Corvair 50 years old today

Fifty years ago today the 1960 Corvair was introduced and started selling in Chevrolet dealerships across the country.

Hopefully you will see a Corvair or two on the road today.

My dad owned two of those including a '65 and a '63 Monza Spyder with the turbo.

of all the cars we have (which is quite a few) corvairs are still the favorite...we have 6 of them

Balls of fun at an autoX also...

I've only ever driven 1 in my life, a '65 Monza coupe with PowerGlide. Still, even that "humble" example had me interested in 'Vairs for quite awhile.

If I found a reasonably nice one....I could afford, there would be no arm twisting needed. My fav? A Monza wagon with a 4 speed, but I'd even "settle" for a 2nd gen. 4 door with PG.

Also, The Twilight Zone premiered 50 years ago today. Coincidence?

In reply to aircooled:

Yeah, I agree. I used my 69 many times. The last timne I dropped a valve seat and said no more. The car is to old and rare to do this to it. So now I beat the heck out of the Central Florida Corvair Club car we built for autoX

speaking of corvairs.. anybody ever actually see a lakewood?

"Yo Corvair, I'm really happy for you and I'm going to let you finish, but the Mini is one of the best cars that are 50 years old of all time."

TJ wrote: "Yo Corvair, I'm really happy for you and I'm going to let you finish, but the Mini is one of the best cars that are 50 years old of all time."

Have a Fishstick.

mad_machine wrote: speaking of corvairs.. anybody ever actually see a lakewood?

I had one as a "Yard car" when I was 12. It was a lot of fun to drive around, as long as you shut off the heater or defroster. They might have been the start of the brain damage that's kept me in the car business for 38 years.

I've seen several Lakewoods over the years.

TJ wrote: "Yo Corvair, I'm really happy for you and I'm going to let you finish, but the Mini is one of the best cars that are 50 years old of all time."

Wow.............Just like Kanye West!!!!

I pass a parked Lakewood every day on my way to work.

There's one for sale on my way to work. 2 door and an ugly maroon color. Dont know much else but its been in the front yard for a while now. If anyone is interested in one near Green Bay, I can direct you to it, if needs be.

Everything is better with a lil bit of ls1!

isn't the stock corvair engine aircooled.. how do you keep an LS1 cool in there?

Mount the radiator in the front of the car.

Here's a picture of me taken around '68 with my Corvair.

It seemed like I was always doing stuff like this with that car. Even my clapped-out MGA that it replaced had less problems.

We didn't have LS1s back then.

Falcon + Corvair = double goodness.

I've ridden in "Corsa 8" -- it's breathtaking.

If I had space, I'd add a nicely modded Corvair to the fleet -- the second generation cars are some of the best looking Chevrolets, in my opinion.

ddavidv wrote: Falcon + Corvair = double goodness.

Yeah, that Falcon was great. 144 cu inch "six with two speed auto trans. When the auto trans expired, we took the engine out and attached to a $15 junkyard three-speed manual. And we put that combination in an old Ford pickup that my Dad gave me. I used it to tow my first racing Sprite. Towing the Sprite on the trailer, that truck was about as fast as a riding lawn mower, but very reliable. Good memories.....

The pity was that we junked that Falcon (the body was quite decent) and eventually the Ford pickup (a decent-looking '56).

aeronca65t wrote: Here's a picture of me taken around '68 with my Corvair....

You must be a bit mistaken, that is definitely not a 68. Looks to be a 60 based on the hubcaps: http://www.hubcaps.org/corvair.html

Interesting "on ground" technique BTW.

The date the picture was taken was about the year 1968.

That Corvair was a 1960 model.

The engine removal method is "slide it out onto a tire". I learned that with air-cooled VWs. Since it was on the lawn, I guess that was pretty grassroots.

My stepdad still has one (he owned up to 12 at the same time). He has every intention of putting the 140hp motor from his old '65 Corsa into it. He parked it because it needed the clutch replaced and never did get back to it.