MetroWest Daily News, Framingham, MA
  • Rare innovation in this 1964 Corvair truck from Uxbridge

  • Rare innovation in this 1964 Corvair truck from Uxbridge

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  • The owner: Fred Palmer, 76, Uxbridge
    Occupation: Retired
    The car: 1964 Corvair Rampside truck
    When and where did you get this car?
    I bought it in 2007 in a small town in New York just over the Massachusetts border.
    Why did you want this car?
    Because these trucks were only made for four years, they are different.
    Corvairs have a fairly dedicated fan club, especially for a brand that had a limited run. Why do you think that is so?
    Corvairs are a car or truck that you either love or hate. There are a lot of Corvair clubs across the country. The Bay State Corvair Club, which I am a member of, has more than 100 members. Owners love how these cars handle and that they are affordable.
    Your model Corvair has a unique feature. Please explain.
    It has a ramp on the passenger side which lowers to the ground for easy loading and unloading. A lot of these trucks were purchased by the telephone companies and appliance stores.
    What work have you done on your car?
    I have rebuilt the engine. It is an air-cooled 6-cylinder. I have never rebuilt this type of engine before so it was an interesting project. I also put new coil springs and shocks on it.
    How rare is your car?
    Nineteen-sixty-four was the last year these trucks were made. They made 851 1964s. In 1964 they increased the engine to 165 cubic inches and altered the gas tank to help raise the transmission shifting shaft bar. In previous model years the shaft hung a little low and would sometimes get bent if the truck was driven over low ground.
    You often display your car with a full-size replica Texaco gas station. Explain what is in this set-up and why Texaco.
    This is a replica 1940s-'50s Texaco gas station with two gasoline pumps in front and a diesel pump on the side. On the inside I have Texaco products on display, including Texaco truck models. I chose Texaco because when I was a kid I used to watch the Texaco Star Theater with Milton Berle.
    What is the biggest challenge and reward associated with refurbishing anything old?
    The biggest challenge today for the working man for restoring old cars is the cost. A few years ago, you could buy an old car for $500 to $1,000, put $2,000-3,000 into it and have a nice car. Today, it would cost you $6,000-7,000 to buy an old car and you'd have to put another $7,000-8,000 into it.
    How did you get interested in cars? Did you have a mentor and what was your first car?
    Page 2 of 2 - I was interested in cars since I was 12 years old. I have always liked Chevys - my father was a Chevy mechanic. My first car was a 1936 Chevy Coupe.
    How do you explain your interest in cars to people who are not interested in cars?
    I explain to them how I got interested in cars, then answer their questions.
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