Hey now with all this Ford bashing I have to point out that Ford made one good car...

MINE lol My car has been through the ringer several times and she keeps on going.
Pam, the Corvairs had really really BAD exhaust routing. What made them unsafe really was that the fuel line was routed way too close to the exhaust manifold. What you probibly experenced was ether fuel dripping on the exhaust or oil and the smoke getting through the heating system. Or something was cooking electrically. Either way...NOT GOOD! Hubby had a corvair burn to the ground on him on the highway, Im glad that didn't happen to you!