General Motors took a page out of Volkswagen’s engineering book to create the Corvair, one of the most distinctive vehicles to come out of Detroit in the past century.
As the era of huge tail fins, chrome side spears and rounded rooflines grew closer to a close, Chevrolet boldly launched a new compact model beginning in 1960. The Corvair – a name derived from the combination of Corvette and Bel Air – introduced the world to not only a less-extravagant design language but to an unconventional rear-mounted, air-cooled, flat-six engine configuration.
The marketplace reacted favorably, and for its first six model years, the Corvair compact sold more than 200,000 units per year.
The Pick of the Day is a 1962 Chevrolet Corvair convertible equipped in the model’s highest Monza 900 trim level. The car has been fully restored both inside and out, according to the Laguna Beach, California, dealer advertising the car on ClassicCars.com.
The seller describes a comprehensive amount of mechanical and cosmetic work performed on the car. The story begins under the hood, or is it the trunk? The rear-mounted engine received an engine rebuild within the past 250 miles, the seller says. Among the enhancements were new cast pistons with chrome rings, and valve-cover gaskets, the seller adds, and the hoses, belts and fluids were refreshed at the same time.
“This Corvair drives as she should – straight and clean with excellent performance, handling and braking,” the seller says.
The Corvair has lived in California its entire life, the seller notes, and comes with its original black license plates from when it was new. Documentation including an owner’s manual and sales booklet accompany the sale.
The listing includes detailed photos illustrating the engine bay, undercarriage and interior tidiness. Buckets seats up front were a Monza trim-level feature. The car is “one of the best-looking, most-sound Corvairs you will find anywhere,” the seller states.
Over its decade-long lifespan, the Corvair name was associated with a variety of vehicles in Chevrolet’s showrooms including a convertible, coupe, sedan, station wagon, van, even a pickup truck. It’s no wonder that a car so different and forward-thinking for its time developed such a fan following. Today, the Corvair Society of America (CORSA) thrives as a community of 4,000 enthusiasts with regularly scheduled meetups.
This Corvair convertible looks ready for the show circuit. The asking price is $21,995.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
ok at $15000
See Mr, Katz’s price comment. Philip, I believe your comment is incorrect.
3Looks like a very nice car–job well done. Just a couple of notes: The top of the line was not the Monza 900 in 1962, but the Monza Spyder, which came standard with a 150 horsepower turbocharged engine. Also, this particular car is not stock, as the 140 4-carb engine was not available until the 1965 model year.
The way Corvairs have been increasing in collectability and price lately, I would say if it is as nice underneath as it is on top, the asking price is pretty close to correct.
Marty Katz
Las Vegas, Nv.
I want to buy this car
I am interested in this car.
Please contact me.
You need to click on the Pick of the Day link and contact the owner. The writer of these articles are not the owners of the car.
I am interested in this car.
Please contact me.
Thanks.
Automatic transmission takes me out of the equation.
God bless America
Would you consider 20,000 dollars