The Chevy Corvair, a blending of the Corvette and Bel Air monikers, was built for the 1960 to 1969 model years. The Corvair began as a 1954 GM Motorama concept car built as a fastback version of the Corvette, but the production version shared little with the concept aside from the name. It was and is the only mass-produced American passenger car with an air-cooled, rear-mounted engine. Motor Trend Magazine gave the 1960 Corvair its Car of the Year Award courtesy of the Corvair’s lightweight aluminum engine and unique engineering. The first-generation Corvair, built from 1960 to 1964, was available in two-door coupe, convertible, four-door sedan, four-door wagon, pickup truck, commercial van, and passenger van configurations. The second generation could be had as a two-door coupe, convertible, or four-door sedan. Total production for both generations was around 1.8 million.
The Chevy Corvair was much maligned in Ralph Nader’s 1965 book Unsafe at Any Speed. Nader, who didn’t possess an engineering degree, much less a driver’s license, was critical of the 1960-1963 Corvair’s handling and tendency to roll over in sharp turns. Of course, this greatly diminished sales and resale value. A 1970 U.S. government study pitted the early Corvair against five other light domestic cars, and found Corvair’s sharp turn characteristics did not “result in abnormal potential for loss of control”, and that the car’s rollover rate was similar to the other cars tested against it. Ralph Nader disputed the findings, calling the 1970 study “a shoddy, internally contradictory whitewash.” A 1972 Texas A&M safety commission report done on behalf of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reinforced the previous study’s findings, but the damage had already been done. Chevrolet quietly ended Corvair production with the 1969 model year.
Our feature 1969 Chevy Corvair Monza convertible, car #5997, is said to be the final Corvair convertible built in the last year of production. It is resplendent in Frost Green with a white convertible top over a light green vinyl interior. Powering the Corvair Monza is the 164 cubic inch flat six backed by a two-speed Powerglide automatic transaxle. Four-wheel drum brakes tend to stopping duties. The Corvair is equipped with painted steel wheels with full wheel covers, whitewall tires, heater/windshield defroster, a pushbutton AM radio, and front bucket seats. Included in the sale of this piece of Corvair history are the owner’s manual and removed emissions equipment.
This 1969 Chevy Corvair Monza convertible is currently up for bids on auction website Bring A Trailer. The auction will end Monday, November 20th at 3:50pm.
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Comments
That’s such a nice little car, a real gem of an automobile. I miss my ’65 Monza coupe.
Ralph Nader was 100% right about the first generation Corvair’s swing axle roll over potential. MOST roll-over accidents with the Corvair take place when the right rear tire leaves the roadway. The right rear axle tucks under the car … and away you go … upside down.
However, this scenario was NEVER TESTED … so the test results were completely bogus! The “tests” simply verified that the cars were no more likely to flip on a skid pad (parking lot) than most other cars.
The improved rear axle design on the newer models was never tested or questioned by Nader.
Both VW beetles and Porsche 356’s had the same roll-over potential as the Corvair, with the difference being that they would usually complete the roll and not leave the driver and passengers upside down and in a pile on the roof!
Blah, blah, blah……….
So many experts.
THE REAR TIRES ONLY TUCK UNDER WHEN THE WRONG LENGTH SHOCKS ARE INSTALLED BY GAS STATIONS!
THE CORRECT THROUGH LENGTH LIMITS THE WHEELS TO A 3 DEGREE (+/-) ARC.
No he wasn’t. As someone who has actually read the NHTSA report in full, I will provide the abstract (note that it was only the 1960-63 Corvairs that were called into question — 1965-69 Corvairs actually outhandled the contemporary Corvette):
Evaluation of the extensive data obtained from General Motors and from other sources, analysis of the NHTSA input-response vehicle test data, and recommendations from the Advisory Panel employed in this case indicate that:
The 1960-63 Corvair understeers in the same manner as conventional passenger cars up to about 0.4g lateral acceleration, makes a transition to oversteer in a range from about 0.4g to 0.5g lateral acceleration. This transition does not result in abnormal potential for loss of control.
The limited accident data available indicates that the rollover rate of the 1960-1963 Corvair is comparable to other light domestic cars.
The 1960-1963 Corvair compared favorably with other contemporary vehicles used in the NHTSA Input Response Tests.
The handling and stability performance of the 1960-1963 Corvair does not result in an abnormal potential for loss of control or rollover and it is at least as good as the performance of some contemporary vehicles both foreign and domestic.
The evaluation was not a “whitewash” but was actually quite extensive and was evaluated by an independent panel of engineers who validated the test results.
Always liked the second generation. Those wheel covers look very nice. Always looked for a set to put on my Nova but no luck.
When I was a kid our neighbor had a 63 convertible in light blue, nice car. We had a 69 Bel Aire in Frost Green.
I have the turbo Spyder convertible on this color! I love it. Had a 64 brown Monza convertible in 1980’s as my first car. Drove that fast! Never came close to rolling it.
I had a 65 180 hp 4sp coupe fun to drive wish I had it back .
Always loved the dash mounted transmission selector. Growing up in So. Ohio, my best friend living next door had a father who seemed to get a new Corvair every model year. Frequently the convertible.
Don’t you just love it when Apple spell check does not recognize the most important word in a story, aka Corvair, as you type a response?
We had a ’63 convertible, 4 speed. We used to say “Four on the floor and a fifth under the seat”. A good little car!
That was a beautiful design and a great color on it.
This is three from the end. I have a 69 Monza coupe the same color combination but it doesn’t look near this good.
The turbo option was not available after 1966 and then only in the Corsa trim level.
When you’re right, you’re right. We can only work with the information we are given on listings, and I should have dug a bit deeper. The turbo claim in the article has been corrected.
And the Corsa was only available for 2 years 65 & 66
I also have one same year same color mid production year
A little info: This car was sold new in Berkley, California, by Maggini Chevrolet
This car is not Turbocharged.
Correct. It seems the writer of the article has confused the Turbo-air engine for a turbocharger, which was only available as an option on the 1965 &1966 models.
You’re forgetting about the 62 thru 64 turbocharged Spyders.
I remember going to a Chevy dealer in 1969 when my parents bought my brother a new Camaro SS for his 16th birthday. One of the mechanics there had a Corvair with a 327 in the back seat. I believe that some outfit back then made a kit to convert it.
I bought one with a 350 mounted on a subframe amidship. Started in 3rd and smoked Vettes.
Had 2 Corvairs- 1960 and later a 1962 – loved them!
My brother bought a nice little red corvair convertible with stick shift back in the 1960’s. Don’t remember what year it was. He let me drive it often, Big hit with the Girls.
I remember a kit car from the ’70s that used corvair transaxle flipped forward,hentz a mid engine type chassis set up. Always wanted to build one. I believe the kit I looked into used SBC.
Nader’s book wasn’t the main reason the Corvair sales plummeted, it was the cheaper, faster Mustang that killed sales. The inability to get more power VS the V8 was the end. Also, many drivers failed to use lower tire inflation in their Vairs as stated in the owners manual to combat oversteer. That said Google Vair oversteer and you will see that she handles pretty well.
This car design is just gorgeous. A timeless beauty.
My Mom drove a 1965 coupe and we had a tire blow out at highway speed and nothing abnormal happened with handling…
Since the mid-80’s I’ve owned a ’66 Corsa coupe with the 180hp Turbocharger,4 on the floor and quick steering option. It’s in mothballs at the moment, but is complete and straight. There’s a bit of lag time between punching the accelerator and turbo kick-in, but the whoosh that follows is worth more than the extra gas burned.
Actually, the LAST ONE BUILT WAS #6,000. THIS ONE HERE IS NOT THE LAST ONE.
You are correct. BUT, read the article!
This is the last CONVERT.
So much cool knowledge here on these cars.
Well, I’m going to try this for the fifth time. For some reason this never gets posted. Rick, the best knowledge source is C.O.R.S.A. or the Corvair Society of America. Try google-ing it. It is Corvair dot org. They is a wealth of information on the car at that location. Also, I think you made reference to one with a V8 in it, there is a CORSA Chapter named the V8Registry. This is all about liquid cooled Corvairs. V8s in the back seat. Olds Toronado or Cadillac Eldorado powertrains in the rear. A Jaguar V12 up front and much, more. There is also a url directly to the V8Registry at that name dot com. Let’s see if post it this time.
I drove the family corvair and when the rear shocks went bad it was a handful on a bumpy turn. When replaced, it seemed to handle well. I had a 356 porsche at the time so I knew rear engine cars.
My 1st car was a 66 Corvair. I bought it from my dad. I wish I had it back. I loved that car!
As I read the comment sections of any Corvair review or articles, I’m amazed by how many experts are out there. Owning a Corvair shop, and driving as many Corvairs as I possibly could, and not just Corvairs. The early Corvairs are heavy and sound. And rolling them would be 50-55 miles an hour, with a sharp turn to the left (drivers weight) would cause the roll. All my Beatles would of done the same at lower speeds. I know I’ve been there. Nader had no reason to judge this car, he didn’t even have a driver’s license.
The Corvair was too far ahead of its time especially when people were not ready for it. It was a great car and everything that Nader said about it were lies he created to make a name for himself, and he succeeded! GM should have discredited the fool instead of caving in to him. He had no credentials to make engineering statements and no evidence to show for his safety statements. The car was not prone to roll over and that was proven in extensive testing. The brakes were NOT faulty but subject to the same brake fade from high speeds as every drum brake car was AND IS. The only real flaw was the steering column could come back to injure a drive in a severe head on collision, a collapsable column resolved that. The car was perfectly balanced front to rear, with extra weight over the drive wheels Air cooled so no radiator/water pump issues just like the ‘Bug’ enjoyed. Flat 6 engine which lessened vibration like the 911 enjoyed. High MPG while American cars were guzzlers. Spacious interior and leg room and there is no HUMP in a rear wheel drive car. During the production years I recommended to GM to add double pulleys for the fan belt because with only one, it if broke you were walking. Nader was wrong on every statement, lacked the knowledge and evidence to make them .
What did this car sell for? It’s beautiful!