Here’s yet another car claimed to have very low mileage, a little over 15,000 miles in this case. This Corvair is listed on Craigslist in Benson, North Carolina for $9,000 or best offer. It certainly looks nice, but it is the base model with an automatic transmission. That seems like a lot of money for this, but nice examples, even automatics, are selling for about $8,000. If this is as nice as the pictures, perhaps the price is not that unreasonable. Thanks and a hat tip to Jamie for finding this listing.
The interior certainly looks the part of a low mileage car. If this is an original car it didn’t just sit but was really well cared for over the years.
Restored or original, it really does look nice. Is that a dark area on the edge of the driver’s seat?Even if it’s original, it must have taken a lot of detail work to get it looking this nice. I bought my first Corvair with similar mileage in 1969 and this certainly brings back the memories.
Things look really nice back here as well. It looks original except for perhaps that fuel filter. I would really like to have seen pictures under the car. That could tell the real story.
That cheap “disegno Pininfarina” sticker is sadly tacky. You can get your own on eBay for $6.99. Otherwise, from what is shown, this Corvair looks really nice with just the one ding in the bumper. If it really is this nice, it would be a wonderful driver. It would be really interesting to know the history of this car. If it was just stored for years, this Corvair could have lots of problems. The pushrod tubes would be leaving lots of oil because the O rings would have hardened, for example. I look forward to seeing what our sharp eyed readers discover in the pictures.
Wow! This is, without a doubt, THE nicest ORIGINAL ’65 Corvair I’ve ever seen. There is little, if any, tell tale wear anywhere. Steering wheel, pedals, even the emergency brake handle shows no wear. The Powerglides on these, I believe, did not have park ( you see the shifter on the dash in N) and the handbrake was to be used ( anyone?) This was such a nice car, if you didn’t like the 1st gen, there was no reason NOT to like this. We sure could use a simple car like this today! Again, this is a good, not a great deal, but a good deal for someone to enjoy an almost new ’65 Corvair. I only hope it goes to someone who will enjoy it, and not flipped ten more times.
Howard, why is the vin # all 0000000000000’s ? That sounds fishy why they would bother to aded evreything but that.
Have to agree with Howard: all signs point to this being a genuine, low-mileage original. If a restoration, the owner (or a previous owner) would have taken the Bath of the Century….
Too nice a car for me. I couldn’t house it in a collection undriven, and certainly wouldn’t want to swap the P-glide for a manual on a car so original. If this had 100K or more on the odo, I’d perform the transmission change and drive the bejeebers out of it.
Not sure $9K is so out of line. Where are you going to find one like it?
what bath?
1965 Monza 2dr Sport Coupe 6-cyl. 164cid/110hp 2x1bbl
cond. 1: May 2021 $19,100 May 2020 $18,200 (up $900)
cond. 2: May 2021 $11,300 May 2020 $10,800 (up $500)
Not the base model – has the Monza emblem, bucket seats, rocker panel trim, rear fascia trim, wheel covers, carpeting. It is the base 110 engine. I had the base 600 with bench seat, virtually no chrome & no carpets. This one is a real honey, just needs wax & gas, and not much of either. Considering the extra tires thrown in the “$9,000 OBO” sounds pretty close. Very nice find.
You’re correct, it is a Monza, but the base model was a “500”, not a 600. The base engine was a 95hp; the 110 used the same cam as the 140.
500? – My bad. It had a bent lower control arm. I went to a garage and asked the mechanic where I could find parts for a Corvair. His snarky reply, “The junkyards are full of ’em.” I loved that car. The flat floors made it feel like you were sitting in a box. My dad thought it was a POS and took it back to the dealer where he traded it for a ’69 Cutlass. Yes, I was a very spoiled child. Much as I like Corvairs I love Oldsmobiles more.
I had a 63 monza back in the 70’s when I was a teenager. My Uncle bought it for $5. and traded it to me for a nice studebaker that he liked that I had just bought for $40.. He claimed that the Corvair was a better car for me, lol. The Corvair came with a bashed up rear side panet that he fixed for me and a big hole where the rear floor should have been. I have to say that that little car was fun to drive. Only problem, no heat or defroster that worked but somehow I got through winter like that. The car never let me down. I learned after a few years that if the oil got too low it would stall out. That only happened one time when my sister who was fraid to drive was with me. I checked the oil, added a quart and off she went. It did drink oil but gas was cheap back then so it was a cheap runner. It was a 3 speed on the floor..so awsome to drive. Mine did have the bucket seats like this one in the photo. I never saw a Corvair with a bench seat.
Wow the photos look great, and the price is right. Bring cash and be ready to buy this car…however, when seeing this car in person, here is what to look for. You have to see the underneath of this car (tunnel, floors, cross member) it’s hard to really judge the ‘real’ condition of this car without getting her on a lift. Other areas that you can’t see without closer examination are interior dog legs, from inside the car request that the owner pull both vent covers (2 chrome Phillips screws) open the vent and shine a flashlight into the dog legs / interior dog legs and look for repairs. While there look in and around the windshield (from under the dash, lay on your back with a flashlight and look up) look for repairs. Request to pop out the rear seat and look underneath it, if you see any rust, it came from the rear window, check the rear packing shelf. Move to the engine bay, remove the battery, look with you flashlight where the battery was and the lower rocker from the inside, do the same on the side where the spare tire mount is. Move to the trunk, pull the mat look under it, any rust, the water came from somewhere. Last, in the trunk, pull both left and right covers (where the parking lights are) and see if there are any repairs. While there, shine flashlight up to where the gas filler neck is. If all these area check out, you don’t see any pop rivits, filler, welds, repairs, stuffed in newspaper, cardboard, fiberglass (yes I have seen it all) then you have a low mileage clean body and it’s worth what they are asking all day long. Don’t worry about the drivetrain, brakes, fuel lines.. as long as the car runs and stops you are still good. Clarks Corvair has all the parts you need to keep it running right. Remember the only thing that is next to impossible to fix right on a uni-body Corvair is … rust. I grew up with, had over 100, still have my first one. Love my Vair.
Good information and good rule of the thumb for looking at any old car. I am not familiar with Corvairs other than riding around in a friend’s Monza convertible. The main thing I remember was adding oil frequently. Also, I am curious if these cars had alternators or generators. This one appears to have a new looking alternator.
They switched from the generator to the alternator in 1965. If you are going to own a Corvair for a fun driver make the switch the simple switch to the all in one GM alternator (Built in regulator) and electronic ignition. If you know how to turn a wrench, can follow simple instructions and enjoy doing things yourself, both upgrades are easy to do in an afternoon and the results are well worth the investment. The upgraded alternator makes modern electronics run so much better, and the electronic ignition really helps to start the car generally on the first turn. Spark plugs last longer, no points to adjust etc. Another simple and much needed upgrade is an electronic fuel pump. All this stuff is available through Clarks Corvair. Corvairs are fun and easy car to work on.
oil seals melted. now they don’t
This is such good, valuable information, I wish I was looking into purchasing a Corvair just so I could use the information you provided!
Your welcome. And to anyone who every wanted to own a Corvair, feel free to reach out to me at anytime. I, or someone in my family, has owned every make and model from 1960-69. From the 500 coupe to the Fitch Sprint. From the Lakewood to the Rampside. My 61 “500 Spyder” (no such thing, something we created) is the only one in my family that survives, she has 39K original documented miles. I just went out to pay her a visit.
That’s significantly less than what you’d pay for any new car, for something much cooler than any new car, and prettier than almost any car old or new (I love the looks of the 2nd gen 2 door). So between inflation and attrition, I think it’s a good price, yes.
I look on barnfinds and see old camaros that are just junk bid to 10 grand. Then I look at this well maintained survivor and it puts a smile on my face. Jump in it and go fro a drive
Mismatched tires with only 15k miles? Hmmm. Still, a lovely car.
I don’t think 51 year old tires are very roadworthy, but as someone said, check everything out !
I see an older resto, more like a 115k mile car. How do you get a worn radial tire in the trunk, if it is 15k miles? No pics of the dirty side, no documentation (at all), no back story explaining the reason it was driven an average of 288 miles a year. Yes, it is a nice monza, but the camera lens avoids the things one would need to see. I see an older respray. A 50 year old Chevy paint job without any “checking” or rub through?” I want to believe too.
because it wasn’t stored in a museum. Tires crack from the atmosphere in 50+ years
For the person who emailed me about the shock tower repair, here are the photos to compare what it should look like, and repaired. If the shock tower(s) have been repaired, then in my opinion, RUN not walk away.
So… a bit of good news, the shock mounts on this Corvair are original and not repaired ,right? Thanks for the tip!
From the photos, yes they look original. If you are interested in this car make sure you look at the rest of it in the areas I described. If I was closer I would look at it for anyone on this forum and give you what I would consider an expert opinion.
We used to live in Raleigh. The people are friendly, courteous, and kind. However, when it comes to buying 50 year-old cars, let skepticism be your constant companion. As Sun Tzu said, ‘Trust, but verify’.
I had a ’65 with factory air in the ’70s, and it was in nowhere near this condition (until I did a restore). This one has a well preserved look that is hard to fake. One thing is for sure though, the original pushrod tube seals would never hold this long. If they are not leaking, silicone seals were installed at some point.
Why all the skepticism with this? There’s no freakin’ way this car has 115g’s on it. Corvairs rarely lasted that long. It’s a 50 YEAR OLD CORVAIR, for heavens sake. It’s not going to have 50 year old tires on it, and shock mounts are a bad spot for many cars, and guess what, Ma Barker, it’s going to leak oil! Quick Corvair story. Several months ago, I’m rollin’ down the boulevard, and coming through the fresh air vents, I smell burning oil, and everybody passing something in the right lane. As I got closer, here’s an elderly man cruising in his Corvair @55 mph, looked nice, but clearly, using oil, big smile on his face, and you could be THAT person with this car. This is a great find.
To quote George Thorogood, “Leave this one alone”
Tone and grammar of the ad sounds kinda scammy.
Haggerty magazine has an interesting article on Corvairs this month. Old Ralph Nader put a bad rap on these fun little cars. I’d buy it and show it because it was iconic of the era.
Man, I really like this! It would be such a cool cruiser. It’s a shame that there’s 12,000 miles between it and me (and that I don’t have the money….but that’s just a minor detail)!
Nostalgia here. I had a new ’66 Monza coupe. It was gorgeous! These cars remain gorgeous today – even by current design standards. Yeah, automotive design proportions have changed a bit, but I think a modest update on this design would make a very competitive 2017 model. Namely, the headlights need to look 21st-century. The rest already does. Mechanically: I’m told these engines can now be rebuilt with 21st-century seal material, thus curing the original problems – like crankcase fumes blowing in from the heater anytime past 40,000 miles. Mine never used oil at all – let alone excessively. But oh, those fumes!
I have to agree with Howard. There’s no way anybody did a restoration to this level, then list’s it for $9 grand unless their needing a big tax write off. This is one gorgeous Covair!
Dark spot in front of drivers seat is the cut out in the one piece floor mat for a stick car. I did love my 69. Emergency brake was park,I guess and the smoke from her was terrible (had to wipe off the license plate daily) . Had the car in high school in 72. received a ticket for pollution, I didn’t know why the judge let me go without asking me anything in court until I walked out to my car and saw a 63 convertible parked in the “court employees only” parking spots.
only things I see wrong is it looks dirty under the front hood, is that brake fluid leaking all over the place?. the floormats look dirty too…
oh and whats up with the pep boys fuel filter?
That fuel filter is used to remove contaminates from the fuel. Most all vehicles have fuel filters. A major manufacturer makes these with the Pep Boys name on them thru a contract. Not having a fuel filter on your vehicle will, eventually, cause problems.
yes we know that, captain obvious. but it didn’t come with the car from the factory is all I’m saying
Nice car, but make mine a ’69, 140 4spd, tinted glass, quick steering box and a/c…please.
Never had a ’68 or ’69, but always heard the smog equipment stole a lot of performance, and caused the engine to run hotter. Coupled with the spotty build quality, assembled in a dark corner of Willow Run, convinces me ones like my ’66 Monza are better. Optioned with everything you mentioned but the quick steering box. Anyone have one for sale?
Nice car Scotty
There are active Corvair clubs all over North America. I’ve found the club members to be passionate, welcoming, and extremely generous with their time and knowledge.
If one was interested in this car but distanced from it I’d reach out to the local CORSA club.
Barring hidden issues this is a solid asking price.