Whether you are a Corvair fan or not, I think we can all agree it was one of the most unique American production cars in the second half of the 20th century. It’s time to revisit the model as it was back in the day, thanks to today’s gallery. We have a great selection from both generations to view, so here we go.
A 1961 Monza 4 door sedan is our first entry today. The Monza coupe was a mid year addition in 1960, and the sedan was added in mid 1961. An attractive bucket seat interior was standard on the coupe and optional on the sedan. That along with some exterior trim, boosted their appeal, and in 1961 the Monza became the best selling series and held that title for the rest of the Corvair’s life. The Turbo-Air 6 got a small boost to 145 cubic inches, in 80 and 98 horsepower versions, and the available transmissions were a 3 and 4 speed manual, and the Powerglide automatic.
This one was a 1964 Monza Club Coupe with a New York license plate that was used from 1966-1972. The engine received its final boost in size to 164 ci, with horsepower now at 95 on the standard and the optional choice was up to 110. The Spyder version remained the same at 150 hp.
It was parked between two Chevrolets; a 1965 Chevelle Malibu in front and a 1960 model in the rear. Across the street from the left was a 1963 Pontiac Grand Prix, 1956 Chrysler New Yorker, 1953 Ford Mainline, and a 1958 Cadillac.
And another 1961 Monza sedan, looking good with a red interior. The location looks like a bus station or airport with luggage at the curb. In the background from the left were a 1956 or 1957 Continental Mark II, 1954 Plymouth Suburban, 1961 Chevrolet, 1960 Ford, 1961 Comet, and a 1961 Ford.
A 1963 Illinois license plate adorned this shiny 1962 Monza Club coupe. New mid-year models were a convertible in the Monza line, and the Spyder option on the Monza coupe and convertible. It included a Turbocharged version of the Turbo-Air 145 with 150 hp and full instrumentation, including a tachometer.
In the garage may have been a 1951 or 1952 Chevrolet.
There were oil stains the full length of this driveway, so it is hard to know if this 1964 Monza convertible was to blame or not. It likely had some contribution. A power top was extra cost if you so desired, the only power option ever offered on a Corvair.
This 1961 Monza sedan was the same one seen in the first image, now seen from the side. In this shot it was sharing a driveway with a 1959 Buick 4 door sedan.
Parked mostly in the shade was a 1964 Monza Club Coupe with missing wheel covers, at least on one side. It had a rear mounted antenna, which I don’t see on the option list or in the accessory brochure.
Here was a 1961 Monza Club Coupe that had snow tires that appeared to be oversized on the rear. Corvairs did very well in the snow with street tires, so this one may have been unstoppable. The front trunk lid was ajar, and this fellow was hauling some small cages in the back seat, which was fold down style in the Monza and optional in other series.
To the left was a 1956 Pontiac Chieftain 860 or 870 2 door Catalina hardtop with the deck lid open.
Flower Power had struck this high school parking lot, with “Rickie Tickie Stickies” applied to a white 1961 Monza Club Coupe. The beige car to the left was also a 1961 Monza Club Coupe, while the convertible to the right may have been a 1966 or 1967 Buick Special or Skylark.
The second generation was ushered in for the 1965 model year, and here was one example from each of the three series available. I don’t know whether this was a dealer set up or pure coincidence. These are difficult to ID the year when the details are not visible or blurred.
From the right was a 1965-1967 Monza Sport Coupe, the perennial favorite; a 1965-1967 500 Sport Sedan, the entry level sedan; and a 1965 or 1966 Corsa convertible, the replacement for the Spyder. Behind them was a 1965 Pontiac Grand Prix, and across the street from the left were two Chevrolet Impala 4 door sedans, a white 1963 and a blue 1964. Plus the 1965 Dodge Polara wagon at the end.
A silver painted rear body panel signified the Corsa model, which was discontinued after 1966. This one was a last year 1966 Sport Coupe, and it had a license plate I couldn’t read.
Corvair sales dropped some in 1963 and 1964 after the top sales year of 1962. The newly styled 1965 rebounded to nearly the 1963 level, but 1966 sales were about 44% of 1965’s, and the nosedive had begun.
We will end at the Chicago Midway Airport on a wet day, where a couple had arrived and were leaving in a 1965 Monza Sport Coupe. It had a 1970 Illinois Radio Operator’s license plate, and no, the man in the upper image was not checking his oil, he was loading their luggage. Parked in front of it was a 1970 Ford Galaxie 500 SportsRoof.
The lower image shows them driving away. The car looked good for a five year old other than the rust at the bottom of the fender. In the background from the left was a black 1969 Lincoln Continental, tan 1968 Ford XL Fastback, red 1969 Chevrolet Impala Sport Sedan or Caprice Sedan, black over silver 1970 Pontiac Grand Prix, black 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 4 door sedan, and the right front corner of a 1967 or 1968 Mercury Cougar.
Thanks for joining us and to all good day!
Note: If you wish to see your vintage photos featured at Curbside Classic, send them to us at [email protected].
In the Great Lakes area, those cars were “everywhere”—-until gradually they weren’t, I guess. The Corvair, along with the new compacts from Ford and Chrysler, really seemed to make the Sixties different from the Fifties to my young eyes.
A big “bravo” to you for remembering “Rickie Tickie Stickies,” which also seemed to be everywhere for a while (before we had an Internet to spread fads). News article from mid-1968:
I remember sleeping in the back window well of my parent ’65 corvair on the way home from long trips to my parents friends houses. Spent alot of time back there. I never allowed my sister back there, it was all mine!
Thanks, George!
OMG! I love Corvairs! I have owned 4 and have worked on many of them, including engine swaps. I had a Uni-Sync to synchronize those damn Rochester single barrel carbs. They are just the coolest cars ever.
One of my roommates in college had a Corvair with a manual transmission. It was a blast to drive on the mountain roads of the Adirondacks though the transmission was a bit vague (I remember the stick had a lot of play). We snuck a person into the local drive-in by sticking them in the trunk…. yes, we were typical teens at the time!
Thanks for these shots, I do love Corvairs.
In the shot with 3 ‘vairs in a row, at least the Monza and Corsa are ’65s. The wheel arch trim was slightly thicker than ’66 and later. I ended up using incorrect ’66 trim on my ’65 as the repro ’65 pieces are roughly 4 times the price. I’m betting that’s a staged shot by a dealer myself.
The green one with the “IL” plates, pic makes me thing “family get together”. Love the folding chairs, the metal ones too.
We had both at one time or other.
At times I miss my 1961 Corvair Coupe, it was a very nice driver at speed in the canyons .
-Nate
Ah, memories. My first car, a 1964 yellow very used coupe with black buckets and a stick that I got for my sixteenth birthday in 1968. A whole lot of adolescent stupidity transpired in and around that vehicle, culminating in running over a girl’s foot, luckily and miraculously creating no damage. We will be celebrating our fifty third anniversary in a few months.
Got room for one more? 4-year old me with my mom. Purchased used from the local Ford dealer in September, 1964.
Basic 500 Coupe with a PG. I remember my parents picking it up an me being vehemently against it. True story!(this car is funny, the engine is the wrong place, I don’t like it). I also remember the pre-purchase inspection and the mechanic pointing out a profuse oil leak from the engine. What else was new? It proved unreliable and ill-suited to cold prairie winters, having no heat and requiring frequent jumps to start. The Unsafe at Any Speed flap prompted my dad to trade it in on a new Mustang a year later.