Reader Bruce G. writes: My friend Pete from the Detroit Area Corvair Club has decided he has “too” many ’60 Corvairs! I’m not going to judge that, but Pete is going to sell 10 of the 11 he owns, including some very rare cars! All but two are located in southeast Michigan apart from two that are in museums in New York and Pennsylvania. They are advertised here on craigslist and range in price from $450 to $9,000. Let’s look at a few of the neatest ones closely.
This ermine white 1960 500 sedan is in a museum in Norwich, New York. It’s a fresh restoration and has an automatic transmission, as well as a cutaway engine lid for viewing the engine. Pete wants $7,000 for this one.
Here’s a shorty! This cream 1960 with the 110 hp engine and a four speed has been shortened by 18 inches, although as you can see the rocker panels need some work. It’s priced at only $2,500 and appears to have been modified quite well.
This Horizon Blue 700 (the 700 was the upscale model, the 500 the lower-spec) has only 18,000 original miles, an automatic transmission and is the other museum car. This one is located in Clearfield, Pennsylvania. You have to admire the work put into those museum display trunk lids, complete with louvers! The price on this car is $6,000.
This Tuxedo Black 700 Sedan is the oldest surviving Corvair in the US. It needs to be reassembled, but has just been painted and could come with a parts car to complete returning the car back to the road. This one is priced at $9,000 due to rarity.
One of the more interesting cars is this partial mockup of a Corvair prototype. In order to help keep the revolutionary compact a secret, the Chevrolet pre-production prototypes were actually badged as Holdens (the Australian arm of GM) and had a somewhat different body. This isn’t an exact replica of the prototypes as there were some sheet metal differences as well, but the builder has captured the gist of what GM did. This one is only $2,500. There are some really neat cars here, and I’m surprised at the low cost of some of them, especially the museum-quality cars. If you are interested in early Corvairs, this is your lucky day! Let us know if you purchase any of them!
Yes, I have too many Corvairs in the collection to manage at this point. Hoping some of these get into the hands of enthusiasts who will enjoy them for what they were designed to be: cool compact affordable transportation. There is a very strong Corvair fraternity out there to support anyone who wants to get into the hobby.
I really love the shorty Pete. It would be a fun car for the summer. But they are all great.
These are VERY fair prices as far as I can tell, I hope the new owners have as much integrity as the current owner!
Pete did you buy the hustler from me?
Looks like a good opportunity to make a wholesale buy………buy them all for one money and market them individually.
I am guessing that the Corvair In Clearfield PA is at the Grice Community Museum. Their website doesn’t do this Museum justice. Loaded with game mounts and autos, It’s a nice museum the was rebuilt after a severe snow storm collapsed the roof in . It’s only about 3 miles off of Interstate 80 exit 119.
what a great collection. thanks pete for offering them at a price someone can get into the hobby and have sme fun without breaking the bank. wish i were in a position to buy the blue one, not everyone saw the importance to appreciate and save the 4 doors. getting t where there are no really nice unusual examples of them around. everyone thinks money and wans the spyders and converts. something for everyone here. like the effort on the one off coupe from the 4 door. might not be for everyone but shows what might have been. trade you a hudson!!! lol
I really like the shorty “coupe” conversion. I’m thinking if the General had offered them back in the day, it would have been a pretty fair seller.
A shorty with swing axles would make Ralph Nader proud.
Looks great!
Man, oh, man! I’m a Ford/Mopar guy at heart, but I always wanted a Corvair to use as a daily. Some mighty neat little cars here Pete. I would love to grab one up if I were still able to drive. Love the pics. Thanks… ;)
Wayne, I’m like you, I keep looking at the “shorty” and thinking how much fun that would be to DD! Pete, I really wish I were able to do something right now–I appreciate both your approach to selling and reasonable pricing!
I like the mint green one myself, Jamie…
Wayne, you know, apart from the one on the trailer with the fender skirts (which is priced appropriately, nonetheless), and the rare black one that I’d be afraid to drive, I’d go for any of them! :-) Thanks for sharing–and I hope things change for the better!
What a collection. I’m dying to get into the Corvair game. The shorty is really interesting, as the sedan rear window really is a thing of beauty. To see it in a two door form is brilliant.
Great post!!!
Great looking cars . I already have a 65 ragtop . The CL ad is flagged !! someone probably assumed it just HAD to be faked !