Here’s a seller who knows how to market a barn find: include pictures of the car in mid-barn extraction, as well as pictures of what it looks like after a good wash. Gets my attention—but it doesn’t hurt that the car in question is a Corvair, either! A neat little ’64 Monza sedan, as a matter of fact, in classy bronze inside and out. Find it here on craigslist out of Watertown, Massachusetts, with a $2,250 asking price.
Here it is, shining like a new penny—and crying out for new tires, which the seller says it has since gotten. Among us Corvair partisans, the major friendly rivalry is between fans of the early (1960-64) and late (1965-69) models; I tend to fall on the late side of the divide, but the early Corvair is perhaps the more iconic choice. If that’s your preference, a ’64 like this one is the way to go. It still features the original, much-copied styling, but benefits from an enlarged flat six—up from 145 cubic inches and 80-95 horsepower to 164 cubes and 95-110 ponies—and important revisions to the original swing axle rear suspension that greatly improve handling.
Those improvements are a bit moot at the moment for this car, since it’s not currently running. Since being pulled from the pictured (and picturesque) Maine barn, it has gotten an overhaul of the braking system; if the engine doesn’t need a complete tear-down, it might not be too far from some enjoyable cruising, made even more so by the four-speed transmission. Mileage is claimed to be only 18,000, but that’s on a five-digit odometer, so take it with a grain of salt.
Low miles or not, the classy all-vinyl interior has cleaned up pretty nicely. They’re not pictured, but a couple of small rust spots on the exterior are reported; fortunately, everything from patch panels to complete new body panels are readily available, so the cosmetic side of reviving this little sedan shouldn’t completely break the bank. With that said, however, while there’s clearly a lot going for this very complete, fairly tidy ’64, I do feel that $2,250 is a wee bit high for a non-running Corvair. Carefully gauge what it will need to get running and negotiate the price down a smidge, though, and you and this bronze beauty will be in business!
Four doors. Absolutely no value whatsoever, regardless of options or condition.
Sincerely,
Prime Time TV Car Shows
That’s sorta/kinda a good thing. As long as “more doors = no value” remains the prevailing opinion of the classic car ‘experts’, prices/values for sedans, & wagons will lag far behind their 2 door brethren. I’m a “more doors” car guy, never really gained an interest in coupes.
Yep, love my 4 door MG!
@Tim S. That’s your opinion, definitely not mine, or many others i’m sure.
It’s not my opinion. You’re a good storyteller, so I figured you’d pick up on satire when you saw it. My mistake.
Great color combo and a 4 speed box. I had one close to this color, a little lighter 62 Monza sedan. It works well to have a similar color interior if things don’t fade too badly. Shame this isn’t running…the ask is about all the money I’d put into buying it but being way up north I’m not gonna. Hope it goes to a fellow ‘Vair aficionado.
Must resist…
This is very tempting. It’s not far away, it’s an unusual color inside and out, it’s affordable, and it’s a manual shift. Oh, and it’s a four door. The only thing better would be a wagon. I could see this being my warm weather driver. But my garage is already overflowing so I will have to resist the temptation.
– John
IMO, the Corvair sedans are as close as we got to a domestic Citroen DS. Between the general weirdness of the platform and the lines themselves, I see DS.
Certainly if you look at the GM “Holden” prototypes, with skirted rear wheel arches, scoops, faux grilles and lots of glass one can sort of see a French connection. The Corvair was a popular base for other cars: the Pininfarina Speciale, Bertone Testudo, and numerous aftermarket manufacturers used its platform to take it away from the greenhouse sedan layout. The 1968 XP-892 became the basis for 1974 Holden Monaro HJ coupe. Modular Corvair engines were built to bolt together in 4-, 8- and 10-cylinder configurations using Toronado components. No front wheel drive Corvairs tho.
There aren’t any fender skirts on that car. Those are wheel wells.
Pics are from another year since upnorth here we still have all leaves in trees and they just began changing colors…
But still a nice interesting car.
This is one of those potential “hey my uncle has a low milage Chevy, I think it’s a Corvette, but I’m not sure, in his barn.” Then the heavy disappointment of reality sets in when the barn door swings open! “Ohhhhh, it’s a Cor-vair” Wa-Wa-Waaa” :-(
I’d rather find this in the barn. I have no use for a corvette, and I certainly don’t want to spend corvette money for a two seater.
Thanks, certainly not me. I’m not a vette guy by any means. But given the scenario I’d rather not suffer the likes of a pick-a-door Corvair by default.
Reading the CL ad : “…v6 with dual carbs,…”
Oh nooo…
And he says restoration has already been started.
Makes you wonder what kind of restoration he had done so far on the car when he has no idea about the engines that it came with. Some people’s Restorations could be another person’s rigging job.
Danny you are spot on. Upon further inspection you can see that the exterior color was changed from the lighter bronze (like my 62). With a blooper like “V6” someone better sneak this car away before the owner gets an idea to drop a V6 in it and add a wing! Remember that monstrosity from a few months back on BF?
Yup, the door jambs are ‘Fawn’, not bronze. Which explains the unusual color combination – it didn’t actually come that way.
I’d have great hesitation about buying any car with “restoration started, no time to finish”. In general, that’s code for “I realized just how much work and expense this is really going to take, and I’m bailing”. Maybe not; you’d have to call the seller and get the measure of this project to know for sure. The early four-door ‘Vairs are cool cars though. The original Corvair.
Clark, 20 min away in Shelburn Falls, MA has just bout anything U kneed 4 this (1.5 hr frm where vehicle is @ right now).
My mo’s mo had 1 new that did the leak-oil-on-the-manafold thing they were known for (cabin fills w/smoke). Wish these could B ralleyed (twisty back roads too) and may B can w/the corvette suspension mods (in a Corsa!). Otherwise:
I’d go for the Lakewood or Greenbriar (wagon on van).
As I’m a larger guy and a Corvair nut I prefer 2drs. b/c the doors are bigger.
I’d rather have a cpe, but this 4dr is a real 64—-so it’s worth more just for the improvements.
Not Running? looking around 4 grand for a good engine rebuild with all the upgrades. Fuel System may be shot. May need full mechanical Resto.
850 would be a more realistic price for a non-runner. Get it running, 1200-1500. Still needs a lot of parts and labor.
“Classy, all-vinyl interior.”
Hey, it looks nice and is easy to keep that way! I’m no snob.
Well finally a flipper who knows how to wash a car!LOL.
@dweezilaz notice I wrote wheel arches, skirted. No mention of skirted fenders or fender skirts. Production coupes had radiused openings in the rear. The sedans had lower arches. Just like my feet.
Just making the case that, like the Citroen mentioned, the lower beltline could be looked at perhaps in the same way.