Buying a Corvair as a first car?

[Aaronb1958]

It's come time for me to start considering what I should buy as my very own first car. Being a bit of a "youngster" I don't seem like the atypical classic car enthusiast, let alone Corvair fan. However the very first classic car I ever laid my eyes on was my great uncle's 65 or 66 Corvair, now this car sparked my interest in classic cars, and I'd probably be buying it if my great uncle hadn't gone and sold it on me. Anyway, enough backstory, I just want to hear your guy's and girl's opinion on whether or not I should consider a Corvair as my very first car, now once I'm convinced, just gotta convince my parents, who probably buy into all that stuff about Corvair's being unsafe and all. I'd also like to note I'd be using the car as a daily driver, to school and eventually work whenever I manage to get a job. -Aaron

[Jerry Whitt]

Buying a Corvair as a first car is great, however, you must consider that the newest one, was made almost 50 years ago. In that time frame, even a good car is still really old, and flaws are going to come up.

If this car is to be your main transportation, perhaps some more thought should take place. If this is to be a fun project, good. A good Corvair will let you down now and then and learning to fix it is part of the fun.

If you need really reliable transportation, look for something newer.

[bbodie52]

Welcome to the Corvair Forum!

Part of the difficulty with answering your questions and helping you in your consideration of buying a classic Corvair is that we know little about you. When I was a teen and attending high school a Corvair was my primary transportation. In fact, I owned several... a 1962 2-door Monza coupe, a 1963 turbocharged Spyder convertible, and a 1965 turbocharged Corsa 2-door coupe. This was during a period from 1969 - 1972. I graduated from high school in 1971, and got married and joined the Air Force in 1972. My wife and I continued using Corvairs as our primary transportation for many years while I served in the Air Force, all over the USA and in Germany. We still drive a 1966 Corvair convertible, but it is not our only transportation.

I learned to rebuild Corvair engines, transmissions, and to maintain and repair these cars myself while I was in high school and afterward. Are you prepared to do that? Professional Corvair-qualified mechanics are few in number, so Corvair ownership, a small budget, etc. often encourages the DIY "shade tree mechanic" approach to Corvair ownership. These cars are interesting and fun to own and drive, and doing so definitely will make you unique. But the cars are also a half century old and do require maintenance and repair, and most parts cannot be found locally. That means that any breakdown or failure translates into days of downtime while you send for parts and wait for the mail to deliver them to you. A reliable backup transportation plan is essential.

You will have to determine a budget... how much Corvair can you afford to own and operate? Mileage will be about 20-25 mpg, and your budget must include maintenance and repair costs. You must be cautious in your purchase, because many Corvairs on the market are being sold as restoration projects and some suffer from serious body rot and rust (EXPENSIVE!) If you can locate a clean Corvair in good condition that has already been restored, $10,000-$15,000 for the purchase price would not be unusual. Bargain basement prices translate into a car that is a "parts car" or needs extensive repair and reconditioning.

Where are you located? Many parts of the country have local CORSA (Corvair Society of America) club chapters, and if one is available in your area joining the club and getting to know other Corvair owners may help you to decide, and may also help you to locate a good car to purchase. Finding and purchasing a good Corvair that would meet your needs may also mean shipping it from some other part of the country or traveling to some distant location to bring it back. You will generally not find them in local used car lots.

Owning a Corvair will mean a lot of serious planning and learning... it is a fun hobby. But choosing one as your first and only car may not be the best way to go. You may want to consider a more-recent and reliable form of transportation first. You may want to explore classic car ownership as a hobby when your circumstances would allow for such a venture.

Here is something I wrote over a year ago — Brad's Admonition, or some words of advice — based on over 50 years of exposure to Corvair ownership — that I wrote to try to give new Corvair buyers some idea of the issues involved. I'm sure you have some idea already, but I also think this is worth considering...

Since you are new to Corvairs, I want to give you some information that I have written to other new prospective first-time Corvair owners. I have been involved with Corvairs since I was nine years old, when my parents bought our first Corvair – a brand new 1961 Monza 2-door coupe, white on red with a 4-speed transmission. I now own Corvair number ten, which I purchased in June 2012. (If you want to read a brief personal biography that outlines my family background and our experiences with Corvairs, go to CORVAIR FORUM > Introductions > New from Lake Chatuge North Carolina. viewtopic.php?f=13&t=4032 ) I want to encourage your enthusiasm in developing your plans to buy your first Corvair, but at the same time I want to help you to think through just what you are getting into. So please read and consider these comments below...

I have listened to many potential Corvair first-time owners. Many have no prior experience with owning any classic car, and many have never driven a Corvair at all, or have not driven one in decades. Some are motivated by childhood memories of a family Corvair. They typically describe the desire to locate a perfect, restored, ultra-clean example, and look to the Corvair Forum Corvair enthusiasts and aficionados to tell them what to do.

The first thing I think that needs to be done is to try to set-aside the usual emotion-based enthusiasm that any car buyer might feel when visiting a dealer and gazing with emotional eagerness at the vast array of new cars displayed in the showroom, on the car lot, and in factory brochures and advertisements. There is an extreme difference between owning a 40+ year-old Chevrolet that was likely engineered, designed and built with pre-planned obsolescence in mind — a car that GM only envisioned having a life-span of ten years or so. Many of the potential Corvair buyers are captivated with the exciting idea of owning something different — something not normally seen on the road — something that your neighbor will not buy! Certainly that is the case with a Corvair, but owning a Corvair and enjoying that ownership demands a certain dose of reality before you "buy-in". Many are unprepared for the maintenance and upkeep demands of a Corvair. "Where can I find a good Corvair mechanic?" is a common question — often displaying an inability or unwillingness to do some mechanical work and maintain that car yourself. Yet qualified Corvair mechanics can be distant, expensive, inconvenient, and all-too rare. At a time when finding even a spark plug, fan belt, or oil filter for a Corvair often means an Internet or mail-order purchase, finding local support may be unlikely or impossible. Even searching automobile junk yards will often not help, because these cars are so rare and infrequently found that they have all but disappeared from the scrap yards too. Even locating and buying a used part is a mail-order proposition. And even if you spend $15,000-$20,000 for a fully-restored Corvair in mint condition, it still comes "as-is", with no warranty and little in the way of a local support system — far different than what most car buyers are used to expecting! These are the realities of owning an older classic car.

Corvairs are popular and affordable classic cars, and enjoy a good infrastructure of maintenance supporters, owner's clubs, and parts suppliers — and that REALLY helps! But I suspect that most happy Corvair owners are something of "shade-tree mechanics" and hobbyists who are prepared to deal with the risks and problems related to Corvair ownership. It requires a long-term commitment and a dose of reality to happily own a classic Corvair. The "first date" infatuation with the attractiveness and uniqueness of a Corvair will not sustain you in a long-term relationship with a Corvair. It is far-better to have a realistic idea of just what you are getting into before you "take the plunge" and buy your dream car.

A cautious, knowledgeable and educated search for your dream Corvair is a great start, and a careful and realistic analysis of your own mechanical talents, skills and abilities is also useful. If you plan to have a mechanic do most of the work for you, the availability of a Corvair-skilled mechanic and the associated costs involved must be taken into account in your financial planning to own a Corvair.

I try to not be too negative, but I have worked with others who came to realize that Corvair ownership was more than they could handle. I just feel that new prospective Corvair owners come here to this forum to learn from others who have more experience, and we are not doing them any favors by "candy coating" the issues involved. If they pass the "sanity check" and still want to pursue buying a Corvair, then GREAT! This Forum and perhaps some local Corvair club members can potentially help them pursue that dream. But it should be a realistic dream, and not a frustrating "nightmare" experience. Better to make a clear-headed, informed decision early in the game!

I hope that these comments are useful to you. I know I get "long-winded", but I also know you are trying to make an important decision, and I hope all of these comments will help you.

[66vairguy]

As Brad said it would be nice to know more.

One thing not brought up here is the safety issue. From a purely practical side young drivers have a high accident rate. On a more personal note - in the last decade several of my neighbors teenage drivers have ALL been in an accident and a few survived due to modern safety equipment. My recommendation to new drivers is too drive a modern car, even a used one, until you have some driving experience.

Personally I tinkered with older cars, and paid others a LOT to fix them, when I was younger and didn't have experience. It's NOT any fun when you are tying to get an old car running to get to work to keep your job.

I finally walked away from old cars until I was older and had the time and space to work/drive an older car for fun. I depend on a modern car for reliability, and my Corvairs are just toys that I enjoy working on and driving - at my leisure.

Just my two cents.

[harleyrider]

I had an old car when I was a teenage (MGB) but fortunately I also had a reliable newer car as well. The reason I say "fortunately" is because there were times had I only had the older car I would have been stuck at home (or wherever the car had decided it didn't want to go any more). I learned a lot about cars by owning that car - I also learned not to have an old car as my only form of transportation.

I would suggest NOT buying a Corvair as your first car unless you are willing to (1) get your hands dirty ALOT and (2) be prepared to hitch a ride when the car isn't running or running right

Bob

[64powerglide]

I say it all depends on how much money you have, if you can afford a fully restored Corvair you probably won't have much trouble. My first car was a Corvair, Monza coupe 4 speed but that was in 1962 & it was brand new. Sometimes you never know what you can find, 3 years ago I bought a 64 Monza coupe for $1895.00 & had to put floors in & clean the gas tank, put a new fuel pump in & rebuild the carbs. I have driven it for 2 & 1/2 years without any problems except for a leaking powerglide. I now have the power pack out & am going to have the trans rebuilt or get one from Clark's. That will be another $700.00 plus. So now I will have about $5,000.00 in it but it's never failed to start. Bottom line is get one that's been restored if you can afford it. Good luck.

[91blaze]

I think everyone here has hit the nail on the head. A Corvair in good shape could be a great daily drive, but only if everything is rebuilt and in good working order. Remember, these cars were not designed to last 50 years and for that reason you should not expect all the parts in the car to last that long. I have daily driven my Corvair during the summer for the past two years but I always have a backup vehicle in case something goes wrong. If you have the money, sure buy a Corvair and work on it. But until such a time as the car is rebuilt and reliable I would suggest having a cheap backup for when the car decides not to cooperate.

[Aaronb1958]

Thanks for all your tips and opinions guys! If I do indeed buy a Corvair, my budget would be around $15,000. Do you guys think I could find one in restored condition for that price? Reliability isn't a great concern as I do have a backup vehicle (My grandpa's 04 Chevy Silverado). I'd also like to note, I'd only be driving the car about 2.5 miles a day, I live very close to my school, and I live in a pretty small town so I wouldn't be doing a whole lot of driving in general. And as far as maintenance is concerned, I guess you could call me a novice, I mean I could do the simple stuff, i.e. tuning a carb, or replacing an oil filter, but aside from that I'm pretty limited as to my auto repair skills.

[MCataldo]

My 1st car budget in 1966 was $600. You should be able to get a very nice one for $15K. If you have the aptitude, you'll learn to work on it and you'll enjoy it. "Vintage" tools are available on eBay very reasonably.

Just my opinion, but no vehicle will even warm up fully on a 2.5 mile trip to school. Be wary of short trips.

Good luck on your search.

Mark

[harleyrider]

$15K will buy you a VERY nice Corvair but I do have a suggestion before you buy any Corvair and especially before you spend that kind of money - have someone who is very familiar with Corvairs go with you to check the car out before you make any offers.

Bob

[tommy44432]

From your posts I've come away thinking you're worried about reliability in older cars. The thing you have to remember is all these "old" cars were brand new cars once upon a time. These old cars took families from coast to coast....through the woods and across deserts. It was just as common to see new cars broke down in 1965 just like seeing new cars waiting on a tow truck in 2016. It happens. GM designed the Corvair to be used just like any other car of the era...to be driven. And history abounds of kids getting a Corvair from their parents to use away at college. And those very same kids tell stories of how they "ran the piss out of that car". The thing is rarely do you here a story about those Corvairs breaking.

I walk the walk. I have 3 collector cars...one of which is a 1963 Corvair convertible. I really, really use my 60's cars anytime I have the urge to drive one. I've brought groceries home in each of them. Everyone of them we have used on vacations. The last 3 years we have driven our 1963 Chevy Nova SS. Now in 2016 the wife and I are using that convertible to take a "however long it takes" vacation through Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Part of that will be driving the entire length of the Blue Ridge Parkway from Front Royale, Va. to Cherokee, NC. Am I worried? Not anymore than if I was driving a 2016 car. At least if the Corvair breaks down I can fix it pretty quickly. NO computer!!!

[bbodie52]

Sooooo... you have a decent budget to buy a decent Corvair in decent condition. It would help if you were to narrow the focus...

• Early Model (1960-1964) or Late Model (1965-1969)?
• Manual Transmission or Powerglide 2-speed Automatic?
• Coupe or Convertible?
• Maximum Distance for Purchase — are you willing to buy long-distance and travel or ship via auto transport if you find the "right car" located in another state?

Late Model (LM) Convertible

Late Model Coupe

Early Model (EM) Coupe

Early Model Convertible

Do you have any other preferences in mind?

If you are willing to learn, Corvairs are relatively easy for the DIY mechanic to learn over time. If a local CORSA (Corvair Society of America) club chapter is available, experienced members are often willing to assist as you learn, and you can certainly find helpful advice on the Corvair Forum! If you have a garage to work in and access to hand tools (or include tools, a hydraulic floor jack, jack stands, etc. in your budget) learning to tune and maintain your Corvair is part of the fun of ownership! The factory shop manual is your bible, and many technical references can be downloaded at no cost via the Internet.

You might browse JT Vairs. They are only one state over from your location in Kentucky. They do some great Corvair work and periodically sell some beautiful cars. Look over their website, and you may want to contact them to discuss your plans...

http://www.jtvairs.com/home.html

If you wish to contact us:

JTVairs

Paris Springs Jct, Missouri
Call: John 319-850-6699
Teresa 515-520-7209
E mail: tkmiller714@yahoo.com
ssvairnut@yahoo.com

[66vairguy]

For $15K you should be able to find an excellent Corvair. That said these car are WAY BEYOND their design life and to be reliable they need to be rebuilt by now (unless you find an original low mileage car, and I haven't seen one in some time).

Now ---- about finding a good old (any old) car. There are a lot of "characters" who do some minor repairs and put on a fresh coat of paint and call a car "rebuilt", "like new", "very reliable", etc. A fellow in our club bought a good looking Corvair with nice paint and and a new interior and the seller said the car was "like new" and he drove it all the time without any problems. Well ------ two months later and the car has been out of service for electrical problems, brake problems, fuel problems. A lot of the "like new" work was shoddy.

Buyer beware.

A Corvair will cost as much to restore as a Camaro or Corvette and it will not sell for as much. This results in "characters" taking short cuts to make money on Corvairs. There are honest Corvair owners who do a good job on their cars and will tell what condition the car is in. Join a local club and ask around, take you time, and you'll find a car.

[mikec4193]

Hey Aaron.....

You have a great budget to start with.....cant wait to see what you pick out and bring home...(my budget is less than 1/3 of yours)...please keep us in the loop...post some pictures up too when you get it home...with that amount to spend...you should be able to get everything you need and it should be in pretty decent shape too....

good luck...

MikeC

[turnert7696]

If you have a spare, reliable second vehicle like your grandpa's truck, I see no reason why you can't buy yourself a nice Corvair of your own. I did the same thing a few years ago in my sophomore of high school, however I had a much lower budget and a lot of work ahead of me. I don't regret it one bit. My dad had a 98 s10 beater truck that I drove until I got the car running and driving. This summer I drove my 65 Corsa almost every day, but I limited it to places I was going to for fun, meaning not work, in case I broke down. Luckily, The car never left me stranded except for a few thrown fan belts(I blame myself because I was just getting used to tightening them properly). This spring I will be dumping more money into it to hopefully give me some more peace of mind so I can drive it more often, and on longer trips.

That being said, and coming from another teenager, the difference between driving an old car and a new one is that you have to pay much closer attention when driving an old car. NO texting, watch your speed, your following distance and all that, the steering and brakes aren't like they are on new cars. So just pay attention, and you'll be fine.

I think you should go through with it. I'm having a blast with mine. Fixing it is pretty straight forward, parts are relatively inexpensive, and they're just a lot of fun. I can't wait to see what you pick out.

[Aaronb1958]

Well I'm gonna talk things over with my Dad, and seeing as he's a bit of a classic car buff himself, I think he'll be okay with letting me get a Corvair, and if/when I do find the right car, I'll be sure to post pics on here! Once again thanks for all the tips and opinions, you guys are great. Maybe In a few months I'll be driving my dream car! And as for my personal preference, I love all the Corvair body styles, But my personal favorite, my dream car if you will, is a ruby red 66' corsa turbo. I also love, I mean adore the yenko stingers, but thats a little bit out of my league lol. As for location I'll probably go and pick up the car wherever its located, I think that'd be a fun trip for my Dad and I. -I'd also like to note I prefer manual transmission cars, so much fun!