About

(Disclaimer - The picture shown with this van and all the pictures in it's photo album were found online. NONE of them are of the actual van!)

After my now ex wife left me with our kids in the spring of 1991, I traveled from my home in the suburban Philadelphia area to where they were in Cleveland about one weekend a month to visit the kids. My ex insisted that the kids do any traveling with her and that I follow in my car because there wasn't enough room in my Beretta for me, her, the three kids, and at least one friend of hers that she insisted she have along with her at all tiomes so that I wouldn't "Kidnap" the kids... Which, technically speaking, is what SHE did when she took them across state lines! I solved the problem by showing up one weekend with this 1961 Corvair Greenbrier, a 9-passenger van! She had said she HATED my Corvairs, but the van was running, inspected, and insured, and it had enough room for not only the five of us, but FOUR friends if she wanted them along!

The weekend before Christmas, We were at a mall in the Cleveland area doing some gift shopping for the kids. When we were getting into the 'Brier to go to dinner, a man came running across the parking lot to us and knocked on my window. All out of breath, he told me: "Man, you HAVE TO sell me this van! This is the coolest thing I've seen in years!" I explained to himthat I had just bought it a few months ago and that I wasn't done having fun with it yet, and besides, I needed it myself. He said fore me to name my price, so I told him an exhorbinant number and that he'd have to drive me home. He said that he'd have to work on the money, but the ride home wouldn't be a problem... Then I told him that I lived well over 400 miles away! I pointed out the Pennsylvania inspection sticker and told him I live just outside Philly... For some reason, that soured the deal.
My ex was upset about this, since she was so down on Corvairs and had just had her nose rubbed in it in front of the kids and three of her friends!

Specs

Rebuilt 1964-vintage 110 h.p. 164 c.i.d. engine
Corvair car 4-speed transaxle (The "Truck" transaxle has closer ratios - good for hauling things, not so good for highway use)
3.89:1 Posi rear
Highest speed I saw on the speedo was about 80 mph.

Factory Options

Corvair 95 Deluxe Trim group
Gas-Fired Heater
AM Radio
Second and Third Row Bench Seats
Trailer Package
"California" Mirrors
Luggage Rack

Mods

205-70R14 Radial Tires
14" "Mag Style" Wheel Covers (From a '65 Impala - the same style I had on my '66 Monza, "Ashley" in the 13" size)
AM/FM/Cassette Stereo

Browse Related Cars: 1961, chevrolet, chevy, corvair, greenbrier, van

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