Lost in the buzz surrounding Ford’s unbelievably popular Mustang was Chevrolet’s little Corvair, which sold surprisingly well in the face of the Blue Oval onslaught…for a year or so. When the Corvair was restyled as a 1965 model, magazines gushed over its Italianate styling and crisp handling, and over 235,000 were sold—not Mustang territory, but not bad. Sales plummeted in 1966, however, to 103,743, and it would get worse from there as the Camaro found its way into the lineup in 1967. Regardless, the Corvair is a popular and attainable collector car today, and this nice 1966 Monza with a reputed 19,000 miles seems like a nice buy. Barn Finds is lucky to have readers like Tony Primo, who spotted it on craigslist in Sacramento, California, with an asking price of $13,500.
All second-generation Corvairs had an upsized 164-cubic-inch version of Chevy’s air-cooled flat six. This Monza has the first step up on the options list, which produced 110 horsepower by way of a 9.25:1 compression ratio and a hotter camshaft than the base 95-horsepower engine, and the 95 and the 110 both had dual Rochester HV single-barrel carburetors, one for each bank. Three-speed and four-speed manuals were available, but this car has the popular two-speed Powerglide automatic. The spare tire location in the engine compartment is factory original, although some owners move the tire into the trunk up front. Speaking of tires, the seller says that they are new Coker wide whites, which are quite expensive and (in my opinion) don’t quite fit this period of automobile. You may disagree, and if you do, you’ll have a nice, new set of tires.
The advertisement says that the interior is original, but the carpet is new. The interior got a few minor updates for 1966, including black “crinkle” dash paint to replace the argent color in ’65 models, along with slightly different door panels, upholstery, and horn ring “button.” Monzas came with bucket seats, and it appears that somebody has added an armrest for a little extra storage on those longer trips.
Making the asking price seem even more reasonable is the $7,700 the seller says was recently spent on “new shocks, brakes, ball joints, bushings, steering box and more.” The “newer paint” is in excellent condition aside from “a few small rust bubbles at the door bottom and C-pillar,” and those flaws will be most likely be tough to spot on this Ermine White beauty. For years, I’ve heard that Corvairs would be the next big thing among collectors, but they’ve steadfastly remained affordable in most of their myriad model years and bodystyles. Considering that this one appears to be road-ready, the price isn’t too bad, and you’ll have the benefit of a strong community of Corvair owners and parts suppliers to rely on if you need help along the way.
Pulleezz lose the phony hubcaps.
Those are factory, standard on the ’65 I bought new off the Detroit Auto Show turn table. The wide whites were not. Added a turbo exhaust system to add to the 4 speed transmission and hit the road and the autocrosses. Fun car.
The wheel covers are 67 and up, 65 and 66 had 3 bar spinners, which were banned for safety standards. I’ve had a bunch of Corvairs with and without them, they are very heavy but well made. They were also found (14″0 on big Chevys as well. The Monza and Corsa came standard with full wheel covers, the spokes were optional. They are still popular with the crowd that restores to stock specs, and a nice clean set of four are around $500… NOS sets for $2k. My V8 Vair wears Minilite style wheels, and my 66 has 14 x 6 rally wheels. The tires need to be something else…a thin whitewall would look nice against the wire caps.They should have reinstalled the wheel lip moldings as well. When the repaint was done, the rear air intake area was not taped off, and the engine “tin” and air cleaner assembly are now fogged with white paint.
My car was a ’65 that was introduced in ’65 with the spoked wheel covers along with the complete GM line, some of which also had those same wheel covers. There’s also a big Chevy among today’s for sale cars with the covers but a ’66.
Great example. Like OpaJim though those hubcaps gotta go-yes they are OEM style but find another stock type set for cryin out loud! And agree with Adam-while you’re at it change the tires to have them remounted with the black walls out.
These are fun with a manual, but the automatic keeps it from being driven hard so I guess that’s an advantage to its longevity.
A lot of the big Chevies of those years had those wheel covers on them.
Those hubcaps are not right. The correct ones would have spinners. The white walls are ugly.
Some of the commenters on here need to grow up. Buy the car and THEN do what you want with it. I think it’s well preserved. Only thing I see missing is the wheel well stainless trim. That was standard on the Monza. I had a ’68 that was a real fun car to drive, especially in Midwestern winters.
” I had a ’68 that was a real fun car to drive, especially in Midwestern winters.”
Ditto for the ’65 Corsa I had and New England winters. (Loved that car.)
You probably wouldn’t have to pay someone too much to take those hubcaps off your hands.
Nice car, just wanted to post something that didn’t mention the wheel covers. Oops, looks like I blew it.
$7700 for shocks, brakes, ball points, bushings, and steering box work? Is he using Ferrari mechanics?
Fun cars, mine is also a 110hp Powerglide. I’m getting old though, it’s time for it to go down the road.
Never too old.
I can squiggle under it like the old days, it’s squiggling out and back on my feet that’s an issue! Lol.
Well preserved Corvair. Fun cars and will be a future own at some point (wife still insisting one has to sell before I buy another car…)
OUR NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE STREET WAS SERVICE MANAGER FOR A CHEVY DEALER. IN 1960 HE GOT HIS WIFE A CORVAIR , OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS UNTIL 69 WHEN HE WENT TO WORK FOR A CADILIAC DEALER A NEW ONE EVERY YEAR. SHE NEVER DROVE BEFORE SHE GOT HER FIRST CORVAIR,
ONE THING FURTHER ABOUT CORVAIR THEY WERE NOTORIUS FOR EATING FAN BELTS AND THE ANSWER WHY IS OBVIOUS WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT,
As obvious as ALL CAPS?
The trick to keeping belts on is to run them a bit loose. I threw one when I first owned my ’65 because I was tightening it like a fan belt on a “normal” car. After that, I found out that Corvair guys set them up a little loose, and I haven’t had a problem since (almost 18 years now). I imagine that well-meaning gas stations and garages set them up tight and people would throw belts, and it doesn’t take long for stories like that to get around.
the white walls give it the pimp daddy delicious look.
Wow claiming quite low mileage and the steering box and ball joints are replaced? Oh well you can argue about the wheel covers for another two pages. Got some 14″ rallies off a early Camaro that look great on these.
Had 5 of these things: all coupes, a 62 Monza, a 64 Monza, a 65 Monza, a 65 Corsa 140 and a 66 Corsa 140. NEVER threw a fan belt. And the Corsas got real workouts. Loved driving those cars. I think the Monza in the ad is fairly priced. Whining about the wide whites is no deal-breaker , just re-mount them black side out.
Only trouble I had with fan belts was buying cheap ones. One strand break loose and it was hours from being torn to shreds. I was put on to a v belt that was scored on the backside. For the life of me I can’t think of the name of or for them. Maybe a gates belt. They were a game changer though. Never had one go bad after that. But let me assure you, a fan belt was more important to carry than the spare tire! LOL