Good morning! On today’s Shitbox Showdown, we’re looking at two uncommon cars with their engines behind the rear axle. Neither one has run in years, so don’t go expecting something you can drive home in – unless you’ve got some really strong friends who are willing to push.
Hey, I gave you two runners yesterday; what more do you want? One of them was even a bright red Porsche! In running condition! In our price range! Do I need to tell you it won? I mean, not that there’s anything wrong with a big-ass Chrysler coupe. Well, there’s a lot wrong with that big-ass Chrysler coupe, which I imagine is part of the reason it lost.
But honestly, anything you put up against an affordable, running Porsche 928 with a lot of spare parts is going to lose. Hell, if I had $4,500 and a place to put it, I’d be tempted to head down to New Mexico and road trip it back up here myself. It must be said, however, that no matter how well the seller says it runs, long drives in an old German car are always – I can’t resist saying it – risky business.
For today’s choices, we have the most collectible version of an up-and-coming classic, and a car so obscure it has never been mentioned before on this site. Nope, not even by Jason. I checked. (Maybe he talked about them on that other site, but who goes there anymore?) Here they are.
1965 Chevrolet Corvair Corsa Turbo – $4,950
Engine/drivetrain: Turbocharged 2.7 liter overhead valve flat 6, four-speed manual, RWD
Location: Boulder Creek, CA
Odometer reading: 93,000 miles
Operational status: Has not run since 2005
In the film adaptation of Nick Hornby’s novel High Fidelity, the protagonist Rob makes a list of his top five dream jobs of any time, things like a record producer in the 1960’s. It’s a fun thought exercise, even if it’s impossible. I think if I were to make such a list, it would have to include powertrain engineer at General Motors, from let’s say 1959 to 1967. GM was wealthy back then, and brimming with fantastical ideas come to life – the Pontiac Tempest’s rear transaxle and “rope drive,” the aluminum V8s of Oldsmobile and Buick, the front-wheel-drive Oldsmobile Toronado, and of course the Chevy Corvair.
The Corvair received a turbocharged engine option in 1962, a full thirteen years before that other company got around to selling a turbocharged flat six. In 1965, when the vastly-improved second generation Corvair was introduced, the turbo engine was all the way up to 180 horsepower, sixteen more than needed to break the one-horsepower-per-cubic-inch barrier. It’s a carbureted “draw through” turbo setup, with four carburetors, one primary and one secondary per cylinder bank.
A three-speed manual was standard, but this car is equipped with the optional four-speed. That makes this the highest-performance Corvair ever offered from the factory. Or at least it was, once upon a time. Sadly, it hasn’t been started in the better part of twenty years, and probably hasn’t moved from that concrete pad in all that time either.
Waking it up again, if it’s even possible, would be a monumental challenge, but considering the car’s rarity it might be worth it – if not for all the rust. The seller says the floors are solid, but the floors aren’t what concerns me. The base of the windshield and rear window have holes, and it looks like there was already some rust repair done; one or two photos show cracking Bondo. Anyone looking to restore this car has got their work cut out for them.
1969 Siata Spring – $4,000
Engine/drivetrain: 843 cc overhead valve inline 4, four-speed manual, RWD
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Odometer reading: 69,000 miles
Operational status: Not running, and probably hasn’t in a very long time
If you’re looking at this car and thinking, “A what now?”, you could be forgiven. Siata started out making high-performance parts for Fiat cars before World War II, founded by a guy with one of those fabulous Italian names: Giorgio Ambrosini. After the war, Siata began making its own cars, Fiat-based, of course. Its last, and most successful, model was the Spring, a tiny two-seat roadster based on a rear-engined Fiat 850 chassis.
It’s a funny-looking little thing, sort of like a cross between a VW-based kit car and one of those amusement park rides where the car runs on a track and the kids pretend to drive. The proportions necessary to adapt a traditional-style body on the rear-engine 850 chassis are pretty awkward, with the front too short and the rear too long. But it also looks like two tons of fun in a one-ton (or less) package, like all 850s do. It’s powered by a tiny Fiat inline four, with a four-speed gearbox.
Although this looks like a fiberglass kit car, I think it’s actually steel. I think I see a dent on one rear fender. What I don’t see is any evidence of rust, which is encouraging. This car appears to have been sitting nearly as long as the Corviar has, if that 2007 date on some of the photos is to be believed. It also makes me wonder if they have been trying to sell it off and on since then.
At this point, I think you’re looking at a full teardown and rebuild. At least the Fiat mechanical bits will be easy to find, the Siata trim pieces are pretty much all there, and as for anything else that you have to improvise, well, it’s not like anyone who sees it will have seen one of these before anyway.
Obviously, either one of these is going to be a massive undertaking. Is either of them worth it, especially considering the somewhat steep asking prices? And if so, which one? You tell me.
(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)
Corvair, lots of work, but I’ve always coveted these. I can do the metalwork, no funky electrical dodabs to fuss over. Probably have to go through the engine, trans and suspension too. I’d need tto build another dedicated garage workspace, man, I’m exhausted already. Maybe a pass on this.
I went to engineering school with a woman who had a Corvair Corsa that she and her father had rebuilt. It was beautiful and what a great project to get your kids into STEM.
The other day DT wrote of rust-free California cars. That’s true in the southern arid part of the state, but as this Corvair illustrates, less likely in the wetter coastal parts of Northern California. There might not be salt on the roads, but it’s in the air.
Yeah, it’s near Santa Cruz. And you’re right, if cars sit outside in that wet salty air, they will rust and turn to mush.
Yeah, they just rust from the top down instead of bottom up
I know nothing about the Siata (except what’s here), but it’s the smart decision in this battle. The Corvair is a donor car for someone with a good body but bad mechanicals. At half the price, it might be worth trying to patch up, but it’s probably not structurally sound, either.
Corvair
In an apparent mid-life crisis moment in 1978, my dad bought a black Corvair Corsa, speced exactly like this one. I was 10 and didn’t know much about cars back then, but it had two doors, made cool sounds, and was generally the polar opposite of the ’76 Caprice Estate wagon my mom drove. Still remember that car fondly, would be kind of cool to sink into this one with a tribute build in mind.
The price is delulu, but it’s the Corvair for me. Hard to say “no” to one of GM’s best production designs, even with the visible and invisible body issues.
The Siata looks like it should come with those headlights Torch featured in today’s Cold Start. Cute, but not for me.
Always coveted a Corvair, but I have a weird affinity for external fenders—and that Siata is sweet
Corsas are pretty valuable (by Corvair standards, anyway), I know good ones are usually $20,000+, but, damn, that’s a lot of paint and body work, you’ll probably be in for $15k just on that alone. The mechanical stuff isn’t really scary, I’m sure it would run with minimal effort and parts are cheap and easy, but the rust just seems too much for the price.
Too much rot on the corvair. I will pass.
The SIATA has a 4 cylinder engine but the distributor has only 2 leads. Is there a second distributor somewhere? Or is it a wasted spark engine where each lead fires 2 cylinders? I am so confused!!!
https://www.fdricambi.com/en/fiat-850/engine-parts/ignition/distributors/os1099-distributor-cap-effe
Ah. Makes sense from that angle! In the article, it looked a lot like the distributor for my 2 cylinder John Deere.
Point of interest. The Turbo option had one carburetor. The 4 carb engine was the 140 hp version. Preferred by some, even the Fitch Sprint.
I was thinking “four carbs with a draw through turbo? Can’t be”. I was about to search and you saved me hours of reading about Corvairs.
You’re thanking someone for saving you from reading about Corvairs?
Glad to be of service! ☺️
This is not the Corvair you are looking for.
Siata + Smart drivetrain = Spring Fling fun.
The Corvair is troubled but gorgeous. The Siata is the quirky emo girl still using her high school photos as her profile pics for all her online accounts 17 years later. I bet there’s an AOL Instant Messenger password on a post-it note somewhere in that car.
The second-gen Corvair is one of the most beautiful car bodies ever produced.
That other thing- not so much.
My imaginary French Wrench Garage would have a turbo 6 Corvair in it, along with 100 other cool cars. That rust doesn’t scare someone from New England. And he appears to have the same exact Kubota I do to push it around. A man of good taste. Corvair it is.
The grill on that Siata looks exactly like my bathroom vent!
I’m on my second Corvair. This one will definitely not be my third.
I’m on my second Miata. This will definitely not be my first Siata.
Siata is not always the answer?
Sometimes Siata is definitely the answer. Just not this time.
https://robbreport.com/motors/cars/1953-siata-208s-roadster-bonhams-2023-scottsdale-auction-1234795733/
That 2.0L v8 must be amazing to hear at 6,000 rpm.
About 25 years ago I actually sold some parts for a Siata Spring, so I’ve been familiar with them for a while. I always love something ridiculous and to be honest it looks to be the easier resurrection here.
I’ll take the Siata Spring and leave the Corvair rust for Noll to fix.
Second gen Corvair coupes, are some of the most beautiful cars ever made. That other … THING looks like … THAT!!! EWW!!!
Can’t help but notice the Corvair is rocking “GRAND TURBO AMERICAN GT” tires. I guarantee you those tires are none of those things.
There’s a busted-up, bent-axles trailer full of brush sitting on flat LE MANS GT tires not far from the house. Always gets a chuckle out of me.
Siata is always the right answer. Did I get that right?
I was out on the Corvair as soon as I saw the rust around the windshield and rear glass. Can it be fixed? Yes, but I want no part of it. The Siata at least looks solid.
Yeah, same here. Too bad. I have always thought of finding a Corvair to work on someday. Just not this Corvair.
I voted. I’m not happy about it, but I voted.
Corvair, if you can get it running would make for an interesting battle car.
Corvair, but I’m DEFINITELY gonna try to beat him down on the price. There’s for SURE rust you can’t see.
Oh totally. You can see the rust soaking up into the carpet in the photo of the footwell. Or what’s left of it.