(first posted 5/26/2014) This white Corvair Monza convertible is a great way to inaugurate the start of convertible season, and as a bigger, better, all-American take on the rear-engined economy car, it’s also a perfect way to celebrate Memorial Day.
The dashboard–which I unfortunately don’t have pictures of–flags this as a Monza, so Laurence suspects this is a repaint, as the taillight panel is body colored and not the expected silver. And that means a standard non-turbo, twin-carb flat-six. This particular car, however, is equipped the optional 140 horsepower, four-carb version, as the badge above the decklid denotes.
Ideally when posting a 65 Corvair, I’d want it to be a hardtop coupe or sedan. With a greenhouse that delicate, it’s almost a shame to cut a car’s roof off. I, however, love convertibles, and our featured white on white Monza fairly screams vacation, so I can’t think of a more holiday-appropriate choice. You don’t wear white shoes after labor day, after all.
It’s the sort of car with which to cruise to a body of water for a weekend of margarita drinking and speed boating (insert obligatory “enjoy responsibly” message here).
Chevy’s marketers must’ve had the same idea when printing this brochure. Sure, this beach is a family friendly setting, but you know Ma and Pa are going to get soused once the boys are put to bed. They might as well enjoy the opportunity to do so before their growing brood pushes them into a Kingswood Estate and vacations at Disneyland. With the Corvair, enjoy responsibly wasn’t part of Chevy’s plans; the goal was a sporty economy car and the product of that thinking was a unique, casual take on entry level motoring. The Mustang and Falcon convertibles, in comparison, seemed to take themselves more seriously.
Here’s another ad, clearly stating Chevy’s intentions. It’s hard to think of any other car which so accessibly captured the care-free spirit of motoring at the time. And the Corvair with a four-carb engine was no slouch; while turbocharged models came into their own at freeway speeds, the instant response of a naturally aspirated engine would be more welcome when driving up a twisty coastal road to a long weekend getaway.
The low weight of the now 164 CID six, named Turbo-Air (with or without a turbocharger), aided the balanced handling needed to fully enjoy the talents of its 140 horsepower. With about 2400 pounds to propel, it gave good performance across all engine speeds and the newly redesigned rear suspension made winding it out even better. Unsafe At Any Speed, it wasn’t; just very entertaining.
Memorial Day, along with the Fourth of July, is all about entertainment. While this air-cooled creature doesn’t make the most sense for some other holidays, like Thanksgiving and Christmas (which carry the weight of familial obligation), for warm weather occasions, it’s hard to beat a lightweight, sprightly convertible. The best part is the large trunk which will hold plenty of beer, swimsuits and fireworks. On this blue example, also photographed by Laurence, a luggage rack aids and abets overpacking.
Of course, summer is convertible season and car show season. We’ll see many other topless beauties trotted out over the next couple days and months. And while the Corvair Monza Spyder is an excellent way to inaugurate this magical time of year, many of you have your own all-American convertible favorites. Which most say Memorial Day to you?
The second gen Corvairs sure were pretty. Dad and I saw one earlier this spring out on the road. We both agreed that they look right-sized today, and I wondered how small they must have seemed like back in the day within the context of the big full size cars. I’d rather not crash in one, come to think of it. Happy Memorial Day to all.
“Memorial Day………is all about entertainment” ???
Unfortunately, despite attempts to the contrary (the Charlotte 600 last night, for example), to most Americans this is true. Memorial Day is the beginning of ‘real’ summer, a big day for sales (if I see one more car dealer’s ad, I’m going to puke), and barbequing on the back porch.
Too many American have either forgotten, ignored, or never bothered to learn the real meaning of the holiday.
So as to not sound too depressing, though, at least there’s attempts being made to give credit where credit is badly due. Forty years ago, it seemed like nobody (other than Vietnam hawks) even wanted to remember the reason for the holiday. The situation is getting better.
To be fair, if we were meant to spend the holiday in solemn contemplation, it shouldn’t have been scheduled when the weather in most of the US is at its absolute most beautiful. As usual, this weekend has been the first weekend all year where the weather in my native eastern Pennsylvania has been similar to that of my adopted home in southern California.
The tradition in my family was always to go visit the graves of loved ones (not just those who served in the military) and then go relax and enjoy the holiday. Veterans’ Day was the one I always remember being a more solemn affair, with an assembly each year in school. Maybe it’s because it’s in cold November, or maybe because we didn’t get the day off.
IMO, it’s the American tradition to have these days become ones of celebration. Do other cultures really take secular holidays and make them all about sitting around contemplating? I’m not talking about religious holidays.
I think the appropriate way to honor the sacrifice of our servicemen and women is to enjoy the freedoms they fought to protect. If you can do so by inviting the military folks in your life over for a beer and a steak, and thank them, personally, for their service, all the better.
To me, that seems a lot more meaningful than the dopey “Thank you for your service,” generic messages posted all over Facebook (and at TTAC’s front page), which are nothing more than people saying, “look at me! I love our troops too!”
In the context of this article, this is true. I’m not denying the holiday’s other signification.
I like the first generation Corvair. For one thing, you have more body styles to choose from, from a van, to pickup truck, to station wagon, two door hardtop and four door sedan. It’s too bad they discontinued all that by the time the 2nd gen Vair debuted. Was it perfect in handling? No, one needed to know what they were doing in order to make it safely to their destination. But I think Chevrolet should’ve kept the Corvair line intact through to the end.
There is no hardtop in any 1st generation Corvair, they are all pillared with framed doors. The wagon was very short lived, the Corvair95 van/truck did make it to 1965, but it was only a 1 generation run.
I had thought that the first generation got a 2-door hardtop at the same time as the convertible was introduced midway through the 1962 model year, but I guess it didn’t. It’s odd that they would come out with a convertible but not a hardtop, especially with the sporty image Chevy was cultivating for the Corvair in that period.
You would think, but I imagine that since the Corvair was GM’s first mass market unibody car, that they wanted the structure as still as possible.
I don’t think that was the issue, since the same Y Body was used for hardtops as the Skylark, LeMans and Cutlass, as well as the convertibles.
The Corvair coupe, which didn’t come out until 1960.5, was not originally intended to be so sporty, but like the sedan, a low-end plain-Jane compact. The Monza coupe was not really planned in advance, but rushed into production based on enthusiastic response at the Chicago show.
By the time it was clear what a hit the Monza coupe was, it was already well into 1961, and Chevy probably didn’t want to spend the money at that stage to tool up another body variant that late into its life cycle, as they had already committed to the ill-fated wagon.
Still, it couldn’t have been very hard to do so, and it is a bit odd.
You’re anticipating a “What If” post I’ve been working on for some time. Stay tuned…
Just a couple of FYIs, Perry…only Corsas had the silver cove paint in ’65 and ’66. The Corsa took over from the Monza Spyder as top of the line in ’65. All “regular” Monzas had body color cove paint.
Corsas were available only with 4-carb 140s or turbo 180s, while Monzas could have the twin-carb 95, 110, or the 140 as an option. The turbo was only available with the 4-speed.
The white example above IS almost certainly repainted because it’s missing its Monza emblems on the front fenders. It also has later wheel covers.
This is timely, as I had the top down on mine this past Friday. 🙂
You lucky bastard. I’ve been living in the Solstice this weekend, also top down. However, I’d trade it in a second for a nice, clean Monza or Corsa.
Correct, by the 2nd gen Corvairs were down to the 500, Monza and Corsa (the truck/van 95 held on for one more year, but was gone after 1965). The 500 came in hardtop sedan and coupe, and the Monza came in sedan, coupe and convertible, and the Corsa came in just convertible and coupe.
Hmmmm, all this Corvair talk, I may just take my Corsa out for the afternoon.
IINM, the only Corvair van/truck that survived into the 1965 model year was the Greenbriar passenger van, and all ’65 Greenbriars were built early in the model year. The pickups and cargo vans were dropped at the end of the 1964 model year. As I understand it, the Greenbriar was kept in production temporarily due to the delayed introduction of the passenger version of Chevy’s new front-engine G-Series van, which was caused by a strike at the plant where they were to be made.
You just reminded me. I need to order a new electric fuel pump from Clark’s. I almost burned my Corsa up on the driveway from a very bad quality replacement mechanical pump a couple years ago.
One of the prettiest cars ever in my opinion. Well done too. Too bad the first gen did not have this level of refinement, especially in the handling department.
+1 I can’t think why Corvairs are so rarely seen at UK shows.Beautiful looks,good performance and mileage(compared to a lot of American cars) what’s not to like?
There isn’t anything wrong with the 1st generations handling that proper tire pressures and understanding of a rear engine car cant fix, it has the same swing axles that a contemporary Porsche has.
THIS Carmine .
It was basically a European handling car , Americans didn’t ‘get’ it sad to say .
” Was it perfect in handling? No, one needed to know what they were doing in order to make it safely to their destination. ” also this .
I had a 1961 two door 700 series Sedan with 140 CI engine and Slip ‘N Slide Powerglide , it was fine , reliable and handled well , never got more than 25 MPG’s no matter what .
Roomy and comfy , I ran the living crap out of it on California back roads and mountain passes , never spun it out and passed many ” Sports Cars ” in the twisty bits too .
I know those ” coke bottle ” Chevies set the Auto World on it’s ear (I was there then) but I will always prefer the 1st, generation Corvairs .
I really shoulda bought that $75 1962 Lakewood Station Wagon in 1972 ! oops .
-Nate
And guys like Ralph Nader who blame the Corvair for the way they handled. They really fucked things up for the Corvair. I agree, they weren’t perfect in their handling characteristics, but if one learned how the car handled and drove it accordingly, you might enjoy it. 🙂
Here’s a picture of my 1966 Monza back in 1976. I built it from two cars and ended up with a 140 H.P. Corsa engine, 4 speed posi-traction transaxle, suspension modifications, Vega GT bucket seats and American Racing wheels. It was the last of many Corvairs I owned before I moved on to a 1968 Camaro then a 1968 GTO. Today my toys are a restored 1926 Ford T roadster and a 1986 Mustang GT with less than 9,000 miles that I ordered from the factory. I do miss that Corvair!
I had a 62 Corvair with Powerglide and although it would go anywhere in the snow it only got 16-18 mpg city driving. My 63 Impala with the 230 and Three on the Tree did just as well if not a little better.
Had a corvair for drivers ed in HS in 1961. World of difference between it and this. Corvair was an example of a design that could have been great if they had stayed with it. They were getting there when they dropped it just like the fiero.
I think my VW (1966) would have had an American replacement if they hadn’t stopped.
As Aaron 65 said, only Corsa have the argent silver cove, but many Monza have been repainted this way, and many Corsas have body color or even black coves. When I got my 65 it had a dull gray cove, which I repainted argent silver:
For more classic car pics (including lots of Corvairs), please go to my photo blog:
http://carfisheye.blogspot.com/
OK, I ‘had’ a new Corvair at one time. My father (probably knowing he was leaving the dealership soon, but hadn’t told the family yet) sold off his ’65 Impala SS a couple of months early and surprised me with a deep red Monza two door hardtop (Powerglide, 110hp), and kept it for the remainder of the summer. The family was quite surprised, as dad was a full-size car guy all the way. He’d leave it at home during the summer’s days, knowing damn well that I’d sneak it out for drives thru the neighborhood – having just turned 15 that July.
The second generation corvair coupes had the nicest glasshouse in the industry, nothing else comes close, especially newer cars.
My vote for the best American car design of the 60s. No waste, no frills, beautiful lines. I’d love to have a ’65 Corsa convertible fitted with Stage IV Yenko performance mods, along with a ’65 Monza 4 door hardtop similarly fitted – the ultimate mid-60s Q-ship.
It’s a shame the market couldn’t meet the Corvair where it was strongest – no Powerglide, no overmuscled numbers car from the competition. Just six opposed cylinders, four speeds, three pedals and one big grin on the driver’s face.
I’ve been watching too much “Mad Men”…
Churr Perry just as an icy blast sweeps the country reminding me winter is coming you feature convertibles, thats ok I had the aircon going in my car while you guys were shovelling white stuff. Not a lot of Corvairs over here, were they ever made RHD?
There were a few, but I think they were conversions and the price was such that they weren’t common in RHD markets.
I wouldn’t really look to a 140-horsepower Corsa engine for flexibility or immediate response. The 140 had the same cam profile and compression ratio as the 110-horsepower engine, getting its greater output from larger valves and two additional carburetors. As tends to be the case with such things, what the better breathing gives on top it takes away on the bottom end, which is borne out by the fact that the 140-horsepower engine has no more torque than the 110 (160 lb-ft SAE gross) and the torque peak goes from 2,800 to 3,600 rpm.
I used to see a 65-67 convertible locally here in Aus. No side markers so its was pre ’68.
Converted to RHD, (we had to back then) with a rack & pinion set up.
I haven’t seen it for years, dunno what it’s fate was.
I think a Corvair would be ripe for a modern turbocharger system. The challenge would be mounting the intercooler in an effective spot. I believe Porsche put them above the engine in the “whale tail.”
You could use a air-water intercooler like Lotus did for the Esprit, then again that is probably not appropriate in an air-cooled car!
What a great looking car; taut and razor-sharp. That yellow coupe in the beach photo is my pick. Still yet to see one of these in the metal here in oz.
Great memories of a bright yellow ’66 Corvair Convertable and the girl who owned it, tall, blonde, a year or two older than me………………………………………………..oh sorry….. I quit thinking about the car for a while there.
seasoned Corvair watchers we love them in all styles and all years. There’s something to love for everyone with a Corvair.
Memorial Day is an official start to the cruising and show season. After the long winter in many regions, we are so ready to hit the road and meet those who have the same hobby.
Nice photos and nice treatment of the car. Here in Indy, though, the official start of summer is marked by the Indy Pace Cars out on the street. I saw 3 this weekend when I had no time to shoot them: the white/orange 69 Camaro, the electric blue Camaro from the last year or two and a black Camaro from this year. All with tops down and full decal packages intact.
Saw a red convertible yesterday on the Garden State Parkway – the CC effect!!!
If you’re ever in Greenfield, Iowa, about 50 miles west of Des Moines, check out the classic car museum there. it has several Corvairs representing both generations of the model. Need a reservation to get in, but you can look at them through the windows.
Mom had a ’65 Monza, 4 carb and a Powerglide. My dad never had to mess around with carb synching or anything else; but he had a purse with a new fanbelt and a 9/16″ flex wrench on the spare tire. Took 7 years to rot away around Detroit, the metal around the windshield went, along with front suspension mounts. Guy bought it for $250 just for the engine. It was the only Chevy I liked driving.
God, it’s beautiful. It truly is. I wish GM would bring the Corvair back as its own unique lineup.
I always thought the ’65-and-up Corvair convertible was the most beautiful automobile ever conceived. Color doesn’t matter. Nothing comes close.
Don’t cut the roof off a 4 door Corvair. Frame is so flexible that doors will not open when up on lift – billc
My Dad bought a couple of years used Corvair Greenbrier van back in the early 1960s. We used it for a family trip to Mexico. The only real problem was that it threw it’s fan belt around L.A. My Dad bought what he thought was the proper replacement, which was thrown off by San Diego. Here he bought the proper segmented belt ( and a spare!) and kept an eye on the tension, no further problems the rest of the trip. My dad’s only complaint was the lack of power climbing the mountains around Mexico City, but it had the Powerglide. Flash forward about fifteen years and my Dad bought another Corvair, a 64 ish? Monza coupe with a four speed. I got to drive this one quite a bit. It was fun and was even smaller than my ’66 Mustang, which I thought was small enough.
Speaking of convertibles I put the top down on my Mustang to run errands, ( I took the long way!) Now I find that my ’96 is just about the right size. Mustang- Americas’s Car.
A second generation Corvair convertible would definitely have a place in my dream garage. It was a beautiful car that simply got trampled during the go-go musclecar V8 sixties.
Of course, the other wild card in the Corvair’s potential continuation is how difficult it would have been for the Corvair’s engine to meed upcoming emissions standards. It’s no secret that’s what killed the VW Beetle. That, alone, might have doomed the Corvair, regardless of sales.
Porsche found a way to meet emission standards. Too bad Chevrolet did not continue to develope the Corvair instead of the Camero. I have a 1965 Corsa Turbo parked next to my 911 in the garage in Colorado! Did you know the 1962 Monza Spyder was one of the first turbo production cars in 1962. Porsche did not have one until the mid 70’s.
I (used to) love you guys, and I’m even glad Paul came back. But way too many reruns for the annoying ads we have to put up with.
You can see plenty of Corvairs at the Corvair Museum in Glenarm, Illinois.
It’s located at 10041 Palm Road – a.k.a. Route 66 – in Glenarm, Illinois, just a few short miles south of Springfield. It’s in close proximity to popular tourist destinations in the Springfield area. Attractions include the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Lincoln Home National Historic Site, Lincoln’s Tomb and War Memorial State Historic and more – all just minutes away.
The museum’s location also has the benefit of being easily accessible from Interstate 55 – the main corridor between Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans.
It’s closed right now – May 2020 – due to COVID-19, but it will certainly reopen after the governor gives the OK. The Corvair Museum is run by the Corvair Preservation Foundation, the 501(c)(3) affiliate of the Corvair Society of America.
I totally agree with Perry’s remarks.
‘Course I may be just a lil’ bit biased……
Not counting the 1962-67 Chevrolet Chevy II Novas, From 1967-69 as in the case of 1G Camaro & 1968-69 3G Novas it seems as though that these new compact sized Chevrolets were becoming popular with Chevrolet afficionados since they were all right sized and relatively lighter weight than lets say the Full-Sized offerings from the Chevrolet lineup back then. The 1968-69 Chevelle Malibus were not even that significantly larger than the Nova because the Chevelle Malibu Coupes were only 8″ longer than the Nova 197.5″ for the former and 189.4″ for the latter. The 1968-69 Corvettes close in size with the 1965-69 Corvair in which the Corvette was 182.7″ while the Corvair was 183.3″ and yet both were still close to the Nova size range.
When my brother and I got our licences my parents decided that they should get a second car. The current car was a 61 Olds Dynamic 88, which was of course automatic, so they wanted to get a car with a standard for us to learn on. They bought a pale yellow 66 Corvair Monza 2 door with the 110hp and a 4-speed. What a great car to drive as a 16 year old.
I still love the 2nd generation coupe, but my cousin had a 64 convertible in brown with a tan top and interior and a wooden steering wheel. It was also 110hp and 4-speed and was incredibly cool.