Retrospective

[HarleyEarl]

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.

[balthazar]

The VW 'pickup' is more like a shallow stake body truck than a useful pickup. And frankly, while flat floors are preferrable, seldom does one need a flat floor as opposed to the much greater volume the Corvair offered. Furniture would be better transported flat, but lumber or stone or bagged items or boxes would work just as well in a stepped bed as a flat bed.

Altho a light0duty truck, I think another reason it wasn't more prolific in production is that 'real' pick-ups had more cargo/load capacities & more power.

Rampside is a cool-ass truck tho. Haven't seen one in many years.

[ocnblu]

With the transformation the Corvair passenger cars made... from "cute" to "beautiful" with the second-gen '65s, I wonder what a second-gen pickup or van could have looked like.

[balthazar]

Somewhere in GM Archives, perhaps there are pics (of drawings). I would love to see that, too.

[Sixty8panther]

Agreed... (O.B. & Balth.)

I'm still in love with 2nd gen. Corvairs.

Often times I wonder what happened to that 1966

4dr hardtop that I almost bought about a year ago.

I hope it went to a good home.

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/6237/19...rmonza4dr4y.jpg