1964 Chevrolet Corvair Spyder

Vehicle
1964 Chevrolet Corvair Spyder
164 cid, I-6, 110 bhp

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The Chevrolet Corvair was a revolutionary new car, powered by an air-cooled horizontalsix-cylinder engine made almost exclusively out of aluminum. The rear-mounted engine drove the rear wheels through a compact automatic transaxle. This was the first Fisher Body featuring a unitized body and frame. A four-speed transmission was added in 1961.

In 1962, two new Corvair models were added, the Monza convertible and the Monza Spyder with a turbo-charged engine. A turbo-charged Spyder was rated at 9.8 seconds for 0-60 mph, a standard Corvair would take 16.5 seconds to obtain the same speed.

In 1965, Ralph Nader published ‘Unsafe at Any Speed’ a critique of the U.S. autoindustry’s safety record. Although only the first chapter concerned the Corvair anddespite the fact that Chevrolet had already remedied Corvair’s safety issue, it was too late.Corvair’s sales continued to decline until the last was built in 1969. There were 4,761 1964 Corvair Monza Spyder convertibles built, listing at $2,811.

Highlights:

  • GM’s compact Corvair (1960-1969) was America’s only mass-produced car with an air-cooled rear engine
  • 4,761 Spyders produced;
  • Price new: $2,811