1966 corvair corsa first driver

The desirable 2door corsa is arguably one of the prettiest chevrolets of the 1960s. The cars of celebrated driver john fitch get their own. In 1965, the first generation chevrolet corvair faced controversy when ralph nader, an auto expert. Any corsa built in 1966 will have a vin with an 07 in the 2nd and 3rd digits and a 6 in the 6th digit. Body was taken down to bare metal and blocksanded clean. My wife and i went on our honeymoon in 1972 in a 1962 corvair monza coupe, and we brought our first child home from the hospital in the same 1965 corsa already mentioned. We have heard of a corvair corsa, but never a corsa sprint. The first thing you noticed after turning the ignition key was the tuned exhaust note. I dropped it off this afternoon at the body shop to fix a scrape on the right rear quarter and some.

Hemmings find of the day 1966 chevrolet corvair co. Vintage exterior parts for 1966 chevrolet corvair for sale. Im selling this amazing chevrolet corvair 1966 coupe monza import from france for the sema show built in france and has a. For the 1962 model year, the front antiroll bar became available as an option. Vintage exterior parts for 1966 chevrolet corvair for sale ebay. History of the 19651969 chevrolet corvair the corvair story took a particularly interesting and ultimately sad twist in 1965. What i noticed was that big air scoop hanging off the driver. For 1966 he decided to race corvairs which required many modifications to qualify for scca racing. This was the first time that john, 93, had seen the sprint in 28 years, but the. The one that got away returns a 1966 corvair homec hemmings. The cars of celebrated driver john fitch get their own celebration at. This 1966 corvair convertible is a rare corsa turbo model with its original 180hp turbocharged six cylinder engine and 4speed manual transmission. Other vairs had either 95 standard horses or 110 optional.

What was about to back down the ramp was a 1966 corvair corsaand not just any corsa. The clean but somewhat blocky design of the original car was replaced by a truly attractive flowing design with cokebottle flanks and a pillarless hardtop design for the coupe. Shop millions of cars from over 21,000 dealers and find the perfect car. When you are in need of a reliable replacement part for your 1966 chevy corvair to restore it to factory like performance, turn to carid s vast selection of premium quality products that includes everything you may need for routine maintenance and major repairs. Unfollow 1966 corvair corsa to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. Larry claypool, mark corbin, stan east, bill hubbell, dave newell, dave trull this article was published in the may, 2005 corsa communique. A few years later they upgraded to a new 1965 corvair corsa convertible. Yes, the chevrolet corvair really was a handful to drive.

Feb 18, 2014 these werent the only shops offering custom performance cars at the time, just the two that were successful enough to still be remembered today. As gms first unibody production car, corvairs were heavily undercoated. Free shipping on many items browse your favorite brands affordable prices. I learned to drive in that car and took my very first driver s license test in it in 1969. The 1966 chevrolet corvair monza boasted many sporty features.

The seller hasnt attempted to start its turbocharged flat six but does say it. I have been a fully qualified car nut since i first got my driver s license way back in 1959. Power peaked with the 196566 turbocharged 180 hp 4 kw corsa engine option. Bid for the chance to own a 1966 corvair corsa turbo 4speed at auction with bring a trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Mk1 with rollup windows, imported from nz 1982 bajaj india built vespa ape. The connecticut corvair 1966 corvair corsa the sprint offered sparkling performance and better handling, courtesy of legendary race driver john fitch by words and photography by david lachance from the february 2011 issue of hemmings classic car. Paint was refinished in the early 90s and looks like it. In 1959 the corvair became the first rearengine production car made in. Posted previously, this feature has been expanded from its original form to include additional photographs and more information from the builder of this unusual late model. Jan 18, 2019 savvy corvair students know that the vin will tell you the truth.

How to distinguish a corvair corsa from a corvair monza. Im selling this amazing chevrolet corvair 1966 coupe monza import from france for the sema show built in france and has a nevada clean title and classic rod license plate. Nov 29, 2018 i owned a low mileage 1961 vista 4 door wautomatic and my favorite, a 1966 corsa convertible with the turbocharged 180 hp and 4 speed. This 1966 corvair corsa may look a bit rough at first. By american standards, the corvair was very small 4.

Nov 15, 2017 described as a onecar accident by ralph nader, the corvair s hairy cornering behavior started the automotive safety movement. Don yenko who had been racing corvettes faced stiff competition and found it extremely difficult to compete. This 1966 corvair convertible is a rare corsa turbo model with its original turbocharged six cylinder engine and manual transmission. In fact, the sprint, as tested by car and driver magazine in 1965, was. The role of sportiest corvair model passed from spyder to corsa in 1965.

Savvy corvair students know that the vin will tell you the truth. Described as a onecar accident by ralph nader, the corvairs hairy cornering behavior started the automotive safety movement. These werent the only shops offering custom performance cars at the time, just the two that were successful enough to still be remembered today. That year, all corvair models received the only full restyle in the cars 10 year history. Find 1966 chevrolet corvairs for sale on oodle classifieds. What i noticed was that big air scoop hanging off the driver side of the vehicle between the front. The chevy corvair s swing axles and heavy tail are implements of the devil, at least according to ralph naders unsafe at any speed diatribe. Read on for more on the 1966 corvair corsa brought to. It was americas only rearengine design and had fully independent suspension, four available. Power peaked with the 196566 turbocharged 180 hp 4 kw.

My brother owned several including a corvair 95 van. To make sure your vehicle stays in top shape, check its parts for wear and damage at regular intervals and replace them in time. The chevrolet corvair is a compact car manufactured by chevrolet for model years 19601969. Oct 20, 2017 plus, a turbo corsa has rarity in its corner. Unfollow 1966 corvair corsa convertible to stop getting updates on your ebay feed.

Street legal thanks to mistake by wi dmv but only 121 miles. Remove and add the appropriate emblems, change the drivers side of the dash, and interior emblems. It seems you cant mention the chevrolet corvair without mentioning. To be offered at auction at auctions americas fort lauderdale event, april, 2016. Designed using stateoftheart technology and with customers in mind, this. The corvair was a little costly for its initial economycar market and too foreign for many americans. The seller hasnt attempted to start its turbocharged flat six but does say it will turn freelymileage is quoted at 72k. The pick of the day is a very unusual 1966 chevrolet corvair monza hardtop, essentially a streetrod version of chevys lightweight compact, and must be an incredible hoot to.

Fully restored up to 2017 by third owner note price adjustment asof 3302018. Chevy, which had for so long specialized in hulking detroit iron and big v8s, decided to gain entry into an opening compact car market with the corvair. You might notice the unusual color scheme, or the aftermarket wheels or the lowered stance. Get the best deals on vintage exterior parts for 1966 chevrolet corvair when you shop the largest online selection at. A few weeks ago i was driving to lunch from church and i ran across a corvair parked on the side of the road. In october of 1964, an article in car and driver compared three competitive models the 1965 corvair corsa, ford mustang and plymouth barracuda. While looking at the recent reader submissions, we came across this 1966 corvair corsa sprint that jim s sent in. The chevy corvairs swing axles and heavy tail are implements of the devil, at least according to ralph naders unsafe at any speed diatribe. Join millions of people using oodle to find unique used cars for sale, certified preowned car listings, and new car classifieds.

The chevrolet corvair is a compact car manufactured by chevrolet for model years 19601969 in two generations. Driven by fitch, the car won its class and finished fourth overall in its first race at bridgehampton in 1951. Chevrolet made a succession of improvements to the firstgeneration corvair suspension. The engine was mounted in the rear of the car, driving the rear wheels. The corvair was an excellent winter snow negotiator due to the engine weight being directly above the rear drive wheels. A new corsa hardtop coupe and convertible replacing previous topline monza spyders carried a 140horsepower version of corvairs latest 164cubicinch aircooled flatsix. Not only could the corsa pack 180hp, but it also included larger.

Even at first glance, youll notice that theres something different about the pick of the day, a 1961 chevrolet corvair rampside. The standard transmission in the corsa was a corvairspecific threespeed manual, but an overwhelming majority of buyers bought the optional fourspeed manual. For the most enjoyable realworld driving, get a corsa with the. It was the first american car with a monocoque chassis. Like the firstgeneration pontiac tempest of 196163, the corvair used a rearmounted transaxle that combined the transmission and the differential. The information in table 4 for 1966 was first published in the february, 2002 corsa communique and can also be found here on my website.

Why the chevrolet corvair corsa is collectable petrolicious. It is still the only americandesigned, massproduced passenger car with a rearmounted, aircooled engine, the corvair was manufactured and marketed in 4door sedan, 2door coupe, convertible, 4door station wagon, passenger van. I owned four chevrolet corvairs during the sixties. Thats what the builder of this custom chevrolet corvair must have said to himself when he decided to transplant a chevy 350 cid v8 into its rear engine compartment. Note that the front air inlet, which in many v8 conversions is little more than a hacked opening in the front of the car was done by grafting the rear grille of a corvair onto the lower fairing under the front bumper. If your corsa vin reads, 05 in the 2nd and 3rd digits, it was originally a monza and someone has converted it into a corsa. Good daily driver 2 door hardtop, starts runs and drives very well florida car very li. By 1966, the list of fitch part numbers for the corvair had grown long and included koni shock absorbers, high performance brake pads, a hydraulic steering damper, various instruments, lucas flamethrower headlights, and wood steering wheels and shifter knobs. Beautiful old school in great running condition fun to drive an always attracts lots o. This very desirable 1966 chevrolet corvair corsa coupe has a rebuilt 140hp engine and 4 speed manual transmission.

For 1966 he decided to race corvairs which required many modifications to. The 66 boasts modest but desirable refinements over the 65 that launched the corvairs only major redesign, including a. I autocrossed a stock 1965 turbo corsa with some success in 196667. Turbo 1965 corvair corsa first start, fresh restoration duration. And it is here too, that we have to go on record and say that the corvair is in our opinion the most important new car of the entire crop of 65 models, and the most beautiful car to appear in this country since before world war ii. Receive new listings by email chevrolet corvair corsa. Check out jay eitels v12 powered 1967 monza sport coupe. May 14, 2014 a few years later they upgraded to a new 1965 corvair corsa convertible. For the 1964 model year, the front antiroll bar became standard equipment and the rear suspension was modified to include a camber compensating. I met my wife by teaching her how to drive a 4speed corvair monza in 1962.