Vehicle Description
We'll say it here first: Corvairs are happening. You might be
raising an eyebrow at the price tag on this 1966 Chevrolet Corvair
Corsa 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!