General Motors took silent delight in the introduction and quick passing of the Edsel from its nearest Rival, Ford. The quiet chuckling at GM soon disappeared, however, when Chevy introduced a loser of its own. The Corvair was Chevrolet’s entry in the highly-touted compact car blitz of the late 1950s and early ‘60s. And if nothing else, it was decidedly different than all other contemporary offerings. Its rear-mounted air-cooled engine was a novelty, along with its exceptionally low profile, flat interior floor and unusual overall design. The Corvair scored some significant early success with production topping the quarter-million mark for its first four model years, although sales dropped substantially in 1963 and continued generally on a downward trend through to the last model year, 1969. That has to me considered a remarkable performance for an all-new unconventional car of the Corvair’s nature, al least in its early years when it sparked considerable interest and sales activity. It quickly netted a loyal band of followers and was soon blanketed with a wide variety of optional performance and cosmetic accessories designed to satisfy the most demanding hard-core enthusiast, but not enough, unfortunately, to insure the car’s survival. The author, who owned a new 1960 Corvair 700 sedan and was present as the last Corvair, a gold Monza Coupe, scooted off the line in mid-May of 1969, has experienced nothing but pleasure from a long association with one of Detroit’s best post-war creations. The Corvair, from a purely corporate standpoint, never achieved a commercially acceptable posture. In other words it was thoroughly stomped by the Falcon in sales numbers. Yet the two, while competitors, were completely different vehicles. The Corvair was an enthusiast’s car and, in the right hands, would safely and sure-footedly perform some maneuvers that would leave others cars in a quandary. Yet a novice could get himself into trouble unexpectedly. In contrast, the Corvair’s handling virtues, and there were many, were applauded in the motoring press. Despite its good handling and performance capabilities, especially its stable behavior in snow and mud, the Corvair succumbed to the rumors, lawsuits, Ralph Nader’s “Unsafe at Any Speed”, GM’s investigation of Ralph Nader, the arrival of the instantly popular sporty Mustang and a blatant lack of corporate interest. During its 10-year career as GM’s sporty little compact, remaining a Chevrolet exclusive the entire time, the much-maligned Corvair had several good seasons, product-wise, and one of the better years was 1963. The ’63 edition, specially the top-selling Monza, was uncluttered in appearance. Simpler trim was used, maintaining the integrity of the car’s clean basic lines. Although the following model, the 1964, arrived with some important engineering changes, primarily improvements in suspension and breaking, the ’63 version was itself a nimble machine. And, it was unmistakably Corvais in appearance and operation. Production on the 1963 Corvair tallied 254,571 cars, including 44,165 Monza Converibles, according to the Corvair Society of America (CORSA), P.O. Box 2488, Pensacola, Fla. 32503. In Addition, CORSA reports, another 6,880 cars were built in Canada, including 693 Monza Convertibles. The Corvair line is also credited with 26,968 trucks in the ’63 model year, including Greenbriers, Corvans and Rampsides. The Corvair provided a tidy little package measuring 180 inches long, 66.4 inches wid and 51.3 inches high. It weighed 2,525 pounds and had a 108-inch wheelbase. The base six-cylinder engine with its horizontally-opposed pistons displaced 145-cid with a bore and stroke of 3.43x2.60 inches. It was rated at 80hp (28.4 hp, taxable) at 4,400 rpm. Compression ratio was 8.0:1. In addition to the standard Turbo-Air engine, an optional Super-Air was rated at 102 hp and the Monza Spyder engine, a turbocharged mill, carried a 150-hp rating. The Spyder option, witch also included special trim, listed for $317. Another option, air conditioning, could be added for $350. The ’63 Monza Convertible, Model 967, had a base retail price of $2,481, making it the most expensive car in the line. Whatever killed the Corvair will be a subject of continuing controversy and conjecture for years to come. Edward N. Cole, general manager at Chevrolet during the Corvair’s development and introduction, was the guiding spirit behind the revolutionary little machine with its rear-mounted air-cooled engine. He was, naturally, personally disappointed in the Corvair’s less than fantastic sales performance and its eventual demise amidst a barrage of government and public criticism and consumer skepticism. What started with great fanfare and intense public interest in the fall of 1959 had ended in the spring of 1969 with a terse announcement from General Motors and only passing interest on the part of the public. One of the most innovative cars in modern history had faded, leaving behind a lackluster sales record and few mummers.
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