Sold 1964 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Spyder 2146370950 Tweet

Chevrolet surprised American car buyers when it introduced the first-generation Corvair in 1959 as a 1960 model. Unlike any American car before it the Corvair featured a revolutionary (by American car standards) rear-mounted air-cooled engine installed in a lightweight and relatively compact unitized body. At a time when Detroit was pumping out V8-powered behemoths the Corvair was well-received by the public and was considered a strong competitor to imported models like the Volkswagen Beetle. Detroit icon Ed Cole was the mastermind behind the Chevrolet Corvairs design. During his tenure as chief engineer of Chevrolet from 1956 to 1967 Cole left his mark not only with the Corvair but on the entire automobile industry. Dubbed the father of the small-block V8 engine Coles V8 was used in a vast array of General Motors vehicles and remains in production to this day. Furthermore Cole played a crucial role in the development of the Chevrolet Corvette and Camaro and eventually rose to the position of president and CEO of General Motors.Historically the Chevrolet Corvair is often overlooked despite being a significantly influential vehicle. Contrary to what some have suggested its engine was not designed by Porsche but instead it is believed that Porsche studied the Corvairs six-cylinder engine when creating their own 6-cylinder engine for the Porsche 901/911 introduced in 1965. While initially designed as an economical family car the Corvair spawned several fascinating high-performance variants. It has the distinction of being the first commercially successful application of turbocharging in a production car. While the Olds F85 Jetfire may have been first the Corvair was considerably better sorted. Sports car enthusiasts like John Fitch soon learned how to make the Chevy brake and corner to take on the best of the European competition.The 1964 Corvair Monza Spyder offered is a rare and highly sought-after first-generation model with the cutting-edge turbocharged 150-horsepower air-cooled flat-six engine. It boasts an impressive extensively detailed and documented bare-metal rotisserie restoration totaling nearly $150000. Amazingly only 560 miles have ticked over on the odometer since the 2006 restoration and the car remains in superb condition throughout. The body is finished in a lovely period-correct shade of Palomar Red paired with black vinyl upholstery and a white pinpoint vinyl top all executed to a high standard. Exterior trim and brightwork are superb and the car displays crisp lines and consistent panel fit all around. Other options and features include a tachometer wood steering wheel AM/FM radio wire wheel covers T-3 headlamps and even a factory dash-mounted tissue dispenser.The Monza Spyder was the ultimate performance Corvair for 1964 and this car features a period-correct YR-code turbocharged 164 cubic-inch 150 HP 6-cylinder engine mated to a 4-speed manual transmission with floor shift. The engine compartment is impeccably clean and well-detailed with original type decals and labels in place. The engine bay also houses the spare tire and jack while the detailed front trunk area is generously sized to handle plenty of luggage for a long weekend of backroad touring. A binder documenting the restoration and a set of reproduction owners manuals are included.Of the 191915 Corvair passenger cars produced in 1964 the high-performance Monza Spyder accounted for just over 4700 making it the rarest and the most desirable of the passenger car line. This is an exceptional collector-quality example of the ultimate Corvair of the period. As a pioneer of turbocharging technology this concours-quality Monza Spyder will be a worthy addition to virtually any enthusiasts stable.Offers welcome and trades considered For additional details please view this listing directly on our website https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/7472-1964-chevrolet-corvair-monza-spyder-convertible/