1968 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Convertible 140hp

1968 Chevrolet Corvair Additional Info:

Rare 1968 Corvair Monza Convertible, 4 single-throat carburetors, 140 hp, 4-speed manual transmission. This year and make has the 2nd lowest production numbers only to the 1969 Monza Convertible (see last picture for production numbers). In addition, the 4-speed manual transmission and the 4 single-throat carburetors with 140 hp make this Corvair Monza a very rare vehicle. I don't know the last time I've seen one come up for sale.

The history of this vehicle is that it was built at the Willow Run Assembly plant in Michigan in 1968. My parents purchased the vehicle from a gentleman who purchased it from his parents (maybe the original owners). The gentleman restored the vehicle to near new condition after it sat in their barn for some years. Our family enjoyed the vehicle for many years and it was my mom’s daily driver during the summer months in Michigan. Unfortunately, after the carbs got out of sync the vehicle sat for many years. I purchased the vehicle from my parents, had it shipped to Arizona, and I hired a mechanic to restore it yet again. He put over $11k worth of parts & labor into restoring it. The vehicle is back up to safe running condition and it is mechanically & electrically sound. It’s been garage kept here in Arizona with a cover.

While I’ve enjoyed taking my kids and the neighborhood kids for rides in it, I don’t drive it as much as I thought I would. With young kids, sports, and work, I fear that it’ll sit again, and I don’t want that. I hope to find her a good home where she can be driven, loved, enjoyed, and this unique part of American motor history will be kept alive.

I’m not a car guy, but this is what I know of the vehicle:

Drivetrain:This Corvair Monza has a restored, rare flat-6, 140 hp engine with 4 single-throat carburetors as well as a 4-speed manual transmission, and other options consistent with a Monza model. The overall car shows in Good condition, mechanically sound, and true to 1968 model. Odometer shows 80k miles, but remember the engine was rebuilt recently.

Exterior: It's in fair/good condition,with a few areas of scratching, chipping and a few blemishes. This Corvair has a cherry red exterior (needs to be repainted). A black padded canvas convertible top moves up and down very well as it was recently replaced 2 years ago. The clear plastic window doesn’t have any discoloration. Chrome badging, brite work, bumpers, and trim are in good condition shiny and mostly free of corrosion and dimpling. I believe the hub caps to be on the rare side.

Interior:Believed to be original, vinyl buckets up front, and a bench in the rear passenger section. The surfaces are slightly worn and the padding needs to be replaced. To note, the driver's side bucket seat has some of the piping coming out and the d/s door handle leather is loose. The dash is also original, with black padded top, and black textured facing for the instrument section and glove box door. Gauges are clean and the original radio is still installed but doesn’t work. The original steering wheel fronts the dash. Black carpet in fair condition floods the floor, shows a few tears, fading and a few stains. The floor shifter resides between the buckets and is surrounded by the carpet.

Undercarriage:The unibody undercarriage appears solid with some surface rust. The most notable rust is in the front trunk as there is a small hole. Noted is 4-wheel independent suspension, and 4-wheel drum brakes.

Overall runs smoothly and has a restored engine. Paint is fair and interior is believed to be original. After some new paint and interior fixes you'll have a great example of an innovative car from 1968. Please see the last few photos where I've tried to show the biggest issues with the vehicle.

Valuation:

A little fun history:

The name "Corvair" is a portmanteau of Corvette and Bel Air, a name first applied in 1954 to a Corvette-based concept with a hardtop fastback-styled roof, part of the Motorama traveling exhibition.