The Corvair die a tragic dying , maintain in output only long enough to amortize the die expenses of the second generation ( 1965 ) redesign . But its flavour live on as the poser evolved into the 1965 - 1969 Chevrolet Corvair Corsa and Monza .
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Contrary to myth , the Corvair was not scrubbed because of Ralph Nader ’s attacks . Chevroletdocuments examine by several writer essay that the parole had been fall to start development of a schematic front - engine , rearward - thrust car in 1964 , before the new Corvairs hit the streets . This was likely incite by the phenomenal winner of the Mustang , usher in in the outflow of that year , as it was well before Nader ’s book was publish .
Nevertheless , the 1965 Corvair was a stunning machine – one of the few that count good from well-nigh any angle . " It is plainly not possible to shoot this car from an angle that make it see slimy , " said one veteran automotive lensman . " I do n’t get it on any other mass - output car from its period that you could say that about . "
A testimonial to Bill Mitchell ’s brilliant staff at GM Styling , the new Corvair looked like the work of one of the lead Italian sign of the zodiac . It was nicely shape , but not overdone , with just the proper amount of trim .
It was young under the skin , too , with aturbochargedmodel , the Corsa , farm an unprecedented 180 horsepower , and a young non - turbo with 140horsepower . authoritative too was its new rearward suspension , a virtual transcript of the Corvette Sting Ray ’s : upper and lower control arm , the upper doubling as axle half - putz , the lowers being inadequate length non - parallel bars . These four munition keep in line all lateral wheel gesture . The sole difference from the Corvette was the economic consumption of coil natural spring , whereas the Corvette had a transversal leaf spring .
No longer was there any head about tricky handling on hard corners . The Corvair ’s treatment was now nigh indifferent , with mild final oversteer at very high stop number . attending was also paid to the front suspension , which was tuned to complement the raw rearward purpose and to provide roll stiffness .
Read about Corsa and Monza performance characteristics on the next page .
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1965, 1966, 1967, 1968 1969 Chevrolet Corvair Corsa and Monza
The 1965 , 1966 , 1967 , 1968 , 1969 Chevrolet Corvair and Monza start life as respectable performance machines , but by the goal of the run they had become shells of themselves .
Chevrolet came tight to retaining " Monza Spyder " for theturbochargedCorsa , but switched at the last moment . The Corsa retained the good-looking brush aluminum dash and full complement of instrument of the Monza Spyder , though it could be had without the turbocharger : the 140 horsepower engine with its fourcarburetorswas standard on Corsas .
The 180 gave the Corsa execution amounting almost to drag strip stuff for a six - cylinder car : 0 - 60 in 11 moment , the standing - start one-fourth - mi in 18 seconds at 80 mph . Top speed was 115 , commit enough straight ; yet gas gas mileage still averaged around 20 mpg .
Corsas could be identified at a glance from their brush aluminum rearward pack of cards dialog box . A convertible and two - threshold hardtop were offer , and production was three-fold that of the previous Monza Spyders , though scarcely anything to enthuse about give the Ford Mustang ’s stupendous half - million - plus .
The Monza continued to be Corvair ’s bread - and - butter mannikin , available in four - door hardtop form as well as two - threshold coupe and convertible . Monzas were slugs with the 95horsepowerengine , reasonable with the 110 , and exalt with the 140 , though the latter was rather finicky and hard to properly line .
At the bottom of the line was the 500 series , a plainly - cut back coupe and sedan base – price at piffling more than $ 2,000 , which seems incredible today . For that paltry join , they save singular styling , goodfuel economic system , and decent performance . It was rarefied when a 500 or Monza be more than $ 2,750 .
But Mustang was the live " ponycar " now , and the Corvair appeal only to what Lee Iacocca called " the partisan , the material nuts . " book exceeded 200,000 in 1965 , mostly on the long suit of the fresh styling ; a year later it was down by more than one-half , and in 1967 the Corsa was dropped .
The follow year saw the demise of the four - door hardtop and 140 horsepowerengine , and the Corvair finished life with a three - model line comprised of two coupe and one convertible , all power by a received 95 H.P. ( 110 optional ) engine increasingly repress by emission controls .
The air pump fitted to the final 1969s was notorious for cause hard ping and carburetor implosion therapy . As a consolation to 1969 buyers , Chevrolet offer a coupon entitle them to a discount on their next Chevrolet . Most of them did n’t use it , because Chevrolet was no longer building a car that invoke to their technical interest and exuberance .
tick off out specifications for the 1965 - 1969 Chevrolet Corvair Corsa and Monza on the next page .
1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969 Chevrolet Corvair Corsa and Monza Specifications
The 1965 , 1966 , 1967 , 1968 , 1969 Chevrolet Corvair Corsa and Monza , though derive from the ill - fated Corvair of the early sixties , appealed to execution enthusiast .
Specifications
Engine : flat 6,164 cid ( 3.44 × 2.94 ) , 95 - 180 bhp
Transmission:3/4 - speed manual of arms ; 2 - speed robotlike optional
Suspension front : upper and lower A - arms , coil bound
Suspension behind : fully self-governing with trailing sleeve and whorl outpouring
brake : front / rearward drums
Wheelbase ( in.):108.0
Weight ( lbs.):2,440 - 2,725
Top stop number ( mph):115 ( Corsa )
0 - 60 miles per hour ( sec.):11 ( Corsa )
