Nice Paint/No Rust/145ci Flat 6/Well Optioned/Fun Summer Driver

1963 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Convertible

Until the 1950s, most American auto manufacturers made one size of car: large. Imports from Europe such as Volkswagen, Renault, and Fiat showed that there was a market in the U.S. for smaller cars, mostly as a second car or an alternative for the budget-minded. Led by General Manager Edward N. Cole, Chevrolet designed a revolutionary new car. It was powered by an air-cooled horizontal six-cylinder engine made almost entirely out of aluminum. The engine was mounted in the rear of the car, driving the rear wheels through a compact transaxle. Suspension was independent at all four wheels. There was no conventional frame; it was the first unibody built by Fisher Body and the styling was unconventional for Detroit, subtle and elegant, with no tail fins or chrome grille

This Monza Corvair has a higher performance engine, which means it is a mid-performance model. The overall car is showing in very good condition, mechanically sound, and true to the 1963 model. A repainted exterior in white from a few years ago is in good condition with no rust or denting. This is a well optioned model, and it's a convertible with a new top. I'm in rear engine heaven, Peabody set the way back machine for 1963 'n let's go.

Exterior
A respray of Ermine White presents in good condition. Very few dings are present throughout the all steel body, but mostly unremarkable. The respray shows some inclusions of dirt, however they are minimal. Chrome and brite-work, with original badging, are all there and correct, with gaps that are straight and true and there is no rust seen. The headlights and lower bumper are all good, as is the Corvair badge in front. A white convertible top is in very nice condition and has a clear plastic rear window. Tail lighting utilizes chrome rings to highlight the red and white rounded taillight and backup lighting. A clean rear bumper is below and under this are 2 nicely preserved rear roll pan vents and a single exhaust tip. When the top is down a black tonneau covering is present but will need some heat and stretching to fit properly. Standard Corvair wheel coverings are wrapped in thin white wall tires.

Interior
A swing of the driver's door reveals a clean utilitarian no frills interior even though we are in the middle trim line Corvair offered up for the time. Door panels are solid black vinyl with various panels in smooth and horizontal and vertical stitched ribbed centers, a black armrest, and shiny actuator and window crank. Some horizontal trimmings break up the different black vinyl panels, and polished buttons adorn the stitch crossings. 2 large black vinyl buckets in good condition stretch across the front, and a large bench is shoehorned into the rear of the car. The buckets have some tuck and roll inserts and smooth bolsters, as does the rear bench. The floor shifter sits within ergonomic reach of the driver, and in front is the full metal jacket dash in mostly original condition. It shows in a black steel dual eyebrow dash top with the brushed stainless instrument panel with a wide speedometer and ancillary gauges for this Monza edition. On the passenger side is a stainless glove box door under the second black steel eyebrow. Deep pile nicely preserved black carpeting covers the floors and shows with minor soiling and fading. What a great well-preserved interior.

Drivetrain
Mounted into the rear is the horizontally opposed 6-cylinder 145ci engine. On top we cannot miss the twin air cleaner housings in all their glory, and all this is attached to a 4-speed manual transmission and is fed fuel by dual 1-barrel carburetors. The rear axle weighs in at 3.27 ratio. All clean and nice in this engine bay, as is the same for the texture sprayed front “trunk”.

Undercarriage
As I expected from this car, just surface rust and patina is seen. Definitely a ground effects type undercarriage, whether it's intentional or not it still looks great…look ma no driveshaft! Everything presents as showroom, right down to the 4-wheel independent coil sprung suspension, and 4-wheel drum braking. A single exhaust system is seen with a newer muffler.

Drive-Ability
I love these cars as they were totally out of the norm for the early 60's. On our test track it ran like a champ, handled like it was on rails, and had bias free panic stopping. The top went up and down with plenty of power and did so very quickly. It was a great experience and made me feel like it was 1963 all over again. Thx Peabody!

If you are in the market for a car that was truly groundbreaking for its time, then this beautiful bowtie version of the Corvair is the car for you. It's a sleeper and it's a Monza convertible, and it's a magnetic eye catcher in the wonderful condition it is in. Hurry in down to our hallowed halls as this one is going to get snapped up as there is an aficionado waiting in the wings.

VIN DECODE
30967W117491
3-1963
09-Corvair 900 Monza
67-Convertible
W-Willow Run, MI Assy Plant
117491-Sequential Unit Number

TRIM TAG
10A-1st Week October Build
STYLE 63 0967-1963 Corvair Monza Convertible
BODY WR2936-Willow Run Body #
TRIM 2 712- Black Top, Black Vinyl Buckets
PAINT 936 7-Ermine White
ACC F-Tinted Windshield