1968 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Convertible
 
Corvair was the brainchild of Chevrolet General Manager Ed Cole, said Corvair Preservation Foundation historian Dave Newell and technical adviser Larry Claypool.  Cole began the project in 1956, ordering parts and blueprints under the guise that it was for GM's Australian division, Holden.  This is similar to the surreptitious development of the GTO package for the Pontiac LeMans.  Cole considered front- and rear-engine placement and 4 and 6-cylinder air and water-cooled engines.  He settled on a 140-cubic-inch, rear-mounted, flat 6, air-cooled engine, powering a 15-foot, five-passenger car.

This Monza Corvair convertible has a 164ci engine as well as a 4-speed manual transmission and other options consistent with a Monza model. The overall car is showing in good condition, mechanically sound, and true to the 1968 model.  A repainted exterior in good condition, with a few blemishes and scratches. 

Exterior
Black, in respray form covers the metal and overall exterior of the car and presents in very good condition with only a few chips, scratches, bubbling and inclusions to note.  The fit and finish is good, the body is straight, and all is in working order.  Chrome is in great condition.  A newer black canvas convertible top is power actuated up and down and works smoothly.   Seen is a thin stainless trimming on the rocker and wheel houses and wide stainless making up the bezels for the dual headlights.  Round tail lights within another stainless panel are bringing up the rear and these have backup lights optioned on and are right behind the engine.  There is another nice bumper below.  13-inch wire wheel covers are on with knock off style hubs with dish centers and P175/70R13 tires wrap these wheels snugly.  Corvair badging is original and correct.  Nice exterior, screw Ralph Nader I'm hopping in.

Interior
A swing of the sporty doors and we are greeted with a red painted metal surround for the door sills, then this changes to a horizontal and vertical stitched center panel.  Here the armrest in red vinyl with a chrome trimming and chromed knobs and actuator lever are housed along with a Monza emblem.  Very mid century modern if I must say so myself.  Slipping inside I rest my buttocks on wide buckets that practically take up the whole front row.  These are nicely padded and have tuck and roll inserts and smooth bolsters all in wonderful red!  These front seats present very well with merely minor signs of usage.  In back a nice bench and plenty of romper room for that 3rd date.  Up front a large deluxe wood rimmed 3 spoke steering wheel and bowtie center fronts the original perfectly preserved dash.  This has a black dual eyebrow shaped cowl design for the top and nice use of black textured plastic for the dash front panels, which include the rally instrument cluster and glove box covering.  Some of the controls and options include the padded dash top, tinted windows seat belts, two speed wipers and a convenience group including AC.  The centrally mounted factory AM/FM radio is also in a chrome bezel and looks right at home and an aftermarket AM/FM/CD player is below the dash.  Awesome conveniences and add ons, rarely seen on any version of the Corvair.  Clean red carpeting is flooding the floor and go with this car like a duck to water.  LUV It!
Drivetrain
A lift of the trunk and we see a lightly patinaed engine bay with a very clean 164 ci flat 6-cylinder engine.  It has 4 1-barrel carburetors on top, and a 4-speed manual transmission attached to this horizontally opposed air-cooled configuration.  A 3.55 gear ratio axle is on the Corvair.

Undercarriage
As I expected from this car, buttoned up and looking good with all straight steel painted black with very light surface rusting.  Definitely a ground effects type undercarriage, whether it's intentional or not it still looks great…look ma no driveshaft!  Everything presents well right down to the 4-wheel independent suspension, and 4-wheel drum braking.  A chrome tipped dual exhaust is noted.

Drive-Ability
This car started right up, and after a short warmup, ran great.  Nice handling, a good ride, and shifting was effortless.  My only frown was the AC not blowing cold,  but after an underhood inspection we noted the belt was removed so some repairs may be in order.

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.

115678W104617

1-Chevrolet
15-Corvair Monza
67-Convertible
8-1968
W-Willow Run, MI Assy Plant
104617-Sequential Unit Number

TRIM TAG

11B-2nd Week November Build
ST 68 10567-1968 Corvair Monza Convertible
BDY WRN349-Willow Run Body #
TR 710-Gold Vinyl
PNT G1-Ash Gold, Black Top

Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special interest automobile showroom, featuring over 650 vehicles for sale with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle barn find collection is on display.
This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914. Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.