Vehicle Description
It's a pretty safe bet you'll be the center of attention when you
pull up to any gathering behind the wheel of this 1961 Chevrolet
Corvair Wagon. After all, even its more commonly seen coupe and
sedan counterparts are rarely seen these days and this version is
far rarer, seriously escalating the collectability factor of this
revolutionary classic, which is also in impressively strong running
condition.
With its sporty, compact looks and rear wheel design, the Corvair
was more than a mere novelty when introduced to the American
public. Chevy was making a concerted effort to attract buyers that
had formerly been set on imports, and their plan worked well, with
the model enjoying strong sales throughout its production run. This
'61 represents the first class of wagons to join the Corvair fleet
and is sure to be a head turner out on the road with its singular
appearance, which actually offers quite a bit practicality - the
Corvair's unique engine placement means there's not only
appreciable storage space in back, but also under the front deck
lid. This revolutionary Chevy wears a striking shade of red that
mixes in some gold flake to really make it radiate in the sunlight
and, while it was likely applied a while back, the paint still
presents nicely for its age. The accompanying chrome trim and
emblems are also unblemished, the glass surrounding the cabin is
clear and the overall exterior alignment remains strong - check out
how level the side body contours are as they transition from front
to back.
Climb in and you'll be surrounded by a vintage driving environment
that's been spruced up with some imaginative touches to result in
an appealingly distinctive result. The front bench seat now wears a
sharp velvet spiral cover, and the quartet of door panels are still
very clean, sporting tuck and roll surfaces with square accenting.
The interior space on hand is actually a little surprising -
there's quite a bit of real estate separating the two rows of
seating and the rear storage space, which will easily be restored
to top form with just a little attention to its surrounding walls,
is outright spacious.
Up front, the dash area is in great shape, featuring sharp chrome
accents, original gauges that still function as intended and a dash
pad across the top that shows no cracking. The original radio still
holds its place at the center and is joined by an aftermarket
AM/FM/CD player that pairs with Panasonic speakers to provide your
audio soundtrack while behind the wheel.
Lift up the hatch in back and you'll see a 164 cubic inch flat six
cylinder - likely the original engine - sitting in a stock
compartment below. It's running and sounding strong and is fed by a
pair of period-correct single barrel downdraft carbs - judging from
its reassuringly solid running condition, it was likely rebuilt a
while back. Assisted by an added HEI ignition to heat up the
available spark, the engine fires right up and teams with a 2-speed
automatic transmission that's also in good form. Even today,
independent rear suspensions are far from a given and yet this
classic, debuting well over a half century ago, already had one on
board as it left the factory, so it navigates uneven surfaces
surprisingly well, and the brakes at both ends were recently
replaced, so the stopping ability is also there.
This 1961 Chevrolet Corvair Wagon offers the opportunity to put a
unique, revolutionary classic in your garage that's both running
and looking great. Call today!
