When we came to America, my late mother bought one of these as her daily driver; she took great care of it and drove it till it died and could not be fixed. I remember camping trips where she, my grandmother, and I would pack into it with all our gear and camp for all of summer and winter break. It was such a bulletproof machine. We even named it George because it was such a great machine. It reminded us of our old mule Gregorie. I miss that van, a lot of great memories.
From what I've read, Chevrolet wanted to discontinue the Corvair, but then Ralph Nader's book "Unsafe at Any Speed" came out insisting that the Corvair was a dangerous car to drive. Apparently in an *"I'll show you!",* or something, Chevy decided to continue with the Corvair.
Jason Carpp pinto and it’s rear death tank. Neat looking cars but that gas tank is the down fall of the pinto and not to mention ford even predicted deaths by pinto and broadcasted it how shame full. Though there prediction was wrong and only 27 deaths still.
It’s funny when you drive an odd classic how people react so happily. When you drive a more traditional one a lot of people try to ignore it. That van is really cool.
gooni goo goo don’t think I said I was concerned. Just made an observation. I don’t care if my classic cars are popular or valuable. I just drive the ones I enjoy.
@@goonigoogoo5868 It's not odd to enjoy when people have a positive response to any vehicle you might be driving. I bought a 2017 Mazda Miata. I have received so many positive responses to it from the very first day I bought it. It started with two kids playing along one street. I had the top down, and they said "we love your car!" frankly, I never expected to even be noticed in it. I didn't buy it because I was concerned what others think, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to enjoy when I get those positive responses. When I had a Corvette, that certainly got positive responses, which didn't surprise me, but I was blown away by the fact I was getting the same kinds of responses for the Miata. I did get one response I thought was odd, a mechanic called it cute. I just said "Thanks." with a question mark in my head. Kind of like when I walked into a Denny's and some older guy sitting alone said "You sure have a pretty shirt." A little bit later he invited me to join him at his table. I politely declined. You get the picture, lol.
In 1961 my parents bought a brand new Corvair Greenbrier (Green with a white stripe) and it was immediately the most recognizable car when my mother would pick me up from school. It got Owww's and Awww's and interested looks from everyone. We were avid campers and it was the perfect vehicle. We drove from the San Fernando Valley, CA to St. Petersburg, FL in 3 days. My father would sleep while my mother drove and vice versa. Two specific problems with the car: 1. The front brake lines were worn thru by the brake drum which caused the brakes to fail, my dad had to downshift and use the emergency brake to stop. Chevrolet modified the brake lines and solved that problem. 2. In winter mountain trips, the carburetors would freeze and the engine would quit. Once thawed the engine would restart and we were on our way in 15 minutes or so. Thanks to Ralph Nader, the entire line of Corvairs were discontinued as unsafe automobiles ..... damn shame because they were good cars!
I am 72 years old so I grew up in the age of Corvairs so I thought they were awesome cars that got a bad rap from Ralph Nader who ultimately helped kill the Corvairs. But your van is in remarkable condition for its age. I doubt you could find another in similar condition. You are very lucky to have this piece of GM history. Hope you keep this beautiful van. My favorite was the Monza when they changed the body style to a sleeker look. Beautiful car even to this day. Love your videos. But I am very jealous of that stunning Mercedes you got an absolute steal on. Stay safe and healthy 🙏
Charlie Sydnor I had a 66 manza and even though it spent as much time in the garage as on the road ,I still looked cooler than the Fonz listening to iron maiden while smoking bong hits on the east wing veranda.🤣👍(PS sorry for the bong hit reference ,you being 72 you might not get it... but being an appreciator of Corvair's you might.
That's true a bout Ralph that's why there is a vent on the out side in the back on his it drew the fumes away from the engine we had 6 corve 63 2 64s 2 vans and a66
I agree and disagree. Although Corvair sales did slump around the same year the book came out, many many people did not take anything Nader said seriously. My dad always called him a schmuck. His bitch only concerned the early swing axle type Corvair models, which were the same design as the then-current Porsches and VWs. I have studied the Corvair phenomenon closely, and read tons of material on GM and their thinking at the time. First the Corvair was not "killed", it simply found less buyers and hung in there until 1969. GM just stopped putting money into it. Why? A number of reasons. First off, the pony car/musclecar phenomenon was getting red hot...curiously all around the same time that Corvair sales were dying down. Second, the Corvair, although mass produced, shared little with other GM platforms, and there's a cost associated with that. If you were running GM, would you rather put effort into selling a platform that is no longer innovative and fresh, was never super hot anyway, or build more muscle cars? The Camaro was being planned in 1965 for a 1967 debut, and GM put a lot of time and engineering into it...again, around the same time as the sales started slumping and GM was not promoting the Corvair. Although a bit of apples and oranges, it was easier to make and sell a Nova SS than a Corvair turbo. I never bought that Nader's foolish book had that kind of power, I think it has become an assumption handed down over time, not based in reality. The Corvair had a decent 9 year run and people were into performance hardware at that time. Think of it....would you rather have a Corvair coupe in 1965 or a brand spanking new Mustang? That said, I love Corvairs and drive a Rampside--likely the most "dangerous" of all the models. I have driven that thing on uneven roads, moved a freaking Hammond organ in it, car engines and parts, couches, beds, everything. Not one time did the truck go squirrelly. Just more bunk handed down person to person. Interestingly, in the early 1970s, the DOT staged a comparison test with the Corvair and contemporary vehicles from the early 1960s, and concluded that the Corvair had absolutely no handling issues or dangers, and were not safer or less safe than the other vehicles of the time. This exoneration was never acknowledge by the weenie Nader.
@@ToyKingWonder They were an awesome car though. Being 72 I grew up when Corvairs came out and I drove them the Monza being the most fun to drive when they changed the body style to a more sleek aerodynamic style. Beautiful car and still is. Didn't care for the first gen body style
@@charliesydnor8889 I agree Charlie, I like them all. We had a 1962 coupe as a project car in auto shop when I was in high school--I taught myself how to shift a manual on it. We got it running and tuned and would sneak it off campus and take it down the street to an open field and "off road" it. It would not break. Then we would shut the engine off as we coasted it down hill back to the auto shop. The new ones were definitely good looking cars, but the old ones have their charm too. From the front, the van and my Rampside look like big, enlarged first generation cars! I like them all. Even today, the less rare models are a great way to get into the collector car hobby without costing an arm and a leg.
I was 15 ½ years old and drove halfway to the 1963 Pomona, California, National Hot Rod Association Winternationals in a “1962 Corvan, 4 spd.”. I’ll never forget that trip. Big Daddy Don Garlits, Bob Muravez, Tony Nancy Comp Eliminator, Tommy Grove - 64 Plymouth Maxwedge, etc. I fell in love with that Corvan. I could bounce it and get wheelies. In the 70's I bought a 1964 Covair converable. Very easy to work on. I had so many offers to buy it I finally gave in and sold it to a collector for WAY more than I purchase it for. Great video. Thanks
I grew up in my family had several corvairs. Two of them were 65 Corsa's. We had 110 horsepower and then 140 horsepower and then the 180 horsepower Turbo. The turbo eventually got replaced with a Paxton Supercharger. That particular car went super fast. I love the way it handles as well. We had wide tires in the back and it turned corners like it was on rails.
What a blast from the past, my father had one of these Greenbriers back in 64, it was even the same color. We were a family of 6 so your choices were vans or station wagons. No SUVs back in 64. As a matter of fact we had 3 Corvairs; the van, a two two Monza and a four door. I would love to have one now just because no one has ever seen one.
That van is in incredible condition! I'll always have a soft spot for uncommon/unloved stuff like that, it's fun being the only one at a show with an unusual vehicle; you always stand out far more than being the 10th '69 Camaro in a row.
@@hullinger Unless that 1957 Chevy is a restored S10 pickup with unmodified ride height of the vehicle they had at the time. There are so few of those actually fully restored but not modified by making a low rider or doing something to the top and a good chunk of them are still used as a work/farm truck even to this day not fully restored. If not that a Nomad of the same year 1957.
In 1969 Mom and Dad piled all 7 of us kids, aged between 9 and 14 into our Greenbrier "the bus" as we called it, and drove from Sacramento California to Boston via every National Park and historic battle field in between. We took the northern route across stopping in Cass Lake Minnesota, where my father grew up to visit family there. We then continued our journey across northern Wisconsin, down through Michigan to Washington DC. Camped outside DC (hotels were only for showers) and saw everything there was to see in our nation's capital. Onward, we traveled north to Philadelphia to Liberty Hall and saw the Liberty Bell and the Decloration of Independence. Northward through NYC where ours was a non-stop, finger-pointing kind of tour. Not one foot touched the ground there. And on upbto Boston. Oh the stories. We were away for 3 weeks. Two weeks heading east and 3 days (!) to get back home. 😂 The bus broke down in DC and we stopped traffice for miles. Had to have it towed of the center lane of a busy avenue next to the Lincoln Monument. Mom sat on the steps smoking while we ran wild around her. We all piled into one taxi to get back to our campsite. God love my parents and our bus. California, AMY 887 What a trip! 😂
Ours was baby blue with a white body stripe. I have very fond memories of riding with my father from Ohio to Illinois in this van. It would haul anything, fit anything, and was a rolling death-trap if you had a head-on. Of all the 60's era vehicles I've owned or driven, this is number 2 after an early sixties Karmann Ghia. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
I commend your presentation of this classic vehicle. Nothing fancy, just clear and concise information. I've watched hundreds of videos about classic cars and they have lousy camera angles, drone on about insignificant aspects and gloss it up with CGI video crap. Excellent presentation, I learned a lot.
I barely remember our 62' Greenbrier. Our folks got it because it could hold 8 kids without too many fights. We used it for camping, long trips as well as everyday driving in Iowa. I remember it leaked fumes from the engine compartment something awful, but it served us well. I understand a couple of weeks after my dad traded it in for a station wagon, a business bought it for deliveries and rolled it within weeks of getting it. Thank you very much for the showing yours - they were a very limited item back in those days and it does bring back my memories..
I was born in 1951 and when I was growing up one of our neighbors that also had a family of children owned a Corvair Greenbrier Van that was used a part of carpool to take us children to school. This Greenbrier Van had the 2 speed power glide transmission on it.
I do remember these vans. My sister owned a 1965 Corvair Monza, because our Dad owned the local Chevrolet Dealership in the 1960’s. It was fun to drive, but not too reliable. (Especially for a non-mechanical 16 year old) She was always breaking down and/or unable to start it. It was an amazing time for Chevrolet. They had a vehicle for every character under the sun. Corvette for the playboy, Impala for the family, Chevelle, Camaro and Nova for the Motorheads, Corvair for the grandma, the Caprice Estate Wagon for the big family (like ours, we got a new one 4 times a year), the farm trucks for the farmers (ranging from a simple pickup to a grain truck) Suburban for the Florist/plumber, School Buses for the school, Dump trucks for the local highway department. They had all the bases covered!
I love the VW bus too...but the big advantage is the power. Although the Corvairs are less than 100hp, there is no comparison to the VW. You can cruise freeway speeds all day long in them, they are wider, roomier, and have less rollover tendencies. Just a great vehicle. Inflate the tires right and don't fly around curves on them and they will treat you right!
My dad had a Greenbrier when I was growing up in the early 1960s. He was a country veterinarian and used it for calls to farms and ranches. He took that thing in places Jeeps feared to tread. When it wore out, he moved up to larger Chevy vans.
I am a big fan of Corvairs. I have a 66 Corsa 140 in storage that I want to rebuild as soon as I get my 78 Suburban back to the position of complete and ready to be my main vehicle. The Corvair is not my first and I hope that I can pass it down to my grandchild when I die. They are not forgotten by many people who love the simplicity and quality that is in these vehicles.
I sold my 61 Greenbrier some 15 years ago when I moved away from Texas. I LOVED my Greenbrier. I drove it with full confidence all the way across the North American continent twice. It was maroon with a white beltline, a mirrored ceiling trimmed in bamboo, plaid cloth walls and knee-deep, orange shag carpet in back with an orange velour "love seat" and an "ahh-ooogah" horn. Man, I loved that van! It ran sooooo good. I never had a problem with it once I got the correct alternator mount, as it had been converted to an alternator but they kept the old generator mount; causing it to toss its belt every hundred miles or so. I really, really wish I could meet the person who owns it now. I don't need another van, but the stories I have to tell!
I just gave my 63 Monza 900 Club Coupe to my son. Poor car just sat around and every time I went to start it, The fuel had gone bad. He picked it up on a trailer last week and has already send me a video of him and the grandkids riding around in there little town with it. Looks like it will live again. Great van you have there. Anyone that loves cars would be just as proud as you are to own it.
Thanks for this. My dad had the cargo van in the late 60's when I was about 5 years old. It had only a driver's seat. I would share the seat with Dad while my older brother sat on a milk crate. Dad would let me shift the 4-speed, and to this day, I've never owned an automatic. This brought back many fond memories.
Hi ! I'm 66 yrs old and we had the 2 door 2 speed automatic and I loved that car.... It would go anywhere rain MUD snow Ice and just good weather. I remember my Dad driving around stuck 4x4 trucks going to farm auctions and the 4x4 drivers coming to us to know what kind of car could pass there 4x4 in the mud.... My Father drove that car daily from Churchill Ont. to Toronto daily and never got stuck. We confidently even passed snow plows on the then 2 lane 400 highway with ease. I am in the Philippines now and would love to have one with me now . I would really like to have the Van model. There is a company that specializes in putting those motors in Airplanes with great success .... I recognize that dash board immediately from my childhood ... Thanks for the memory lane smile...
I enjoyed this video very much! We had a green Greenbrier back in the early 60's. When I was a baby my parents drove the family all around for vacation. Everyone used to say my mom drove a truck..I guess she was ahead of the times.
Very interesting to me! My first car was a 1963 Corvair Monza. Man, I have kicked myself so many times for not hanging on to that car! I really miss it and wish I still had it!
My dad had a 63 "green" Greenbriar. I had to take my driver's test with my dad watching. My tester was a Jersey State cop. He asked"is that your dad?" I shook my head and looked panicked and told him he hoped I'd fail. He said I'll tell what to do to parallel park this bus (it was a Bear!) Once I was done he got out and shook my father's hand and told him I had a perfect score! My top speed on the Parkway was 60 maybe 65 with a tail wind. Great memories!
My first dealership job was a Chevy agency. In 1974 we still had a few coming in for service. So , I guess I can say that I had the pleasure of actually working on them when they were just " traffic" !
My dad had a bread delivery business in Montreal at the time these vans were introduced and he bought the first one available. I was 17 years old just got my driver's license and started working for him driving this thing. It was a novelty even then. I remember spending as much time at the dealership getting it fixed as it was on the road. Mainly, the fan belt kept coming off the pullies. The Candian winters weren't very kind to it either. Great memories though.
Our school district in Idaho had one of these. I bought it the year I graduated in 1975. It was still being used. My cousin bought it from me in 1980. It still runs, his son drives it now.
Corvairs run in my family genetics. My uncle had a Spyder that he drag raced. He used to load the truck with ice and adult beverages - the longer he ran, the faster the car would be through weight reduction! My first Corvair was a 1966 Monza coupe with the power glide. I should have never parted with it and I've always been keeping am eye open for a nice Rampside or Lakewood wagon. Great vid as usual.
my first new car was a 1964 monza spyder took it to the drags at the old san fernando drag strip. loved it and would beat the early v 8 falcons. sold it when it turned 100,000 miles on the still ran great.
Oy, those springs! That thing rocks like my brother's '72 Chevy Impala. Car was owned by a widow too old to drive and came complete with clear plastic seat covers of the kind used by the same set on their living room furniture. Two bench seats wider than my king sized bed. It was our 80s equivalent of Wayne's AMC Pacer. One thing I don't miss much about the good old days is the squishy suspension of those old land yachts.
I love that old Vann. Just like Charlie, in previous comment, I grew up with corvairs. Had one when I first got married. Not the vann but a regular corvair 300. Thanks for restoring it and putting It out there. It brings back memories of a happier time.
I owned a 1964 Corvair, loved it, never had any trouble in any respect with it. It was a plain Jane, standard shift, gobs of power and easy on gas. Never had a wrench on it except just maintenance stuff. Always regretted selling it at 90.000 miles, and still running strong. Wish l had it back. Oh well! Thanks, love your Greenbrier. I remember those very well. 🌈
My dad and brother-in-law had one of these for their business. When my parents were out of town, I would take all the equipment out of it and go cruising around town. I once picked up 23 kids, one had a bicycle, and take them all to Burger Chef. Your old if you remember Burger Chef. It was quite a spectacle seeing all those kids pile out that little van. The kid with the bike popped out and just rode away, I guess he wasn't hungry. You could also let out clutch slowly until you moving and bump the gas pedal to get front wheels about a foot off the ground. Wheelie time.
I drove one just like it to High School in 1972, it was blue and white, everyone loved riding in it, I miss it. Enjoy it yours is really nice and very COOL
*A quick search of Google Images shows plenty of C.C. Greenbriers (both vans and pickups) available across the country. But I agree they are not commonly seen. Even in the 1960's, when I was a kid, I saw few of the pickup versions. They looked so different from regular front-engine pickups that they reminded me of something out of a the sci-fi movie like Forbidden Planet. I always liked them, and then one day their presence on America's roads began to fade - much like America's greatness back then is fading today.*
I would love to have another Corvair van. My father gave me the one he used as his T.V repair van back in the sixties. It only had a drivers set so the passenger had to sit on the hump on a couple of folded up blankets with no seatbelts. A couple of my friends wouldn't ride with me anymore because I would fly over these railroad tracks that were by my house that would lift the van off the road witch would send the passenger flying out of his seat. Wish there were dash cameras back then. I myself was also a victim to this abuse when my older brother took me for my first ride in that van and I experienced weightlessness for the first time, loved that van and the party's we had in and around it.
My best friend went into a wheelchair when we were in 3rd grade, so his Dad bought a new Greenbriar, removed one of the rear seats and welded braces on the rear floor panel to anchor the wheel chair and for easy egress. I would sit in the reverse seat and we had a 3 X 3 piece of plywood to play cards on while on trips with his folks. Took awhile to get where you were going but I remember his Dad's smile every time we passed a VW bus. They continued to use the Greenbriar until we were in high school. Like many Chevys of the 60s, there were issues (Slip & Slide with PowerGlide) but you could usually count on getting where you were going.
Back in the sixties, there was a Car and Driver article written by motorcycle columnist Barry Brown called "Brown's Bus". He decided he wanted a true 'sports van' to transport his motorcycles (and his growing family), and picked the Corvair Greenbrier as the perfect starting point. The bulk of the article described the various parts he sourced (from aftermarket performance specialists like Don Yenko) and changes he made to improve the handling, braking, gear ratios, steering, engine performance, and comfort/ergonomics of the Greenbrier. It was a very entertaining read.
@@hullinger I tried finding it on the internet, but had no luck (it's from Car and Driver in the mid 60's, when you could still buy a new Greenbrier).
I had a friend in high school who for graduation obtained a brand new ramp side. He had a small electronics repair company through high school. Always wanted one like yours. Thanks
I had a '65 Monza 500 with a "heavy duty" fan belt. I got up to 5 years on that "heavy duty" fan belt before it started shredding it self. I bought the belt from a local parts supplier in Detroit before they went out of business. Bower was the last place in Detroit that even remembered the Corvair. I had a few Corvairs. My favorites were the '65 500 and a '65 4 door. I slapped a turbo on the 500 from a smashed Corsa I found in a junk yard. For a three speed she could really move out, and when I behaved myself, I got really good mileage. It was such a good sleeper. My '65 Monza four door, was great for hauling lots of friends, but I got tired of the bench and found some buckets that were in great shape. I rebuild a 110 engine with .30 over cylinders and pistons, isky comp 2 cam shaft with the Clark lifters, over sized the jets, 140 dual exhaust system, and I managed to find a 12 plate oil cooler with the extended top shroud. I found out the cam shaft I chose was a poor choice for a car with a powerglide transmission. So I had to move the transmission vacuum source to the air filter housing. I also had troubles with the distributor advance curve. I was pulling the advances off of all kinds of junked cars, but nothing was working. So on the off chance that a better vacuum source is what I needed I moved the vacuum line to the air filter housing, and there was tremendous improvement. I moved it again to just above the right carburetor. Oh man, the monster awakened. I could lift the front of the car off the ground, scared the hell out of me, but when I was behaving myself, I could easily get 24mpg. I drove that car for six years, but the car was 30 years old and always in Michigan. It was a total sleeper. I got on it one day and something cracked loudly on the passenger side. Then the wind shield started to crack and the passenger door wouldn't open any more. Her back was broken (rockers totally rusted out), but she got me home before the body totally failed. I have often thought of getting another Corvair but not a car. A ramp side or the Cor-van95 (the panel van you mentioned). I don't ever see the Cor-van 95s anymore but there are a few Greenbriars in the area.
I have seen a rare 8 door van (side door both sides). The automatic powerglide transmission was available with different gear ratios. One lower ratio for hauling, lower speeds, can overheat on the nicest day at freeway speed. The higher ratio is fine on the freeway. Have seen a few with side scoops to aid cooling. And aftermarket oil coolers are good. Corvair motors were in many dunes buggy, and Meyers Manx. Our neighbor was North California sales manager for Justice Brothers Oil Products. All of his salesmen had a white Corvair panel truck, he applied the JB decals in his driveway. We had a 1964. Carried a Honda Trail 90 on the front bumper. Did some light off roading, big hills no problem, unless muddy. Our engine hatch must have been modified. Dad opened it with a simple latch.
I am 58 and my Dad taught me how to drive for the first few months in our Family Corvair Deluxe Van! Before that, I remember We took that van all over Oregon and Washington camping and exploring! Sometimes driving miles and miles on dirt roads..... to the Ape caves in Washington as an example! Dont remember ever having any problems and Dad drove it 70 miles a day to work for a couple years!
I don't know why this wouldn't attract more attention! I think it's cool! I used to have a 1957 Willys Jeep FC-150 which was a little pickup truck that was forward control, similar to this van.
These were the coolest vans ever made in the US. They just never could quite compete with the econolines of the era. Thank Nader, in part, for helping to get these things canceled before they were further developed... all just to sell a book and become known. Oh well. I love this van, and am quite envious!
Ralph Nader was a total unblemished idiot and I loved and drove the Monza hard on rainslick roads in Oregon. Letting the rear hang out on corners. It was a sports car with superb handling that I as a teenager could handle why not an adult?
@@PaulHigginbothamSr You are right on all counts. See my screed on Nader above. I drove my Rampside in the rain, with wind, with an engine hoist, a V8 engine, and fenders in the back on both an uneven gravel road where I bought the items and then the freeway, with no issues. Screw Nader.
Nice video Buddy, I'm 63 and I remember those when I was a kid. The neighbors down the street had a new 67' MONZA, kinda Burgundy color w/ a black drop-top. He'd added glass packs and the stock chrome wheels. That's a very well preserved example of a 64' GREENBRIER Sir, very nice!!
Super rare, thanks for keeping a piece of history alive. I own and drive a 1984 Jeep Cj8 Scrambler, gets lots of waves and thumbs up. Bought brand new 38 years ago for $10,000.00. (!) Keep those Corvairs running!
I owned a 1965 Corvair Corsa Coupe, 180 HP turbo, 4 speed, Tuxedo Black with the Silver tail insert. My brother owned it before me and swapped out the turbo with a 140 HP. He put the turbo in a '66 Corsa Convertible. Those were some awesome cars!
New viewer and subscriber here. As a young child I rode on the flat rear floor of a 64 Monza that mostly my Mom drove and my newer sister being even smaller rode in the parcel shelf below the back window. In my early 20 & 30 I was active in the Corvair Club of Baltimore and one of our most active members, Gary Segal had a collection of van and truck versions as well as many cars! I worked for The Corvair Ranch in PA, near to Gettysburg for the original owner who had a Corvair RV like a smaller one of the GMC fiberglass shells. Great fun! I'd a fully restored 110 engine on the end of our kitchen counter as it had all new mechanicals from Clark's and the rotating parts had been balanced and blueprinted by House of Balance nextdoor to Coleman Brothers Speed Shop in Elkridge, Maryland. Many good time's were had by all!
My uncle in Alberta had one of these in the 60s. Sometimes it was the only thing that would start at -30 C so he would use it to jump start the snowplows at the provincial transportation shed. I have great memories riding in that Greenbrier with my cousins.
I grew up in the 60s and 70s through High School and I'm amazed because this is the first one of these I've seen. 2020 and I finally get a view LOL. Pretty unique vehicle!
Today I was able to see a Corvair Greenbrier van for the first time at a local car show. I wonder how many of the vans are left across the world today. Great video!! Thanks for sharing the van with us.
Happy to see another of your Corvair videos. I have two. A 1964 Corvair Spyder convertible I've owned since 1968!! Last year I purchased a 1961 Corvair Rampside. GREAT fun and practical too. As you mentioned, people LOVE seeing these. At car shows many of the old timers always have a Corvair story. Hope you never sell yours! .
Drove one of these on one of my first jobs. 50+ years of driving all sorts of vehicles, it was, hands down, the scariest-handling ride ever. Swing axles+high center of gravity=equals sudden, radical oversteer. That combined with my less-than-conservative driving style made for some very interesting moments.
I still have a 140hp Corvair. I found out some 37 years ago when I bought it unless you bought an OEM (still available) belt and retained the deep pulley on the alternator keeping a belt in place. When I got the car it needed an alternator so I bought one put a new belt in and the problems started, if I got the engine much above 3,000 it would throw the belt. Nice vehicle looks to be in really good shape.
the aftermarket belt is the wrong "width" which is SAE stated using a "letter" not to be confussed with the belt length which is SAE stated using number value ( e.g. 55) Corvair is vans are killer cool. crazy thing about them . the rear door hing system. I have a new Mercedes Metris van . MB makea big deal out of the 2 position door system copied from 1961 corvair vans that used to made by a real car company GM . Now GM is garbage
Those US-spec Metris vans have a design flaw with the sensors in the EVAP system. A whole module has to be replaced for thousands if that stupid little sensor breaks. I hope it does not happen to yours. @@bossmanmce5599
When I was a kid in the 60’s my best friend’s family had a red and white Greenbriar. We used to load everyone up and go. What a great vehicle. The only problem was an overheating issue in the hot summer months in Arizona.
We have had a few Greenbriers and Corvair's in the 60s and after seeing your van it kinda makes me want to go out and buy a drip pan and then go shopping for one.
Thank you! My grandpa was a Chevy guy and mechanic who'd buy cars, fix, drive, and flip. My Dad bought a Chevy Corvair cargo van from him when i was in high school in the late 1970's. Had a manual 3 speed. It was a fun outfit to drive! You're being generous though. The best that it would do is 55 mph, down hill, with a wind at our backs. Maybe your 4th gear is overdrive?
Hi! Your Video was YT suggested and my eyes almost popped out of their sockets when I saw this beauty! My neighbor and Little League coach had one of these beauties and would take us to games and practice in her. He would let his son shift it. He'd say Low, High etc. lol You really took me on a trip down memory lane today. Thank you for that. His Greenbrier was a 62 or 63 I think. I would to find one and own one. My 67 S-code Mustang will just have to go bye bye. Thanks again for this wonderful video sir. Cheers from Michigan!
A friend had a Corvair van, as we called them. I rode in it a lot, probably in about 73-74. Kind of fun to ride in it, since the engine was in the back. Lasted a while too, from there he always bought VW bugs. Long time ago!
Parents had one, a 1965.green and white in color, remember that van well, coolest van that Chevy ever made, a good example of forward thinking, pioneering the mini-van idea in the '60's.
I had a 64 Corvair van in 69-71. I lived in New England at the time. The heater sucked. The defroster was nonexistent. You almost had too change the valve cover gaskets when you changed the oil. You could use a calendar too time a quarter mile run. It was the best vehicle I have ever owned. We would go too a drive in movie, with 20 people in it, at $2.00 a car load. All the windows, by the seats, would roll all the way down. With the middle seat facing backwards, you could throw a couple of cases of empties between the front and middle seats. We kept the full ones on top of the engine compartment, hidden, but won't say how. Mine was an automatic, and the shift lever was a little lever sticking out of the dash. I would love too have another one now.
We had 2 green brierers when I was 10 my dad made one a camper it slept 7 people and 2 dogs. 5 kids slept over the engine in the back ,,,the seats turned into beds ,on the side doors there were 2 benches with a table that dropped down for mom and dad ,,,,two dog in the front floor board ,,,the first night we went camping we got no sleep for the other campers coming over to see it ,,,we drove that van to NC from RI and back it was a tough little truck thanks for the memories same color as yours ,,,I still have a 110 I rebuilt out in the shed it's about a150 now these were the easiest engines to work on ,,,and real good in the snow up north.
My grandfather converted one to a camper and used it for many years to travel all over the usa. My dad and uncle each had one and used it for business. They were good in the snow due to the engine weight over the rear drive wheels. My dad converted his to a camper. I slept on the front seat, my younger brother on a rear seat and our parents on the bed in the back. Took us many places. Good times.
Love it! Great video. My first car was a 1964 Corvair Monza Spyder. I was given the car by a friend of my Dad's back in the early 70's. I wasn't worth anything and needed a LOT of work but my Dad and I overhauled the engine, gave the body a coat of paint and I drove the thing for a couple of years. You mentioned that cooling belt? Mine had a bad habit of throwing the cooling belt at unpredictable intervals. It really got annoying and I learned to keep a spare belt and the tools in the trunk. Like you said, it only takes minutes to install the belt so it wasn't that bad. Finally, the car tossed the cooling belt again only this time, I didn't have a replacement in the trunk but it failed within a block of a parts store. This isn't the store we had been doing business with through all this but it was there so I walked over and asked for a new belt, giving the guy behind the counter the cars specs. He looked it up in his book, went to the back, and came back with my new belt. Only problem was, the belt he put on the counter wasn't anything like the belt I had been getting from the parts store we had been doing business with. I asked about that and he double checked the number in his book and confirmed that this was the belt called for on my car. So.......I paid for it and installed it and it was the last belt I ever had to replace on my Corvair. Needless to say, I had a "new" favorite automotive parts store to do business with after that!
as a high school kid near seattle my first car was a '64 corvair spyder. it was ugly, but hard to break. i did spin out a couple of times in rainy seattle - like nader said, but my teenage reflexes saved the day. no harm done in my case. i had a good friend whose parents had a garage full of old corvairs. they were big fans, and were thrilled when i drove my raggedy old car over. it was solid though, and stood up well to my teenaged learning curve. only paid $500 for it in '78.
Used to have a 61 greenbriar. Was pretty interesting. First engine I ever rebuilt as a kid. Wish I still had it. Was super clean and learned alot even with its simplicity.
👍Love how you’re just cranking out daily videos for us Chris!👍 Wonderful distraction during these challenging times on great subjects... CARS! 🚕🚙🚓🚌🚚🚘 Always loved your van; I’ve watched your previous ones & I learn something new with each episode. Thanks again & stay safe! Cheers ~ L
Hey friend, thanks so much for the kind words and I hope you know that I always appreciate when you stop by and chime in. Really. Stay safe my friend. Only a few more weeks until lock-down is lifted.
Thanks for the video, it sure brought back memories. My Dad had a friend who restored Corvairs in the late seventies, and we owned a 1967 four door Corvair Monza car. I especially love the suspension squeaks coming back into the driveway!
Haha, yeah, that squeak is personality. I've gotten used to it to the point where I don't even notice it anymore. Thanks for watching and for sharing your memories too.
In college, I worked for an ambulance service. In late '67 or early '68, the boss bought a Corvair van that we converted to an ambulance. Getting a litter with a patient on it up onto the platform over the engine was quite a heave. The Corvair was not the speediest of vehicles, with lights and sirens we could barely pass normal traffic!
Excellent! My friends father worked for a Chevy dealer and would come home with the rampside. Thought it was the coolest thing. Thank you for the great video.
I owned one of the very first greenbriar in 1961 and in 121,000 only had to rebuild the engine 3 times.Complete breakdown, broken valves, broken crankshaft stuck valves, endless problems, drove like it was 40hp, gutless, drive through a pass and the wind would move you one whole lane either way the wind blew. It was fun had a tent mounted on the roof for camping, but I finally gave up as it was time to do rebuild # 4. Switched to a 57 Imperial, that would do 100 mph up a hill.
When I was a little kid back in the early 70s we had friends that had 12 siblings and their parents had one of these vans to carry them all around. That is so cool and UNIQUE!👍
We had a green one when I was growing up. With 8 kids it was the only thing we could find that held us all. I don't remember it giving us any trouble. It didn't go fast but it did go.
What a Gem....I remember seeing the Rampside Pickups around when I was younger, but I never actually saw a Greenbrier Van like this....Pretty cool. I always liked the Unique GM stuff....Thanks for making this video.
Growing up in Southern Ohio, I saw a good number of those vans sitting around out in the country. Never saw one running.....just sitting in fields, in barns, in side yards. One house I used to go by on the way to my aunt and uncle's house....I think there were a dozen Corvairs of varying years and a good half dozen or so of the vans sitting in a nice neat row beside their pole barn. The guy collected them and was said to be restoring them....but years went by and I only ever saw him driving one Corvair....a white one with black interior.
I had Greenbrier van. It had 6 doors. I loaded it up with all my Hippy friends in Racine Wisconsin back in 69'. It overheated and shortly the cruise was done. My local Chevy dealer advised me to get rid of it cuz they didn't want to fix it when it busted down. It was a trip to own.
In the middle 1970s my Dad bought a 1963 Corvair Greenbrier. It was Emerald Green with a black stripe around the middle. At the time, " I did not like that Van". I could smell the oil burning in that van, as it wasn't well cared for before he got it. I'm not sure why he got this van, but I remember it being a car I "did not like".. my sister had a 61 Corvair sedan that I liked better than this van.. However, today.. I like to see them on You Tube.. because of Nostalgia. I like the perspective this man brings to this Van.. it gives me a different view point. "Great Post". "Peace" from SoCal !!!
When we came to America, my late mother bought one of these as her daily driver; she took great care of it and drove it till it died and could not be fixed. I remember camping trips where she, my grandmother, and I would pack into it with all our gear and camp for all of summer and winter break. It was such a bulletproof machine. We even named it George because it was such a great machine. It reminded us of our old mule Gregorie. I miss that van, a lot of great memories.
Corvairs in general are under appreciated gems.
From what I've read, Chevrolet wanted to discontinue the Corvair, but then Ralph Nader's book "Unsafe at Any Speed" came out insisting that the Corvair was a dangerous car to drive. Apparently in an *"I'll show you!",* or something, Chevy decided to continue with the Corvair.
Mark Johnson I agree I think the corvair is one of the best cars ever built and it’s a Chevy so of course there’s that fact to
I consider it a travesty that Chevy discontinued it when they did.
Jason Carpp I agree why he was picking on the corvair in his book when he forgot about the pinto
Jason Carpp pinto and it’s rear death tank. Neat looking cars but that gas tank is the down fall of the pinto and not to mention ford even predicted deaths by pinto and broadcasted it how shame full. Though there prediction was wrong and only 27 deaths still.
It’s funny when you drive an odd classic how people react so happily. When you drive a more traditional one a lot of people try to ignore it.
That van is really cool.
You
M.j no moo
why are you so concerned about how people reactt to your car? drive what you like. and not about the reacting you get from strangers ...odd
gooni goo goo don’t think I said I was concerned. Just made an observation.
I don’t care if my classic cars are popular or valuable. I just drive the ones I enjoy.
@@goonigoogoo5868 It's not odd to enjoy when people have a positive response to any vehicle you might be driving. I bought a 2017 Mazda Miata. I have received so many positive responses to it from the very first day I bought it. It started with two kids playing along one street. I had the top down, and they said "we love your car!" frankly, I never expected to even be noticed in it. I didn't buy it because I was concerned what others think, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to enjoy when I get those positive responses. When I had a Corvette, that certainly got positive responses, which didn't surprise me, but I was blown away by the fact I was getting the same kinds of responses for the Miata. I did get one response I thought was odd, a mechanic called it cute. I just said "Thanks." with a question mark in my head. Kind of like when I walked into a Denny's and some older guy sitting alone said "You sure have a pretty shirt." A little bit later he invited me to join him at his table. I politely declined. You get the picture, lol.
In 1961 my parents bought a brand new Corvair Greenbrier (Green with a white stripe) and it was immediately the most recognizable car when my mother would pick me up from school. It got Owww's and Awww's and interested looks from everyone.
We were avid campers and it was the perfect vehicle. We drove from the San Fernando Valley, CA to St. Petersburg, FL in 3 days. My father would sleep while my mother drove and vice versa.
Two specific problems with the car:
1. The front brake lines were worn thru by the brake drum which caused the brakes to fail, my dad had to downshift and use the emergency brake to stop. Chevrolet modified the brake lines and solved that problem.
2. In winter mountain trips, the carburetors would freeze and the engine would quit. Once thawed the engine would restart and we were on our way in 15 minutes or so.
Thanks to Ralph Nader, the entire line of Corvairs were discontinued as unsafe automobiles ..... damn shame because they were good cars!
I am 72 years old so I grew up in the age of Corvairs so I thought they were awesome cars that got a bad rap from Ralph Nader who ultimately helped kill the Corvairs. But your van is in remarkable condition for its age. I doubt you could find another in similar condition. You are very lucky to have this piece of GM history. Hope you keep this beautiful van. My favorite was the Monza when they changed the body style to a sleeker look. Beautiful car even to this day. Love your videos. But I am very jealous of that stunning Mercedes you got an absolute steal on. Stay safe and healthy 🙏
Charlie Sydnor I had a 66 manza and even though it spent as much time in the garage as on the road ,I still looked cooler than the Fonz listening to iron maiden while smoking bong hits on the east wing veranda.🤣👍(PS sorry for the bong hit reference ,you being 72 you might not get it... but being an appreciator of Corvair's you might.
That's true a bout Ralph that's why there is a vent on the out side in the back on his it drew the fumes away from the engine we had 6 corve 63 2 64s 2 vans and a66
I agree and disagree. Although Corvair sales did slump around the same year the book came out, many many people did not take anything Nader said seriously. My dad always called him a schmuck. His bitch only concerned the early swing axle type Corvair models, which were the same design as the then-current Porsches and VWs. I have studied the Corvair phenomenon closely, and read tons of material on GM and their thinking at the time. First the Corvair was not "killed", it simply found less buyers and hung in there until 1969. GM just stopped putting money into it. Why? A number of reasons. First off, the pony car/musclecar phenomenon was getting red hot...curiously all around the same time that Corvair sales were dying down. Second, the Corvair, although mass produced, shared little with other GM platforms, and there's a cost associated with that. If you were running GM, would you rather put effort into selling a platform that is no longer innovative and fresh, was never super hot anyway, or build more muscle cars? The Camaro was being planned in 1965 for a 1967 debut, and GM put a lot of time and engineering into it...again, around the same time as the sales started slumping and GM was not promoting the Corvair. Although a bit of apples and oranges, it was easier to make and sell a Nova SS than a Corvair turbo. I never bought that Nader's foolish book had that kind of power, I think it has become an assumption handed down over time, not based in reality. The Corvair had a decent 9 year run and people were into performance hardware at that time. Think of it....would you rather have a Corvair coupe in 1965 or a brand spanking new Mustang? That said, I love Corvairs and drive a Rampside--likely the most "dangerous" of all the models. I have driven that thing on uneven roads, moved a freaking Hammond organ in it, car engines and parts, couches, beds, everything. Not one time did the truck go squirrelly. Just more bunk handed down person to person. Interestingly, in the early 1970s, the DOT staged a comparison test with the Corvair and contemporary vehicles from the early 1960s, and concluded that the Corvair had absolutely no handling issues or dangers, and were not safer or less safe than the other vehicles of the time. This exoneration was never acknowledge by the weenie Nader.
@@ToyKingWonder They were an awesome car though. Being 72 I grew up when Corvairs came out and I drove them the Monza being the most fun to drive when they changed the body style to a more sleek aerodynamic style. Beautiful car and still is. Didn't care for the first gen body style
@@charliesydnor8889 I agree Charlie, I like them all. We had a 1962 coupe as a project car in auto shop when I was in high school--I taught myself how to shift a manual on it. We got it running and tuned and would sneak it off campus and take it down the street to an open field and "off road" it. It would not break. Then we would shut the engine off as we coasted it down hill back to the auto shop. The new ones were definitely good looking cars, but the old ones have their charm too. From the front, the van and my Rampside look like big, enlarged first generation cars! I like them all. Even today, the less rare models are a great way to get into the collector car hobby without costing an arm and a leg.
I was 15 ½ years old and drove halfway to the 1963 Pomona, California, National Hot Rod Association Winternationals in a “1962 Corvan, 4 spd.”. I’ll never forget that trip. Big Daddy Don Garlits, Bob Muravez, Tony Nancy Comp Eliminator, Tommy Grove - 64 Plymouth Maxwedge, etc. I fell in love with that Corvan. I could bounce it and get wheelies. In the 70's I bought a 1964 Covair converable. Very easy to work on. I had so many offers to buy it I finally gave in and sold it to a collector for WAY more than I purchase it for. Great video. Thanks
I grew up in my family had several corvairs. Two of them were 65 Corsa's. We had 110 horsepower and then 140 horsepower and then the 180 horsepower Turbo. The turbo eventually got replaced with a Paxton Supercharger. That particular car went super fast. I love the way it handles as well. We had wide tires in the back and it turned corners like it was on rails.
What a blast from the past, my father had one of these Greenbriers back in 64, it was even the same color. We were a family of 6 so your choices were vans or station wagons. No SUVs back in 64. As a matter of fact we had 3 Corvairs; the van, a two two Monza and a four door. I would love to have one now just because no one has ever seen one.
That van is in incredible condition! I'll always have a soft spot for uncommon/unloved stuff like that, it's fun being the only one at a show with an unusual vehicle; you always stand out far more than being the 10th '69 Camaro in a row.
So true man. You can only look at so many red '57 Chevy's before you've had enough. Thanks for checking out my Greenbrier vid!
@@hullinger Unless that 1957 Chevy is a restored S10 pickup with unmodified ride height of the vehicle they had at the time. There are so few of those actually fully restored but not modified by making a low rider or doing something to the top and a good chunk of them are still used as a work/farm truck even to this day not fully restored. If not that a Nomad of the same year 1957.
Families wanted station wagons back then but this truly was the first minivan.
Right on man and thanks for checking out the Greenbrier vid!
How cool is that? America's answer to the VW van! With a rear boxer 6, and 4 on the floor! I'd say it's a keeper! 😊😊
We had two Corvairs when I was young. They deserved much better than they got. I thank you for your presentation of a worthy vehicle.
In 1969 Mom and Dad piled all 7 of us kids, aged between 9 and 14 into our Greenbrier "the bus" as we called it, and drove from Sacramento California to Boston via every National Park and historic battle field in between. We took the northern route across stopping in Cass Lake Minnesota, where my father grew up to visit family there. We then continued our journey across northern Wisconsin, down through Michigan to Washington DC. Camped outside DC (hotels were only for showers) and saw everything there was to see in our nation's capital. Onward, we traveled north to Philadelphia to Liberty Hall and saw the Liberty Bell and the Decloration of Independence. Northward through NYC where ours was a non-stop, finger-pointing kind of tour. Not one foot touched the ground there. And on upbto Boston. Oh the stories. We were away for 3 weeks. Two weeks heading east and 3 days (!) to get back home. 😂 The bus broke down in DC and we stopped traffice for miles. Had to have it towed of the center lane of a busy avenue next to the Lincoln Monument. Mom sat on the steps smoking while we ran wild around her. We all piled into one taxi to get back to our campsite. God love my parents and our bus. California, AMY 887 What a trip! 😂
Remarkable condition. Everything you touched still works. ⭐️
Ours was baby blue with a white body stripe. I have very fond memories of riding with my father from Ohio to Illinois in this van. It would haul anything, fit anything, and was a rolling death-trap if you had a head-on. Of all the 60's era vehicles I've owned or driven, this is number 2 after an early sixties Karmann Ghia. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful van. These have been forgotten and under appreciated. Keep sharing.
I commend your presentation of this classic vehicle. Nothing fancy, just clear and concise information. I've watched hundreds of videos about classic cars and they have lousy camera angles, drone on about insignificant aspects and gloss it up with CGI video crap. Excellent presentation, I learned a lot.
My pick for the most attractive van styling ever.
Fist Bump!
I actually find it more attractive than Volkswagen's own Microbus.
I love the front end. The head and parking light assemblies look like two happy faces.
So do I. I'd drive one myself if I knew someone who had one and was willing to let me drive it.
I barely remember our 62' Greenbrier. Our folks got it because it could hold 8 kids without too many fights. We used it for camping, long trips as well as everyday driving in Iowa. I remember it leaked fumes from the engine compartment something awful, but it served us well. I understand a couple of weeks after my dad traded it in for a station wagon, a business bought it for deliveries and rolled it within weeks of getting it. Thank you very much for the showing yours - they were a very limited item back in those days and it does bring back my memories..
I was born in 1951 and when I was growing up one of our neighbors that also had a family of children owned a Corvair Greenbrier Van that was used a part of carpool to take us children to school. This Greenbrier Van had the 2 speed power glide transmission on it.
I do remember these vans.
My sister owned a 1965 Corvair Monza, because our Dad owned the local Chevrolet Dealership in the 1960’s. It was fun to drive, but not too reliable. (Especially for a non-mechanical 16 year old) She was always breaking down and/or unable to start it.
It was an amazing time for Chevrolet. They had a vehicle for every character under the sun. Corvette for the playboy, Impala for the family, Chevelle, Camaro and Nova for the Motorheads, Corvair for the grandma, the Caprice Estate Wagon for the big family (like ours, we got a new one 4 times a year), the farm trucks for the farmers (ranging from a simple pickup to a grain truck) Suburban for the Florist/plumber, School Buses for the school, Dump trucks for the local highway department.
They had all the bases covered!
As a fan of the VW Bus, the Greenbriar is one of my favorite Chevys
I love the VW bus too...but the big advantage is the power. Although the Corvairs are less than 100hp, there is no comparison to the VW. You can cruise freeway speeds all day long in them, they are wider, roomier, and have less rollover tendencies. Just a great vehicle. Inflate the tires right and don't fly around curves on them and they will treat you right!
My dad had a Greenbrier when I was growing up in the early 1960s. He was a country veterinarian and used it for calls to farms and ranches. He took that thing in places Jeeps feared to tread. When it wore out, he moved up to larger Chevy vans.
I am a big fan of Corvairs. I have a 66 Corsa 140 in storage that I want to rebuild as soon as I get my 78 Suburban back to the position of complete and ready to be my main vehicle. The Corvair is not my first and I hope that I can pass it down to my grandchild when I die. They are not forgotten by many people who love the simplicity and quality that is in these vehicles.
I sold my 61 Greenbrier some 15 years ago when I moved away from Texas. I LOVED my Greenbrier. I drove it with full confidence all the way across the North American continent twice. It was maroon with a white beltline, a mirrored ceiling trimmed in bamboo, plaid cloth walls and knee-deep, orange shag carpet in back with an orange velour "love seat" and an "ahh-ooogah" horn. Man, I loved that van! It ran sooooo good. I never had a problem with it once I got the correct alternator mount, as it had been converted to an alternator but they kept the old generator mount; causing it to toss its belt every hundred miles or so. I really, really wish I could meet the person who owns it now. I don't need another van, but the stories I have to tell!
I just gave my 63 Monza 900 Club Coupe to my son. Poor car just sat around and every time I went to start it, The fuel had gone bad. He picked it up on a trailer last week and has already send me a video of him and the grandkids riding around in there little town with it. Looks like it will live again. Great van you have there. Anyone that loves cars would be just as proud as you are to own it.
Thanks for this. My dad had the cargo van in the late 60's when I was about 5 years old. It had only a driver's seat. I would share the seat with Dad while my older brother sat on a milk crate. Dad would let me shift the 4-speed, and to this day, I've never owned an automatic. This brought back many fond memories.
Very cool and thanks for sharing the memory!
Hi ! I'm 66 yrs old and we had the 2 door 2 speed automatic and I loved that car.... It would go anywhere rain MUD snow Ice and just good weather. I remember my Dad driving around stuck 4x4 trucks going to farm auctions and the 4x4 drivers coming to us to know what kind of car could pass there 4x4 in the mud.... My Father drove that car daily from Churchill Ont. to Toronto daily and never got stuck. We confidently even passed snow plows on the then 2 lane 400 highway with ease. I am in the Philippines now and would love to have one with me now . I would really like to have the Van model. There is a company that specializes in putting those motors in Airplanes with great success .... I recognize that dash board immediately from my childhood ... Thanks for the memory lane smile...
Don't say sell it ! I'll buy it! What a wonderful old friend to share an evening cruz with!
I enjoyed this video very much! We had a green Greenbrier back in the early 60's. When I was a baby my parents drove the family all around for vacation. Everyone used to say my mom drove a truck..I guess she was ahead of the times.
Very interesting to me! My first car was a 1963 Corvair Monza. Man, I have kicked myself so many times for not hanging on to that car! I really miss it and wish I still had it!
The Monza was an awesome car especially when they went to the sleeker more refined body style. Would love to have one myself 😊
My dad had a 63 "green" Greenbriar. I had to take my driver's test with my dad watching. My tester was a Jersey State cop. He asked"is that your dad?" I shook my head and looked panicked and told him he hoped I'd fail. He said I'll tell what to do to parallel park this bus (it was a Bear!) Once I was done he got out and shook my father's hand and told him I had a perfect score! My top speed on the Parkway was 60 maybe 65 with a tail wind. Great memories!
Thanks for bringing back the memories. Nostalgia sells. Great 👍🏻 day to you.
My first dealership job was a Chevy agency. In 1974 we still had a few coming in for service. So , I guess I can say that I had the pleasure of actually working on them when they were just " traffic" !
My dad had a bread delivery business in Montreal at the time these vans were introduced and he bought the first one available. I was 17 years old just got my driver's license and started working for him driving this thing. It was a novelty even then. I remember spending as much time at the dealership getting it fixed as it was on the road. Mainly, the fan belt kept coming off the pullies. The Candian winters weren't very kind to it either. Great memories though.
Great video & thanks for sharing. I fondly remember these old cars. They are a lot of fun.
Our school district in Idaho had one of these. I bought it the year I graduated in 1975. It was still being used. My cousin bought it from me in 1980. It still runs, his son drives it now.
Corvairs run in my family genetics. My uncle had a Spyder that he drag raced. He used to load the truck with ice and adult beverages - the longer he ran, the faster the car would be through weight reduction! My first Corvair was a 1966 Monza coupe with the power glide. I should have never parted with it and I've always been keeping am eye open for a nice Rampside or Lakewood wagon. Great vid as usual.
my first new car was a 1964 monza spyder took it to the drags at the old san fernando drag strip. loved it and would beat the early v 8 falcons. sold it when it turned 100,000 miles on the still ran great.
Oy, those springs! That thing rocks like my brother's '72 Chevy Impala. Car was owned by a widow too old to drive and came complete with clear plastic seat covers of the kind used by the same set on their living room furniture. Two bench seats wider than my king sized bed. It was our 80s equivalent of Wayne's AMC Pacer. One thing I don't miss much about the good old days is the squishy suspension of those old land yachts.
I think she's beautiful, and even futuristic in styling..It;s exactly what a vehicle like this should be..Thanks for posting...UK
I love that old Vann. Just like Charlie, in previous comment, I grew up with corvairs. Had one when I first got married. Not the vann but a regular corvair 300. Thanks for restoring it and putting It out there. It brings back memories of a happier time.
Very cool comment and thanks for sharing. These Corvairs are pretty slick little vehicles.
I owned a 1964 Corvair, loved it, never had any trouble in any respect with it. It was a plain Jane, standard shift, gobs of power and easy on gas. Never had a wrench on it except just maintenance stuff. Always regretted selling it at 90.000 miles, and still running strong. Wish l had it back. Oh well! Thanks, love your Greenbrier. I remember those very well. 🌈
My dad and brother-in-law had one of these for their business. When my parents were out of town, I would take all the equipment out of it and go cruising around town. I once picked up 23 kids, one had a bicycle, and take them all to Burger Chef. Your old if you remember Burger Chef. It was quite a spectacle seeing all those kids pile out that little van. The kid with the bike popped out and just rode away, I guess he wasn't hungry. You could also let out clutch slowly until you moving and bump the gas pedal to get front wheels about a foot off the ground. Wheelie time.
I drove one just like it to High School in 1972, it was blue and white, everyone loved riding in it, I miss it.
Enjoy it yours is really nice and very COOL
*A quick search of Google Images shows plenty of C.C. Greenbriers (both vans and pickups) available across the country. But I agree they are not commonly seen. Even in the 1960's, when I was a kid, I saw few of the pickup versions. They looked so different from regular front-engine pickups that they reminded me of something out of a the sci-fi movie like Forbidden Planet. I always liked them, and then one day their presence on America's roads began to fade - much like America's greatness back then is fading today.*
Love the van it's in fantastic condition.
I would love to have another Corvair van. My father gave me the one he used as his T.V repair van back in the sixties. It only had a drivers set so the passenger had to sit on the hump on a couple of folded up blankets with no seatbelts. A couple of my friends wouldn't ride with me anymore because I would fly over these railroad tracks that were by my house that would lift the van off the road witch would send the passenger flying out of his seat. Wish there were dash cameras back then. I myself was also a victim to this abuse when my older brother took me for my first ride in that van and I experienced weightlessness for the first time, loved that van and the party's we had in and around it.
My best friend went into a wheelchair when we were in 3rd grade, so his Dad bought a new Greenbriar, removed one of the rear seats and welded braces on the rear floor panel to anchor the wheel chair and for easy egress. I would sit in the reverse seat and we had a 3 X 3 piece of plywood to play cards on while on trips with his folks. Took awhile to get where you were going but I remember his Dad's smile every time we passed a VW bus. They continued to use the Greenbriar until we were in high school. Like many Chevys of the 60s, there were issues (Slip & Slide with PowerGlide) but you could usually count on getting where you were going.
Did you mean dead bus on road or the fact you had six air cooled cylinders against four?
Back in the sixties, there was a Car and Driver article written by motorcycle columnist Barry Brown called "Brown's Bus". He decided he wanted a true 'sports van' to transport his motorcycles (and his growing family), and picked the Corvair Greenbrier as the perfect starting point. The bulk of the article described the various parts he sourced (from aftermarket performance specialists like Don Yenko) and changes he made to improve the handling, braking, gear ratios, steering, engine performance, and comfort/ergonomics of the Greenbrier. It was a very entertaining read.
Thanks man. I'll need to Google that article. Sounds like an interesting read.
@@hullinger I tried finding it on the internet, but had no luck (it's from Car and Driver in the mid 60's, when you could still buy a new Greenbrier).
I had a friend in high school who for graduation obtained a brand new ramp side. He had a small electronics repair company through high school. Always wanted one like yours. Thanks
I had a '65 Monza 500 with a "heavy duty" fan belt. I got up to 5 years on that "heavy duty" fan belt before it started shredding it self. I bought the belt from a local parts supplier in Detroit before they went out of business. Bower was the last place in Detroit that even remembered the Corvair.
I had a few Corvairs. My favorites were the '65 500 and a '65 4 door. I slapped a turbo on the 500 from a smashed Corsa I found in a junk yard. For a three speed she could really move out, and when I behaved myself, I got really good mileage. It was such a good sleeper.
My '65 Monza four door, was great for hauling lots of friends, but I got tired of the bench and found some buckets that were in great shape. I rebuild a 110 engine with .30 over cylinders and pistons, isky comp 2 cam shaft with the Clark lifters, over sized the jets, 140 dual exhaust system, and I managed to find a 12 plate oil cooler with the extended top shroud.
I found out the cam shaft I chose was a poor choice for a car with a powerglide transmission. So I had to move the transmission vacuum source to the air filter housing.
I also had troubles with the distributor advance curve. I was pulling the advances off of all kinds of junked cars, but nothing was working. So on the off chance that a better vacuum source is what I needed I moved the vacuum line to the air filter housing, and there was tremendous improvement. I moved it again to just above the right carburetor. Oh man, the monster awakened.
I could lift the front of the car off the ground, scared the hell out of me, but when I was behaving myself, I could easily get 24mpg.
I drove that car for six years, but the car was 30 years old and always in Michigan. It was a total sleeper.
I got on it one day and something cracked loudly on the passenger side. Then the wind shield started to crack and the passenger door wouldn't open any more. Her back was broken (rockers totally rusted out), but she got me home before the body totally failed.
I have often thought of getting another Corvair but not a car. A ramp side or the Cor-van95 (the panel van you mentioned). I don't ever see the Cor-van 95s anymore but there are a few Greenbriars in the area.
I have seen a rare 8 door van (side door both sides).
The automatic powerglide transmission was available with different gear ratios.
One lower ratio for hauling, lower speeds, can overheat on the nicest day at freeway speed.
The higher ratio is fine on the freeway.
Have seen a few with side scoops to aid cooling. And aftermarket oil coolers are good.
Corvair motors were in many dunes buggy, and Meyers Manx.
Our neighbor was North California sales manager for Justice Brothers Oil Products. All of his salesmen had a white Corvair panel truck, he applied the JB decals in his driveway.
We had a 1964. Carried a Honda Trail 90 on the front bumper. Did some light off roading, big hills no problem, unless muddy.
Our engine hatch must have been modified. Dad opened it with a simple latch.
I am 58 and my Dad taught me how to drive for the first few months in our Family Corvair Deluxe Van! Before that, I remember We took that van all over Oregon and Washington camping and exploring! Sometimes driving miles and miles on dirt roads..... to the Ape caves in Washington as an example! Dont remember ever having any problems and Dad drove it 70 miles a day to work for a couple years!
I don't know why this wouldn't attract more attention! I think it's cool! I used to have a 1957 Willys Jeep FC-150 which was a little pickup truck that was forward control, similar to this van.
I remember seeing an FC Jeep last summer at a car near me. It was green and yellow. Looked really sharp and quirky too. I loved it!
These were the coolest vans ever made in the US. They just never could quite compete with the econolines of the era.
Thank Nader, in part, for helping to get these things canceled before they were further developed... all just to sell a book and become known.
Oh well.
I love this van, and am quite envious!
Moe Howard should have had a few moments with Nader the imbecile! 😆😆😆
Ralph Nader was a total unblemished idiot and I loved and drove the Monza hard on rainslick roads in Oregon. Letting the rear hang out on corners. It was a sports car with superb handling that I as a teenager could handle why not an adult?
@@PaulHigginbothamSr You are right on all counts. See my screed on Nader above. I drove my Rampside in the rain, with wind, with an engine hoist, a V8 engine, and fenders in the back on both an uneven gravel road where I bought the items and then the freeway, with no issues. Screw Nader.
Nice video Buddy, I'm 63 and I remember those when I was a kid. The neighbors down the street had a new 67' MONZA, kinda Burgundy color w/ a black drop-top. He'd added glass packs and the stock chrome wheels. That's a very well preserved example of a 64' GREENBRIER Sir, very nice!!
That's a really cool van bro I like how clean it is after all of these years
Super rare, thanks for keeping a piece of history alive. I own and drive a 1984 Jeep Cj8 Scrambler, gets lots of waves and thumbs up. Bought brand new 38 years ago for $10,000.00. (!) Keep those Corvairs running!
I owned a 1965 Corvair Corsa Coupe, 180 HP turbo, 4 speed, Tuxedo Black with the Silver tail insert. My brother owned it before me and swapped out the turbo with a 140 HP. He put the turbo in a '66 Corsa Convertible. Those were some awesome cars!
New viewer and subscriber here. As a young child I rode on the flat rear floor of a 64 Monza that mostly my Mom drove and my newer sister being even smaller rode in the parcel shelf below the back window. In my early 20 & 30 I was active in the Corvair Club of Baltimore and one of our most active members, Gary Segal had a collection of van and truck versions as well as many cars! I worked for The Corvair Ranch in PA, near to Gettysburg for the original owner who had a Corvair RV like a smaller one of the GMC fiberglass shells. Great fun! I'd a fully restored 110 engine on the end of our kitchen counter as it had all new mechanicals from Clark's and the rotating parts had been balanced and blueprinted by House of Balance nextdoor to Coleman Brothers Speed Shop in Elkridge, Maryland. Many good time's were had by all!
What an excellent example of that Corvair van model! I bet it’s fun to drive around town.
My uncle in Alberta had one of these in the 60s. Sometimes it was the only thing that would start at -30 C so he would use it to jump start the snowplows at the provincial transportation shed. I have great memories riding in that Greenbrier with my cousins.
I grew up in the 60s and 70s through High School and I'm amazed because this is the first one of these I've seen. 2020 and I finally get a view LOL. Pretty unique vehicle!
Great looking van
Love those
Wish I could find one
Today I was able to see a Corvair Greenbrier van for the first time at a local car show. I wonder how many of the vans are left across the world today. Great video!! Thanks for sharing the van with us.
I loved this video. My father had the pickup truck and my grandfather had the cargo van. Really took me back
Happy to see another of your Corvair videos. I have two. A 1964 Corvair Spyder convertible I've owned since 1968!! Last year I purchased a 1961 Corvair Rampside. GREAT fun and practical too. As you mentioned, people LOVE seeing these. At car shows many of the old timers always have a Corvair story. Hope you never sell yours! .
Drove one of these on one of my first jobs. 50+ years of driving all sorts of vehicles, it was, hands down, the scariest-handling ride ever. Swing axles+high center of gravity=equals sudden, radical oversteer. That combined with my less-than-conservative driving style made for some very interesting moments.
Super cool! I have wanted one of those since I was 19 years old. That was a while ago... 52 years ago to be exact. Enjoy it! 👍
That van is so frigging 😎
I still have a 140hp Corvair. I found out some 37 years ago when I bought it unless you bought an OEM (still available) belt and retained the deep pulley on the alternator keeping a belt in place. When I got the car it needed an alternator so I bought one put a new belt in and the problems started, if I got the engine much above 3,000 it would throw the belt. Nice vehicle looks to be in really good shape.
the aftermarket belt is the wrong "width" which is SAE stated using a "letter" not to be confussed with the belt length which is SAE stated using number value ( e.g. 55) Corvair is vans are killer cool. crazy thing about them . the rear door hing system. I have a new Mercedes Metris van . MB makea big deal out of the 2 position door system copied from 1961 corvair vans that used to made by a real car company GM . Now GM is garbage
Those US-spec Metris vans have a design flaw with the sensors in the EVAP system. A whole module has to be replaced for thousands if that stupid little sensor breaks. I hope it does not happen to yours. @@bossmanmce5599
When I was a kid in the 60’s my best friend’s family had a red and white Greenbriar. We used to load everyone up and go. What a great vehicle. The only problem was an overheating issue in the hot summer months in Arizona.
We have had a few Greenbriers and Corvair's in the 60s and after seeing your van it kinda makes me want to go out and buy a drip pan and then go shopping for one.
LOL. Love it. Start with the drip pan.
Wow!! I had no clue they made vans!! And your is in amazing condition, you beat Jay Leno on this awesome history van video!! Beautiful Van Chris! 👍
Thanks so much and thanks for watching and for the comment too!
Thank you! My grandpa was a Chevy guy and mechanic who'd buy cars, fix, drive, and flip. My Dad bought a Chevy Corvair cargo van from him when i was in high school in the late 1970's. Had a manual 3 speed. It was a fun outfit to drive! You're being generous though. The best that it would do is 55 mph, down hill, with a wind at our backs. Maybe your 4th gear is overdrive?
Hi! Your Video was YT suggested and my eyes almost popped out of their sockets when I saw this beauty! My neighbor and Little League coach had one of these beauties and would take us to games and practice in her. He would let his son shift it. He'd say Low, High etc. lol You really took me on a trip down memory lane today. Thank you for that. His Greenbrier was a 62 or 63 I think. I would to find one and own one. My 67 S-code Mustang will just have to go bye bye. Thanks again for this wonderful video sir. Cheers from Michigan!
A friend had a Corvair van, as we called them. I rode in it a lot, probably in about 73-74. Kind of fun to ride in it, since the engine was in the back. Lasted a while too, from there he always bought VW bugs. Long time ago!
Parents had one, a 1965.green and white in color, remember that van well, coolest van that Chevy ever made, a good example of forward thinking, pioneering the mini-van idea in the '60's.
This makes me smile. But that suspension squeak would drive me crazy. Thanks for sharing
I had a 64 Corvair van in 69-71. I lived in New England at the time. The heater sucked. The defroster was nonexistent. You almost had too change the valve cover gaskets when you changed the oil. You could use a calendar too time a quarter mile run.
It was the best vehicle I have ever owned. We would go too a drive in movie, with 20 people in it, at $2.00 a car load. All the windows, by the seats, would roll all the way down. With the middle seat facing backwards, you could throw a couple of cases of empties between the front and middle seats. We kept the full ones on top of the engine compartment, hidden, but won't say how. Mine was an automatic, and the shift lever was a little lever sticking out of the dash. I would love too have another one now.
What a nifty vehicle! I would love to own one. Thank you for sharing! 🤠
We had 2 green brierers when I was 10 my dad made one a camper it slept 7 people and 2 dogs. 5 kids slept over the engine in the back ,,,the seats turned into beds ,on the side doors there were 2 benches with a table that dropped down for mom and dad ,,,,two dog in the front floor board ,,,the first night we went camping we got no sleep for the other campers coming over to see it ,,,we drove that van to NC from RI and back it was a tough little truck thanks for the memories same color as yours ,,,I still have a 110 I rebuilt out in the shed it's about a150 now these were the easiest engines to work on ,,,and real good in the snow up north.
My grandfather converted one to a camper and used it for many years to travel all over the usa. My dad and uncle each had one and used it for business. They were good in the snow due to the engine weight over the rear drive wheels. My dad converted his to a camper. I slept on the front seat, my younger brother on a rear seat and our parents on the bed in the back. Took us many places. Good times.
Love it! Great video. My first car was a 1964 Corvair Monza Spyder. I was given the car by a friend of my Dad's back in the early 70's. I wasn't worth anything and needed a LOT of work but my Dad and I overhauled the engine, gave the body a coat of paint and I drove the thing for a couple of years. You mentioned that cooling belt? Mine had a bad habit of throwing the cooling belt at unpredictable intervals. It really got annoying and I learned to keep a spare belt and the tools in the trunk. Like you said, it only takes minutes to install the belt so it wasn't that bad. Finally, the car tossed the cooling belt again only this time, I didn't have a replacement in the trunk but it failed within a block of a parts store. This isn't the store we had been doing business with through all this but it was there so I walked over and asked for a new belt, giving the guy behind the counter the cars specs. He looked it up in his book, went to the back, and came back with my new belt. Only problem was, the belt he put on the counter wasn't anything like the belt I had been getting from the parts store we had been doing business with. I asked about that and he double checked the number in his book and confirmed that this was the belt called for on my car. So.......I paid for it and installed it and it was the last belt I ever had to replace on my Corvair. Needless to say, I had a "new" favorite automotive parts store to do business with after that!
More professional than 90% of videos about vehicles. Thanks.
as a high school kid near seattle my first car was a '64 corvair spyder. it was ugly, but hard to break. i did spin out a couple of times in rainy seattle - like nader said, but my teenage reflexes saved the day. no harm done in my case.
i had a good friend whose parents had a garage full of old corvairs. they were big fans, and were thrilled when i drove my raggedy old car over. it was solid though, and stood up well to my teenaged learning curve. only paid $500 for it in '78.
Used to have a 61 greenbriar.
Was pretty interesting.
First engine I ever rebuilt as a kid. Wish I still had it.
Was super clean and learned alot even with its simplicity.
👍Love how you’re just cranking out daily videos for us Chris!👍
Wonderful distraction during these challenging times on great subjects... CARS! 🚕🚙🚓🚌🚚🚘
Always loved your van; I’ve watched your previous ones & I learn something new with each episode. Thanks again & stay safe!
Cheers
~ L
Hey friend, thanks so much for the kind words and I hope you know that I always appreciate when you stop by and chime in. Really. Stay safe my friend. Only a few more weeks until lock-down is lifted.
Thanks for the video, it sure brought back memories. My Dad had a friend who restored Corvairs in the late seventies, and we owned a 1967 four door Corvair Monza car. I especially love the suspension squeaks coming back into the driveway!
Haha, yeah, that squeak is personality. I've gotten used to it to the point where I don't even notice it anymore. Thanks for watching and for sharing your memories too.
In college, I worked for an ambulance service. In late '67 or early '68, the boss bought a Corvair van that we converted to an ambulance. Getting a litter with a patient on it up onto the platform over the engine was quite a heave. The Corvair was not the speediest of vehicles, with lights and sirens we could barely pass normal traffic!
Excellent! My friends father worked for a Chevy dealer and would come home with the rampside. Thought it was the coolest thing. Thank you for the great video.
I owned one of the very first greenbriar in 1961 and in 121,000 only had to rebuild the engine 3 times.Complete breakdown, broken valves, broken crankshaft stuck valves, endless problems, drove like it was 40hp, gutless, drive through a pass and the wind would move you one whole lane either way the wind blew. It was fun had a tent mounted on the roof for camping, but I finally gave up as it was time to do rebuild # 4. Switched to a 57 Imperial, that would do 100 mph up a hill.
When I was a little kid back in the early 70s we had friends that had 12 siblings and their parents had one of these vans to carry them all around. That is so cool and UNIQUE!👍
Ya Know, I've never ever wanted a van but now I do! Thanks for sharing! 👍
We had a green one when I was growing up. With 8 kids it was the only thing we could find that held us all. I don't remember it giving us any trouble. It didn't go fast but it did go.
Haha, great comment and thanks for sharing. Speed just isn't what these vans did best. Hauling people, yeah, now that's it's niche.
What a Gem....I remember seeing the Rampside Pickups around when I was younger, but I never actually saw a Greenbrier Van like this....Pretty cool. I always liked the Unique GM stuff....Thanks for making this video.
Growing up in Southern Ohio, I saw a good number of those vans sitting around out in the country. Never saw one running.....just sitting in fields, in barns, in side yards. One house I used to go by on the way to my aunt and uncle's house....I think there were a dozen Corvairs of varying years and a good half dozen or so of the vans sitting in a nice neat row beside their pole barn. The guy collected them and was said to be restoring them....but years went by and I only ever saw him driving one Corvair....a white one with black interior.
I enjoyed the video and went back 56 years. What a wonderful time that was!!
I had Greenbrier van. It had 6 doors. I loaded it up with all my Hippy friends in Racine Wisconsin back in 69'. It overheated and shortly the cruise was done. My local Chevy dealer advised me to get rid of it cuz they didn't want to fix it when it busted down. It was a trip to own.
In the middle 1970s my Dad bought a 1963 Corvair Greenbrier. It was Emerald Green with a black stripe around the middle. At the time, " I did not like that Van". I could smell the oil burning in that van, as it wasn't well cared for before he got it. I'm not sure why he got this van, but I remember it being a car I "did not like".. my sister had a 61 Corvair sedan that I liked better than this van.. However, today.. I like to see them on You Tube.. because of Nostalgia. I like the perspective this man brings to this Van.. it gives me a different view point. "Great Post". "Peace" from SoCal !!!