(800) 853-2651
SHOP NOW

My tribute to Ralph Nader

L

LJD

Well-known Member
Well . . . old Ralph Nader warned us all about the evils of Chevy Corvairs. I'm finally taking his advice and getting rid of my 53 year old station wagon. Going to the scrap yard. Sat too long and rusted pretty bad underneath. Only has 75K miles on it. Oh well. 140 cube air-cooled six and three speed stick on the floor. Gonna' bring $300 at the scrap yard.

Model year 1960 Corvair model 700 Lakewood stationwagon. Made in September, 1959. Even has the luxury gasoline-fired heater.

<a href="http://s104.beta.photobucket.com/user/jdemaris/library/" target="_blank">
100_0463.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"
</a>

<a href="http://s104.beta.photobucket.com/user/jdemaris/library/" target="_blank">
100_0464.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"
</a>

<a href="http://s104.beta.photobucket.com/user/jdemaris/library/" target="_blank">
100_0468.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"
</a>
 
before yo scrap it,put it on craigslist,probably could sell it for parts and make more money.their are clubs out there reworking these.
 
I have it on Craigs List right now. If someone offers me more then scrap value - they are welcome to it.
 
Wow,that thing is STRAIGHT!Send it to California,someone will pay big bucks for that.There is a guy here 'Orval's used cars" (Orval Proctor)who buys and sells old cars just like that to collectors/restorers.He must have 150 old cars,sends them nationwide.'Orval's used Cars',655 Main st.,Delta,CO. (970)874-5461
Untitled URL Link
 
man o man...wish i had a nickel for every hour i spent riding in muddy pastures in a Corvair...guy i grew up with's father worked for local GM dealer...everytime a broke Corvair got traded in the dealer would give it to Preacher to get off the lot...i bet they had well over 200 at one time...all 3 of us would work on them in spare time and tear the crap out of them in whatever time we had left over...all those Bat Turns in mud...never rolled one of them.
 
Looks good from the top of the hood up! As jackinok said, there are clubs and people who restore them, but for some reason, Corvairs are not as popular as others, even though they are unique. The engines did make good power plants for air boats though. BTW, tell old Ralph I salute him with my middle finger. In my opinion he was a Sweet Old Boy!
 
That car is very rare. I think you would do well by contacting a collector. Or putting an ad in Hemmings Classic car mag. I think you are going to get more than 300 for it. I would guess 1000.00 or more. You would be amazed what people are paying for old cars. Not long ago a burned out 65 Corvette sold for 25000.00.
 
If it were closer I would buy it, and put it with my other projects I will never finish, and let my kids deal with it when I'm gone. Just kidding. Like others have said you could probably get more than scrap value from a collector. But then again it isn't like a 35 Ford Coupe. Stan
 
LJD,

We're all way too busy to do this kind of thing, myself included, but if a guy had some spare time that thing could be parted out and bring in a WHOLE lot more than scrap value. The headlight and taillight bezels look to be in good shape. The window and windshield trim looks good, the logo medallians and side trim might be okay, to say nothing of all of the engine and drivetrain parts that could be salvaged.

I had a 1963 or 1964 Corvair Spyder (I can't remember the exact year) when I was a young guy. I loved that car but a wife and two growing kids convinced me to buy a 1968 Ford sedan. Hrrummph.

Tom in TN
 
Sorry to see it scrapped, LJ. The Lakewoods were not common.

I've owned a couple of Corvairs in years past and was always fond of them despite what that dolt Nader might have written.

Dean
 
Don't lose any sleep over this thing. I am giving away a 66 Olds Jetstar my parents bought brand new. 4 door hardtop. A few hours north of you. Future stock car? So what? If it isn't a 2 door sedan, no one wants to pay more than scrap. These BS artist on TV just fire up people who will be very disappointed when a REAL buyer comes along...with peanuts.
I lost interest in 'investing in vintage automobiles' the second gas crisis in the early 80's. Fool me once....
 
You guys have a different take on that thing then I do. I remember how easy it was to swap ends on wet pavement if you had to stop quickly.
Also the never ending oil leaks. Yes, I guess you could love it. Kind of like an ugly child.
Nader had nothing to do with the poor handling, that was all chevy's fault. They could have fixed the problems but didn't.
 
A friend had a spyder? We used to "ditch drive" &
were amazed how stable it was-another car would
have rolled over. Chuck
 
(quoted from post at 10:46:37 11/16/12) You guys have a different take on that thing then I do. I remember how easy it was to swap ends on wet pavement if you had to stop quickly.
Also the never ending oil leaks. Yes, I guess you could love it. Kind of like an ugly child.
Nader had nothing to do with the poor handling, that was all chevy's fault. They could have fixed the problems but didn't.
Click to expand...

Poor handling??? Best handling car I ever drove. If it swaped ends with you it was because brakes not adjusted right and a combination of following too close causing you to have to dynamite brakes. Even ole Ralph, as far as I know, never said it swaped ends.
 
Which Craig's list. I searched and could not find it? I will forward the ad to a large Corvair forum.
How did you determine the build date is Sept 1959?
It does have 61 front sheet metal. 60's had a concave front panel , 61-64 were convex. 60 had aluminum 3 speed transmission case and aluminum steering box.
 
I had several early and late Corvairs. NO bad experiences with handling. I loved my turocharged Spyder. Not up to today's standards but neither was anything else back then. I had a Dodge 340 Swinger that would spin-out a heck of a lot easier then any Corvair I ever drove.

The leaks WERE pretty much fixed when a new heat-proof rubber was adopted. EPDM maybe? Can't remember. As to Chevy refusing to improve it? Nonsense. Ralph Nader's biggest gripes were with the 1st design Corvairs and GM quickly improved it. When they got done the Corvair rear was similar to what Corvette was using.

I worked in a Volkswagen shop for a year in the late 60s. Those things leaked just as bad as the Corvairs and the suspension wasn't much better either.
 
I know you are right about parts. Believe it or the Corvair steering boxes are bringing good bucks on Ebay. Use in some sort of race cars. I'll probably pull the box before scrapping. Problem is I've got around 40 old cars and trucks I'm cleaning out and also near 100 tractors. I could not live long enough to strip the saleable parts from all of them. I just got done stripping all the good parts from a 86 Toyota dual-wheel 1 ton truck. I took me a full week, working every day at it.

New York State has passed a law making it illegal anywhere in the state to own more then one unregistered motor-vehicle. I suspect sometime soon they will start looking for them with helicopters like they do now for drugs. By the way - NY has also declared that old trucks with snow plows are exempt.

If anyone IS seeking parts - after this 1960 Corvair, my 1964 Buick Riveria is going. Then probably two 1950 Ford F1 trucks (one with the bigger Mercury flathead V8). Also over a dozen Chevy 4WD trucks from the 70s-80s. I might even start going through the many and worst tractors that are out in my fields.
 
Never. It was up in one of my fields and can could not be seen from any road. If I had this stuff where people could see it - downstaters would be calling the cops on me for having too much junk.

I've got some better stuff put away indoors in several barns. Some get driven now and then. That stuff I have had offers on.
 
Can't tell you why, but it swapped ends when the traffic light turned red and I hit the brakes. Nothing in front of me so I didn't wreck. It happened really fast. If you never had it happen then you probably think it was a great car. Never had another car do that. Why would an almost brand new car have the brakes out of adjustment? It was a first year production model. Don't remember anymore what year. Long time ago. Anyway, glad you guys think they where such a great car.
 
This outfit is down the road from me in South Central PA. Can"t really say if he would be interested, but a phone call can"t hurt. He might be able to hook you up with somebody more local to you.

Given he is up the road from me, I see Corvairs going down the road all the time in all states of repair/restoration. I would like to have one, but can"t see finding the time for a proper restoration anytime soon.

Good Luck,

Kirk
Corvair Ranch
 
JD, are you serious?, theres a law on this ?, cripes almighty, I've got the exempt plow truck, but 2 others unregistered, I hope the town does not start in on this crap again, next my 2 D7's will be illegal. Smaller crop marijuana growers will always outsmart those eradication flights, though some idiot had 6000 plants 20 miles north of here, that many is just hard to comprehend and its a major operation, but if they start doing the same for un registered vehicles, you'd think they'd start with google earth instead of expensive flight time, maybe it will be on the books but seldom enforced, our state and our country have a lot bigger problems then these darn it !!!! LOL !

PS plant lots of trees, makes it hard to see through, well most of the year.
 
Agreed.

The first year (and the second year?) had issues with the rear suspension setup, by the time Nader's book came out it was already corrected and nolonger an issue.


You want to drive something that's unstable drive a 59 Cadillac 2 door. When new they weren't to bad (unless you had weight in the trunk) but with a few miles the springs got soft (overweight) and the HUGE overhang on the back will make it swap ends scary fast.
 
Are the air deflectors to keep the mud off the rear window on that stock? I know some of the big chevy wagons had them, not sure on a corvair though.
Rick
 
Wrong.

All 65 and later Corvairs had rear suspension design similar to contemporary Corvettes, completely eliminating the over camber issues, (evident only on the Pre 62 (63?) models) and similar to contemporary VW Beetles.

The over camber condition could cause roll over accidents if and only if the vehicle was being driven too fast for conditions on an asphalt road while the rear tires were underinflated. Such negligence could cause the tubeless tires to peel off of the rim during hard cornering allowing the rim to dig into the asphalt surface causing a roll over. Contemporary Beetles were prone to the same set of circumstances.

Chevrolet installed a camber limiting mechanism in the 62 (?) models eliminating the issue.

Dean
 
Did you that Ol, Ralph Nader never even sat in the seat let alone drive one before he bad mouths the Corvair.
Walt
 
(quoted from post at 14:01:18 11/16/12) Wrong.

All 65 and later Corvairs had rear suspension design similar to contemporary Corvettes, completely eliminating the over camber issues, (evident only on the Pre 62 (63?) models) and similar to contemporary VW Beetles.

The over camber condition could cause roll over accidents if and only if the vehicle was being driven too fast for conditions on an asphalt road while the rear tires were underinflated. Such negligence could cause the tubeless tires to peel off of the rim during hard cornering allowing the rim to dig into the asphalt surface causing a roll over. Contemporary Beetles were prone to the same set of circumstances.

Chevrolet installed a camber limiting mechanism in the 62 (?) models eliminating the issue.

Dean
Click to expand...

The M151 (jeep) allegedly had the same problem
 
In Craig's List for Albany, Binghamton, an Oneonta, New York.

http://oneonta.craigslist.org/cto/3411667501.html

http://albany.craigslist.org/cto/3411672839.html

http://oneonta.craigslist.org/cto/3411667501.html

You might be right about the year. Corvairs came out in the Fall of 1959. The old lady I got this from said it was one of the first available. I never made any effort to check the build date. My GM Bible shows the 700 Lakewood wagon not available until 1961. If the book is accurate then that makes it at least a 1961.
 
Our town has had that one unregistered vehicle limit ordinance for a long time. But our town also doesn't seem to have much any enforcement power. There's no problem with the state's enforcement power though!
 
By the grill bar I think it is 61. Could have been sold in 60 as a 60 model. I have seen that happen, but if built in 59 than it is rare.
 
There used to be a real a-hole building inspector in this town, finally proven corrupt, in addition I could have easily testified, and had paper proof in my hands at one time, no BS, he used to pull every miserable thing out of the book, had a neighbor who ran a heavy truck shop and heavy towing business, take in a lot full of these vehicles in violation, then told him he would not be paid for the services, nicest man you'd ever want to meet, navy man too, pulled a machete and chased him off with it. He had to bury the cars on his own property, still there today. That puncture wound came a knockin on my door about my plow truck, threatened me with a violation. I stated this truck opens your town road before you do and its your job, and so the 3 people here can get into their houses, driveways etc., just went away or I'd have put farm or ag plates on it. Town came knockin on the door when I was a young lad, early 70's blizzard, closed off the rock cut just down the road, everything was stuck, state was stuck, my father pushed 3 miles of snow with his D7 and opened up the road, found the bill some years back 3 hrs @ $20/hr. That WWII era D7 that saw service then, is parked in my yard today, along with the one I bought because the nostalgia and sheer interest of the first one made me do it, be really funny if they made a stink about it, how soon they forget how the farmers always save their @ss, and they want to sh$t on you when they forget LOL !!!!

Some wretched disease got that inspector and at least the supervisor is a farmer, large operation in town, things are much better today without the previous administration, what comes around goes around.
 
Ralph Nader gave a presentation at ENMU Portales, NM where I was attending after I got out of the US Army in 1969. After the presentation during the question period, I ask him if it was true that he didn't then or ever have a drivers license and if that was true, what sort of logic gave an unqualified driver the right to criticize anyone's car, and if it was true that the airbags he proposed adding to cars were rupturing ear drums in testing at that time. I don't remember now just what he said, but I do remember that it wasn't very nice!!
 
The Lakewood in the pix is a 1961, not 60. That model was new in 61, lasted thru 62. Even scarcer is the Monza wagon, available in 62. Just dug out a collection of data on Corvairs: in 61 5591 Lakewood 500 made and 20451 of the 700 series and for 62 there are 3716 of the 700 series and 2362 of the Monza wagons, there, just what you always wanted to know. The front sheet metal is 61-64, with the forward crease between the headlites, thus right and left headlite trim is side specific. The 60 had metal the curved inward and used the headlite trim that was same R & L, also used on the forward control van and Greenbriers and pickups. 61 also had hand choke and was the first year for separate air cleaners for each carb. There is a Lakewood around here in Waterloo, I see it once in a while in the summer. Never took time to talk with owner. If you look, the first digit of the ID should be 1 for 61 year. Definitely a lot of valuable parts on that, should be gotten to some one who knows or can use them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

L
JayinNY - RE Elm trees aournd here
Replies
11
Views
2K
SweetFeet
SweetFeet
L
Re: Shaw r-12
Replies
0
Views
485
LJD
L
L
$24 power steering kit for my IH B-275
Replies
10
Views
2K
Tim in NB
T
J
A tool to be proud to own
Replies
13
Views
3K
Switchflicker
S
L
Worst log splitter ever built??
2
Replies
27
Views
6K
oldironman
O
Tractor Parts Tractor Manuals

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Copyright © 1997-2024 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters
Website Accessibility Policy

Back
Top