• Make/Model: Chevrolet Corvair
• Year: 1965
• Drivetrain: 164 cubic-inch engine and four-speed manual transmission
• Location: Carpentersville, Illinois
• Price: $3,500

There is no doubt that the unique looking Corvair is an unusual little car. It was Chevrolet’s compact model, and unlike anything else available in the GM lineup at the time, its engine was in the rear of the car. The air-cooled engine was either 140 or 164 cubic-inches, and all included a single-barrel carburetor. These cars also stand out because of how many body styles were available: sedan, coupe, convertible, station wagon, van, and pickup. Although it was a success with initial sales, because of its relative low power and limited potential for improvement, it fell out of popularity during the musclecar era. For that reason, they are not as common as some other collector cars, so when one comes up for sale at the extremely reasonable price of $3,500, you can’t let it pass without taking a closer look.

This 1965 Corvair two-door coupe is located in Carpentersville, Illinois, and is currently owned by Christopher Watson. He has owned the car for a little over two years, and has been using it as a daily driver. When he bought the car, it was barely in drivable condition. “The car was in such bad shape, that it had to be push started,” Christopher says. “It didn’t have rear brakes, and the clutch was slipping.” The first summer he had it was spent just working to get it into drivable condition, “bringing it back from the dead,” as Christopher says.

It features a straight body and flat black paintjob. Christopher says the car was always black, but it was the previous owner that repainted it with the matte finish. The interior is also all original, and has that great ’60s musclecar feel. Even if it doesn’t look like you are driving a musclecar, at least you can feel like you are. The stereo has also been modernized, and no longer includes the AM radio that was common when these cars were new.

“I bought the car because it intrigued me,” Christopher told us. “I never really knew what a Corvair was until I saw this one up close.” It had the ’60s body style that he was looking for, and as soon as he saw the air cooled engine, he was sold.  “I needed to get it back to my house as soon as possible so I could take it apart and see what it was made of.” After having it for two years, he thinks it’s time to give someone else a chance at enjoying this car. It’s still hard for Christopher to let go of the car, especially when his three-year-old daughter, Mairi, loves the car so much.

As far as trades are concerned, Christopher might consider something four-wheel drive, but as always, cash is king. The goal is really to get money for the next project. If you are interested in this car and want to make Christopher an offer, get in contact with him through the original Craigslist ad here.

What do you think of this affordable, reliable old Chevy? Would you consider using this as your daily driver? If you were to buy this car, what would you do with it? Tell us all about it in the comments section.