How come us car guys can't call a spade a spade?
The corvair oversteered which makes it (in an engineering sense)
unstable. If corrective action isn't taken, the oversteer causes more
acceleration of the backend which causes more oversteer, which, etc.,
etc., etc. In addition, the swing axles create wicked camber changes
that loads the tires in funny ways which allows them to loose stability
which causes oversteer which accelerates the rear end which.....
Now chev recommended putting 15 psi in the front tires and 26 in the
rear to compensate for the oversteer. If the pressures weren't right
(and how could the be right all the time when you drive by first
yourself and then pick up five of your beer buddies to go to the game)
the car is unstable. I challenge you guys to go out and verify that
your pressures are correct on your car.
Here's what Car & Driver had to say:
"Despite a widespread misconception that the old corvair was 'almost' a
sports car, it was one of the nastiest handling cars ever built. The
tail gave little warning that it was about to let go and when it did, it
let go with a vengeance few drivers could cope with. The rear tires
would lose traction, tuck under and with the tail end jacked up in the
air, the car would swing around like a three pound hammer on a thirty
foot string. This is not to say that the car was unstable within the
limits of every-day fair weather driving - just that those limits were
none too clearly posted and, once transgressed, you were in pretty hairy
territory indeed."
And this was a car marketted as a sporty family car not like a 911 turbo
which also had big time oversteer.
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