With the bevy of modifications involved, is this still considered a Corvair?
Just when you thought you had seen all Chevrolet Corvair builds, this example comes along to prove you wrong: a 1961 Chevy Corvair 4×4 underpinned by a Jeep chassis with the heart from a Camaro.
For the uninitiated, the Corvair is one of those cars crucified for having a bad rep, which eventually led to its discontinuation in 1969. Rumors of a revival have swirled for a while, but the closest we ever got was a Camaro-based retromod a couple of years back.
Fortunately, some people are still invested in modding the originals in a wild fashion. The use of a Jeep chassis is amplified by the massive 31-inch off-road tires that jack up the ride height even further. But housed at each corner, this monster only has drum brakes, although, owner Josh said he may replace them with discs soon.
But that’s not the craziest part. The original rear-engine layout was scrapped to put a 305 V8 engine from a Camaro at the front. The current owner isn’t the original builder of the Franken-Corvair and hasn’t yet had the opportunity to strap the car to a dyno and see just how much power it’s making. What we do know is that the engine sends power to all four wheels via a Turbo TH350 transmission.
With an extended rear section where the engine used to sit, the vehicle looks like a pickup truck from some angles, complementing the off-road theme of the build. The body is fitted with a front bumper guard, a roof rack, a drilled grille, and a power bulge, the latter pair of modifications to accommodate an engine where it wasn’t originally found.
Inside, the cabin has been stripped out, revealing a whole lot of bare tread plate metal that keeps with the rather industrial/Mad Max theme of the exterior. Inside the cabin, you’ll find kill switches, a grenade shifter for the 4×4 system, and two-tone black and red seats with four-point harnesses.
With a different chassis and engine, revised engine layout, and wild looks, some may argue this isn’t even a Chevy Corvair anymore. We won’t weigh in on that debate, but we will say that human ingenuity has gifted us with a true love-it-hate-it piece of customized kit that deviates from the norm in a big way, and we’re not exactly mad about it.
