http://wilmington.craigslist.org/cto/5316263291.html
http://wilmington.craigslist.org/cto/5327857195.html
So these two cars are both for sale on my local CL. This is more of a thought exercise, than a serious buying discussion (at least for me), but the two cars have the exact same $8,000 asking price. Which would you rather have and how much would you pay?
I've owner two Corvair convertibles over the years and LOVED them both, and am constantly on the look out for a four door 1962 four speed sedan that I can afford. When maintained cosmetically and kept in good repair they're the most fun ever and as reliable as can be.
HOWEVER, when you buy a Corvair, you instantly become THAT guy ! No way around it ! Everything changes for you socially; strangers come up as though they know you and want to tell you about the Corvair that they or a relative once owned. You have to join forums and clubs to obtain info and parts for repairs. You become part of a network where you and others correspond daily. You essentially marry the car and all of it's relatives come to live with you. More often than not, you end up with another Corvair behind your garage to occasionally strip important or rare parts from and often end up trading these parts with others of your kind. People smile and point at you when you drive by and you find yourself with an unnatural knowledge of everything Ralph Nader ever said, thought, or did between 1960 and 1974.
Stay AWAY from the Corvair and pick up the little Falcon ! You'll thank me for the advice every day thereafter ! ! ! !
I'm being as serious as a heart attack here . . . REALLY ! ! ! ! And anyone giving you advice to the contrary is either lying, doesn't know ANYTHING, or more than likely trying to trick you into joining the cult.
The only thing wrong with both those cars IMHO is that they're not convertibles. I have my eye on a 66 Corvair Monza convertible that the guy "might" sell. But a Falcon convertible would be nice also. Tough choice.
I like them both, but have never driven either model. The falcon is the one that I lean towards, but I am always drawn to Corvairs as well. I would not want a convertible, but I would like a 2 door hardtop. It seems like the Falcon would be easier to update/modify because it is a normal car and not a rear engined air cooled car. I like the looks of Corvairs and like the idea of protesting Ralph Nader.
Definitely the Corvair it is already boosted!
I like Falcons and that car is probably easier to live with, but the Corvair is really cool.
The Falcon wins in the looks department.
The Corvair is more fun to drive.
My $0.02
However, drop a modern 5.0L + T5 Cobra drivetrain under the hood of the Falcon, and I could be coerced into changing my mind!
I'm old enough to have driven both when they were new. The Falcon is certainly a neat classic & provided most of the workings for the first Mustang. But I always considered the Corvair much more fun to drive. There's something about that light steering feel that I really enjoy. Though like an early Porsche, you must be real careful to not arrive at the scene of your accident traveling backwards!
That being said, there are other realities in this world to consider as well. I agree with Team Evil, owning a Corvair will certainly make you that guy. Drive an early Avanti, a MG T, or a ton of other limited and different rides and you'll have the same issue. Plan on either being very rude or setting aside time to talk with people everywhere you stop. And I wouldn't leave the house in a Corvair without a spare fan belt, or two. And they are right up in the British car's league when it comes to marking their spot.
The Falcon is about as dependable and solid a ride as there was in that era. Want to get home without incident & be almost invisible? Buy the Falcon. Want to have a blast and be the center of attention wherever you drive? Buy the Corvair. But if you buy the Corvair, learn to drive it in haste off public highways early on!
I've had my Mini for more than 10 years, so I'm well practiced at the art of talking to complete strangers everytime it leaves the garage. I suspect the pro touring movement means there is a good aftermarket as far as suspension and brakes for the fallcon.
TeamEvil wrote: I've owner two Corvair convertibles over the years and LOVED them both, and am constantly on the look out for a four door 1962 four speed sedan that I can afford. When maintained cosmetically and kept in good repair they're the most fun ever and as reliable as can be. HOWEVER, when you buy a Corvair, you instantly become THAT guy ! No way around it ! Everything changes for you socially; strangers come up as though they know you and want to tell you about the Corvair that they or a relative once owned. You have to join forums and clubs to obtain info and parts for repairs. You become part of a network where you and others correspond daily. You essentially marry the car and all of it's relatives come to live with you. More often than not, you end up with another Corvair behind your garage to occasionally strip important or rare parts from and often end up trading these parts with others of your kind. People smile and point at you when you drive by and you find yourself with an unnatural knowledge of everything Ralph Nader ever said, thought, or did between 1960 and 1974. Stay AWAY from the Corvair and pick up the little Falcon ! You'll thank me for the advice every day thereafter ! ! ! ! I'm being as serious as a heart attack here . . . REALLY ! ! ! ! And anyone giving you advice to the contrary is either lying, doesn't know ANYTHING, or more than likely trying to trick you into joining the cult.
Wow, that's kind of an shiny happy person thing to say. Actually, that's borderline offensive to a Corvair owner, which I am. It's hard to believe you owned any. I seriously hope you're just being funny.
Owning a Corvair is no different than any other classic car that doesn't have a huge aftermarket to support it. Of course you will probably have to get to know other Corvair people, join a club, and a forum just to ask questions and find parts, but that's the name of the game. You'd have to do the same with that Falcon, repro parts for those aren't exactly blowing up the interweb.
Anyways. My $.02 is pick whatever you are more comfortable with. If you want something basic and has the classic car looks, then the Falcon is perfect. If you want something that's fun to drive and kind of quirky in a good way, then go for the Corvair.
Well, you MAY just have proven me right, but lets take a quick quiz first, alright?
Do you believe that, when cosmetically maintained and kept in good repair, that the Corvair is just about the most fun ever?
Do strangers ever approach you at the gas station or when parking the Corvair and mention the Corvair that they themselves (or a close relative) once owned?
Are you a member or a club, forum, or network of people dedicated to the Corvair and are you in contact with these folks on a regular basis?
Do you currently own, have you ever owned, or do you have access to a "spare" Corvair used for parts, that may or may not have bean kept on your property?
Do folks smile in your direction or otherwise give a sign of approval when you drive by them in your Corvair?
Do you have a better knowledge of Ralph Nader than, oh say, the average person standing next to you at any point in time?
If you've answered "yes" to at least four out of the six questions above, then you are indeed, "THAT Guy" which I was referring to in my post.
Why are you so offended Snowflake? Just how thin IS your skin . . . ?
Having owned both, I would go for the more conventional Falcon.
I drove a corvair once in high school. I owned a 64falcon.
I liked the corvair better.
TeamEvil wrote: Well, you MAY just have proven me right, but lets take a quick quiz first, alright? 1. Do you believe that, when cosmetically maintained and kept in good repair, that the Corvair is just about the most fun ever? 2. Do strangers ever approach you at the gas station or when parking the Corvair and mention the Corvair that they themselves (or a close relative) once owned? 3. Are you a member or a club, forum, or network of people dedicated to the Corvair and are you in contact with these folks on a regular basis? 4. Do you currently own, have you ever owned, or do you have access to a "spare" Corvair used for parts, that may or may not have bean kept on your property? 5. Do folks smile in your direction or otherwise give a sign of approval when you drive by them in your Corvair? 6. Do you have a better knowledge of Ralph Nader than, oh say, the average person standing next to you at any point in time? If you've answered "yes" to at least four out of the six questions above, then you are indeed, "THAT Guy" which I was referring to in my post. Why are you so offended Snowflake? Just how thin IS your skin . . . ?
Well for E36 M3s and giggles, I will answer your questions.
Sure, but that can be said for any classic car.
Not to say that that hasn't happened to me in the past, but not to the frequency that you are trying to make people think it happens, but that situation can be said for anyone who owns a classic car. 99% of the time I get asked what it is or asked if it's a make that it's not.
Yes I am, but I am not in constant contact with other Corvair people. I actually have a life and don't want to spend it talking about Corvairs. In all honesty, in this day and age, if you aren't a part of a classic car club and/or belong to a forum, then you live under a rock.
Nope, I don't need a parts car, my car isn't a POS to need another one to make it whole again. I can find the parts I need easily through folks I know or online.
Once again, that can happen to anyone who owns a classic car, so that's a moot point.
This is a stupid question for the fact that many people know things that other people don't. So sure, I probably know more about who Nader is than the general person, but once again, that could be said about anybody.
Obviously with that last statement you are being an shiny happy person on purpose.
My skin is thick enough, but you are stereotyping a group of car owners that are people who enjoy an oddball car that's not as bad as some people make them out to be. It's like saying ALL Miata owners are Homosexual Hairdressers or ALL Citroen owners wear Berets, smoke skinny cigarettes, and eat stinky cheese or ALL Triumph owners wear Smoking Jackets and Driving Gloves, while talking in fake British accents.
If I substitute classic Mini for corvair, I can answer yes to 5 of the 6 questions and I'm guessing I could more than likely answer the last one as a yes as well.
So, based on the responses in this thread, it seems that comparing stock to stock, the Corvair is more fun to drive, but might try to kill you if you don't drive it correctly and the Falcon is dependable and not so inspiring to drive.
Buy them both. Sell the one you put fewer miles on after the first year.
In reply to pushrod36:Now that's spoken like a true Classic Lover!! Kudos!! However, I might wait at least two years in case I change my mind about my preference.
IMHO: Any Classic that's not already totally destroyed, is too special to destroy by dropping a modern or other bastard motor into it. If you must have a hot rod, buy a plastic car kit. It won't have any value whether of plastic or steel anyway. But if you make it of plastic, it won't rust.
Yup ! Knew it ! You're THAT guy ! ! ! ! !
Now let's talk about how rare, yet troublesome the turbocharged '67 Corvair was . . . and wear our Clark's Corvair shirts while we do it.
Or is my precious little boy OFFENDED once again? Might I suggest that you just f#ckin' grow a pair . . .
Alright there Internet Warrior, how about you go back under the bridge that you came from and let the rest of us have an intelligent conversation without you having to lambaste someone over their choice of car.
Oh and you haven't offended me, you have just shown everyone else how much of a dickhead you are. 
Having experienced both the antagonists in this thread, I would say that either one would give you more shiny happy person per gallon than just about any other poster.
Oh, wait, this is about two different cars, isn't it? Having owned both a '63 Corvair and a '61 Falcon, I'd probably go Falcon. The Falcon is BEYOND gutless, but also dead simple and easy to upgrade with Mustang bits, while the Corvair is something unique and completely unto itself, both driving experience-wise and in terms of having a whole community devoted to it--which perhaps previous posters were trying to discuss, however ineptly and rudely? (And you guys need to walk away now, because you're showing your asses.)
Margie
Not sure if he is being silly or just a d#$k. The lack of emoticons seems to indicate the second. (he is generally correct though, I even had a guy tell me he conceived his first child in the back seat of a car like mine! 
)
My view on the cars (no... not slanted at all... why do you ask):
The Corvair is a much more "modern" driving car then the Falcon. The 4 wheel independent suspension will make a big difference. The Falcon if far more conventional of course.
One note with the Corvair: Being a Spyder (turbo) it is of course more iconic (and valuable), but the turbo engines are VERY basic, and can be pretty funky. A non-turbo car will generally be a better driving car (and get much better mileage), but for a car show diva, the turbo is likely a good choice. If you are planning on going non-stock mods, you have a LOT of creative things you can do to the Corvair, not much for the Falcon.
They are both nice though. If you can, take both for a test drive and see what you think (they are very much contemporaries and direct market competitors). If would be fun to read your impressions, both as a collector car and maybe pretend you had to make a buying decisions in the early 60's as a daily driver.
Well the Falcoon is gone. Did you buy it?
No, I didn't buy it. I'm not really looking to buy anything right now. As I said in the original post this was more of a thought exercise fir me than actually gathering opinions before a purchase.
I did think the Falcon looked like a good car for the money. I wonder how it looked underneath.
Nothing much to add, just watching the Falcon/Corvair matchup, and thinking about what to do to my Valiant next.
Honestly, I could enjoy any of them.
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