Fresh from 20 years in storage, this 1963 Corvair Monza located in Osceola, Iowa is listed here on eBay with a starting bid of just $700 (no bids as of yet) and a low BIN of $950.
Long considered an oddball with a mixed, controversial reputation, Corvairs are nonetheless popular as an entry-level collectible. Parts availability is still decent and with a few exceptions, they are easy and fun work on. Which is a good thing, as this Monza will obviously need a lot of work. Iowa snow has taken a toll on the body, although it seems far from fatal – cancer is in the floors, the front fascia, front firewall, a few spots in the fenders. The original glass and trim and are said to be in good shape.
Dual carbs feed the rear-mounted air-cooled mill. The seller states that it did start and run after a quick tuneup, but (as expected) attention would need to be paid to the carbs, valves and other systems. The seller also mentions he has a video of the car running which can be sent to prospective buyers on request.
Likewise, the interior appears about as you would expect for a 55-year-old vehicle that has been in long-term storage. Fortunately, an active collector community and good supplier support mean most replacements are just a credit card away.
The low BIN on this Monza makes it an affordable way to jump into the hobby, especially for someone who wants to tackle all aspects of a restoration. Corvairs have always languished in terms of resale value, so just don’t expect it to fund your retirement when it’s complete. But you can expect a fun to drive, practical (well, as practical as any 50-year-old) car that will stand out at most local car shows when compared to the usual sea of Mustangs and Tri-5’s. Would this little Chevy fit snugly into your garage?
Missing generator and fan belt, hope they did not run it to long, looks like a good start for someone. My son has a 1960 four door we need to get to someday
i have an affinity for Corvairs as my first car memories are of riding in our copper (& rust) colored ’61 & hearing, feeling, seeing the slush spray up from the road through the old license plates & floor mat being used to keep the foot-well “solid.”
later a white ’65 became the car i drove to high school & carried my LawnBoy mowers from yard to yard.
while they certainly had their issues (oil leaks!) these were solid transpo with great handling & amazing traction in the snow.
although the buy-in on this one is super low, since even nice ones don’t go for much it’d be best to select one in better condition to start with unless really hungry for a project
Uh, no. You’ll be upside down just looking at this. Not a rare or special enough example to justify the expense or effort. If it were a Spyder or a ‘vert, maybe. Really want a Corvair (and you should)? Find a nicer one—there are plenty out there.
Hey I know they made the older ones in Stationwagon form. But when they switched later to the newer body style. Did they make the stationwagon in those last years?
Only made wagons in the square bodies. Lotta good parts on this one. Fan belt is next to the battery box in the left rear corner of the engine compartment. My first car was a ’64 Spider convertible, dark blue, light blue interior, and a white top. Was a sharp little car. Good luck to the new owner and seller.
Only made wagons in the square bodies. Lotta good parts on this one. Fan belt is next to the battery box in the left rear corner of the engine compartment. My first car was a ’64 Spider convertible, dark blue, light blue interior, and a white top. Was a sharp little car. Good luck to the new owner and seller.
Seller hasn’t listed the two ’59 Chebbies behind this one, or the late model Monza/Corsa convertible next to it. Let me know when the ‘vert goes up for auction?
I had a ’63 corvair spyder. was a great car
Fan belt is where they commonly are found extra as the early ones like to throw belt during aggresdive high speed shifting.
I say high speed but the damn trannys were slower than all get out on shifts, usually clunking into gear 500 0r 700 rpm to late as your gas foot faster gave gas and then tranny axle caught up.
Being farm and woods born young ones we added a heavy spring idler pulley to it; worked great. The multiple carbs, 2 or 4 were hard to keep in syncronization, our air flow meters of those days not very accurate, but jet changes easy.
The last spiders with 180 HP turbo and it’s exhaust/mufflersystem with revised suspension is most sought after and an approachable 225 HP easy reach.
There is a large membership in Corvair clubs, good groups for help.
Not mentioned in most literature was extremely light front end wants to air flip over.
2 of US on a windy night in first model, at around 70 mph driver swerved to miss a labrador , corrected back, recorrected and front then whole damn car lifted and floated for a while landing ass first. We were airborne a long distance. and toasted front and rear suspension.
But it never threw our modified fan belt.
I want last year turbo vert!
A few corrections, Hide Behind. Kudos on your heavy spring idler which the aftermarket starting pitching when the last cars were sadly being built. By “last Sp(y)ders” with 180 hp you mean the late model Corsas which ended production in 1966. Fiat and Toyota make Spiders. The 4 carb engine, sans turbo, lasted until 1969 as an option. These days, of course, you can swap anything within the Corvair line and create a great car with great road manners. Finally, Chevrolet never made a turbo convertible in the “last year” 1969. You would probably enjoy visiting the Corvair Preservation Foundation museum for a detailed look at all the nix’d plans GM had for the car before the line stopped.
Me bad, and as to Spydef comment I apologize.
You are correct in all aspects as to Corvair history and my memories are of many Corvairs driven and one latest variant yellow turbo Corvair that we drove like hellfire along highway 101 from Wa state to Cali that left an indellble imprint on mind.
Was only Corvair I drove that I felt
comfortable taking to max on track, frerway, or on our rural twisty Washington backroads.
Trip was a party for my returning safe and just a little insane, from Nam and Corvair was buds new car.
A three day bast to Frisco to pick ip another home town Viet returnee and back.
Maybe it was driving and riding for so long with top down that fried my brains a bit.
I go to sit on the dunce stool in back of class; better educated than when I entered.
Thanks for corrections and next time I bump into Seattle Corvair club member I will apologize to them as well.