Corvair enthusiasts gather in Rockford

By Rheta Murry
Daily Times Correspondent

Ralph Nader called them “unsafe at any speed.” Members of the Knoxville Area Corvair Club call them easy to maneuver, good on gas mileage and inexpensive to maintain.

A group of Chevrolet Corvair enthusiasts met at Rockford Park Saturday afternoon for a picnic and their monthly meeting. At least five of them drove their favorite cars, most showing off their restorations and all of them sharing stories of their first Corvairs.

“I bought the first one that came to Maryville in 1960,” boasts Tom Huffstetler. “It was a Corvair 500, four door and ‘three by the knee’ shift. I’ve had one ever since.”

The Maryville resident said he spent about $1,821 on the car. And, at one time, he had 13 Corvairs at once in his back yard. Now he owns one, a yellow 1964 two-door he purchased in about 1966. It’s never been restored, he said. Instead, Huffstetler continues to maintain the automobile.

Dave Brook, of Seymour, on the other hand, rescued his 1965 Monza from the shredder. The gray car needed some work. Instead of restoring it, Brooks just fixed it up enough to drive. He is restoring another car at home.

According to the club members, Corvairs were built with four doors, two doors, and rampside trucks. Charlie Storie said Corvair created the first minivan, the Greenbrier, in the 1960s. The Corvair, he said, came out in 1960. The body styles changed several times throughout the nine years General Motors manufactured the car.

Storie dusted off the shiny candy-apple red convertible he drove to Rockford Park on Saturday. He got his Corvair from his father many years ago. It’s taken him several years to restore the car to its splendor.

“I believe in having it as original as possible,” Storie said. “And, I think Dad would be proud.”

Some of the men tinkered with their cars to get them running, but have enlisted help from friends, family members and other mechanics to restore them. Others, like Huffstetler experienced little problems.

“I am an aircraft mechanic and that is an aircraft engine,” he said. “That engine was used in aircraft.”

The Corvair enthusiasts disagree with Nader’s assessment of the car. One man explained that the vehicle was first built with an independent suspension that caused the wheels to turn in when it lifted off the ground.

“It was one of the safest cars on the road in the ‘60s,” said Tom White of Dandridge. “You could hardly turn them over. The center of gravity is about 24 inches off the ground.”

Bob Sanders of Knoxville said that, because the engine is in the back of the vehicle, it’s easy to maneuver. The rear end takes all the weight, so he said it takes less energy to steer and brake.

Several members confirmed earlier Corvair models experienced leaky oil valves. The seals on the push rod tubes were rubber, which tended to soften when the air-cooled engine got warm.

“If they change all the seals, they didn’t leak,” said Brooks. “I used to change mine every six months.”

Bob Sanders formed the Knoxville area Corvair Club in 1982. He said he purchased his first Corvair for his daughter in the early 70s. The nearly 77-year-old Knoxville man said club members get together every month for a meeting. They also travel around East Tennessee and in Georgia for shows and parades and attend regional events. Most recently, they attended a rally in Helen, Ga. Storie and Brooks received second place People’s Choice honors for exhibiting their “Daily Driver” cars. Ron Ryan of Dandridge serves as current president.

The members know their Corvairs. Just ask them.

Seated under the pavilion at the park, they discuss which models have what engines and when seat belts became standard. They even know about body styles and chrome. A sense of competition sometimes ensues.

“We did a run into Kentucky to see who got the best gas mileage,” Ryan said. “We all filled up the same place in Knoxville and filled up again in Middlesboro, Ky. Dave (Brooks) won.”