CORSA Magazines
This web page describes periodicals published by CORSA, past and present. They are available online to CORSA members, right here on this website. Log in with your Username and Password and then you'll see a link to our Publication Archives on the navigation menu.
1969-1970 - The Preliminary Newsletters
The history of CORSA publications began before CORSA was founded. When founder Richard Langworth was promoting interest in a national Corvair club in 1969-1970, Langworth and Jon Ramer composed mimeographed sheets that were simply called “Preliminary Newsletters”. There were four issues mailed.
1970-1972 - CORSA Bulletin, CORSA News, and The Windmill
After CORSA was formed in 1970 the first true newsletters were published. The first three newsletters, after the preliminary newsletters, were published by Jon Ramer. The first two of these were titled CORSA Bulletin, the third CORSA News.
The Windmill starts with the fourth issue. Which begins with the new editor, Allen LaDriere, thanking Jon Ramer for his service with the first three newsletters. The first 10 issues featured drawings, no photos, by primarily Robert C. Lichty, but other artist such as Rick Norris and Jim Newell were also featured.
Beginning with the May-June 1972 issue of The Windmill Mark Ellis became editor and photographs were introduced to the newsletter. They were double sheets of plain paper printed and folded, mailed monthly. Allen LaDriere served as Editor until April 1972 when Mark Ellis took over.
1971-1978 - The CORSA Quarterly
In 1971 another publication was created in addition to the monthly newsletters. It was a magazine with art and color published four times a year called the CORSA Quarterly. This contained feature material that was not timely such as history articles and road test reprints. (The CORSA Communiqués was used for advertising, news stories, and Society business.) There were 28 issues published over seven years, always edited by Tony Fiore.
1972-1978 - The CORSA Communiqués
In November 1972 the monthly paper newsletter was renamed CORSA Communiqués. Mark Ellis continued as Editor. In June 1974 the Editor job was taken over by Ed Connolly, and a few months later by Mrs. Scotty Smathers who continued until 1978.
1978-Present - The CORSA Communique
By 1978 the Corvair Society of America had grown to 6,000 members and a six-figure annual budget. It was now possible to publish a monthly magazine and so both the Communiqués and the Quarterly were ended and replaced by a monthly magazine called the CORSA Communique. The first issue was September 1978 and it has been published in the same form ever since. Whereas previous publications were produced by volunteers who may have received some nominal compensation, CORSA began in 1978 to pay for management services and publishing by a professional outside vendor. Marcus Associated Services. Al Audleman served as Managing Editor, while Tony Fiore and Mrs. Scotty Smathers volunteered as Contributing Editors for a while. Bob Helt was CORSA’s Technical Editor through most of the 1970s and into the 1980s; Larry Claypool took over that job and has served ever since. Dave Newell worked as Corvair History Editor, officially and unofficially, throughout all the years of CORSA.
At the beginning of 1984 the management as well as the publishing duties were taken over by Association Management Center. The staff of volunteer Editors was unchanged. In 1987 the production of the Communique was taken over by longtime CORSA members Mike McGowan and Harry Jensen. Mike had been the volunteer Feature Editor before that. Their commitment was to produce a Corvair magazine of the highest accuracy and quality. Relying on volunteer Editors and contributors, the Communique has been published that way for almost 25 years. It is a frequent recipient of the “Golden Quill Award” bestowed by Old Cars News & Marketplace, the newspaper of the old car hobby.
For a sample copy of the Communique, CLICK HERE!
Note: Current CORSA Members enjoy access to a growing down-loadable archive of past publications in PDF form.
Contributing Authors: Mike McGowan, Terry Kalp, and Gary Moore
