The Best Year for the Chevy Corvair
The Chevy Corvair was produced from 1960 to 1969. While opinions may vary on which year was the best for the Corvair, there are a few notable years that are often mentioned.
1965 is often considered one of the best years for the Chevy Corvair. The 1965 models featured a newly designed body, offering increased engine power, more shoulder room, and improved legroom in the rear seat of the sports sedan models. The introduction of the top-of-the-line Corsa series, available in both convertible and sports coupe models, also contributed to the popularity of the 1965 Corvairs. In that year, Chevy dealers sold 237,056 Corvairs.
1966 marked the last year for the turbocharged and Corsa models. The only major change in 1966 was the introduction of the new Saginaw 4-speed transmission. Many feel that Chevy wanted to discontinue the Corvair when the 1967 Camaro was scheduled to come out, but continued production until 1969 to avoid appearing to give in to consumer advocate claims. A total of 103,743 Corvairs were produced in 1966.
1969 was the final year of production for the Chevy Corvair. By this time, the Corvair line had seen more smog control and a few minor interior changes. A total of 6,000 cars were produced in 1969.
It’s important to note that the perception of the “best” year for the Chevy Corvair can vary among enthusiasts and collectors. Factors such as design, performance, and availability of specific features may influence individual preferences.
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Contents
- What was the problem with the Corvair?
- What is the rarest Chevy Corvair?
- Why you should buy a 1960s Chevy Corvair right now?
- What was so special about the Corvair?
- What is the most desirable Corvair?
- Why did the Corvair fail?
- What went wrong with the Corvair?
- What problems did the Corvair have?
- What is the best year of Corvair to buy?
- What is a Corvair worth today?
What was the problem with the Corvair?
The problem with Corvairs was that they handled differently than other US cars of that era. The typical American car then had a great deal of understeer which could be corrected by applying throttle. Corvairs had a lot of oversteer which took a little practice to get used to.
What is the rarest Chevy Corvair?
The Loadside
The Loadside is the rarest Corvair—just 2,844 were produced in 1961, and a minuscule 369 in 1962. The Rampside was 80 percent of sales, so the Loadside was discontinued after 1962.
Why you should buy a 1960s Chevy Corvair right now?
The handling and stability performance of the 1960-1963 Corvair does not result in an abnormal potential for loss of control or rollover and it is at least as good as the performance of some contemporary vehicles both foreign and domestic.
What was so special about the Corvair?
It was a compact car but cleverly engineered to maintain interior space thanks to an air-cooled flat-six engine in the rear. In short, the 1960 Corvair was a complete rethink of the automobile and three years ahead of the Porsche 911.
What is the most desirable Corvair?
The Chevrolet Corvair: Which Models Are the Most Collectible?
- 1964 Corvair Spyder Convertible- only 4761 were made.
- 1964 Corvair Spyder Coupe (Hardtop) – only 6480 were made.
- 1962 Corvair Monza with a 150 hp or Turbocharged motor – 9400 made.
- 1960 Corvair Monza – 11,900 were made.
Why did the Corvair fail?
However, its tendency to oversteer and spin out of control caused problems that led to a redesigned suspension in 1964. After Nader’s book appeared, Corvair sales dwindled. General Motors withdrew the car from production in 1969.
What went wrong with the Corvair?
The Corvair relied on an unusually high front to rear pressure differential (15psi front, 26psi rear, when cold; 18 psi and 30psi hot), and if one inflated the tires equally, as was standard practice for all other cars at the time, the result was a dangerous oversteer.
What problems did the Corvair have?
Only the inboard ends of the shafts could articulate, so as the suspension compressed or extended, the wheels tilted at extreme angles. This had the effect of dramatically reducing the rubber on the road. In an aggressive turn, the rear end tended to lose traction before the front, causing oversteer, or fishtailing.
What is the best year of Corvair to buy?
On the serious side 64’s are the best of the EM’s because of the transverse leafspring that was added that year only, larger displacement engines(like late models) and em build quality was somewhat better. Late model rear suspension is the best of all years and 65-66 were built better that later years.
What is a Corvair worth today?
Chevrolet built 1.7 million of them during the car’s 10-year run. Today, Corvairs are easy to find and range in price from a few thousand dollars to more than $15,000 for mint models.