Asking Price: $4,250
Location: San Francisco
Mileage: TMU
Title Status: Clean
Seller’s Description: Presumably you know what Corvairs are, let’s talk about this one.
I have owned it for 13 years. This car runs and drives TERRIFIC. It’s up to you whether to do the cosmetics, people seem to like the rough look.
Just changed the oil and filter, replaced the battery and installed a new Gates fan belt. The engine runs perfectly and it’s lots of fun to drive.
You can enjoy it as is, drive it around while you tinker with little details, or take it in a new direction. It’s a functional, reliable and registered vehicle, not just pulled out of a dusty backyard like so many Corvairs for sale.
It is clearly rocking the patina style (and very Instagram-able.) I just decided to push the half-finished look in the direction it was going. If that’s not your cup of tea, it would be easy to prep for paint: the body is mostly straight with only four rot spots: the c-pillars and the front fenders where the cowl drains. I have a replacement c-pillar for the right side. The floors, trunk and undercarriage are clean and solid.
The 110hp engine runs amazingly well. It has Stinger-style mufflers, so it is loud. Also has headers which means the heater components are missing.
Tires are BFGs on 14” mags. New Clark’s rear shocks just installed. The handling is really good.
Brakes were upgraded to 1967+ dual master cylinder. The headlights are nice and bright.
The dash is beautiful and the original headliner is intact. The seats and door panels need to be replaced. Clarks has all the parts you’d need to do it factory style. There are two specialist mechanics in the Bay area: Corvair Unlimited in SF and Mel’s Vair Mart in San Jose.
To enhance the patina look, my hot-rod buddy showed me how to rub the car with Marvel Mystery Oil and 0000 steel wool to put a satiny wet sheen over everything. It looks really good—see the night shots. This does attract dust over time, so you have to maintain it a bit, but it’s pretty easy to wipe down periodically, takes about as long as a coat of wax. You could clear-coat it instead.
The best part of this car is its wabi-sabi. Probably nothing on it is original, but it feels right in your hands. Like a good mutt, it all works together well. If you’ve ever had a car that was “wrong” you know what I mean.
NOTE: I don’t know the actual mileage, the odometer works and it reads 57,xxx. The eng. and trans is from a 1966, according to Louis at Corvair Unlimited in San Francisco. The car has been painted a few times. Assume everything has been replaced at some point. It’s never going to be a show car, just a fun driver. And it’s really fun. i just don’t have the space to keep it.
Issues:
Rot spots mentioned above (have all been hit with POR-15)
The rear window is tacked in place with a few dots of silicone, it needs the rear seal. It depends on you whether you want to restore the car and fix the c-plliars first, or keep the patina look.
Seats and door panels are torn/crispy.
Radio is for looks. There is no speaker or antenna.
Tires are only 5 years old and have great tread, but 3 of 4 leak down slowly. I had them resealed but the tire shop didn’t do a good job, they still leak.
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