Chevy Corvair - The Weird, Quirky, Cheap and Yeah COOL Compact
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- After buying this a year ago as a project but just now getting it back on the road, I can finally answer the question about just how unsafe the Corvair really is.
From 1965 until the end of production, the Chevy Corvair was one of the best handling cars on the road - so good they dominated slalom racing for awhile. They were also successfully used for track racing. And there I nothing quirky about them, but rather more like an affordable Porsche with an indestructible engine. I had a '65 and a '66. Loved them!
Certainly agree the 4 joint 1965+ cars were great drivers! You did have to adjust for the balance of a rear engine car, as Porsche drivers did. I drove my 140 HP on very curvy mountain roads, and it was different uphill vs. downhill. Uphill it would oversteer under power, but downhill it was incredible handling.
Get that! See my comment. I raced in Texas and Michigan.
Had a 65 Corsa 140, 4-speed. Ran it on the SCCA track at Grattan, MI many times without modifications. Absolute fun.
The second generation rear suspension was essentially the same as the Corvette of the era.
the '65-69 ones to have were the Corsa, with their turbo charged engine. I had the 185 hp motor in a homebuilt trike, man that thing was fun to ride!
Nice car, and I love the unrestored look. It's something you can drive because you're not afraid to get it scratched up. I'd give it a wash and a polish and fix the headliner and just enjoy it for a while. The little shifter with its rotating window and big parking brake lever are weird. I love the huge frunk on Corvairs, Tesla can't come close. Everyone wants a Mustang or a Beetle, these are definitely overlooked.
These didn't deserve their bad reputation. The early-model suspension setup was very similar to the Beetle but with more power the swing axle handling quirks became more apparent. GM specified different pressure for the front and back wheels to compensate for the quirks but service station attendants would fill them equally, exacerbating the handling issue. By the time GM fixed the suspension for the late model it was too late, the damage to its reputation had been done. GM did the GM thing and killed it as soon as they got it right. They were competitive cars at the time and still drive nicely today.
All very well said! And thanks for the visit and for checking out the Corvair vid today!
My recollections are that when you got up over 75MPH, the front end seemed light, less positive steering...but it's been a lot of years
You'd think Jeff Bezos would pay someone to give it a wash!
Hey smarty pants. They (GM) did not use base coat clear coat. ABSOLUTELY NOT an unrestored look. Let me guess. you have a mask on.
@@hullinger Thanks for keeping it going. One of the rare American cars that Europe respected for its engineering, although American and European cars are/were driven on different roads, in different ways, so the market will always be different.
Since I had an older sister, my brother and I were relegated to riding in the backseat of one of these. Mom had the four-door model, and I doubt she got an engine upgrade. But she still swears it was the best car she ever had! Thank you for the memories.
The four door had its own unique roof, styled after the full sized "GM" "Vista" hardtops!
It's great to see another Corvair fan showing your Monza! You can add a camber compensator spring on the rear suspension and a front stabilizer bar to improve the handling, those became standard in 1964. I own a 1966 Monza 4 door hardtop with factory air conditioning and an automatic transmission, I've worked on it "one piece at a time" and now it drives like new! What could be better than a car that handles like a Corvette, looks like a miniature Impala, gets gas mileage like a Nova, and can be bought on the cheap? There's no contest here! Enjoy your Monza, you've done a wonderful thing bringing her back to life!
Great comment and thanks so much for sharing about the handling improvements. I appreciate that. It's cool too that you have a probably my favorite body style, the 4 door hardtop, with A/C too. Awesome stuff. Thanks man.
Adding the camber compensator means installing a '64 differential, the bottom is machined differently, and then changing to much lighter coil springs. It's a little bit more complicated than just putting a spring underneath. I did it to my 1962 spyder, but that required changing the differential and the rear lower control arms
not my Nova .350 ss .lol
@@CORVAIRWILD Was it worth it in the end to help prevent rolling?
I bought a new 64 Spyder in 63. It was black with black interior. I liked it a lot and won my only drag strip trophy in 64. I turned 88 mph with a 15.9 et. That was good enough to win "I" stock class. Sticker price on my car was right at 2, 800 dollars.
On Ralph Nader and his comments on the dangers of the Corvair. If the owner did not look at the owners manual or allowed someone else to put air in the tires he would likely not get the recommended 15psig in the front and 25pisg in the rear (which compensated for the read engine configuration and weight distribution), and that could make the car more unstable when cornering. My 64 also had some factory changes intended to improve the cornering ability..........
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When I first got into classic cars I was in love with the Impala I bought and restored a 1968 Impala too close to factory specs I used to hear stories of how terrible the corvair was I really didn't know what the fuss was and one day three blocks from my house somebody was selling a corvair so I was very curious how terrible these cars drove like so I pretend like I was interested in buying his car just to drive it I drove it for a couple minutes and it blew my mind how fun it was compared to my Impala so I saved up money and I bought one for myself he was going to be my daily driver because the cost of gas it wasn't long that I found myself not driving the Impala anymore so I ended up selling it and I've been driving corvairs for over 20 years
That's an awesome story and super cool how that drive changed your mind. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so old that I owned a red ‘64 Spyder as one of my first cars (cars were cheap, so we traded often way back then). I really enjoyed that car and it was quite reliable. I laughed though when I saw your spare fan belt. I got very good at replacing those quickly, even in the dark. Thanks for the memories. 👍
You had to use the right kind of fan belt. The cogged ones did not hold up, as they were too "floppy" to be stable. I think they were OEM Dayco belts. Never had a belt problem in two 110 HP and a 140 HP engine that got run hard.
bought one new in 1961 ( $1,800 ) like the car, but, you were lucky to get 50-60 thousand miles out of it. The biggest problem was in the push rod tubs. The O rings would crystallize from the heat and cause oil leaks. You would have to drop the engine to fix this problem . it was a real pain in butt because it happen after a few short miles. All in all it was a fun car and I would buy it again if they could fix that problem. 😊
As an owner of a 57 Chevy, I never really noticed what a huge difference in design and technology that there was in three short years. It’s kind of amazing when you really think about it. PS a mechanic who works for $25 an hour? Hold on tight to that guy
Hwy myt friend, thanks for the visit and for checking out the Corvair video. And you're so right about the tech leap from the '57 to the Corvair. And finding a Corvair expert at $25 per hour is the only reason I got this car. Otherwise I would have been way, way over my head.
Not when it takes him 70 hours to change belts and hoses and do a carb rebuild.
Nice!
So many and significant were the improvements through the fifties and early sixties, that I frankly, consider everything built before 1955 an automobile prototype. You have to start somewhere.
My first car was a 1964 Corvair Monza. Black with all red interior and automatic transmission. I was actually 15 when I bought it for $200.00 in 1975. Drove it a couple years. The only problem I had was an oil burning smell anytime I used the heater. At the time I didn't know it was due to oil seeping into the pushrod tubes because the original gaskets were worn out. I would have enjoyed the car a lot more as one could imagine.
Had a Corsa and a Monza - loved 'em. The Monza I bought from my older brother - he installed heavy duty springs, & it had the full independent later suspension - it was our 'poor man's Porsche', handled like a cat - helped my practice w/my copy of Pierro Taruffi's "Technique of Motor Racing". The BEST car in mud & snow - I never got stuck when others did. The early swing axle did have problems - but not if you inflated your tires properly. Unlike some of my VW's, plenty of heat in the winter. Didn't have to worry so much about gas money like the V-8 boys. Miss those Corvairs...
Very cool relic from the 60's. keep it running, fix up the interior, the headliner and bulkhead first. Thanks for sharing! Just one thought on the stalling, Chevy carbs were notorious for vapor locking
I have a hunch that vapor lock might just be the problem with the stalling. When the car stalled at the DMV it was a pretty warm day and after getting the car towed home it fired right up with no issues.
@@hullinger I believe there was a service bulletin fix for that issue. If I remember correctly it involved installing some heat shields at the base of the carburetors and or installing some fuel line insulation in specific areas. And there is a one way vent in the gas cap which sometimes gave problems.
@@hullinger and this E10 fuel is more prone to vapor lock
@@tombob671 I agree with this. If you aren't already, try to run non-alcohol fuel at all times.
I learned to drive on a 1965 white with red interior monza. Great little car in the snow, good gas mileage, and real dependable. Independant suspension and an air cooled 6 cylinder boxer engine, powerglide AT, it was ahead of its time. Ralph Nader killed the Corvair. I would buy today.
That idiot Nader. His claim to fame - he graduated from college.
What really killed the Corvair was the 1964 1/2 release of the Ford Mustang.
As a young man in the late 60’s I had two Corvairs a 63 Monza with a four speed and a 1964 Turbo model. They were pretty worn out when I got them but still fun cars.
Took my driver's test in a 61 Lakewood wagon. Great little car! Would go anywhere in the snow. Had two of my buddies and 8 cheerleaders in it once!
thanks Chris for putting this video together! remember my grandfather had a 63 always love playing in it when I was a kid, brings back so many memories!
Very cool and I think memories like that is what I find to be so cool about old cars like this Corvair. 🙂
Dude, great car but could you PLEASE stop calling it a "Mazda" it's "Monza" and thanks
Great video, Chris. I am with everyone who says “keep it the way it is and just have fun.” The more perfect and shiny it is, the more affraid you might be to take it outside and it might spoil the fun. I remember how surprised my girlfriend was when I thanked her for scratching our car I deeply love. I was relieved it wasn’t me and that it is no longer perfect and I can just drive it everywhere and just enjoy the drive:-)
I totally agree with you and thanks my friend. And yeah, once you get that first scratch, it's like you can now relax a bit and enjoy the car more. Thanks again!
For a car designed in the late 50s it's definitely aged very well in terms of the styling and funny enough Chevy's attempt at a small car was far better in that era than vehicles brought in the 70s which was understandably a dark period for cars in the states.
The Carter nightmare. When the Mustang was turned into a Pinto, we knew there were dark days ahead for our beloved American cars. 😢
@@lilmike2710 Yeah when nice designs were being butchered and big block V8s were producing 200HP that was definitely a dark era.
@@IKhanNot definately.
We learned quickly how to yank cannisters off and how to port heads though. 😉
Oh but that Buick Grand national that came out in the 80's started a grand resurgence didn't it? I remember that car well. My old man bought one and it was clean AF. A V6 that would plant you into the seat.
@@lilmike2710 Yeah I'm more of a Euro and JDM guy but I would kill for a mint GNX.
Yes 1970s Yanks we’re ugly. They certainly lost their way for a time,
My first car was a '64 gold Corvair convertible. It was a screamer! I wish I still had it.
I think the look of the Corvair particularly suits being a convertible.
My first car was a 1965 500 Cp. I currently still have a 1965 Corvair with only 15,000 miles. Great handling parts are readily available. The car was misunderstood, improper maintenance contributed to handling problems. Love it.
Very cool car and you got a great deal on labor!!
I’d leave it just like that and enjoy it. Old cars are so much fun.
I'm with you on that great labor rate AND for leaving this messy Corvair exactly the way it is.
I like the Corvair quite a bit. When I was a teenager, you could literally pick these up for free by just hauling them home.
There were camber compensator straps that were available to prevent the excessive positive camber jacking when cornering hard. These cars were specified to run low tire pressures to improve the ride. A help for the rolling under on the sidewalls was to run even higher pressures both front and rear. I ran 24 pounds in the front and 32 to 35 pounds in the rear. And I used radial tires. You can tune the handling with adjusting tire pressures. There is also a front stabilizer or roll bar you can install on the front which helps with the oversteer. I do not believe they came stock with your car.
Your 101 hp engine was an option and it had a reputation for good mid range power and really helped when going up hills.
The Corvair was initially designed for only offering the automatic transmission. The manual transmission was placed in the car shortly before release and they presented some engineering issues that gave them fits. There was a bucking and rattling issue when the throttle was released and the car changed from power to coasting. The problem was found on the 3 speed, was most prevalent on the 4 speed manual. It did not occur on the automatic equipped cars.
They had a couple of last minute issues just before release. GM thoroughly tested the cars at the phoenix proving grounds to make sure they did not over heat. They did fine. But when they decided to run up to Flagstaff Az. They all quit when the got up in the higher elevation and cold temperatures. All the cars carburetors iced up. So they did an emergency design change to install car de-icees on the 1960 models. They then did a design change to solve that issue later.
Another design change implemented just before production release was to change the cooling fan to metal. They were initially offering a plastic composite fan of some sort then discovered if battery acid spilled on it, the reaction between the battery acid and the cooling fan released a poisonous gas. I forget which one, but it was serious enough, they immediately removed the composite fan and replaced it with the metal one before production release.
By the way. The performance goal was for the zero to 60 mph acceleration with the base 80hp/automatic engine was to match the 6 cylinder Chevrolet Biscayne time of approximately 19 seconds. Your 101 hp model beats that by quite a bit.
My dad purchased a new 1962 red Chevrolet Corvair 95 Rampside pickup with the 4 speed transmission and the gasoline heater. That heater would really toast your feet! That truck was absolutely great off in the woods! He bought it to go hunting in. He loved to hunt. Me, not so much. But I enjoyed the ride along and camping. (I was just a grade school kid then.) that is when I got hooked on Corvairs.
Back in the 60s I club raced a bunch of these, 110HP and a 65 turbo rag top. Hill climbs, rally's, frozen lake and gymkhana, Classed in A Sedan against Triumphs, V8 Nova's, a 442, Austin Healy's, pickups, all kinds of stuff. Won many trophies from "Slow Time of Day" to many 1st places. Loved it. Drove it back and forth between TX and MN many times and never a problem.
My first "favorite car" was my Aunt's '65. Was devastated when she sold it to her mechanic for $500 before I had my license. I'm also fascinated by the Corvair Stinger...the rare racing version of Corvairs. One of the coolest logos for a car of that era.
:(
Oof
I think it's a cool piece of history and a cool car! Thanks for sharing!😎👍
Always liked Corvairs. They got a bad rap from Nader back then. Great video of your car.
Thanks my friend for checking in today. I appreciate that, as always.
I was 17 years old my first Corvair 1963 Monza. I had 9 Corvairs over the years. Never thought the Corvair was unsafe. Fantastic car.
I got a 63 base model in 1968. The back windows didn't open and the seats were designed to stick to you and scald you in summer. But even the smallest engine had 2 single barrel carbs, it had 3 on the floor and was fast. I loved that car.
When I was young, my dad had a 63 corvair spider. He traded it in for the new 65 corvair corsa, 4 speed ,4 carburetors ,once had it up to 125 mph,
When I was 17 ,I had a 64 corvair 95 ... 3 speed on the floor. My brother in law had a 63 , convertible ,, 4 speed , black with a white racing stripe ,,, we all enjoyed them ,and never had problems with them.
The good old days.
I had a Corvair back in the early 70s for a short time. Really good cars. Thank you for the video and have fun with it they’re a hoot.
my mom had a ‘62 Monza coupe. car died at only 188 miles due to a tech leaving a 3/4 inch socket wrench in the transmission. GM warranty replaced it for free. car problem again at 28K when valves burned on long interstate trip. car got a steady 14 mpg on premium gas and always smelled of burning oil.
I had a '63 convertible and I loved it. The only real problems I had were that (1) I needed to keep a spare fan belt at all times, and (2) keep away from mechanics that had no idea about aluminum blocks, they would over tighten and strip all bolts causing multiple oil leaks from the valve covers and other places. It wasn't much good in an Indiana winter either. That was ultimately what made me trade it.
I always liked them, especially the styling of the “new models”…the 2nd generation. I almost had one for my first car. I understand Chevy fixed that oversteer issue, but by that time Nader had killed them off.
We have been Corvair people for decades, and I don't agree that Nader killed them--10 years is a long run (how many cars designed in the '50s made it in to the '70's, for example)...AND...the new smog laws were coming in the late '60s. It's nearly impossible to clean up an air cooled engine, so they quit.
The Mustang killed them off.
@@williamgregory6684 Disagree. GM itself killed the Corvair. Built the first ones on the cheap and never really got serious about upgrading. By the later years, American cars were growing again and the demand for smaller cars faded.
I've always liked repaired and now collect corvairs, because they were dirt cheap. And I became the Corvair repair expert, because nobody else would touch the
The first Corvair was a major influence on European car styling in the early 1960s. The most notable was the Fiat 1500, virtually a copy of the Corvair sedan on a smaller scale. Also a fine car.
Agreed, enjoyable, well engineered car. Great fun for a car enthusiast with a normal check book. Quite easy to work on and easier to enjoy
Another great video Chris and looked good with the springtime blue sky. Definitely a quirky car although maybe not quite as unique as your Corvair Greenbrier minivan. Very few Covairs in Australia, as they were never sold new over here. Those that are here would have been privately imported by collectors. Nice to see these types of videos on TH-cam. Otherwise, I only occasionally see these Corvairs in an old movie or on the closing credits of the TV show My Three Sons, which I have on DVD. Looks like Chevrolet was a major sponsor of the show in the first few seasons.
I think the car got a Raw deal and Ralph was Wrong, I personally like the 65-69 years very sleek looking. I hope you continue fixing yours up she's a nice car. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks man and I agree with you - raw deal for sure. And thanks for watching too!
@@hullinger your welcome I have been enjoying your videos for a long time, you always have a cool way of doing things and I enjoy the Auctions.
Long live the Corvair.... Keep & Love that beauty!!! ❤️
These are total classics. People don’t seem to think they are but I absolutely love them.
In the early sixties Porsche, Corvair and VW all had rear suspension (called swing axles at the time) that would tuck under during severe oversteer. After racing accidents, research and lawsuits, anti sway bars were installed on the rear suspension that mitigated the “tuck under” and lessened oversteer going into corners.
One advantage Corvair had was 24mpg and great traction in the snow. If you lived in a state with a snowy winter you recall rear wheel drive cars having to have a 50 lb bag of rock salt in the trunk to reduce wheel spin on snowy days.
thank you for rescuing that old girl! Growing up a man 2 doors down from us had a blue rampside pickup and a matching sedan. He taught automotive technology at our local community college. My high school auto shop teacher also had a Corvair- a 1966 turbo corsa that was mint. I suppose this shows that if Master Level car guys like they can't be all bad lol
an era gone by these cars may be mostly gone but not forgotten great video
I loved my corvair. I had it in the early 80’s. I had to touch wires together in the back to get it started. Loved the push button transmission
Drove one for business loved it! Had a oil sensor oil.leak and embedded it in epoxy and no other problems in five years.
Haha, good stuff! Thanks man.
Friend of mine had one in highschool. Was lots of fun!! Had the push button transmission!!👍👍 thanks for the memories!!👍👍
That is one COOL CAR!.Love those Corvairs!.
Thanks man and thanks for watching too!
I bought my first new car in 1964. My choices were the Corvair, Falcon and Dart. The Dart looked sleeker, so I went for it. A few months later, the 1964 1/2 Mustang came out, and I kicked myself for not waiting longer to buy a new car. But the Dart was superior in every way (escept for the sporty look of the Mustang.) When it came to handling, head room, leg room, trunk space, the Dart kicked the others butts.
I remember my dad having one of these when I was a kid. He painted it outside with a brush, roller and regular oil based paint, black cause that was the original color. After the paint dried he put two coats of clear shellac over it. The car looked good most of the summer until the sun baked the clear coat causing it to crack and peel. By next summer the car had pretty much become a piece of yard art, and not a real pretty one either.
Very cool. I get a few older cars like you and go through them. Getting a good mechanic for 25 per hour is a great find.
I think getting that shop at $25 per hour is the only reason I got this Corvair. That was the 'secret sauce' on getting this thing back on the road again. There's no way I could have done it myself.
My mother's close friend had one, it was white with red interior. She named it "Snowflake". I thought it was cool like she was. She had a pet skunk. Miss you Mrs Atwood!
When you mentioned leaning out condition, vapor lock came to mind.
The Corvair was one of the best rear engine cars ever built in America. Not many people realize the front suspension, ball joints ,tie rod ends, and many other parts were shared with full sized Chevy's. The only problem with Corvair was not many mechanics were open to learning how the Corvair was designed, and willing to learn the new techniques that were required to service and repair these cars. I serviced and owned a few of these cars, both as a Mechanic and later on as a collector, the quality was there, strong, reliable cars if you were smart enough to learn, at the time, New Tech.
Ralph Nader was only part of the demise of the Corvair, complete ignorance on the part of set in there ways mechanics and DYI'ERS whom had no clue how these cars worked.
Crazy to think that a "failed" GM car back in those days still sold 280k a year!!
Thanks for the great tour, always curious about these...But why would the air pressures in the rear need to be HIGHER? You'd think LESS pressure would mean more tire contact patch.
Probably Because the weight was heavier in the rear - the contact surface of the tire needed to the same as the front for better handling
@@budsodalsky Ah, makes sense!
My mother had a 64 Monza. It was her first car after graduation from college. She loved it because it was sporty! We had it in the family for 20 years…Great little car…
My first car was a 66 Corsa Convertible with Turbo Charged Engine. Loved it!
I've only owned "Late" models. They were a blast to drive. If not for the pure pleasure of driving the machine itself, also for the thumbs up from many people I passed by. Nice review East Coast Classics.
It might be vapor locking on you which would cause it to die. I had several VW's and it wasn't a problem until it got up over about 90 degrees outside. Nice car. I've never owned one but would like to someday. My late Step Dad owned one way back when and he seemed to like it because he also liked VW's.
Cool little car review! Thanks
Glad you liked it and thanks so much for checking out the Corvair vid today!
Always loved the SOUND of the Corvair engine! Nothing like it!
Phew, that's a beauty. I am often left with the question of should I go all in on this car, I imagine it's even harder for you. Here's hoping you do. That engine is nuts, and in the back too.
I have the '64 Monza Convertible. Mine is red with a white top and interior. SO MUCH FUN! (and it is cheap and gets great gas mileage. 25 mpg) I bought it for my 50th BD (six years ago!)
Oh that's cool and a great birthday present too! I bet the red and white is a cool look. Thanks for the visit!
A real technological marvel that became a world-class car with the introduction of the 1965 (2nd-Gen) models. Its lousy safety reputation was undeserved, as a US government panel confirmed in 1973 - four years after Corvair production ended.
I gotta add my Corvair story. In 1965 I was at a Navy school in south Georgia, bought a 62 convertible 4 speed, thought it was a really cool car even tho it was yellow and guys thought it was sort of a chick car but the girls did love to ride in it. I got assigned to a ship in Pearl Harbor, drove the Corvair to California where the Navy shipped it to Honolulu for me. What a great beach car. I’d put the top up only when it rained. The space between the front wheels in the "trunk" was sorta a "well" you could throw a case of cold ones in and toss ice on top, the well had a drain plug. In spite of its diminutive size it was possible to have amorous encounters, tho front seats was all we ever tried. Back seat was a little small. When I got out of the Navy in late 1967 I sold the car to a shipmate. He never bothered to re-register the car and for a year or so I was getting notices about unpaid parking tickets. I think if I went back to Hawaii they probably still have me on a "wanted list"🙂. It’d be nice to know the ultimate fate of the car but in that salt and sea environment I guess it’s long since been reduced to a pile of rust. GM cars in those days all rusted a lot, one of the early designs of planned obsolescence. BTW my first purchase back on the mainland was a 67 Camaro SS 350 convertible… don’t recall if it was a 5 speed or 4 speed. Of course like everybody says I wish I still had both those cars…. It was all family sedans and minivans after I got married. I did get a Miata after I retired but it wasn’t the same. And of course the wife wasn’t interested in any games in the car by that time anyway!
in 1970 wife worked at a dealer and needed a car to get around while I was in the service..boss sold her a 61 for $50...we even took it on our honeymoon when I got home..loved it..was a tank in the winter
My brother had a white/white '63 convertible that was really sweet. His biggest complaint as mentioned in the video was the stink from the engine compartment making its way to the interior via the heating system.
I like the corvair. A friends dad owned a convertible , and we had a blast cruzing around in that thing in the summertime. Have fun with your car . I love it !!!
If you stick your head down into the passenger's foot well and look up into the underside of the dash, you can see the two, oscillating arms that operate the windshield wipers move back and forth when the wipers are on. I know this because that's where I rode in our black, 1963 sedan. Not at all sure how I'm still alive. The interior vinyl was a tight weave of red, white, black, and yellow. That's about what I can remember because, as a three-year-old, the rest was too big for me to notice. I think my father bought it new and traded it in in 1964 because we had a new, 1964 Mustang as our next car, which was totaled (but still running) sometime before 1967.
In 1966 I learned to drive in an early model Corvair with a manual shift. We loved tooling around the winding hills of rural astern PA, and we rarely heeded the speed limit. It was a pleasure to drive, and we never had any problems with its Porsche type rear suspension. Unfortunately it was rear-ended and totaled while stopped at a traffic light. It was replaced by a 65 Mercury Comet with 289 V8 and auto trans. The first time we took it our for a spin we almost killed ourselves going too fast around a bend (same speed we safely drove the Corvair), and the back end broke loose. We safely recovered without ending in the swale or trees beyond. The Corvair was definitely more fun to drive than the Comet, and safer.
I like them. Owned one in the mid 70’s. Very underrated! Thx 🙏🏻, for presentation. ♾ d 🌻
Moving gas needle means that there's water inside the gas tank. Thanks for the video.
My dad had one of these. I remember the engine mount breaking off....no problem, my day took a jack, chain and lock to it and got us home...
My dad had a 1961 lakewood wagon. My dad loved that car. He tried to keep it but in 1978 it was sold off. I was very young at the time it was on the road but i remember it towing a trailer that it was or was not really rated for.
One crystal clear winter's night in 1966 I had the pleasure of traveling from State College to Lock Haen in my roommate's Series I Covair, It was a 4-door, 3-spd on the floor cream in color, with a red interior. I remember it put beaucoup heat into the cabin and the hum of the engine hung out back as it was, lulling me to sleep. It must have been a decent car as I have fond memories of it after so many years.
Dig the information. What a departure for a big American car like Chevy. Cool design and build. I’m 57 I remember these on the road. Drive it enjoy it
YET - To own one was to love one. Incredible car. Yes, I rolled mine, drove it home. Dropped off the edge of a curve going way too fast -- airborn. Whatta rush !!! ('68, next to last year) .. this vid is one of the first corvairs. One of the best things about it was it was impossible to get stuck in the snow. IF it didn't go D .... it would R anywhere. Fun.
My 1st car back in 1973 was a 1963 Corvette 4 door Monza. I bought it for $75. Over 3 years I put in $300, including a new paint job from Earl Shibe. The thing was great always ran, went all over with it and when I sold it I got my $300 back.
I have the twin brother of your Corvair. It is a 1963 Monza 2dr coupe. Black with a white interior. I was confused as to why the dash was red. The big difference is that I have a 4spd transmission. I bought it some years ago as a package deal from an air cooled engine enthusiast, I sold the Porsches and the VW beetle. The Corvair has been languishing all this time and needs a lot of attention.
I don't know if the engine will turn yet. The gas tank is sitting in the back seat. Yeah lots of stuff to do. Enjoyed your video a lot because your car looks exactly like mine.
We went to the outdoor movies 🎥 in Alaska at the in a Corvair often, went to the dinner club in the same vehicle with my mother, older sister and her husband. My aunt owned one for over 25 years. The dealership gave her a good trade in price because it looked nice on their showroom floor.
The parish provided our monsignor with a new Corvair. I happened to be near the rectory when Monsignor came out to his car with a suitcase in each hand. As he opened what he thought was the trunk at the rear of the car, he got the most perplexed expression on his face.
That’s a solid example. From “my experience” there were a few flaws designed into the car. 1. When you feel your losing control in a turn do not let off the gas pedal or even touch the brakes. Power through that turn. 2. Correct shock absorbers. These make all the difference in limiting the travel of the rear swing axle. It makes the car almost flat in cornering at high speed. 3. Rust. The front cowl in the early model was sealed with tar. How they assembled the car allows water to seep into the trunk and into the front foot well. Take off the wiper blades, take off the louvered grille, flush it out and seal it up. The stalling issue on the engine if it involves the carbs is that the carbs do run cold. They will ice up. The engine heat is supposed to recirculate back to the intake. Which prevents carb icing. I’ve only had early models and most of them being the 1960 model. The 1960 had a single thermostat which I thought was a better version. The 61-69 used dual thermostats which trapped the hot air inside the tins which flowed the carbs through slots. When those thermostats fail all that hot air blows out and the carbs get only the cold air from whatever ambient air the car is driving through. My last Corvair I sold I had to pay attention the the minimalist electrical system as the wires were approaching 60+ years of age.
Chevy II was similarly sized with conventional configuration for those reluctant to invest in Corvair innovation.
Death trap rhetoric is undeserved, counterintuitive tire pressure specification together with standard issue cornering tactics got some drivers in trouble. Ralph, otherwise a splendid chap argued in ignorance against Corvair value as easy to drive economical and fun transportation abbreviating its lifespan and rendering to it an uncommon and legendary panache, good choice of an interesting car for those not made of money.
I grew up 7 houses down from Mrs. Nader, Ralph’s mother, in Winsted, CT.
There was a guy that would drive a baby blue Corvair up and down Hillside Ave, whenever Ralph’s Porsche was parked outside his moms house.
He would turn around at this old carriage house across the street from us, and you could hear the chestnuts pop under his tires, and that would be the signal for us kids to go out and wave at him as he made another round.
We think he did it as a, “Hey Ralph, my car hasn’t killed me. So take that!”
Mrs Nader was a sweet little Lebanese immigrant. She taught me how to make Lebanese bread.
She absolutely hated GM for the smear attempt they pulled on her son.
very cool , great Hobby,, love the rear engine,,i bet people always ask do you want too sell it, that is a solid investment.. im glad your having fun.. the Corvair Rocks..!!
love the faded out black and the car is nice good find i grew up with the older cars i am 28 almost 29 love your car i would love to see more videos on it. :)
I owned a 1961 Corvair Monza in 1964......lived in LaHabra Ca and worked in downtown Los Angeles...drove it to work and back every day for a couple of years and at least 4 trips to Tucson Az ...with my wife and I and our three kids....never had a problem with it except having to replace a blower bearing and did it myself without much difficulty. I was forced off the road once while driving on the highway along the west side of Salton Sea...I took to the shoulder which was soft sand at about 65mph...the car handled with no problem, I got back on the highway and continued on my way...needing only a change of underwear. I think the Corvair got a bum wrap.
Sort out the go before you sort out the show! It looks just fine. Cool car! I too like the stance of Corvair’s.
During a time in high school I drove a Corvair Monza. It is one of the best cars I have driven. I would take dates out on the coast highway during heavy rain and drift it on all the corners. A corner meant for 45 I would take at 60. One night I had a carload of students and hit a corner at 95 and was not prepared for the radical break of traction and almost lost it. Now looking back I would have never let my kids ride with the previous me. The car was predictable at lower speeds but at high speed became dangerous.
It's been my favorite car since I first saw it at the dealer in 1960 (or '59?). Then, they redesigned it and I couldn't decide which version I like more.
Loved that car, I rode in my mom’s 61. Great fun.
Any car older than 1972 is fantastic. That Corvair is great fun.
Same age as me! Things were built well in '63! A unique piece of US automotive history! It's a keeper!
Enjoyed the video and learned a few things. Still would like to see you put in three point seat belts for driver and passenger. Otherwise, enjoy the restoration.
the steering column is not collapsable and in the most minor accident will shoot like a spear and decapitate you. The seatbelts would just give someone a false sense of security. Any front collision in this car should be expected to be non survivable even at 20 or 30 miles an hour
@@errorsofmodernism9715 Only sometimes - not all collisions are the same and 3 point belts keep you in the car instead of flying out and underneath it while it rolls over you -
GM engineers were well aware of the the problems associated with swing axles used by VWs and other European cars. They originally designed it with a fully independent double-wishbone rear suspension. Then bean-counter extraordinaire Roger Smith applied the pencil sharpener to the car and figured they could save $35 a car by going to swing axles. So that made the car into a squirrly handling POS. In 1965 the revised model the double wishbone suspension was included which solved many of the handling problems after the Nader book came out.
I ordered my Corvair direct from the factory (Yes You could, those days). The standard model with Spyder suspension. I added the camber compensators, Thomas's quick steering, and dual exhaust. the car was all black with a blue-green interior and the factory wire wheel hub caps. It was a beauty. Full to drive, zippy, and handled excellently. BUT: the valve cover would start to leak every couple of months. The flywheel came apart. And I was replacing worn rear tires twice a month. I sold it to a friend who didn't check the leaky valve covers and destroyed the engine. 20 years later I saw my car back on the road. I don't miss it. I still have my 59 VW Beetle.
Hey I really appreciate the walk around and the test drive. Thanks so much for sharing awesome enjoy it!
you mentioned the roofline - i think chevy were inspired by type 34 vw (razor edge) karmann ghia - cos thats what it looks like to me
Except Corvair came out first. More likely the VW was copied off the Corvair. Corvair also had an air cooled flat six before Porsche and a turbo engine before Porsche.
Thanks for saving it! You should consider joining VCCA vintage chevy club of america or AACA Antique Automobile club if America- like minded folks that believe in preserving not hacking cars for histories sake.
I come from a small town in the state of Maryland. Elliott city which is just a few miles from Baltimore County where A. D. Anderson Chevrolet and Anderson Oldsmobile were located, both now long gone. The largest Chevy dealer in Maryland A. D. himself at the time almost an icon. A childhood friend of mine purchased one of those Corvairs used, a four door sedan when he returned home from serving in the Vietnam War. He loved that car, but drove it without a high degree of maintenance. It held up well though and was especially good in snowy weather, because of the rear mounted engine didn't need snow tires. I agree with a comment made by one other person if you have a mechanic that works for $25.00 / hour keep him very close. I now live in California where the cost of automobile repair can be three to four times as much /hour. Because of some draconian law passed here an individual is all but prohibited from doing any work on his own car . There is no incentive for mechanic shops to compete on price for your business, thus like everything else here costs continually go only in one direction that is up.
I thought it was Monza, not Mazda.
Good to know! Thanks.
@@hullinger It's named after the race track in Italy.
I love the Corvair. It's a more sporty than the Falcon, Nova, or Valiant, because of it's rear engine like the Porsche. Corvair's can be customized to be whatever the owner wants and it's very stylish.
I had one of these. Loved it, manual shift. It was a nice driver if you can find the gears.
9:40 I love how it locks in place: Without those bad springs (similar to shock absorbers) that always brake few years after the car leaves the manufacturer.