Jetfire V Spyder reliese dates

[jensenracing77]

I can not find the release date for the Chevy Spyder. Was the Spyder available before the Jetfire was?

[62 Cutlass Convert]

According to Wikipeidia which does regularly have errors, “In Spring of 1962 Chevrolet really committed itself to the sporty image they had created for the Corvair by finally introducing a Convertible version and then offering a high performance 150 hp (112 kW; 152 PS) turbocharged “Spyder”[16] option for Monza coupes and convertibles, making the Corvair the second production automobile to come with a turbocharger as a factory option, with the Oldsmobile F-85 Turbo Jetfire having been released a few weeks earlier in 1962.”

[jensenracing77]

I read that and also read others that say the Corvair was first. I would like to pinpoint the date they were truly available for someone to pick up at the dealers. I always thought the Jetfire was first but like to have hard dates. I have something coming up and would like to be able to have facts to back me up.

[jensenracing77]

I am reading on the Corvair forum and they all say the Corvair was first. I know everyone whats to believe there car was first but still like to get hard numbers of when they arrived at the dealers.

[jensenracing77]

Jim, Was April 20 1962 the first day they were available to pick up at the dealer or was that the day they made an announcement?

[Jim Noel]

Hi Eric,
I do not have a good answer to your question. April 20,1962 was the date of the Press Release for Jetfire. I don’t know if you could get one at a dealer on that date. They did make 100’s or 1,000’s before that date and I have always assumed they were at the dealers by April 20. That was standard protocol of the time.
Every article that I have read regarding the Corvair Spider states the were second to the market by about two weeks. You can Google many articles discussing the intro of the Spyder, all that I have read say a couple of weeks later than Jetfire. Date 1st at the dealer show room, I have no “facts”???

[joe_padavano]

The Jetfire was officially introduced at the New York Auto Show on April 20, 1962. Corvair fans point out that the Corvair Spyder was introduced at the Chicago Auto Show in Feb 1962. The problem is that was not the production Corvair turbo, it was a non-production show car called the Corvair Super Spyder.

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[jensenracing77]

Old subject but wanted to add to it. I emailed my contact at the GM Heritage Center and ask him if they had a document for the date of the Spyder and if there was enough documents to back this up. Here is his reply.

“It looks like the Olds Turbo-Rocket V8 was announced on January 7, 1962 and shown publicly for the first time on April 20, 1962 at the New York Auto Show. The Monza Spyder was announced on February 7, 1962. The release says the production would begin in April. As for when they were available to the public for purchase, our records don’t hold this information.”

[Jim Noel]

Since my post above, I have learned that my information/assumptions were wrong. From the information collected on our Jetfire cowl tags, the Jetfire production must have started in late March or early April of 1962. When they were available to purchase from a dealer or delivered to the 1st dealers is only speculation at this time. It would be interesting to hear about an early date, written in a Jetfire Protect-O-Plate book (usually done by the selling dealer), and have the cowl tag ‘date of production’ to show when it was made. The earliest Jetfire cowl tag in my table is Eric’s, and is car # 98 from Lansing and has the make date of the second week of April, 1962. I don’t think Eric has the P-O-P book for that car though?
Similar information from a Corvair Spyder might help solve this 50+ year old mystery.

[Jim Noel]

Cowl tag information collected to date.

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