For Sale: 1963 Chevrolet Corvair in Mesa, Arizona

This was the hot one to have back in the day. A pretty cool feat of engineering meant you could get a rear-engine lightweight sports car with a turbocharged motor. The 1963 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Spyder was developed to be a European-level sports car with a bow-tie badge.


The Corvair has one of the most distinct looks of the era. It has the classic coupe proportions, but it also stands out with a nearly vent-less front end and a crisp crease in the sheet metal that encircles the whole car. Plus, there's just the right amount of brightwork with the chrome bumpers, distinct headlight bezels, and full-length rocker trim. White is a timelessly attractive color, and so it looks good on this car. This is a driver-quality finish, and so you may use the value price to update/upgrade the paint but it also seems to have the right tone for a car you are going to enjoy out on the road. After all, the upgraded to Ansen-style slotted alloys like to show that this is a car that's meant for driving.


Inside, the Monza means bucket seats up front. And the button-top design on the seats coordinates with the door panels to give this a true vintage feeling. There have been some updated panels, and even the courtesy light is working. So it's quite an inviting atmosphere. And we like how the upgraded retro-style AM/FM/AUX digital tuner has the classic radio tag on it just so it looks even more like a factory unit. And a good driver's car means a proper driver's setup. That means a thin/grippy steering wheel, a floor shifter, and a full gauge package with large speedo and tach.


The Spyder designation is very important. It means the 145 cubic-inch flat-six has turbocharged power. It allowed the Corvair to live up to its sporty appearance. So it's great to see this powerhouse with such a nice display with plenty of clean gloss black on the components. Chevrolet was out to add a little Porsche-style panache with the rear-mounted air-cooled motor. And just like a Porsche, the engine was built to have a large rev range, and this is really felt while rowing through the floor-mounted four-speed manual transmission. And this has the solid feeling of a great driver.


Complete with service manuals, this Corvair has a terrific sense of custom style, and the rare turbo motor that's always fun. You may want to upgrade the paint or tires to get this to be a better all-around cruiser, but from day one, it's the distinct driver's classic that's offered at a terrific price. Call today!!!