Like the title says..I was watching the Fine Living channel yesterday and I forget the name of the show but it was about Mustangs and they were talking about the T-Birds and the market for them and they "Ford" wanted to make a small sports car for your everyday "Joe". So they showed the Proto-type made in 1962 called the Mustang 1, and it sports a 1.9L four banger Oh did I mention that it was a "Mid-engine design" Just kinda makes ya wonder..
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11:38 AM
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DustoneGT Member
Posts: 1274 From: The U.S. Superstate Registered: Dec 2002
Actually, the Corvair was a "rear" engined car, the engine actually hangs out behind the back wheels, just like the Porsche 911.
Unfortunately, GM did a poor job of controlling the Corvair's tendancy to swap ends, and ended its life after Ralph Nader drew attention to it with his book, "Unsafe at any Speed".
That could be one of the reasons why GM ended the Fiero's life so abruptly, they may have expected another "book" about the Fiero's fire problems. However, Ford's Pinto managed to divert attention away from GM's cars for a while.
------------------ Gerald Storvik
http://www.8shark.com
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01:39 PM
Soaper Member
Posts: 1417 From: Nashville, TN Registered: Jun 2002
Actually, the Corvair was a "rear" engined car, the engine actually hangs out behind the back wheels, just like the Porsche 911.
Unfortunately, GM did a poor job of controlling the Corvair's tendancy to swap ends, and ended its life after Ralph Nader drew attention to it with his book, "Unsafe at any Speed".
Yup, the Corvair, released in the Fall of '59 as a 1960 model, was a rear engined, air cooled flat six (like the 911 engine). The early models didn't handle well, with the rear engine and swing axle, but later models, and especially the 65-69 models handled much better. Yenko Chevrolet (you remember the Yenko Camaros?) made a special version of the 65+ model called the "Yenko Stinger" for competition in SCCA road racing, and with a 190HP six cylinder and improved handling, they were know to do unspeakable things to Bos 302 Mustangs in the races. The cars may not have been great handlers in 60-61, but that was later corrected.
As for Ralph Nader... well, he's a goober. I don't know if his book killed the 'Vair, but it surely didn't help. And by the time his book hit the stands, any problems he cited had already been corrected.
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02:16 PM
bookster Member
Posts: 124 From: littleton colo usa Registered: Jun 2002
Well, lets talk ford did have there hand in it. It is a mid engine meaning the engine sits before the trans that would be world renowned Detomasa Pantera this is and shall always be the most violent car ever built in fact it hold so many records I feel no car shall ever compare
you guys missed the point... I know the fiero isn't the first and won't be the last MID-ENGINE. none of the cars you mentioned LOOK like a Fiero or have a MID-engine design, rear engine doesn't pass for a MID-engine...and a pantara engine sits different the mustang 1 could past for a Fiero with it's styling q's,
The M30 was just a concept car right? Just want to be clear on it. In my opinion it kinda looks like the car in the movie "The Wraith". I know that car was a Dodge, but similiar in appearance.
------------------ Check out my website... www.localline.com/~dlcrim 1985 Sport Coupe 1988 Formula
The car Kameo Kid posted the pic of is available to see at the henry ford meseum. It is MUCH smaller than a Fiero or even a miata. It's about 3/4's the size of an Mg Midget...
Neat little car....
As for the corvair... I have autocrossed a 61 4 door on bias ply's before at a few national conventions. Scary handling? not really. Funny how the corvair was unsafe at any speed and the VW bug with the identical designed suspension as the pre 64 cars was never tackled by nader.
JM
------------------ Jonathan McCreery If you're goin to hell, dont halfazz it, go all out, and shoot for Satan's right hand man.
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06:34 PM
DustoneGT Member
Posts: 1274 From: The U.S. Superstate Registered: Dec 2002