4-Speed Drop-Top: 1963 Chevrolet Corvair Monza

The Chevrolet Corvair was almost in a class by itself. While it was designed to compete with other compact cars in the 1960s, it was quite different than the rest of Detroit. Like the VW Beetle, it had a rear-mounted, air-cooled engine (but with a flat-six), unlike the Ford Falcon or Plymouth Valiant. More than 1.8 million copies were built across two generations from 1960 to 1969, so it has to be considered an accounting success. This ’63 Monza is a driver-quality convertible with a 4-speed shifter and is available for $8,000 here on Facebook Marketplace. Kudos to “Pnuts” for the tip!

These cars were famous for their run-in with consumer advocate Ralph Nader, who criticized the handling characteristics in his 1965 book, Unsafe at Any Speed. His target may have been the 1963 Corvair just like this one, as Chevy made some suspension changes in 1964 that might have appeased Nader. The Corvair’s sales numbers began to decline mid-decade, but that wasn’t totally Nader’s fault. The Ford Mustang proved to be a sportier alternative to the quirky Corvair.

The Corvair was flying high in sales in 1963, and more than 36,600 copies alone were the Monza 900 convertible like this one. We’re betting that white with a red interior was a popular combination when new, though a red top vs. white might be more attractive. We’re told this driver has “lots and lots” of new parts, and it would be helpful to know what they are. The seller says some minor TLC is needed, but are those wants cosmetic or mechanical?

Rather than consult the odometer, the mileage listing for this car is one million. Regardless, it seems like it would be a fun toy to drive and enjoy just the way it is. The crew at Cars & Coffee will be impressed even if you don’t spend another dollar on the vehicle. If you’re looking for a drop-top for the weekend Summer months, would you hand over $8k for this Monza?