Hello all: I recall seeing the question asked a while back. Instead of trying to find the thread I thought I would just offer the following: I found in Vol 6 No 2 of CORSA Quarterly (Nov 1976) a comment by Kai Hansen at the banquet in Philadelphia 1976 convention. He said that out of 1,710,018 Corvairs built 73,834 were still licensed. I have no idea how he derived at that figure. Their math stated that was 4%. NOTE: that was 'licensed', not undergoing restoration or being used for parts etc. as I read the article.

It was also reported that CORSA had over 6000 members and 59 chapter clubs in 1976. I hope this is of interest to someone out there in Corvair land!!

best wishes, Steve
Rear Engine Spec. Inc. Golden, Colo.

1962 spyder 3.0L turbo---1965 Crown V8
1967 monza 110/4---1968 monza 110/4
1971 amante gt 110/4
CORSA/RMC/PPCC/V8 Registry

I've been musing along these lines also.
what is the corvair to engine ratio?
I have 23 engines and 9 corvairs at the moment.
My buddy has 5 engines and 4 corvairs.
Corvrman has 3 engines and 1 corvair
My cousin has 6 engines and 3 corvairs.

Is this the trend?

Note: I am counting engines and cars separate even if together.

Junky
Hurricane Utah.
Home of the "Red Desert Corvair Sanctuary."

<a href="[photobucket.com]; target="_blank"><img src="[i866.photobucket.com]; border="0" alt=" photo 7121255b-53ac-4335-a3ba-83724bf6f396_zps111b404a.jpg"/></a>

62 Rusty Rampy
62 wagon under construction.(Taking all my time and $$)
61 lakewood parts car.
61 Lakewood wagon project.
half a dozen parts cars n trucks or more.
20x40 garage full of greasy parts.

Hello Junky: The two local clubs that I belong to have never done that survey but years ago each asked the question 'how many licensed/drivable Corvairs are in your household?'. Between the two clubs there are 120 members or so, the average count was 4 per household. That didn't count parts cars or in your case just engines/powertrains.

Sunday is the PPCC meeting, I will ask the group how many spare engines each have and report Sunday evening.

best wishes, Steve
Rear Engine Spec. Inc. Golden, Colo.

1962 spyder 3.0L turbo---1965 Crown V8
1967 monza 110/4---1968 monza 110/4
1971 amante gt 110/4
CORSA/RMC/PPCC/V8 Registry

It's really hard to accept that over 1.5 million Corvairs are either crushed or non-op only 7 years after the last one rolled off the line.

I currently have 6 engine/trans to the 1 Corvair i have. I just sold a spare engine last week. Was looking to pic up two more if a deal went through.

Thanks for the post Steve.

Curtis

64 Spyder Convertible
Milwaukee, Wi

Former Corvairs
62 Monza 900 Coupe (102/4)
64 Monza 900 Convertible (110/PG)
65 Monza Coupe (110/PG)
66 Monza Coupe (110/PG)
66 Monza Sedan (110/PG)

But that would be 17 years after the first model year... recall this is back when cars were considred "shot' at 100k and few people kept a driver anywhere close to 10 years.

Add to it that Corvairs were virtually worthless by the mid-70's and it's very easy to see how so many could be junked by then. The real surprise is that we have as many left as we do...

In the UK they have registration so specfic that they can easily tell how many of a certain make/model are on the road. It's not uncommon to find a popular car, perhaps with hundreds of thousands made, with current registrations in the single digits no more than that same 17 years out...

Bill

Wished I had saved the reference about how the number of old cars declines over time.

There's actually a formula, like the decay curve, to estimate this (and the model holds). In a nutshell. Steep decline after a certain period after last year of production, with the subsequent loss at about 10% per year after it bottoms out. The wrecking yards eventually clear out of the stock, with heaps being stored in yards, fields, etc. Sound familiar? BTW, I haven't seen a Vega in a wrecking yard in decades. About fifteen years ago, Chrysler Cordobas (and similar models) were absolutely flush in the California PnPs. Now only a handful.

Some vehicles don't follow this model, of course, like Corvettes or other desirables. But will the Corvair succumb and follow the model? Personally, I believe it will - eventually. When was the last time you saw a Studebaker or Packard on the road (and not on a trailer going to a car show?). All makes have their nitch followers, but at some point there comes a sudden collapse when people realize they can't get certain parts or their use simply becomes precarious if you break something, or the pool of individuals that like them dies off. I suspect the Corvair will die that death eventually.

I used to own IH Scouts (had both their "early" (Model 80/800) and "late" (Scout II) sub-followings, just like here). What was interesting was that they only built about 550,000 of these things over twenty years, or about 30,000/year. Very low production by GM standards where they'd push 550,000 vehicles off the assembly line in ONE YEAR. Because these were extremely practical and useful vehicles (although the craftsmanship was typical of the way they built cars in the 60s and 70s, which was crap), they kept hanging on. There are still about 150,000 or so of them registered and still on the road. I see more of them than I see Corvairs. I had a nice one I sold to a collector because it was too nice to off-road in a serious way; better to find a beater for that purpose. I believe the demographic that drives that particular market is independent of age or prior ownership - it is an off-roading mentality. And so it goes.

In my extremely out of the way mountain community with a population of about 500, there are about five Corvairs that I stumbled onto. Two are restored EMs that I've never seen out from under cover and driven. Owned by real old guys. Another is a 66 T-coupe to die for, but I've never seen it out of its special garage. Again, owned by a real old guy. Another one is driven by the local mechanic's wife. Has worn paint, but is a nice driver. She's not so old, probably 40s. (when I was a kid 40 was ancient). Then my resurrected coupe that is fairly road worthy. I only drive mine a couple of times a week, maybe a 30 mile round trip once a month down the hill, but in a week I'll put more miles on mine than the rest combined. Go figure.

If I can't drive it, I don't want it taking up space in my driveway.

I think that the unfortunate thing with the Corvair, is younger people like myself (though I guess I'm not that young anymore) aren't interested in the car. They are more interested in imports, muscle cars or hot rods. Sad to say, I think that as years go by, the amount or registered Corvairs will be fewer and fewer because of lack of interest of younger people.

Willow Grove, PA
Current:
63 700 Sedan

4, Matt has 3 of them...

Um, at my house, there are 4 operational 'vairs, 1 parts van (going to the crusher tomorrow!!!) and 2 spare engines.

I wonder where all the cars that these engines came from went?? Just like hte '69 seats I picked up yesterday - I wonder if they came out of #6000? I know they didnt though, they are green.


Eric P
DeWitt, IA

Hello Eric and all: The question about engine stash is interesting too. In the early 80s there was a fellow from Illinois who drove a trailer through Denver on the way to the coast, he always picked up a Corvair or two from this area on the return trip. He told me once that he had 100 engines sitting in a garage but no bodies due to the rust in the east. Have no idea how truthful he was but he was trying to match engines to cars at least.

best wishes, Steve
Rear Engine Spec. Inc. Golden, Colo.

1962 spyder 3.0L turbo---1965 Crown V8
1967 monza 110/4---1968 monza 110/4
1971 amante gt 110/4
CORSA/RMC/PPCC/V8 Registry

Is it Possible for a DMV employee to search thier computer system and come up with a Corvair title or registration total? Yea, those were the days, the'70's, when I bought several drivable Corvairs for $50 or $75 and fixed, resold or parted them--and passed on plenty others.

Very informative thanks....there's a guy who builds vair engines said he's built plenty...according to him he's never driven a vair...

Here's the link to the previous discussion. On Page 2, I posted the table which came from an insurance actuary. No way a definitive process, but fun none the less:

[corvaircenter.com]

Brian<br><span style="color: white">63 M</span><span style="color: blue">o</span><span style="color: white">nza Con<span style="color: black">vert</span><span style="color: white">ibi</span><span style="color: blue">l</span><span style="color: white">e </span>Sprint Clone</span>
<span style="color: blue">64 M</span><span style="color: white">o</span><span style="color: blue">nza Cou</span><span style="color: white">p</span><span style="color: blue">e Sprint Clone</span>
<span style="color: red">65 Monza Con</span><span style="color: white">vert</span><span style="color: red">ible</span>
<span style="color: red">66 Corsa Con</span><span style="color: white">vert</span><span style="color: red">ible</span>
<span style="color: brown">69 Grand Prix Model J</span>
<span style="color: red">2004 SS<i>R</i></span>
<br>
South Holland, IL

Corsa/CCE



<i>"Let's agree to respect each others views, no matter how wrong yours may be." Ashleigh Brilliant </i>

Hello Brizo: The idea of a data base search was tried several years ago here in Denver, the state was completely uncooperative. Between charging PER ENTRY plus the legal/beagle deal of privacy it is impossible in this state, maybe others aren't so strict, who knows until they try.

best wishes, Steve
Rear Engine Spec. Inc. Golden, Colo.

1962 spyder 3.0L turbo---1965 Crown V8
1967 monza 110/4---1968 monza 110/4
1971 amante gt 110/4
CORSA/RMC/PPCC/V8 Registry

Yeah, I can see it all now... *DMV Employee* "Yes, this is the DMV, we have this weird stalker guy who wants to know everyone who owns a Corvair in the state, please come get him before he hurts someone."

Greg Miller
Eugene, Oregon

Gregory_Miller Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yeah, I can see it all now... *DMV Employee*
> "Yes, this is the DMV, we have this weird stalker
> guy who wants to know everyone who owns a Corvair
> in the state, please come get him before he hurts
> someone."


We can just send Matt no one will suspect a thing ggggggggggg.

i own 3 corvairs 1961 corvan,1964 500 coupe ,1966 monza sedan.. i'm looking for a gas tank for my corvan any leads???

i have 3 corvairs that run, a 1961 corvan, needs gas tank, 1964 500 coupe,1966 monza sedan

I have 1 Corvair, and 1 extra engine.

Keith has...???

At least two Corvairs, maybe three, and I think 3-4-5 engines...

"So where do they put the engines in these things?"
"They put em where they belong....in the rear."
1964 500 coupe
Topeka, KS
Searching for a complete 95 to rebuild. (changed my mind)
If this is still in my sig, I'm still looking.
Moderator

I have 4 that run and a van that doesn't, and an extra engine that ill rebuild this winter.

Cassidy Gecas
Grand Marais MN

1961 Corvan Camper van
1961 Greenbrier
1962 Greenbrier
1962 Monza 900 coupe
1962 Monza 900 sedan
1963 Monza 900 coupe
1966 500 coupe
1968 Ultra Van #327