Early-Year Corvair Auction Prices Are Steady and Look Unlikely to Change in 2022

Many enthusiasts see the Chevrolet Corvair as America’s Porsche due to its layout, handling potential, and available turbocharger and four-speed transmission, but Chevrolet didn't market it that way until the Chevy II came out for 1962 and became the division's main compact offering. So the bow-tie brand repositioned the now somewhat redundant Corvair as a sporty car, even though it didn't get the proper hardware until later. It’s the late models of 1965-‘69 with the redesigned rear suspension that really wear the performance crown.

Nevertheless, the early models (1960-'64) seem to have a small but faithful following. According to Classic.com, 27 such Corvairs have gone to auction since July 2021, and 23 changed hands. Setting aside a couple of outliers, most went for $10K to $15K.

The Corvair was supposedly inspired by the Volkswagen Beetle, but apart from the air-cooled rear engine and swing axles, it was still very much a Chevy, with its striking midcentury styling, great power, and an available automatic transmission. It came on the market for the 1960 model year alongside similar-size cars from Ford and Chrysler, but the Corvair was not engineered like its competitors, which were aimed more at domestic-market successes like the Rambler American and Studebaker Lark than anything from Europe.

A notable batch of early models went through the Mecum Orlando auction back in July, a former Hemmings Classic Car feature car went for an outstanding $72,800 at the RM Sotheby's sale in Monterey, California. A more typical high-end result was the $35,200 sale of a seemingly immaculate and well-optioned 1963 Monza Spyder Convertible at Mecum's Chattanooga, Tennessee, event less than two weeks ago. Station-wagon pricing comes in lower, as reflected by a 1961 700 Lakewood wagon, which sold for $13,200 at Mecum's Orlando event.

Wagons are hot, yes, but this 1961 Corvair 700 Lakewood station wagon sold at RM Sotheby's Monterey sale for an unheard-of $72,800. Why? Because although it looks stock, it was thoroughly reworked to incorporate a lot of desirable features.

Two 1964 models, a Monza four-door and a 500 coupe, will cross the block at Mecum’s upcoming Kissimmee, Florida, sale in January. Both sold previously at Orlando: the 500 coupe for $12,100 and the Monza sedan for $14,300. It will be interesting to see how they do this time. The Monza is noteworthy, as it's unusual to find a sedan equipped with the four-speed.

If you’re not familiar with the sub-models of the early-model Corvair, here's a brief rundown: The 500 was the base car, and the original deluxe version was the 700. For 1960, only coupe and four-door sedan bodies were available, but a wagon was introduced for the 500 and 700 lines the following year. By the end of the 1960 model year, a sportier, fancier Corvair coupe called the Monza had come out. It was based on a dream car created by GM. The Monza, named for a famous racetrack in Italy, was the first character in the performance-oriented compact-car genre (called “the bucket-seat brigade”), which would eventually spawn the pony-car segment. As introduced, however, it was more akin to the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia than a Porsche 356. Performance chops would come later.