GM’s Beetle: 1961 Chevrolet Corvair Monza
Compact cars were all the rage in the early 1960s and the Corvair would be Chevrolet’s first foray into that field. But they wouldn’t take the path most traveled at first, instead creating a small car that had an air-cooled engine in the back (like the VW Beetle). This second-year example from 1961 looks to be in good condition overall and might be a good, lower-cost way of getting into today’s vintage car scene. Located in Enid, Oklahoma, this Monza Sport Coupe is available here on eBay for $6,000 with serious offers entertained.
Chevy sold more than 250,000 Corvairs in 1960 and would see even more success in 1961 at nearly 340,000 copies. But that didn’t stop the GM division from launching a second compact in 1962, the Chevy II, which didn’t slow down sales of the Corvair which almost equaled the ‘61s that year. It wasn’t until the Ralph Nader safety probe of the mid-1960s and eventually the debut of the Ford Mustang that a serious dent was put in Corvair’s demand.
This Monza has the 145 cubic-inch air-cooled flat-six that was developed specifically for the Corvair. It’s paired with a 2-speed Powerglide automatic. We’re told that the vehicle is mechanically sound and the engine fires up on command. The tires have plenty of tread left, but no mention is made of how old they are. So, you may be close to taking this machine to its first Cars & Coffee.
The red paint is not original but is the correct color and presents well enough. There is no reference to any rust or the appearance of some except a small area in the left front fender. And there’s a bit in the front of the trunk, as well. Two sets of wheel covers will come with the car so you’ll have your choice as to which ones to sport. The matching red interior is original and okay except for some loose seams on the front seats. But we’re not sure of the condition of the carpeting. Won’t your friends be impressed when you pop the hood to show them the engine and it’s not there!
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Comments
Nice car and a price that probably could be notched down a little.
The powerglide is the killer on these. Has to be one of the slowest cars I’ve ever driven.
I’ve actually had 2 corvairs I likes em both. I had a 61 & 65 both non turbo automatics. I likes the 65 better had a little more room and drive better. I likes the 61 as well just liked the 65 better. Both drive nice and we’re pretty reliable as daily drivers. I drive my cars everyday so I give em a work out plenty of back road and highway driving. I did Install radial tires on both cars as well .
I have been driving my 1961 Corvair since 1976. Great little car. The price is right (if not a little low) and if closer inspection to the prone Corvair rust spots that you can’t see pass the screwdriver test this should make someone a great little car that will not bust the bank and still sell for a good turn down the line.
I agree with you on the price, I’ve not seen a Corvair in similar good condition for less. There’s one near me, it’s the later body style, for only $2500, but it doesn’t run and has rust issues far more extensive than this one, and needs an interior. This body style has grown on me in recent years.
Ralph Nader? What a buzzkill. Look at the MG convertibles or Fiats or Triumphs or motorcycles for that matter. And the beetles. I remember as a kid going to look at a wrecked VW beetle with a neighbor lady, the driver was killed and people were saying I wouldn’t own one of those little cars and she said I wouldn’t own anything but a Beetle. So there’s that
Ahhhhh…no on the $6k. the new owner better stock up on extra fanbelts….they have a tendency to fly off at freeway speeds…many times we were on the side of a freeway working the fanbelt back around the crank, over the 2 idler pulleys and then over the fan on top…not fun…
Solid body over 60 yrs old in super clean shape and runs well & u say no to 6k?…..me too,it should be over 10kplus, I drive my 64 everywhere, hwy, back roads & in 5 yrs never had an issue with the belt or anything else. Happy motoring
You’d better stick to Edsels. The fan belts on Corvairs are not a problem if you use the correct belt and set the tension properly.
Corvairs were made for 10 years, not 3. They couldn’t have been that unloved.
I will glady stick to Edsel’s…..much better car all the way around……Corvairs were fire-traps and were prone to blowing fanbelts at highway speeds..working on them at several Chevrolet dealerships taught many of us that they had issues hindering drivers safety..that they lasted 10 years is because Chevrolet had no other answer for the imports…until the Vega came to life..Edsel was a superior car that was ruined by bad management …check it out.
I’ve had the Edsel Ranger 2dr Sed and the Citation 2dr Ht and 3 Corvairs, liked em all… still have my 63 Corvair coupe and my 58 Buick
am i just blind or is there a trick to shifting… i searched the pics and dont see a shifter anywhere…
It’s a small lever mounted on the dash
It’s on the dash behind the steering wheel on the right side
Little lever on the dash right side of the column
That lever was connected by a cable to the transmission.
The first Pontiac Tempest models (61-63) which used the Corvair’s PG as their auto trans (because of the Tempest’s rear transmission) had the same arrangement–a small lever on the dash. Not at all dissimilar to Chrysler Corps 55 Powerflite dash lever.
My mother had a ’60 which I got to drive often. For its day, it was great for the little old lady. Before high clearance 4 wheel drive was common, it would go in the snow like nobody else. The heater was located under the hood and burned gasoline and flooded the passenger compartment with fumes. The two speed Powerglide was just right for her, she could see all four corners of the car, if you inflated the tires by the book, it did not lose it and spin around on you. And it was far easier to drive than my uncle’s contemporary Porsche which was a chore to drive.
My only experience with these cars aside from car shows and sitting in peoples yards is a now passed retired fireman said when they would respond to a accident and see it was one of those cars they would radio for the coroner before getting out of the truck. But I still want one some day
Troy, that man is definitely not a person to listen to.
Corvairs seem to attract all the best stories, belts flipping off, people dying from fumes, cars flipping over, engines either falling out and more. Most people know nothing or next to nothing about them, and repeat already embellished stories, usually adding their own embellishments along the way! Always entertaining though! You should hear the comments when they see my mid-engine V8 Corvair!
Solid body over 60 yrs old in super clean shape and runs well & u say no to 6k?…..me too,it should be over 10kplus, I drive my 64 everywhere, hwy, back roads & in 5 yrs never had an issue with the belt or anything else. Happy motoring
I had a 62. Couldn’t kill it. Had to add quart of oil every 1000 miles from leaks. Ran perfect. Used to go to the drive in movies with 3 people in the trunk
Why is it that if someone knows nothing about a subject, they have to malign it?
I was just out of Hi Sch., A fellow who worked for GM, Had a demo, 2 door. I liked it cause it was new, paid him !8K, Kept it at my mothers house after I went in the USAF. My mother would not drive it, so She traded it to the local BUICK dealer for a 65 Pontiac LeMans. Seems the Dealer did not want it on his lot, so he got rid of it. Only problem was HYDRAULIC VALVES, When cold they ‘CLICKED”. Had a local mechanic change oil, plugs., only prob was on the right side the large MUFFLER was in the way, of replacing the valve covers so he left out the screws., Had a prob , that the mechanic did not replace the upper valve cover screws, so I lost all the oil that nite(on a date) & had to be towed home. Still love my car.
Sounds like your “mechanic” may be someone on this site bad-mouthing these cars.
I believe these people that some of these neg. articles probable have never owned one. I have owned 1 1960, 2 1964, 2 1965 and they were all great cars.
I just recently bought 1964 Monza. Just had to have another one in my elder years, I’ll be 90 this year. Down with Ralph Nader the jirk.
Hence my personalized number plate ‘0NADER’.
I didn’t know he was Irish.
Funny, I bought my 63 coupe for the same reason, I’ll be 61 soon and this is my second 63 coupe, also had a 64 convertible, and carried a 9/16 and 1/2 box wrench and a spare belt, yes I snapped one, and being prepared I was able to get back on the road within 20 minutes. as far as exhaust fumes in the cabin, ‘ maintenance ‘ I made sure all the air tubes were properly in place and not dry rotted, I’ve had three Corvairs and always liked the Corvair and never had any major issues with all 3. And for Ralph Nader, if he didn’t like the Corvair then he shouldn’t have bought one himself, yes Nader owned a Corvair, and for the front loosing traction in the rain, I put a 60 lb bag of concrete in the bottom of the trunk and drove in the expressway at 65 mph and never had a problem.
My Corvair was a second-generation Monza Coupe. I loved it. If I could find another 68 in good shape, at a reasonable price, I’d buy it.
There are a lot of 65-67’s out there with reasonable pricing to be found.