May 1952 -- Edward N. Cole moves from Cadillac to Chevrolet's top engineering spot. Brings key men with him. Their assignment: "Enliven Chevrolet's staid product line." Cole has already put considerable thought and work into rear-engined experimentals.

1955 -- Chevy R & D chief Maurice Olley reports to Cole on various engine placements and drive configurations in terms of economics and manufacturing feasibility. Preliminary research begins on 2-piece aluminum flat 6. But idea is soon shelved due to lack of technology.

July 1956 -- Cole becomes Chevrolet's general manager; moves ahead with Corvair (called Holden La Salle II) phototypes.

August 1957 -- Ned Nickles begins styling studies for Corvair under watchful eyes of Cole and Harley Earl.

September 1957 -- GM president Harlow Curtice sees styling clays, hears Cole's presentation, gives his blessing. Soon afterward, GM's engineering policy committee and board of directors also approve Corvair. For the first time, it's officially on its way to production.

Winter 1957 thru Summer 1958 -- Corvair evolves mechanically. Its engine and drivetrain tested in cobbled Porsches, a Vauxhall, and one full mechanical prototype. Cole pleased.

Spring 1958 -- Second and third "Holden" mechanical prototypes built and tested. Detail engineering and planning for new Willow Run Corvair plant now at full tilt.

July 1958 -- Conversion of GM plant at Willow Run started: Corvair's official home.

September 1958 -- Motor Life predicts the Corvair in amazingly accurate detail, based on tooling orders.

May 22, 1959 -- GM announces it will introduce a compact for 1960. Name Corvair becomes official. (Chrysler had made a similar announcement on the Valiant on March 10 and so had Ford on the Falcon, February 19.)

October 2, 1959 -- First Corvair bows. Falcon debuts six days later, and Valiant arrives October 29. Falcon outsells Corvair immediately.

April 1960 -- Motor Trend names Corvair Car of the Year.

May 1960 -- First Corvair coupe arrives, as does Monza 900 series, with 95-bhp engine and 4-speed gearbox optional. A Paxton-supercharged Corvair sedan hits 0-60 in 15.8 seconds, as compared with 21.2 seconds stock.  Top speed increases from 88 to 95mph. Corvair is turning into a performance machine.

September 1960 -- Lakewood wagon introduced for 1961; also Greenbrier, Corvan, Rampside, and Loadside vans and pickups. Bore increased from 3 3/8 to 3 7/16 inches to up displacement from 140 to 145cid.

March 1961 -- First Monza sedan debuts. Ed Cole leaves Chevrolet to become GM car and truck VP. His place is taken by Semon E. Knudsen.

September 1961 -- Chevy II introduced. Competes directly with Falcon and Valiant but also with Corvair, particularly wagons.

April 1962 -- Corvair wagon dropped; 32,120 produced. Monza convertible introduced. Spyder package released. Has 150-bhp turbocharged engine. Two-passenger Sebring Spyder makes New York show.

May 1962 -- Design begins on 1965 Corvair under Ron Hill. It's based largely on Monza GT showcar.

June 1962 -- Monza GT coupe bows at Elkhart Lake.

March 1963 -- Corvair Bertone Testudo at Geneva salon.

April 1963 -- Monza SS showcar at New York auto show.

October 1963 -- Spyder becomes a standard 1964 model instead of an option package. Stroke increased from 2.60 to 2.94 inches to up displacement to 164cid. Swing axle suspension bolstered by addition of factory leaf spring. Further 1964 suspension improvements include standard front stabilizer bar plus recalibrated coil springs and shocks.

April 15, 1964 -- Ford releases Mustang, which was conceived as response to Corvair, and Mustang becomes a prime contributor to Corvair's demise.

September 1964 -- 1965 Corvairs bow with new styling and fully independent rear suspension. Car remains basically the same as this through the end of production.

December 1964 -- Greenbrier dropped; only 1528 built this model year.

April 1965 -- Management instructs Chevrolet engineers not to further develop future Corvairs -- to freeze design and merely meet safety and smog standards.

November 1965 -- Ralph Nader publishes The Corvair Story, an article in The Nation, which formed the basis for the first chapter (only) of his book, Unsafe at Any Speed, also published the same month.

1965 -- This becomes peak year for the restyled Corvair, but it can't stem the Mustang's tide. With greater performance demands, turbocharged engine delivers 180bhp. Nader's book plus the Mustang spell a downhill run for the Corvair.

October 1966 -- 1967 Corvairs introduced. Corsa models and 140bhp engine dropped but later re-instated due to popular demand.

March 1967 -- Astro I showcar at New York show.

October 1967 -- Four-doors dropped with 1968 introductions.

May 14, 1969 -- The last Corvair, a golden coupe, rolls off assembly line. By this time Corvair quality has reached a very low ebb. The factory offers a $150 certificate with each 1969 Corvair good on the purchase of a new Chevrolet anytime before 1974.

Total Production -- 1,710,018

Courtesy "The Compleat History of Corvair for the Compleat Corvair Nut!!" Volume 1, by John Wipff, available from Clark's Corvair Parts, Shelburne Falls, MA