Nader's Museum Will Show You a Non-Crashed Corvair, Sell You a Flaming Pinto T-Shirt
The Chevrolet Corvair and Ford Pinto have long been derided as death traps — one for its tendency to crash into stuff backwards, and the other for roasting its occupants alive. They also share something else in common: you can see both at Ralph Nader’s museum (though, in the Pinto’s case, it will be in the form of a t-shirt).
Ralph Nader, who’s famously known as the guy who mercilessly destroyed the reputation of an innocent air-cooled Chevrolet or a hero who made big corporations think about their customers’ lives at least a little bit, is apparently a man with a sense of humor.
The evidence is found, of all places, on the website of Nader’s American Museum of Tort Law, an institution founded by the famous lawyer last year in Winsted, CT. The museum invites visitors to its grand “re-awakening” on April 2 and promises to show them some truly interesting things. Like what, you probably didn’t ask? How about an exhibit on Jackie O., dangerous toys for the kids, and the most precious exhibit of them all, a non-crashed Chevrolet Corvair.
Funny, eh? If you’re laughing now, you’re probably a potential customer for the AMTL’s finest piece of merchandise. A Flaming Pinto T-Shirt commemorates the famous case of the Ford Pinto where the Ford Motor Company got caught red-handed after deciding that it’s cheaper to just pay off families of the people who burned to death than spend $11 per car to change exploding fuel tanks.
Quite a dark sense of humor, one has to say …
More by Vojta Dobe
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Reminds me of the 1990 movie Spirit of 76 in which time travelers from the 2176 attempt to reach 1776 and end up in 1976 instead . A Pinto in the movie explodes into flames merely by a car getting close to it's rear bumper . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6fcdhQn32M
The museum opened last year but the launch was a little under promoted so they are now trying a proper roll out. I haven't been yet but I kind of want to go. It's only about 35 minutes from my office. Ralph was on a local radio program I actually kind of like the guy he's interesting to listen to at least. And he does make Tort law seem interesting and more valuable then you would think. http://wnpr.org/post/live-ralph-naders-american-museum-tort-law
That'll be me wearing that shirt as soon as I get one ordered. Freakin' hilarious, as it plays right into my contempt of all things Pinto. Will combine with a Trump trucker cap for max lulz.
That was one helluvva smack ~ how fast was the Chevy going ? . -Nate