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The Chevrolet Corvair Monza is an upscale example of one of the coolest American cars to come out of Detroit in the 1960s.
Chevy Corvair Monza: The American Porsche
1965 Chevrolet Corvair Monza – carsforsale.com | Shop Chevrolet Corvair on Carsforsale.com
Occupying a unique chapter of American automotive history, the Chevy Corvair is a cool car by any standard. It hit the scene in 1960 as a domestic answer to compact imports. But unlike the typical American carmaker method of simply downsizing an existing large vehicle, Chevrolet started with a blank slate and finished with a truly unique vehicle.
Produced for nine years, Corvair sales hit full speed right out the factory gate, selling 200,000 units every year during the first six years of production. For those interested today in owning one of these compact classics, it is the second generation, unveiled in 1965, that should be a priority.
Unlike with modern cars, vehicles from the 1960s typically offered a nameplate across a wide variety of body styles. This was certainly the case with the Corvair, whose family tree included a standard coupe, pillarless hardtop coupe, sedan, station wagon, forward cab pickup truck, and panel van. Availability varied from one year to the next but the Chevrolet Corvair Monza trim level was typically the most luxurious.
To this day, the Corvair stands as the only mass-produced American car with a rear-mounted engine. Not only that, the engine was an air-cooled flat-six, which may sound familiar to Porsche fans. In fact, the Chevrolet Corvair Monza would earn the “Poor Man’s Porsche” name thanks to the upscale appointments and Porsche-style powertrain configuration.
1965 Cheverolet Corvair Convertible
Second Generation Corvair models featured all-new styling that famed automotive journalist David E. Davis described as “…the most beautiful car to appear in this country since before World War 2.” Under the skin, these new Corvairs ditched the infamous swing-axle rear suspension for a fully-independent trailing arm setup. The heating system was also upgraded, larger brakes were fitted, and an alternator replaced the previous generator setup.
All of this makes the 1965 Chevrolet Corvair Monza convertible listed here on CarsForSale.com that much more compelling. Along with the generational improvements, this particular example features a very pretty shade of Tahitian Turquoise paint and looks to be largely original. Features like the deep-dish steering wheel, hand-crank windows, and untouched cabin bring all the cool nostalgic vibes one could ask for.
As the Monza trim level, it came from the factory with goodies that were considered luxuries at the time, from the Monza emblems and full wheel covers to custom window hardware, bucket front seats, and “deep-twist” carpeting. You can see a 110 badge on the tailgate and a 164 decal on the air cleaner, indicating this blue beauty came with the optional 110-hp flat-six engine that featured an upgraded camshaft and 15 more horsepower than base models.
The Boom, and Bust, of the Chevrolet Corvair
Corvair sales boomed with 1.8 million sold over its lifetime. And the Corvair performance models sold well thanks to the rear-engine-based handling characteristics and second-gen suspension upgrades, the Chevrolet Corvair would earn a reputation as a well-engineered American car with performance to spare.
Higher level models could be optioned with a 180-horse turbocharged mill, but perhaps the most famous hot-rodded variant is the Yenko Stinger Corvair. A homologation special created by SCCA racer Don Yenko, this street-legal screamer was rated at up to 240 horsepower with all the chassis upgrades you would expect. Thanks to very limited production, these ultra-rare Corvairs are now found in the likes of Jay Leno’s epic collection, which we look at here.
More than anything, it is the Corvair’s six-cylinder motor that helped cement this compact car in the list of cool classics. Chevy described it as a “pancake designed” engine, which refers to how the two sets of three cylinders lay flat versus the more typical upright or V-shape. The fact that it was constructed from aluminum added another layer of distinction and of course the mounting location all the way out back added even more uniqueness.
1965 Chevrolet Corvair Monza – carsforsale.com | Shop Chevrolet Corvair on Carsforsale.com
It’s strange to think that with all the Corvair has going for it, it would ultimately become overlooked by more typical thundering V8-powered muscle cars like the Dodge Coronet, a classic example of this breed that we review here.
Though it would seem that avoiding that popular 8-cylinder formula led to the ultimate demise of the Corvair, the reality is more complex. Between Ralph Nader’s hard-hitting Unsafe at Any Speed book and the undeniable fact that Ford’s Mustang required a direct Chevy competitor, the Corvair would ultimately fade from history before 1970.
As a result, the Corvair understandably ends up today as an overlooked classic. Competitors like the Ford Falcon, both of which show up on this list of similar vehicles. However, there is no denying the Chevrolet Corvair is one cool American car, particularly in Monza form. For even more on this fascinating ride, be sure to check our Chevy Corvair Retro Review.
