Corvair is affordable

Sat., March 18, 2006

Greg Zyla King Features Syndicate

CRUISIN’

Q: I’m a big Chevy Corvair fan, and I am planning to buy one soon. What do you think about the Corvair as a collector car? — Gary, Indiana

A: Corvairs received a bad rap from Ralph Nader and his book “Unsafe at Any Speed,” which knocked the car as one of the most dangerous ever built. This wasn’t really true, so long as you followed the manufacturer’s recommended tire pressures.

Corvairs are neat cars and certainly collector-worthy. Although they’ll never be top-dollar collector cars, models like the Monza Spyder Convertible Turbo or even a regular Corvair Convertible are priced to buy

For a show-quality Corvair, expect to pay anywhere from a low of less than $5,000 for a four-door sedan (yes, under $5,000!) to near $18,000 for a restored Spyder Turbo ragtop.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.