The Chevy Corvair got a new lease on life in 1965 with a new layout, hoping to distance itself from safety concerns coming from crusader Ralph Nader. Gone were the handling problems that caught Ralph’s attention, and sales improved, but only for one year. The Corsa replaced the Spyder as the hot model, and the seller’s garage find is a rare convertible in terms of the number of them likely to be left. Located in La Habra, California, this estate sale project is available here on craigslist for $4,000. Thumbs up to Rocco B. for the cool tip!

While damage control didn’t help the sales of the Corvair from 1966 to 1969, that may not have been the Corvair’s total undoing. Nor was the Chevy Nova compact a major factor either. The Corvair was considered a “sporty” car like the Ford Mustang, and that’s where some of the Corvair’s sales may have gone. The new for ’65 Corsa used a 140 hp version of Corvair’s air-cooled flat-six, employing four single-barrel carburetors to get the job done. A turbocharged version at 180 horses was also available, but we don’t know which this car came with.

We’re told this Corvair was last registered about 40 years ago. So, it’s likely been in the garage where the photos were taken for a long time. The seller inherited the car (and maybe the property, too), so he or she admits not knowing much about it. Because it’s a Corsa, the “stick shift” transmission (if still there) is probably a 4-speed. Also, is the engine complete and serviceable?

The 1965 Corsa convertible was not assembled in great quantities. Only 8,353 of them were assembled in the U.S., plus another 360 in Canada. If rust is an issue, we don’t know about it, and we can’t tell about the top. The Cragar S/S rims are cool and indicative of our tastes in the 1970s. If you’re interested in the car, it has to be gone in a matter of days, so hurry!