zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Buying
/
At $6,500, Could This 1963 Chevy Corvair 95 Van Get You to Embrace Vanlife?
At $6,500, Could This 1963 Chevy Corvair 95 Van Get You to Embrace Vanlife?-October 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:09:22

Nice Price or No Dice: 1963 Chevrolet Corvair 95 Van

With the publishing of Unsafe at any Speed in 1965, Ralph Nader made Corvairs like today’s 95 Van, the unwitting poster child for dangerous car design. Today, we’re way past that, but we’ll still have to see if this extensively-modded van might be unsafe for any wallet.

It has been said that a picture speaks 1,000 words and the picture of yesterday’s wearing a bloody-toothed rabbit face — on its boot lid, no less — did say a lot. Thankfully, the bunny costume was an optional no-cost extra, but even with its inclusion, few of you found favor in the Z3’s $15,500 asking price. That resulted in a sizable 87 percent No Dice loss.

Image for article titled At $6,500, Could This 1963 Chevy Corvair 95 Van Get You to Embrace Vanlife?

Now let’s take a look at this and decide if it’s a badass ride or just bad.

The ad calls this a “Greenbrier 95,” but the Greenbrier name was reserved by Chevy for the passenger version of the van. The one with windows. This should be rightfully called a Corvair 95 Van (so-named for its 95-inch wheelbase) or perhaps just the Corvan 95.

Image for article titled At $6,500, Could This 1963 Chevy Corvair 95 Van Get You to Embrace Vanlife?

Whatever you want to call it, this van is certainly unique. It features a significantly-altered nose with rectangular sealed-beam headlamps, and between those a slatted grille. Circling the bottom of the truck is a continuous extension that flares generously over each wheel arch and culminates in a front air dam constructed out of seven or eight license plates from various states. Oh, and that front bumper appears to have once been a back bumper off of a ‘70s General Motors mid-size wagon or perhaps an El Camino.

Image for article titled At $6,500, Could This 1963 Chevy Corvair 95 Van Get You to Embrace Vanlife?

The driver’s compartment has been fully-carpeted in blue toe-tickler. And by fully, I mean that the shag extends up over the dash and across the windshield header like it’s an advancing fungus. There’s also an added center stack mounted with stereo componentry and what looks to be a quartet of eyeball vents. Velour-covered seats from some other vehicle have been adapted for Corvair duty and appear to be reasonably serviceable. In the back, the load area is now set up for camper duty with a fridge and a seat that potentially could be folded down into a bed (although that seems to need some work to be made functional.)

Image for article titled At $6,500, Could This 1963 Chevy Corvair 95 Van Get You to Embrace Vanlife?

According to the ad, the truck runs, drives, and stops without major issues. Power comes from an 80 horsepower (gross) 145 cubic-inch displacement air-cooled flat-six that has been paired with a four-speed manual out of a Corvair Monza Spyder. The engine has also been updated with an alternator rather than a generator and sports new fuel filters and a battery.

Image for article titled At $6,500, Could This 1963 Chevy Corvair 95 Van Get You to Embrace Vanlife?

Per the ad, there’s still much left to do on the van. According to the description, the major issues are as follows:

the interior has been converted to a sleeper has cabinets cooler/fridge the seat lays down to bed still needs fabricated (bolted down) the fiberglass work isn’t the best and it does has rust could drive it how it is or restore the (oil pan drips I haven’t got around to fixing it).

None of that list seems too overwhelming for any true Corvair fan (you know who you are) and with a clean title, there’s lots to like on this interestingly-modded classic.

Image for article titled At $6,500, Could This 1963 Chevy Corvair 95 Van Get You to Embrace Vanlife?

That being said, could it really be worth the $6,500 the seller is asking for its sale? That’s not a lot in today’s crazy car market, but then, this Corvair appears wildly out of step with near anything in today’s crazy car market. That’s why I like it.

You might like it too, but we’ll just have to see how likable that price tag might prove. What do you say? Is this Corvan 95 worth that $6,500 asking as it sits? Or, is that too high a price to pay for a van that’s not yet quite livable?

You decide!

Columbus, Ohio, , or go if the ad disappears.

Help me out with NPOND. Hit me up at and send me a fixed-price tip. Remember to include your Kinja handle.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Buying
Someone Willingly Paid $16,000 For A Maserati Ghibli On Cars & Bids. Don’t Make The Same Mistake
Someone Willingly Paid $16,000 For A Maserati Ghibli On Cars & Bids. Don’t Make The Same Mistake
Let’s cut right to the chase: buying a is not a good idea unless you have deep enough pockets for the upkeep. For those not in the know, they’re sirens. They draw you in with their premium Italian image and sweet songs of and then go in for the...
Oct 31, 2024
Which One Of You Suckers Is Going To Pay Over $32,000 For A 25-Year-Old Toyota 4Runner
Which One Of You Suckers Is Going To Pay Over $32,000 For A 25-Year-Old Toyota 4Runner
The (and Tacoma) have a death grip on used values. It’s been this way for years. Go ahead, go try and buy any TRD trim that’s a couple of years old; it’ll cost you as much as a new one — not that you could buy a new one...
Oct 31, 2024
At $5,900, Is This 1984 Nissan 720 4X4 A Solid Deal?
At $5,900, Is This 1984 Nissan 720 4X4 A Solid Deal?
According to its seller, today’s Nissan 4X4 shows “pride of ownership.” Let’s see if it would take swallowing one’s pride to pay its asking price. Opinions were split on how well the design of yesterday’s has held up over the years. Some of you commented that the design still...
Oct 31, 2024
At $950, Would You Go All-In On This 1984 Plymouth Colt GTS Turbo Project?
At $950, Would You Go All-In On This 1984 Plymouth Colt GTS Turbo Project?
One of the calling cards of today’s Plymouth Colt is its “Twin Stick” overdrive gear change, which gives the car eight speeds going forward and two in reverse. Let’s see if this project car has anything else to offer. Just as Goldilocks discovered when appropriating Papa Bear’s lifestyle and...
Oct 31, 2024
At $8,600, Would You Go Topless In This 1994 Cadillac Eldorado?
At $8,600, Would You Go Topless In This 1994 Cadillac Eldorado?
The seller of today’s Caddy claims they should be selling it at auction but says who’s got time for that? Let’s see if we have the time for this custom convertible at its non-auction price. Many of you agreed that the $950 asked for yesterday’s was “chump change.” Even...
Oct 31, 2024
At $18,500, Would You Lean Toward Buying This 2022 Ford Mustang?
At $18,500, Would You Lean Toward Buying This 2022 Ford Mustang?
Today’s Mustang is being sold by a towing yard, which means it’s probably a lien sale. Let’s see if this clean title convertible is priced to put a new buyer on the hook. The general consensus on last Friday’s was that it would be the perfect car for someone...
Oct 31, 2024
Copyright 2023-2024 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved