
vehicle market that VW had virtually to itself, it would base them on
the car's components. The Corvair 95 (for its 95 inch [2,413 mm]
wheelbase) series of passenger and utility vans, therefore, looked
uncannily like the VW Bus and Transporter.
When
it came to building a Corvair pickup truck, Chevrolet also followed the
Volkswagen theme, although with a few interesting variations. Ford also
introduced a forward control pickup based on components from its compact
Ford Falcon.
The
Corvair 95 pickup was introduced in 1961 using the same rear engine
layout as the car and other Corvair commercials. As in the VW pickup,
the seat was over the front axle, which gave maximum visibility as well
as a long cargo bed. With a small grille for cabin ventilation, four
headlamps, one-piece curved windshield, and two sculpted styling
character lines running along the sides, the Corvair pickup was much
more stylish than the VW.
Its
2.4 litre, 80 horsepower engine (the VW had only 36) drove through a
standard three speed manual transmission, with a four speed manual or
two speed "Powerglide" optional. The only VW transmission was a four
speed manual. The Corvair's payload was rated at a surprisingly high
1900 lb (862 kg).
Where the Corvair pickup deviated from the VW was in the cargo-carrying
configuration. The VW had a long, flat load-bed, which in order to clear
the engine, was higher than in normal pickups. To facilitate loading,
not only the rear tailgate swung down against the body, but the sides
did also. This gave a clear, unimpeded platform for loading. Under the
platform in the space between the cab and the rear wheels, the VW had an
enclosed cargo hold with a swing up door.
In
the Corvair pickup, the load bed was not level, but was stepped, low
behind the cab, and then higher above the engine and rear wheels. Pickup
owners generally prefer a flat load area, and this two-level bed made an
awkward cargo carrying area. A wood and metal level-floor option solved
the problem, but was inconvenient to install and remove.
The
Corvair pickup came in two versions: Loadside and Rampside. Both had a
rear loading tailgate, but in addition, the Rampside had an ingenious
side loading dropgate on the right side. It was hinged at the lower
floor level, and swung down to rest on the ground forming a ramp that
could be used for rolling in heavy objects, or loading such items as
garden tractors. A protective rubber pad on the ramp prevented scuffing
where it rested on the ground.
While the Rampside seemed like a good idea, there were practical
problems in the work-a-day world. Extreme caution had to be exercised to
keep dirt and stones out of the hinge area of the dropgate. Foreign
objects trapped in the hinges made the gate difficult or impossible to
close, and could distort the dropgate out of shape. Also, the two-level
load platform was always a nuisance.
The
rear engine placement gave the Corvair pickup a real advantage over the
Ford Econoline in the cab. Like the VW, the Corvair's front floor was
flat, allowing three passengers to be seated abreast. The Econoline was
limited to two bucket seats by the intrusion of the engine "doghouse."
An advantage the Econoline did have over both the Corvair and VW pickups
was that its front engine allowed a lower load bed.
The
Corvair pickup was introduced as a 1961 model, and the Rampside model
proved much more popular. Of the total 13,262 pickups sold, 10,787 were
Rampsides.
The
pickup was little changed for 1962, although a limited slip "Positraction"
differential was offered. Sales declined to only 4,471, of which only
369 were Loadsides. The result was that this would be the last year for
the Loadside.
The
Corvair Rampside pickup was continued for two more years with few
changes. Sales were only 2,046 for 1963, and a mere 851 for 1964. It was
clearly not in GM's interest to continue producing in such low numbers.
There are probably several reasons for the Corvair pickup's early
demise. It was unorthodox, and pickup buyers tend to be conservative.
Also, there was the finicky dropgate, and the two-level load platform
which was always awkward. And last but certainly not least was the fact
that it was priced above traditional pickups. It was, however, a very
attractive vehicle, and it makes an interesting collectible today.
|
