Air-Cooled Van: 1961 Chevrolet Corvair Greenbrier
For those who don’t think the VW Beetle inspired the Chevy Corvair, consider the Corvan. It was a smaller van and pickup that used a rear-mounted, air-cooled engine just like the VW Transporter (or VW Bus). Snappier versions of the Corvan were called Greenbriers and they were in production from 1961 to 1965. These are rarely seen today, although this one from 1961 still hangs in there. Located in Las Vegas, Nevada, this running project is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $3,450. Thanks for the Chevy tip, Edward Sel!
Greenbriers normally had windows all around and six doors, although you could get eight doors where there were opening double doors on both sides. These things could seat up to nine people with an available third seat. Chevrolet added the Greenbrier to the lineup in the Corvair’s second model year (1961) and it remain in production through 1965. First-year sales were the highest at 15,806 units and when demand trickled to just 1,526 copies in 1965, Chevy pulled the plug. By then, they already had a more conventional van like Ford and Chrysler with a water-cooled engine in the front.
The seller doesn’t tell us much about this Greenbrier other than it’s “all there” and “runs.” But the rear wheels are bowed in a little, which suggests to me there’s no weight in the back, i.e., no 145 cubic inch flat-six engine or 3-speed manual transmission. Also, we’re not privy to the condition of the interior or what seating capacity it’s set up for. Assuming this Corvair needs a full restoration would be a safe bet and you’d have something the other guys don’t when you get it back out on the road.
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Comments
I have had my share of Corvairs and this can’t be a runner. Maybe a running engine is included. Solid body so might be worth looking into if your local. Interior shouldn’t be a big problem as long as most of its present. Luggage rack is a nice touch.
I reached out to the seller and it’s a 8-door model which makes it more desirable.
A friend of mine is doing a Tesla conversion on one of these vans.
Awesome looking Corvan Greenbrier. This would make a great restoration project, or possibly a restomod. If only more pics were posted on Facebook Marketplace. I would love to have seen the interior of the Greenbrier.
Send it to the local crusher. It’s worth more as scrap than anything else. These cars are a royal pain to stop oil leaks.
Oil leaks are no longer a problem with modern seals.
Wasn’t the seals fault as much as heat from a blocked or dirty should I describe the oil cooler which nobody seemed to know about. Not just air cooled the engine that oil also transfers the heat. Yeah the pushrod tubes would then leak and let the smoke begin.Never saw a clean one when I tore one down.
What you know about Corvairs obviously doesn’t fill up a thimble.
There are Viton Seals for the pushrod tubes, oil cooler seals. Composition valve cover gaskets and oil pan gaskets.
I rebuilt the engine in my 65 Monza in 1996 AND IT DOES NOT LEAK A DROP.
Thanks for playing though.
I was playing with Corvairs long before viton seals and you could use a little knowledge on air cooled design. Just because air blowing over the cylinder is there, that is not the only reason the engine remains intact or cooled. The oil plays an important process in cooling the air cooled engine. Check me on that if you like. Add it to your thimble. The neoprene seals work quite a while, high temperature hardened them prematurely. Back to a blocked oil cooler.
Ought to send you through the crusher, why would you crush a viable car? Moron
He must be living in 1973 to say something like that. The color is bad, but this has a real solid body from what you can see and its a rare 8 door . Even if it had something major wrong with it there are plenty of parts for other vans
an abundance of pictures…
Nice write-up – not much to work with but the pics, but I figure with a desert car, it looks like a solid body so one less major problem to vacuum up your money, and maybe worth a look-see.