It’s not everyday that you hear the words “cool” and “Corvair” in the same sentence, but if you ask ’62 Corvair Monza Spyder owner Patrick Croan of Temecula, California, you should.

This week on USA Today’s “Show Us Your Car” episode, host Chris Woodyard talks to Croan about the cool side of Corvairs. And no, we’re not pulling your chain. Check out what Croan had to say in the video above.

For his whole life, Croan has been a Corvair kind of guy. That’s because when he was younger, his family owned one of the Chevy classics, taking the kids on family vacations to California in the car. But in addition to his own childhood memories involving a Corvair, Croan admits that its the style and engineering of this unique Chevy that keeps him hooked even to this day. And with an American-made rear-engine platform, we can’t blame him.

But Croan’s Corvair is not your run-of-the-mill factory type. In all actuality, it’s fairly souped up with a full suspension upgrade, hefty brakes, and plenty of engine massaging. Though Croan doesn’t discuss exactly what he did to the engine, it certainly doesn’t sound like any powerplant we’ve heard behind a Corvair before.

When the Corvair first came out, Ralph Nader quickly took up arms against the car in his book Unsafe at Any Speed. But over 50 years later, true car enthusiasts can see the insanity behind Nader’s claims, even if they don’t necessarily appreciate the styling that the classic Chevy conveys.

In a time when new Chevys are proving to be dangerous, at least according to expanding recalls released by the brand, the Corvair’s unfair reputation doesn’t seem that bad. Maybe Croan is on to something and the industry should give this “loved to be hated” car the chance that it deserves!

Image: Dan MacMedan/ USA Today