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, including this neat 1964 Corvair Monza convertible. 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.

Nicely refinished in the late 80s, this Corvair wears a coat of correct code 942 Goldwood Yellow which offers a bright and lustrous finish even after 25 years. The sheet metal runs straight and the panel gaps are to industry standards, although it seems that this one is better assembled than most. Sure, there are a few signs of use, but since it was restored, this car has obviously enjoyed a pretty easy life. The amount of chrome GM attached to a Corvair was tasteful by 1964 standards, and it is all in very good condition, including the bumpers that looks a lot fresher than you'd think. Chrome block letters announce "Corvair" on both the hood and the trunk, whose lid is punched full of louvers to help cool the engine underneath. Then of course there's that unique front end, which has no need for a grille opening and instead has a clean, unspoiled look.

The interior continues the designer's straightforward approach and the code 712 black vinyl upholstery works well with the exterior color treatment. A pair of bucket seats don't offer much lateral support, but they're all-day comfortable and offer a lot of room inside the relatively compact Corvair. Remarkably, the back seat is covered in original upholstery, and the door panels, while not show condition, are in very good shape and show minimal wear and no damage. This car also carries ultra-rare factory A/C, which is almost never seen in 1964, let alone on a Corvair, and the stereo has been upgraded to an AM/FM/CD/iPod stereo unit that fits well in the center of the dash. Interior space is excellent for a compact, and thanks to the rear engine-format, there's no tunnel to divide the interior up. The manual convertible top raises and lowers easily so no worries about servicing expensive electric top motors, and once it's up, the black top adds the perfect contrast to the bright yellow Corvair. And there's that giant forward trunk, which wears correct spatter paint and a full-sized spare right in the center.

The Monza model is equipped with a more powerful 164 cubic inch flat-six that pumps out 95 horsepower, a 15 horsepower bump from the standard Corvair powerplant. Rebuilt about 5000 miles ago, the engine bay out back is very well finished with a lot of shiny aluminum and chrome, a modern Sanden A/C compressor with R134a refrigerant inside, and dual carbs to help make a little more horsepower. The PowerGlide 2-speed automatic transmission shifts between the gears without complaint and despite all of Ralph Nader's fuss, the car is quite user-friendly overall. It's not restored underneath, but a lifetime someplace warm means that there aren't any nasty secrets hiding there, either. This tidy little ragtop rolls down the road on 13-inch whitewall radials mounted on the original steel wheels with wire hubcaps.

Still affordable, still fun, and still practical, this Corvair Monza is a great way to own a vintage convertible without the vintage convertible price. Call now!