I’ve always had a fascination for this most European of American cars, and it sounds like any classic with a flat 6 and decent horsepower with independent suspension would be a fun drive. Wait, did I just describe a Porsche?
While the later (1965 to 1969) Corvairs got the more elegant design, particular in the front and rear treatments, the lighter greenhouse of the earlier cars works in their favor. With my preference for oddball cars, I’ve gone one further and found a 1962 Lakewood, the station wagon version of the early Corvair, near Seattle in Federal Way. Being an American car, I’d imagine many parts are readily available and reasonable (I didn’t have to go far to find references to Clark’s Corvairs, among others), and some parts might even be shared with other Chevys of the same vintage.
This example looks really smart in red, and combined with the lowered suspension, helps make the station wagon body style on this car look that much sportier. Some wide steelies with dogdish caps might add to the look… the body looks pretty straight in these less-than-high-res pics, but the seller does admit to some rust in the pans. It also appears the front cowl panel and rear license plate lights are missing. I’ve tried researching the car using this buyer’s guide, but so far have not received it via email (the only way to get it). The seller’s rather colorful description suggests he’s been dealing with a lot of tire-kickers, so you might want to have some questions ready if you’re interested!
Tags: american, chevrolet, under $2000
Rusty But Trusty 
August 13, 2009 at 11:34 am |
how much $ ?
August 13, 2009 at 12:02 pm |
I’m afraid all I know is it was under $2K from the way I categorized it. Lakewoods seem to pop up every so often, though, so you should be able to find one.