There's a renewed interest in the Chevy compacts, with first-generation Monzas offering impressive handling.

While the 1953 Chevrolet Corvette and the 1955 Ford Thunderbird are most often credited with sparking the sports car boom in the U.S., the introduction of the Chevrolet Corvair in 1960 was undoubtedly a contributing factor.

Initial sales of the base model Corvair sales were disappointing, performing poorly against the simple Ford Falcon, AMC Rambler, and the ordinary Plymouth Valiant, but Chevrolet saved the brand with the introduction of the European-styled Monza late in the same model year.

The Monza, featuring a rear-mounted, air-cooled, horizontally opposed flat-six engine was an immediate success. According to Mecum, Chevrolet built nearly 12,000 vehicles for the remainder of 1960 and production exceeded 110,000 Monza coupes and 34,000 Monza four-door sedans in 1961, more than all the base-model Corvairs combined.

However, safety issues with the car's swing-axle design came to light by Ralph Nader in the book "Unsafe at Any Speed," when he claimed the Corvair was the most dangerous automobile on the road. Despite a suspension redesign for the 1965 model year, it eventually spelled the end of the economical sporty car.

When the Chevrolet Corvair debuted in 1959 for the 1960 model year, it was a "quantum leap" forward in American automobile design. Several European cars, including the highly praised BMW 1600/2002, imitated the unique styling.

A 2.3-liter six-cylinder producing 80 hp at 4400 rpm and maximum torque of 125 lb-ft at 2400 rpm powered the economic base model Corvair 500 and four-door 700 Series sedan. The air-cooled, flat-six, horizontally opposed engine boasted aluminum heads with integrated intake manifolds, crankcase, and individual wear-resistant cast iron cylinder barrels.

The Corvair head design adhered to Chevrolet's standard overhead-valve design, using the traditional rocker arm and pushrod assembly activated by a nine-lobe camshaft rotating directly on the crankcase but bore with no bearing inserts.

The inherently balanced flat-six-cylinder layout required no crankshaft counterweights, and the aluminum heads, crankshaft, and transaxle, as well as the air-cooled design (no water pump or radiator), and lack of a driveshaft all contributed to a lower weight.

The engine's flat design allowed engineers to mount it in a low position to lower the center of gravity. The rear-mounted engine kept the weight off the front wheels, making power steering unnecessary and providing an ideal weight distribution for braking.

The Corvair achieved a first when it added turbocharging in 1962 (along with the Olds Jetfire). Chevrolet offered the Corvair with a three-speed manual, four-speed manual, and two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission which sent power to the rear wheels.

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In 1960, Chevrolet designed and built the Corvair for the economy car market, offering only a few amenities in the base models to keep the price competitive with other low-cost compact cars. Acceleration and top speed were not top priorities.

However, the Corvair quickly evolved into a sporty car with the introduction of the Monza coupe in the spring of 1960. The Monza Club Coupe 140 Super Turbo-Air with a four-speed manual accelerated to 60 mph in 12.1 seconds and reached the quarter mile in 18.6 seconds.

The early Corvairs featured a unique design including the "Quadri-Flex" independent suspension, which was similar to the suspensions on cars made by several European manufacturers such as Porsche, Volkswagen, and Mercedes-Benz. The system employed four-wheel coil springs and independent rear suspension arms which gave the Corvair a comfortable ride on rough roads and excellent traction.

While the Corvair suspension was an excellent design, the lack of an anti-roll bar on the early models resulted in potentially complicated handling at the extreme limits. Rear engine vehicles that carry much of their weight on the rear wheels have a propensity for oversteer when cornering exceeds tire adhesion limits. The early Corvair demonstrated the tendency for an axle to tuck in during hard steering.

Engineers use several methods to increase roll resistance including higher-rate springs or an anti-roll bar (used by Porsche and VW). The original Corvair design included an anti-roll bar, but Chevrolet removed it shortly before the car entered production, as a cost-saving measure. The decision proved to be the demise of the Corvair model when Ralph Nadar exposed the defect to the public.

In 1962, Chevrolet offered stiffer springs, shorter rear axle limit straps, and a front sway bar to correct Corvair's defect and even made additional improvements in handling with a transverse camber compensating spring installed in the 1964 models.

Chevrolet also increased the horsepower to 110 and added an optional four-speed gearbox. Despite the bad publicity, the Corvair Monza had become one of the best handling cars of the era and perhaps the best for the money.

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Despite its small size on the outside, the Corvair's interior is spacious. The absence of a front-mounted transmission and driveshaft allows for a nearly flat floor and plenty of foot room for both front seat and back seat passengers.

Typical of most cars with mid or rear engines, the front luggage compartment was roomy even with the spare tire stored there. The trunk space became more spacious in 1961 when Chevrolet moved the spare to the engine compartment. The Corvair provided more luggage space with an area behind the rear seat accessed by lowering the seatback.

Automobile experts criticize the Corvair interior most often for its choice of materials. To keep prices low and maintain a reasonable profit margin, the base 500 Corvair model's interior was not exactly luxurious with its flat bench seats with vinyl upholstery, metal components painted gray and black rubber floor mats instead of carpet.

Related: Can This Abandoned 1966 Corvair Run Again After Lying Dormant For 17 Years?

Chevrolet built 1.7 million Corvairs during the compact car's 10-year run beginning in 1960. The high-volume output makes finding a used model easy at a reasonable price. Prices vary depending on the car's condition from around $2,000 to $15,000. Some can be quite higher, as Classic Cars lists a 1960 custom Corvair Monza with a 110 hp rebuilt engine in mint condition for $28,495.

Jeff has a degree from U.C. Berkeley in Mechanical Engineering. He has a passion for automobiles and has written hundreds of published articles on every facet of the automobile industry. He has written articles on a variety of subjects including travel destinations, sleep disorders, electrical equipment, heat exchangers, and construction. Jeff has also written a book about a two-year experience as a volunteer living in Italy. His favorite pastimes include travel, reading, golf, tennis, and surfing.