Blazer 4X4: 1962 Chevrolet Corvair Monza
If you combined the body of a first-generation 1960s Chevrolet Corvair with a mid-1980s S-10 Blazer SUV, the seller’s vehicle is what you might come up with. He/she bought this as a project and stopped working on it when the transmission line broke (it was running and driving at the time). Located in Moorcraft, Wyoming, this interesting hybrid is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $2,500. Another off-the-beaten-path tip brought to us by Barn Finder NW Iowa.
The Corvair was Chevy’s first attempt at a compact car and decided to make it more like the Volkswagen Beetle of the day. Rear-mounted, air-cooled engine with the trunk in front. They sold well from 1960 to 1969, but Ralph Nader launched a safety campaign against it around 1964 which eventually killed buyer interest. The top-line model was the Monza, whose body was selected for this build, though the seller seems unsure if it came from 1962 or 1963 (they were little different, so does matter?).
Underneath this Monza shell is the frame and chassis from a 1984 Blazer, which we suspect is the compact S-10 version because they were similar in size. The engine and transmission are now up front, but no mention is made if the air-cooled Corvair engine was retained or if the Blazer’s water-cooled inline-4 or V6 are part of the mix. The mileage is said to be 500, which might be the distance covered since the transformation took place. What we don’t know is how well the work was done bringing the two vehicles together.
A coupler in the automatic transmission took this vehicle off the road. So that will have to be repaired before attempting to drive it. The interior is a combination of both the Monza and the Blazer. The “car” lacks a firewall, so that will have to be grafted in and some new tires will need to be fitted. The body has at least some surface rust, but repainting this vehicle might detract from its unusual charm. Do you see a Corvair Blazer in your future?
Auctions Ending Soon
1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1Bid Now1 days$7,100
2003 Porsche Boxster SBid Now1 days$4,000
1966 Lincoln ContinentalBid Now1 days$500
2000 Jaguar XJ8LBid Now5 days$1,250
1977 Datsun 280ZBid Now6 days$250
Comments
Hold my beer! Looks like this could be fun with old man winter knocking on the door & if it’s just a U joint failure or even if a transfer case coupler shouldn’t be prohibitively expensive to fix. Like I said i could envision many situations where this could be fun with snow & ice coming!
Not without a firewall!
A sad end for a 2dr Corvair…
For the price, maybe someone who knows Corvair can un-do it, and restore her as a Corvair. Build out of an oil stain, you know.
Really, what is it that makes you suspect it S-10? maybe because it’s obvious!
Can’t unsee this.
I like it, looks like the combo fits well. Would be a good garage mate for my 65 corsa that’s on 77 jeep Cherokee frame 😁
Let’s see a photo!!
Neat concept but that’s the only thing I see neat about this seller. Everything in the pictures looks like it’s been bombed.
Why?
Lots of beer and ether.
In really hot weather.
Yeah..
This could turn into something that’s a lot of fun. I like it
Don’t mind me, I’m just here for the comments.
Ralp Nader says unsafe at any time.
Well Ralph wasn’t very smart when it came down to automotive knowledge. Just a guy trying to get a name for himself. Well he got a name alright!!
Unsafe at any speed. Lots of oversteer available.
Ralph Nader’s book Unsafe at Any Speed was inaccurate and unfair. It ruined the future of Corvair, The American Porsche.
When the Captain was young and foolish,
he had an1976 Buick Estate Wagon he wanted to do something just like this to – except keeping the 455 drivetrain…Now that he is 0ld and foolish, he knows its a mistake. 0ld Ralph would have torn his cloth had he seen such a monstrosity !!
I have a 66 Base Model 2 door Coupe. a Simple 110 hp
Drives Like a dream and rather Zippy-er with a Hotter Modern CDI
Not to Mention Improved 37 mpg. Highway 34 City with a Powerglide 2 speed.
No Ralf Was a Fraud, Wrong as Wrong Gets.
All it needs is a snow plow
And a stick of dynamite.
I was at a car show looking at a Corvair where a front engine sbc conversion had been done (really well). Two guys start looking at it and one asks the other if he thinks it’s stock. Second (older) guy looks it over and replies that he doesn’t think so because it has chrome valve cover and air filter. I was kind of staring at them incredulously trying to figure out if they’re for real since one guy was old enough to have been around when Corvairs were new. Younger guy asks what I think so I had to be honest and say “He’s totally right”.
Wow how do we take 2 pretty useful and one collectable for sure and turn them both into garbage! Nicely done.
Why is it that every single car-on-truck-chassis I’ve seen looks like it was built during a beer-fueled bender in a West Virginia trailer park?
Was that in Wisconsin? There’s one local to me done really well.
This was related to Dwcisme comment
Because see my comment below.
Is a ladder included with purchase? I have a step ladder, but I never knew my real ladder.
Corvair body worth the 2500…
This makes the Corvair look better IMO. Took the pre ’65 ugly Corvair and a “who cares” S10 and made something fun.
Uhhhh……
Nope.
Definitely nope.
The guys down the road from me would love it after their daily ether and beer binge though.
It’d probably end up in their pond after week.
Yeah.