The Year Is: 1962

The year is 1962. You've just graduated High School and you're going to head off to college in the fall. Partly as a graduation present and partly because your current car isn't terribly weatherproof;

your parents have decided to pay half the cost of a new economy car for you. The question is, which one?

Chevrolet Corvair

Volkswagen Type 3

Chevrolet Chevy II Nova

Dodge Lancer

Ford Falcon

Mercury Comet

Oldsmobile Cutlass

Plymouth Valiant

Pontiac Tempest

Rambler American

Volkswagen Beetle

Renault Dauphine

I know that I am going to be in the minority here, but I am going to say Corvair.

Corvair, followed by Tempest.

Tempest, though I would beg for a base model '62 Catalina hardtop coupe instead

chevy II, Olds, Valiant (max wedge exchange after college), corvair (not my fav body style)

Tempest.

Yeah, clete, the 2nd-gen Corvair is a timeless beauty, the first-gen is on par with its contemporaries, just not a knock-out like the 2nd-gen car.

Cutlass... duh...

gosh that Valiant and Rambler are ugly!

Why you gotta pick on the little Rambler? It's a simple box with a 2013 Fusion grille.

Chevy II. And as an FYI, the pictured Chevy II is not a '62.

Yikes. Was actually putting my hands on my #1 choice today : Tempest, then the Cutlass.

I'm with Rog tho - go full-size if you want a real car.

you know, I don't believe I've ever heard a Corvair running. Do they have a unique sound?

Could not find a decent representative ex on Utube.

My buddy has had numerous 2G Corvairs, but I haven't seen one of his running in many years.

However, yes; they do have a unique sound. A combo of raspy & burbly is as best as I can word it.

They sound like six angels sitting on clouds playing the harp in unison.

If ordered with a straight six, three on the tree (and some stealthy option choices) wouldn't this qualify?

That Nova body line running over the rear wheel arch into the rear bumper is present on Impalas, '00-up. It's subtle on the Impys, as it is not outlined with chrome, but it is there.

Camino...yes...that would qualify...

And I would be dumb enough to drop out of school, drop in a 409, and go racing.....

Jetfire of course:

Because there's nothing like it on the road today!

are you serious it says turbo-rocket fluid on there

'62 Tempest is OK... but I'd prefer a '61... or wait for '63.

The Falcon looks downright Soviet.... how did Ford move so many of them? Price?

They were a very well built car for the era...and Ford had a very good reputation as a builder of the "Tin Lizzie" cheap depoendable cars you could drive to work every day.

Thy were the Kia of that era, methinks.

The first car I ever drove was a '61 Falcon coupe.

I do like the '63.5 Falcon Sprint and Futura.

Edited July 22, 201213 yr by ocnblu