Direct from Finland
Seppo Saario owns one of very few forward-control Corvairs that were ever imported into Finland. He purchased this Greenbrier in 1980 from the original owner.
Seppo, with help form Dave Newell, related that the Finnish importer was Suomen General Motors Oy of Helsinki, the GM-owned distributor since 1941, while the dealer was Nicolayef Co. (Oy Nikolajeff Ab), also of Helsinki. They sold GM Commercial vehicles. He is pretty sure the Greenbrier was imported in September or October of 1964. He does know that it was first sold on December 15, 1964, probably to Tampereen Tasoitemiehet Co. in Tampere. The second owner was Mr. Pentti Hakala of Tampere.
The van originally was for two passengers only (no back seats) but has always had roll-down side windows. It was re-registered on 2 October 1968 as a regular nine-passenger wagon.
The "RU" in the engine date code of T0821RU indicates this van has a correct 1965 Greenbrier 110 HP engine with manual transmission. The build date of 8/21 fits in properly with the van's assembly month of August.
Seppo remembers seeing four Greenbriers in Finland over the years, but no Rampsides, Loadsides, or Corvans:
- Blue/white color (1970 in Tampere?) This may actually be a '61 Corvan (owned by Ralf Wasberg as of 2016). The dealer put in 6 fixed windows that look a lot like Greenbrier windows from a distance.
- White/red (1986 in Helsinki) This is very likely the Greenbrier owned by Juha Laakso as of 2016.
- White/red (1995 in Tampere); Some hippie guys used it as a "Hippie-wagon", same vehicle is maybe today in Orivesi, Tampere Region (?)
- His Greenbrier (red/white)
Seppo is quite an auto enthusiast and has owned several other vintage US cars:
- '63 Chrysler Newport (4-door HT, 383 CID V-8, 1989-2000)
- '65 Chevrolet Corvair Monza (sedan, 110 HP, 4 spd, 1985-89)
- '68 Chrysler Newport Custom (4-door, 383 CID V-8, 1977-78)
- '72 Chrysler Newport Custom (4-door, 400 CID V-8, 1978-84)
- '82 Chevrolet Caprice Classic (station wagon, 350 CID V-8, 2000-present); this vehicle was imported "tax free" in 1990 because it is considered a van in Finland (3+3 passengers)
Seppo has sent me several photo montages of his Greenbrier over the years. Seppo got the Greenbrier on the road in August of 2002. Congratulations!
Click on each thumbnail below to see the full-size montage:
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Information from the data plate
Description |
Description |
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5Z60LB |
Custom equipment, Red interior |
5544AB |
Red, two-tone |
none |
N/A |
(Click on a heading in the table for more information on that item.)