Clean & Fun Convertible! 2.7L Flat Six, 4 Spd Manual, Great Colors, Drives Great

Price: - Item location: Fort Worth, Texas, United States
Description:

1966 Chevrolet Corvair Corsa

We'll say it here first: Corvairs are happening. You might be raising an eyebrow at the price tag on this 1966 Chevrolet Corvair Monza convertible, but where else can you get this much stylish convertible for so little cash? No, the days of Corvairs being cheap throwaways are well and truly over, maybe you just haven't noticed yet.
Nobody, and I mean nobody, restored Corvairs to this level, but here's one that gleams in deep Black Cherry Metallic paint and looks like someone spent a small fortune on getting it right. The super straight 2nd generation Corvair bodywork was all new in 1965 and slightly updated a year later with an updated fascia and front valance, foreshadowing the upcoming Camaro and delivering a sporty 2+2 look that works extremely well. Ironically enough, the Camaro would ultimately kill off the Corvair, but the similarities remained engrained in precursors like this beautiful droptop. The car hails from sunny Texas and has always been well-cared for, so doors that close easily and panels that show a lifetime in warm, dry weather and years of careful storage. The gleaming deep burgundy paint shows the results of many hours of blocking and sanding before the paint was sprayed, and even though the finish isn't perfect (what in this world really is, anyway?), it's a top driver-quality presentation that really turns heads. Black Cherry isn't this car's original color (nothing that looked this good was being used in America in 1966) but nobody will argue about the change because it looks so right. All the chrome and stainless trim pieces contrast nicely as well, including that period-perfect luggage rack out back, and they, too, are in excellent condition and offer a very correct look overall.
The tan vinyl interior is a prefect choice for this car and it has been restored using modern patterns and materials throughout. Corvairs always had spacious interiors, and that's doubly-true in the convertible which feels like a much bigger car from behind the wheel. The gorgeous 3-spoke woodrimmed steering wheel looks very sporty and frames a full set of gauges that are the archetypal '60s sporty design, deeply recessed in their own hooded binnacles. If you're building the ultimate Corvair, you may as well go all the way and get a 4-speed, which is what happened here, and it make this little droptop very lively up and down the throttle. Details like the plush carpets and matching door panels are in excellent condition, the dash has been refinished to match the rest of the car, and the back seat looks completely unused. A retro-style AM/FM radio lives in the dash and fits so well it looks stock, with no hack job needed to get it installed. There's a newer tan convertible top overhead and it seals up well with fresh weather-stripping throughout.
The 2.7L air-cooled flat-six out back has been restored and well-maintained since the build, and it includes four 1-barrel Rochester carburetors living under a correct factory air cleaner. It was neatly detailed for an OEM look and runs superbly, with impressive bottom-end torque and a willingness to rev. The suspension was detailed and coated for long life and lots of new components were installed when it was put together. The brakes are responsive, the steering is tight, and the aforementioned 4-speed feels sporty in each gear thanks to a very responsive clutch. 14-inch Rally wheels are the most visible modification, but they look right on the Corvair and carry fat BFGoodrich white-letter radials to complete the look.
This is probably the finest Corvair we've ever seen and with that in mind, the price seems shockingly reasonable. Corvairs can't stay cheap forever, and if there's one to own, this is it. Call today!