1964 Chevrolet Corvair Monza

Description

The Chevrolet Corvair is a unique collectible amongst American manufacturers. It was the only mass-produced US. car with a rear-mounted-air cooled engine, and GM produced close to 1.8 million of these versatile cars. The Corvair line up spanned two-door coupes and convertibles, four-door sedans, station wagons, pickup trucks and even vans. One has to wonder if given more time, the Corvair engineers would have found a way to make them float and fly.

Professionally applied by a previous owner, the rich blue exterior paint continues to present a deep and lustrous finish. The sheet metal runs straight and the panel gaps are to industry standards, although it seems that this one is better assembled than factory new. The amount of chrome GM attached to a Corvair was tasteful by 1964 standards, and it is all in very good condition. Trim pieces run the length of the car and chromed trim letters announce "Corvair" on both the hood and the trunk. Then of course there are the bumpers and a conservative grille, which was not necessary for anything but fashion. All the trim has buffed up nicely and shines well against the blue background. The manual white convertible top raises and lowers easily so no worries about servicing expensive electric top motors, and once it's up, the white top adds the perfect contrast to the blue Corvair. Vision is good through the plastic rear window and the balance of the car's glass is in likewise good condition.

The interior continues the designer's straightforward approach and the light blue works well with the exterior color treatment. The optional front bucket seats are a welcome step up from the standard bench set up. The light blue vinyl coverings on the seats and door panels, while not show condition, are in good condition showing minimal wear and no damage. Spin the AM radio on to listen to the local talk show and if it turns chilly, there is an optional heater, which is surprisingly effective. Interior space is excellent for a compact, and thanks to the rear engine-format, there's no tunnel to divide the interior up.

Our step up Monza model is equipped with the more powerful 164ci, 2.7 Liter. The engine pumps out 95 horsepower, a 15 horsepower bump from the standard Corvair powerplant. The motor turns over easily and moves our Chevrolet at a pleasant clip down the highway, and still delivers bright performance and good fuel economy. The first-generation Corvairs were all equipped with a swing axle rear suspension and coil springs at all 4 wheels, much like a certain other rear-engined car we know. The chassis is clean, and it's important that the body tub be clean due to the Corvair's unibody construction. This tidy little ragtop rolls down the road on 13-inch whitewall radials mounted on the original steel wheels.

Perfect for all you minimalist classic car enthusiasts out there, this Corvair is ready to enjoy today. Call now!