The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #138836   Message #3179468
Posted By: Richard Bridge
30-Jun-11 - 10:43 PM
Thread Name: BS: Oldsmobile Toronado
Subject: RE: BS: Oldsmobile Toronado
I'm not sure when the change was but early Corvairs had a simple swing axle rear suspension but later ones (certainly the sort of coupe version)what was it called, the Monza SS or something like that?) had something a lot cleverer.   If my memory serves me it was sort of a semi-trailing layout with a lower wishbone, said to be inspired by Jaguar but more like the latest Superbeetles (the 1303S, I think). In consequence in stead of having swing axle tuckunder, under provocation it would have behaved as if negative camber was increasing on the inside rear wheel. A 30/70 weight distribution (or something like that) is still not clever for joe public though. The Burney Streamline (which, along with the Maybach Zeppelin beat Chrysler to "Airflow" concepts by a year or more) and the Tatras which Hitler said killed more of his officers than the Russian army - demonstrated that. The Tatra at least also had, in the early days, swing axle rear suspension although I think that changed by the 603 model and used rear mounted aircooled engines. They moved the engine forward a bit to help weight distribution in the 603, too and the 613 looks really cool even today.