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Local Flavor: 1966 Corvair Convertible Bargain

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This is the only picture of this 1966 Corvair that’s available to us. My son-in-law Alex found this one and sent me the craigslist ad–I’m guessing it was a hint. It’s located close to me in Moncure, North Carolina and is listed for only $500! You can get it with a clear title for only $100 more (you are paying the fee for the seller to finally put it in their name).

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So after scouring the internet for a white car in the same angle, this is the closest I could get (and yes, I know it has Oldsmobile wheels on it). This is what this car could be! Unfortunately, the seller is selling it due to a divorce. They purchased it in 2001 from the widow of the original owner that died in 1971. The engine is out of the car on a stand and there’s a new top that comes with the car in a box. The body is characterized as having “very little rust.” What do you think? Is it worth risking $500 on? Let us know in the comments!

 

Comments

  1. Avatar Rock On Member

    It is worth it to part out for 500 bucks. Wife must be entitled to half the proceeds of the sale.

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  2. Avatar Chebby

    Wow, that was a hard five years of driving.

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  3. Avatar Alan Brase

    Well worth $500 for a project car of a 140hp Corvair convert. Wow.
    Al

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  4. Avatar Another Bob

    Been working on my 66 Coupe in my spare time recently and quite enjoying it. (owned and neglected since 1983) If the dash board ,A Pillars and door posts check out, buy it. Sourcing a drivetrain if you need a good one is easy. Fixing the rust in this area will be the most challenging car repair I have attempted. For those contemplating a Corvair to fix up, check out Clark’s Corvair parts if you are worried about support.

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  5. Avatar Glen

    He doesn’t have time to take pictures. I already don’t like him.

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  6. Avatar Fred W.

    Price is right. Strip the black paint off the headlight buckets, which I believe are aluminum. Almost any Corvair engine needs rebuilding or at least resealing, so go ahead and do that. Looks like a worthy project and the $100 for a title is not unreasonable.

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  7. Avatar Loco Mikado

    Cut the gyt some slack Glen, the guy is going through a divorce. If the Ex is being a b***h about it as they usually are the guy has more important fish to fry. And I am sure a new top is worth the price of the car alone.

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  8. Avatar JCW Jr.

    why is the timing never right when a deal comes along.

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  9. Avatar Chris

    As I approach my 50’s, cars like Corvairs and VW Bugs are becoming more and more appealing to me. Sure seems like a great way to burn up some dinosaur fossils. Corvairs may not be fast (or safe, if you listen to Ralph Nader), but they are so cool looking. I love the body lines of them. I think $500 is a bargain for this one (plus the hundo for the title, of course).

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    • Avatar Alan Brase

      Probably been explained here before, but again: 1960-1964 Corvairs had swing axle rear suspension as did Pontiac Tempests. As did VW’s and ALL 356 Porsches 1950-65, Mercedes 190SL and 300sl (but it was a little better, with lower pivot) In the last year, 1964 Chevy put on a camber compensator, a leaf spring that supported some suspension load and reduced the roll couple (the OPPOSITE of an anti roll bar) and made the 64 a little better handling. In 1965-69, they came with a new suspension design, basically the same as 1963 up Corvettes, and they had state of the art handling.
      But even the 64 Corvair and the 1963-65 Porsche 356 C (and super 90 B’s) really did incredibly well. The Porsche generated the best lateral acceleration EVER, until 1984 Corvettes broke 1.0 G. So, how unsafe was it? Squirrely at the limit, certainly. Didn’t bother too many Porsche drivers.
      So, yeah, it has its quirks, and you need to seal the engine with Viton pushrod tube seals. They got pretty good mileage, I mean it’s a 164 cu in. engine. Not so much crash protection. It won’t self drive. No disc brakes, so not the greatest if you live in the mountains.
      It’s a pretty car. It’s a convertible. It’s fun to drive. If you like it buy it. Drive it.
      Al

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  10. Avatar Another Bob

    The Corvair of this vintage had full size GM brakes front and rear. I have found them very powerful below 50 mph. For some reason mine seemed to pull left and or right when I hit them hard at 80 MPH. I’m guessing worn bushings . They have quite an amazing track history….maybe not applicable to Convertibles. Check out Jay Leno’s Yenko test drive to see what a 140 is like under power.

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  11. Avatar Paul

    Shhhhh, Nader may be listening…

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  12. Avatar RoughDiamond

    This has to be one of the best deals to come along on Barn Finds lately. I think at $500 this is a steal and the Seller is making an honest representation of the Corvair while “her” lawyer is most likely nipping at his heels. While the offer to obtain a title serves in the Seller’s best interest (and her attorney’s) in selling the car, that’s probably a time commitment the man really doesn’t have time for right now. Hope the Corvair sells quickly and someone on here ends up with it.

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  13. Avatar whippeteer

    I wish this had shown up back when I lived in NC,

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  14. Avatar Alexander Member

    I did the black paint on the headlight bezels of my 68 Monza back in high school. Easy upgrade but better if you leave a ring of bare aluminum on the edges for the proper mean look. Also painted the rear cove matte black at the same time. Easy hourlong project for a poor student.

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  15. Avatar Alan Brase

    Yes, I never got into Yenko Stingers. My friend raced his Jaguar XK 140 against stingers in 1966 SCCA racing. D production, I guess? He usually beat them, but they were pretty fast. Stingers had some motor work tho, kinda like Shelby did for the Mustang.
    Considering that they used the same GM brakes, I imagine that the aftermarket disc kits will fit them.
    Al

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  16. Avatar Car Guy

    Actually, the Oldsmobile wheels look good on the car in the second picture. That also means that just about any GM A body sport wheel would bolt on so you have lots of nice choices.

    For someone with a knowledge of these cars, and the time to build it, this is a screaming deal………

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  17. Avatar scott

    Everyone will dislike this idea, but I would keep the body stock and put in either a crown V8 conversion (or the equivalent) or a hopped up subie mill. You can’t go wrong for $500.

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  18. Avatar Alexander Member

    Crown conversions are great for hardtop Corvairs, but in a convert I would be concerned about flex. Build up several areas for stabilization before dropping an 8 banger in this car!

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