Ralph Nader’s one-man offensive against the Chevrolet Corvair worked. Between the bad press and the upcoming Chevrolet Camaro, there was just no more room for Chevrolet’s rear-engined wonder machine and in 1969, the model came to an end in the most typical GM fashion: just as it was at it’s best. The 1965-69 cars were visually gorgeous cars and the flaws found in the first generation were dialed out. But there was a problem, and his name was John Z. DeLorean. DeLorean was Chevrolet’s general manager by this time and his amount of interest in the Corvair could be measured in the negatives. Additionally, there was the bombshell dropped by Ford called Mustang and Chrysler was gearing up the formerly homely Barracuda into something to not trifle with. The Corvair, which for 1965 was sporty enough, was straight-up lackluster by the tail of the model run. The 180 horsepower turbocharged flat-six just wasn’t going to cut the mustard anymore.
Of course, there was an option to cure that too…it just didn’t come from General Motors. Crown Manufacturing Corporation produced a kit that took out the rear-engined flat-six and transaxle and replaced it with a mid-mounted small-block Chevrolet V8 and a Saginaw four-speed that Crown believed was up to the task of handling the V8’s power. A mid-engined V8-powered machine that weighs in at 2,800 or so pounds today is impressive…for the late 1960s and early 1970s, that had to be nothing short of radical. For $598, Crown would send you a full kit that would place the V8 right where a rear seat used to sit. A radiator went up front and the space that had been the engine bay was now a storage compartment. Crown claimed that their tester was good for 12.22@105 MPH in the quarter using a 350-horse 327 and a close-ratio four-speed box on street tires. The 350 in this car should go even better, and you can enjoy that speed rush with the air conditioning on.
DeLorean was a man with foresight. Shame, then, that his foresight didn’t translate into a change for the Corvair. He had the basic layout for his sports car right in front of him and never saw it. And unlike the DMC-12, this Crown Corvair will make the right noises and do a damn sight better than 88 miles an hour as you row the gears.
Mecum Auctions Houston 2018: Lot T185 – 1965 Chevrolet Corvair with Crown V8 Conversion
Always liked the Crown Corvairs, there also was a kit to put a Toronado drivetrain in them too (can’t remember who). I actually was looking for one of these or a Renegade 914 Porsche (V8 conversion) when I got my SBC MGB. I obviously like weird little cars.