vaguely familiar

[SamirD]

Still have it although only use it for canoe trips, big groups or getting large items. I call it my tupperware van because the body is all plastic. Got the Chrysler LHS for a luxury ride but the Silhouette drove just as nice, what was that famous saying "it's the Cadillac of minivans". Had to replace the transmission, half-shaft, repair the sliding door, the passenger window doesn't work. After about 40k the gas gauge shows less gas than it has and the oil pressure gauge shows low pressure (hoping that is due to a faulty voltage regulator in the dash). Leaks about a quart of oil every 500 miles. Heavy burnt oil smell after driving it. Took to two shops to find where the oil is leaking, they couldn't find the leak. Have 180K on it. My Corolla has 189K on it and the only thing I have replaced is a O2 sensor.

Did you have the Lumina APV or the Pontiac version? I think it was the Pontiac version that had a lot of plastic on it.

I have the Oldsmobile Silhouette. All three Chevy Lumina, Pontiac Transport & Olds Silhouette have plastic panels on a highly rated roll cage. I bought it because of the all plastic body (no rust) and expected it to be a "Forever" van. I have taken it to three funerals, park in the procession line then walk into the funeral home then watch as the funeral worker tries to put the magnetic flag on it. Each time it was hilarious. It still looks like new until you crawl under it. When I bought it I looked underneath and it looked like they had sprayed some kind of porcelain undercoating on the metal. It is rusting underneath more than I expected but less than other vehicles I've had. I replaced all the brake lines this summer.

Ah yes, the third in the trio. I didn't realize they had all plastic body panels. Was it done similarly to the saturns with a metal structure and just plastic vs sheet metal for the outer skin?

[redmed]

I'm not sure but would guess so.

[SamirD]

I'm not sure but would guess so.

If there's no metal at all on the outer skin, that's probably the case. Although this would be the first time I've heard of that panel design being used on any car outside of the saturns.

Saturn had such a great product. Hummer did too. I wonder how many good products GM has killed off over the years?

[WESHOOT2]

'65 and later Corvair (loved our '66).

[SamirD]

'65 and later Corvair (loved our '66).

Those were pretty neat cars. The first time I saw one, seeing the engine in the trunk really threw me for a loop.

[Firefly]

'65 and later Corvair (loved our '66).

In my opinion that was the most beautiful design to come from Chevy. The Bill Mitchell years...

[ragmopp01]

I guess I need to chime in here regarding the Corvair. I had two, a 140 horse '65 and a (I think) 180 horse '66 turbo. Both were excellent cars. I kinda compared them to a poor mans Porsche. Of course you HAD to replace the bias ply tires with radials (its hard to believe they came that way) and then the car took on a whole new personality. The 66 I beat the c##p out of it. I loved to use the rev limiter buzzer as a shift point... They always ran, and did NOT leak oil. Shoulda kept at least one of them...but then I had my eye on a 55 Packard...sigh...

[redmed]

Of the 1966's I was partial to SS 396 Chevelle. Especially in bright blue like mine.
Ton's of fun on Telegraph & Woodward in the Detroit area.
O Happy Day's