The Corvair was one of two compacts built by Chevrolet in the 1960s. It was less conventional, using an air-cooled engine mounted in the back (like the VW Beetle). This Chevy was produced across two generations through 1969, including this 1966 edition which appears to be a Monza Sport Coupe. It was in a wreck five decades ago and has been dormant since. Located in Ware, Massachusetts, this novelty in GM engineering is available here on Barn Finds Classifieds for $950.
Corvairs were treated to their only redesign in 1965 and were cleaner-looking than before, though still recognizable as Corvairs. Out back was a 164 cubic inch “flat” 4-cylinder engine that used air instead of antifreeze for cooling. The minimum horsepower was 110 backed up by fender script on the seller’s car. Thanks to some PR from Ralph Nader in his book, Unsafe at Any Speed, sales would decline every year after 1965, more than 50% in 1966 alone. The seller’s car should be one of 37,600 Sport Coupes built that year. Total Corvair production would wrap at 1.8 million copies in an abbreviated 1969 model year.
This Monza suffered a front-end collision that did a number on sheet metal. It’s hard to tell if any damage was done to the front suspension, and there’s only a trunk located below the hood. This car may have had as few at 22,800 miles when this happened (odometer reading) and the Chevy was parked rather than fixed. It may only be a parts car now and the title is missing, likely lost years ago. Would you part out this Corvair or fix it? The seller is said to be “motivated” to get it moving along.
Ware? Over hair!
Wow there is at least $950 in usable parts, to the seller look up Matt’s off road recovery on YouTube, the leader of that bunch is heavy into corvair you might be able to double your asking price.
Nice write-up, Russ, but just wanted to note that Corvairs were all 6 cylinder, not 4.
Ahh, that’ll buff right out.
Nothing duct tape can’t fix.
I cant imagine why someone would have kept a car like this for over 50 years , even when it was a new car a hit like this would have been enough to total it. Even though its been outside for a while, its still pretty solid and the price is pretty good if someone needs a parts car
Probably an attachment to it, if it was wrecked after owning it for many years. If I had to guess, maybe clearing out an estate led to trying to get rid of it. That being said, if it were closer, it’d make a great donor for my ’66, which had a shoddy sheetmetal patch job done on the rear 30-something years ago.
Have fixed car damage worse than this. Easy part of fixing this type of car is nothing but the metal and possible suspension pieces to replace or repair. This 914 we repaired only required the front trunk panel to be replaced, the rest were pulled on a frame machine or hand straightened. Right front stub axle was pushed back 16 inches. Click on picture to see all 3 shots.
No GO There for this Corvair! 😉. As most know, I am a LAND YACHT man. Even in top shape, I’d pass. But many loved these quirky little cars. Much to my surprise, a family friend (well over 6 ft) traded his 56 DeSoto ADVENTURER for a 61 Corvair. For the rest of his life, he drove only Corvairs, even searching out good used ones when production stopped. One man’s trash is another’s treasure 🤑.
I thought everyone with any car experience knew that there is no such thing as a 4 cylinder Corvair.
Since the hood is already peeled back; this car is begging for an LS-1 to replace the four cylinders it presently has (I assume the other two cylinders it had have gone missing over the past 5 decades).
. Since the hood is already peeled back; this car is begging for an LS-1 to replace the four cylinders it presently has (I assume the other two cylinders it had have gone missing over the past 5 decades)
Ah yes, the ever-present LS man.
(YAWN)
Labor of love.
This is the sub compact model
I am sure the owner can apply for a new tittle in Mass. as we do in Tx. when our tittles are missing?
I’d like to know the story on this car. It’s sad that it got wrecked with so few miles on it and I wonder why someone kept it in it’s current condition for so long. From looking at the pics I don’t think the accident did as much damage as letting it sit for that long did. I think the 65-69 Corvairs were nice looking cars. I had a 66 Monza convertible that I took in on a trade deal and it drove and rode good. I only kept it for a short time but I liked it while I had it. I never felt unsafe in it regardless of what some lawyer with a grudge against GM and who didn’t even drive said in a book. The videos that he had made to discredit Corvairs were so obviously staged that it was obvious what his intentions were. There’s a network of Corvair enthusiasts out there so maybe one of them will get this one and either make it driveable again or use parts to keep other ones on the road. Good luck to them.
Compact, most definitely
But a run of the mill Corvair isnt a Porsche , and certainly not one that’s been sitting for 50 years and is going to need a lot more than just a trunk pan and some pulling to get back to drivable condition . You can buy a mint Corvair and be happily driving it around and this one still wouldn’t be 50% redone
Cut the front end off and make a Trike…..
pull the engine, rebuild it, and put it into any one of the number of experimental airframes that use engines of that hp rating.
As others have hinted at, but were too polite to correct, ALL Corvairs had SIX cylinder engines. The base Corvair engine for 1965-69 had 95hp, and no emblem on the engine cover; the 110hp was the listed as a high performance engine and required premium fuel. Due to few reproduction body panels, the quarter panels alone may be worth the ask.
Bone: But, the 914 IS a run of the mill Porsche, unless IT has a six cylinder. Corvair conversions to make them so have been done.
From the additional photos in the classified ad, damage to the right front doesn’t look unrepairable. Inspection sticker from 1970 means the car was four years old, and shortly after production ceased means the car had little resale value, and was easy for the insurance company to total out.
C’mon Russ! You know the Corvair was 6 cylinder!
This is what happens when you do an “LS Swap” in a Corvair!!!
Bald tires, no wonder they wrecked it.
Hey, Bald is beautiful 😍, except on tires! But this car is pure BALDERASH! 😁 🤣 😂
Not air cooled so much as oil cooled.
I guess the original owner interpreted the term “compact” as a verb.
Great observation. 👍 Big laugh
Whether it can live again depends on thorough inspection. A low miler can be worth the effort of repair if the metal is clean.
Parked for 50 years? Gee, I wonder why?
That car is screwed,,it’s crushed on the passenger side past the front axle,that’s why the front wheel & hubcap are in the trunk…