Now offered in BIN format with Best Offer option

Welcome to the third round. I am relisting now in the BIN format with "best offer" option.  On request I will send an additional "flick" link with many other detailed high resolution photos.  

1962 Chevrolet Corvair Monza 900 Spyder Turbo convertible. This is a rare car. prepped at the factory to show off a new sporty line of Corvairs. It is a well-known car among Corvair enthusiasts generally and Corsa Club members in particular several of whom have offered helpful suggestions for this eBay sale.

The car has an uncommon and highly documented provenance. If you like the way it looks. and most people do. read on because it isn't what it seems to be. What it seems to be is a very nicely preserved early model Corvair—perhaps the best you have seen.  But it is much more than that. Frankly it belongs in a museum. It has only 28. 75 well-documented miles on the odometer. These are not miles after a restoration—these are the total lifetime miles. I have felt fortunate to own this Corvair even for a short time. I bought with the thought in mind that it would be a forever car for me to enjoy. But my wife and I have accepted another assignment to work at the United Nations in Geneva (we came home a year ago after an initial two-year stint). As much as I love this car. I am committed to the human rights agenda of the Human Rights Council. So. sadly. after a brief period of ownership. this gorgeous. rare. well-documented car—an icon in American automotive history. needs to find a home hopefully with a good Corvair enthusiast.

If you look at it and see just another outstanding original or restored Corvair Monza 900 Spyder turbo convertible. you are missing the point here. Of course it is all of that by definition.  This is an early  production car singled out for special show attention--some believe is was one of two show cars. all 1962 Corvair Spyder convertibles  (the others have gone missing). hand finished by the Special Vehicles division of the Engineering Department. The engine was removed in the show preparation process and blue printed. confirmation being that the block has a special work order number stamped in it. The body was finished in red with complimentary red interior. white stripes and white convertible top—no other production Corvair. to my knowledge. was ever finished in this identical way. The object behind this special attention was to give GM's new Corvair Spyder line an inspirational coming out to Chevrolet dealers across the country. There are photos of the car at a GM senior management meeting at the Greenbrier Hotel in West Virginian in March 1962.  The car has been featured in the Corsa magazine. The car was a senior division car at AACA.

A previous and long-term owner went through the brakes and fuel system to counteract the significant amount of “sitting” the car has done. My Corvair expert confirms this. The top is in perfect. like new condition. The paint. which I have been told was subject to one respray. has a deep gloss to it. There is obviously no rust now and never has had any. Except for one brief period of time early in its life (by the son of the first owner) the car has lived essentially a museum life style. As I understand it the car was resprayed once preserving the precise color and unique white racing stripe. The interior and top were also replace once using correct Clark sourced parts.

Corvairs represent a daring effort by General Motors to be different. The air-cooled. rear engine. horizontally opposed six cylinder turbo charged Convertible that seat four. looks great and has a big front trunk was a daring move and represents an engineering achievement of substantial significance. And this one--well it is the best in the sense of its place in GM corporate strategy and in the production attention lavished on it. What is an exceptionally well-preserved. low mileage Corvair worth? I guess that is entirely a matter of how much you value it. You will win an award at every classic show you enter. be invited to every parade. and be hounded for photographs wherever you take it. If you are prepared for that. and the pride that comes from owning something unique in the automotive world. please bid. Clearly there is only one way the value of this vehicle can go and that is up. way up. Corvairs are already increasing in value but this one will always be unique—in a category of one. I will ship at my expense for the full price. Otherwise this lovely vehicle should be transported in an enclosed trailer by a shipping professional who is accustomed to handling classic vehicles.

A few other thoughts and ground rules.

Scammers: Please don't offer to pay more than I am asking through the now commonplace PayPal scam.  

Trades: I am not interested in a trade unless you happen to have a 1929 to 1940 Ford with flathead and in perfect original or restored condition.

Third party representation: Not interested in having someone offer to sell it for me. Thanks but not necessary.

Wheels: The wheels are not wire hubcaps. They are true knock off wheels. chrome plated and very rare and were very expensive. There is a minor amount of curb rash on one of the wheels. The Kelsey Hayes wire wheels are one of the most rare Corvair items today. They were also used on the 1962 Corvettes.

State of Tune: I have just recently engaged an older gentleman who spent his early career as the Corvair specialist at one of the local Chevrolet dealerships. He has come twice and gone over the entire car. Other than for timing and tune up it didn't need much. Proper NOS ignition parts were used and he used the original factory manuals to make sure everything was set up correctly. In a few days I will be adding his signed statement about the condition of the car.

Shipping: I don't know exactly how much to ship and shipping is. of course. the responsibility of the buyer. But I will help at this end. My guess is that the shipping price will be between $1. 00 and $2. 00 within the lower 48 states. I am willing to ship anywhere but hope that the historic American automobile will stay inside the U. S.

Warranty: There is none. I have learned by one sad experience. over a lifetime of vehicle collecting. that unless you say “as is” and “no warranty expressed or implied” and “please check everything and come to see and drive the car” that you might be in trouble in the hands of an unscrupulous buyer and a skilled lawyer. I am saying all of the above—there is no warranty and the car is sold as is and where is. Even the wording of this description is subject to interpretation. Sorry but this is the result of the litigious society we have created for ourselves.

Communication: I like frequent. clear. up front communication—usually by email unless you want to discuss something more complicated and in that case I am happy to talk to you by telephone at 801-828-8704.

Note 1:

I am in the process of attempting to register this Corvair with the National Historic Vehicle Register. It meets at least two of the four criteria: (Criterion D: A vehicle that was the first or last produced. and. Criterion C: A vehicle that is distinctive based on design. engineering. craftsmanship or aesthetic value).   In my view the case is an easy one but others will. of course. judge for themselves.  

Note 2: 

On Thursday. May 29. John "Pat" Patterson. master CM mechanic retired. and highly regarded Corvair specialist. came to my home and performed a complete ignition tune up and inspection. Correct NOS ignition parts were used. oil and filter changed. Pat. who knows more about Corvair maintenance than anyone I have met or heard of and who is an ASE technicians with nine current certifications. brought his tools and manuals and checked everything possible to check and that included bearings and fittings. Pat provided me with a signed statement giving his assessment of the current state of tune. nbsp;drivability and overall condition of this exceptional Corvair. I will post several photos of the car showing Pat performing the work. A . pdf file version of Pat's letter to me is available upon request.

May 29. 2014

Dear Mr. Holsinger.

I write in reply to your request for my evaluation of your red 1962 Corvair Spyder convertible. You asked that I also say a bit about my qualifications. I am a certified ASE Master Automotive Technician with nine current certifications. I was employed for many years by the local Chevrolet dealership and was at one time the head of the service department and before that the chief Corvair technical specialist. I was for the past six years adjunct professor at Utah Valley University in their automotive department. I did not ever consider myself expert in transaxles but in most other components. and for carburetors in particular. I was and remain knowledgeable.

Now as to your particular Corvair. I have now seen and driven it twice. It is a most unusual Corvair. I have never seen anything like it except a new car and even then it is obviously a unique and special example. From everything I can tell. it is in superb mechanical condition and original in every detail.

I performed a complete ignition tune up that included new plugs. points. condenser and rotor. The plug wires and distributor cap were in like new condition. I times the engine using my personal timing light and used my service technicians manual for specifications. The plugs were quite fouled probably due to disuse and overly rich choke and idle adjustments. I changed the oil and filter. cleaned the air filter and checked everything that I could think to look at. The car has good power. shifts easily and stops and steers as it should.  

The body. top. tires. wheels. paint. upholstery and chrome are in super nice condition. Again it is unusual to see a Corvair like this but. as you have said. it has been primarily a show car and that much is evident to me.  

Good luck to you in selling this great car. I hope it goes to someone who appreciates what a fine automobile it truly is.

Sincerely.

John "Pat" Patterson

Note 3:

This Corvair is certainly "show or go. " Someone asked me if it really could be driven. and the answer is. "of course--I have driven it. taken grand kids for rides in it. " It is a very enjoyable car to own. Yes it can also bring a trophy any where you choose to show it.  

Also published at eBay.com

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