Chevrolet Greenbrier
Encyclopedia
Chevrolet introduced the Corvair line up for the 1960 model year as the first of a series of generations of passenger compact car
s. Chevrolet introduced a more utilitarian style of vehicle the following year under the model designation "Corvair 95". In appearance and technical principals the vehicles were similar to the competing Volkswagen Transporter
which was essentially a bus-like cab over
adaptation of the Volkswagen Beetle
which moved the driver over the front wheels.
Power came from the Corvair's horizontally air-cooled opposed 6 cylinder engine
fitted to the rear of the car under a slightly raised cargo floor. It was similar in principle to the 4 cylinder engine of the Volkswagen, but unusual for most contemporary cars. Its displacement was 2375 cc and it developed 80 hp at 4,400 rpm. The engine size was increased to 2683 cc for the 1964 model year, meaning power went up to 95 hp. Unlike the Corvair cars these vehicles had a 95 in. wheelbase and were known as 95s because of the wheelbase. They came standard with a manually operated three-speed gearbox
but could be ordered with a two-speed powerglide automatic transmission
and eventually a four-speed manual was also made available.
There were essentially two different bodies available in the 95 series: the van and the truck. The simplest version was the panel van (Corvan) where no side or rear windows were to be found; The van upgrade was the Greenbrier. The Greenbrier normally had windows all around and six doors, although a rare option was to have eight doors where there were opening double doors on both sides. The Greenbrier could seat up to nine people with the available three seat option. The 95s and cars had an optional gas heater running off of gas from the vehicle's tank. The Greenbrier also had a camper option available that made it quite the weekend family get away vehicle.
The truck body consisted of the "Load side" and "Ramp side". The Load side was essentially a pickup with a standard tail gate only. The Loadside was only produced 2 years and is the rarest of the Corvairs. Only 369 were ever produced. A much more useful version of the truck was the Rampside. The Rampside had a side ramp to be used for loading / unloading. This was used very commonly by Bell System
because loading / unloading of cable drums was eased by the side ramp.
As Ford and Chrysler introduced the Ford Econoline
and Dodge A100
compact van
s of their own using a more conventional water-cooled engine mounted between the front seats, General Motors produced a similar van of their own. General Motors stopped producing the truck versions of the Corvair in 1964 and the Greenbrier was the sole survivor of the 95 inch wheelbase Corvair for 1965. Although the Greenbrier were a limited success, passenger vans would continue to evolve through full-sized vans and the 7-8 passenger minivan which would become a very successful vehicle niche by the 1980s as alternatives to station wagons.
name, while the medium Chevelle 300 Deluxe series 133 / 134 range was now called the Greenbrier. The top-of-the-line models, Chevelle Malibu 135 / 136 series, simply became the Concours and Concours Estate Wagon. The latter is decorated with exterior woodgrain paneling. Except for the simplest Nomad line (which was only available in six-seater form), all station wagons could be ordered with either six or nine seats. Power came from inline-sixes (not available for nine-seaters) or V8 engine
s.
For 1970, the Chevelle 300 Deluxe series was simply called Chevelle and the inline-six engine was no longer available in the station wagons. In 1972 the series' model code was changed to 1C. The Nomad, Greenbrier, and Concours names were all dropped for 1973, when the Chevelle was redesigned and the wagons all began sharing series names with other body styles.
Compact car
A compact car , or small family car , is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini but smaller than or equal to a mid-size car...
s. Chevrolet introduced a more utilitarian style of vehicle the following year under the model designation "Corvair 95". In appearance and technical principals the vehicles were similar to the competing Volkswagen Transporter
Volkswagen Transporter
The Volkswagen Transporter, based on the Volkswagen Group's T platform, now in its fifth generation, refers to a series of vans produced over 60 years and marketed worldwide....
which was essentially a bus-like cab over
Cab over
Cab-over, also known as COE , cab forward, or forward control, is a body style of truck or van that has a vertical front or "flat face", with the cab of the truck sitting above the front axle...
adaptation of the Volkswagen Beetle
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
which moved the driver over the front wheels.
Power came from the Corvair's horizontally air-cooled opposed 6 cylinder engine
Flat-6
A flat-6 or horizontally opposed-6 is a flat engine with six cylinders arranged horizontally in two banks of three cylinders on each side of a central crankcase...
fitted to the rear of the car under a slightly raised cargo floor. It was similar in principle to the 4 cylinder engine of the Volkswagen, but unusual for most contemporary cars. Its displacement was 2375 cc and it developed 80 hp at 4,400 rpm. The engine size was increased to 2683 cc for the 1964 model year, meaning power went up to 95 hp. Unlike the Corvair cars these vehicles had a 95 in. wheelbase and were known as 95s because of the wheelbase. They came standard with a manually operated three-speed gearbox
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
but could be ordered with a two-speed powerglide automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
and eventually a four-speed manual was also made available.
There were essentially two different bodies available in the 95 series: the van and the truck. The simplest version was the panel van (Corvan) where no side or rear windows were to be found; The van upgrade was the Greenbrier. The Greenbrier normally had windows all around and six doors, although a rare option was to have eight doors where there were opening double doors on both sides. The Greenbrier could seat up to nine people with the available three seat option. The 95s and cars had an optional gas heater running off of gas from the vehicle's tank. The Greenbrier also had a camper option available that made it quite the weekend family get away vehicle.
The truck body consisted of the "Load side" and "Ramp side". The Load side was essentially a pickup with a standard tail gate only. The Loadside was only produced 2 years and is the rarest of the Corvairs. Only 369 were ever produced. A much more useful version of the truck was the Rampside. The Rampside had a side ramp to be used for loading / unloading. This was used very commonly by Bell System
Bell System
The Bell System was the American Bell Telephone Company and then, subsequently, AT&T led system which provided telephone services to much of the United States and Canada from 1877 to 1984, at various times as a monopoly. In 1984, the company was broken up into separate companies, by a U.S...
because loading / unloading of cable drums was eased by the side ramp.
As Ford and Chrysler introduced the Ford Econoline
Ford E-Series
The Ford E-Series, formerly known as the Econoline or Club Wagon, is a line of full-size vans and truck chassis from the Ford Motor Company. The E-Series is related to the Ford F-Series line of pickup trucks. The line was introduced in 1961 as a compact van and its descendants are still produced...
and Dodge A100
Dodge A100
The A100 line was a model range of American compact vans and trucks manufactured and marketed from 1964–1970 by Chrysler Corporation for the Dodge brand in the United States and the Fargo brand in Canada....
compact van
Compact van
A compact van is a type of van characterized by a flat front design, mechanicals based on a compact car, an engine placed either at the rear or between and behind the front seats and were roughly the same size as the VW Bus. Popular in the United States during the early 1960s, they were replaced by...
s of their own using a more conventional water-cooled engine mounted between the front seats, General Motors produced a similar van of their own. General Motors stopped producing the truck versions of the Corvair in 1964 and the Greenbrier was the sole survivor of the 95 inch wheelbase Corvair for 1965. Although the Greenbrier were a limited success, passenger vans would continue to evolve through full-sized vans and the 7-8 passenger minivan which would become a very successful vehicle niche by the 1980s as alternatives to station wagons.
1969-1972 Chevelle Greenbrier
During the model year 1969 the four-door station wagons of the mid-sized Chevrolet Chevelle, produced since 1964, achieved additional names. The lowest, standard station wagons hitherto known as the Chevelle 300 series 131 / 132 got the NomadChevrolet Nomad
The Chevrolet Nomad was a station wagon model made off and on from 1955 to 1972, and a Chevy Van trim package in the late 1970s and early 1980s, produced by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors...
name, while the medium Chevelle 300 Deluxe series 133 / 134 range was now called the Greenbrier. The top-of-the-line models, Chevelle Malibu 135 / 136 series, simply became the Concours and Concours Estate Wagon. The latter is decorated with exterior woodgrain paneling. Except for the simplest Nomad line (which was only available in six-seater form), all station wagons could be ordered with either six or nine seats. Power came from inline-sixes (not available for nine-seaters) or V8 engine
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
s.
For 1970, the Chevelle 300 Deluxe series was simply called Chevelle and the inline-six engine was no longer available in the station wagons. In 1972 the series' model code was changed to 1C. The Nomad, Greenbrier, and Concours names were all dropped for 1973, when the Chevelle was redesigned and the wagons all began sharing series names with other body styles.