It seems every Big Three manufacturer who built a compact car in the early 1960s also created a forward-control truck based on the same platform. Of the bunch, only Chevrolet offered two, with our Pick of the Day being the most interesting: the 1961 Chevrolet Corvair 95 Rampside. It is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Hopedale, Massachusetts. (Click on the link to view the listing)
Both Chevrolet and Ford introduced forward-control trucks in 1961. They were not similar aside of being based on their respective compacts. Ford’s Falcon-based Econoline was entirely conventional, while the Chevrolet Corvair Greenbriar van and Corvair 95 trucks were the polar opposite. The latter included the Corvan and two pickups: Loadside and Rampside. “Driver’s up front . . . engine’s in the rear . . . all the rest is load space!” read one brochure, touting the cubic-feet of load space assisted by the flat floor and elimination of the hood.
While the Corvan was the commercial van Corvair (and the Greenbriar the civilian van), the Loadside and Rampside were the pickup truck versions of the same vehicle. The Loadside was a typical pickup with a gate in the rear. Contrast this with the Rampside, which featured both the rear gate plus a side gate that dropped down to form a ramp for easy loading and unloading. Chevrolet claimed 1,900 cargoes were cake, with gross vehicle weight being a robust 4,600 pounds—impressive for a 145ci flat-six.
Power for the 1961 Corvair was either an air-cooled, 80-horsepower Turbo-Air 6 (available with three-speed, four-speed, or Powerglide) or 98-horse Super Turbo Air 6 (ditto), but the Corvair Greenbriar and 95s made do with the former.
Chevrolet touted advantages that only its rear-engined truck could espouse, like low, accessible loading height and driver comfort due to the engine being in the rear (versus between the two front seats, like on the Econoline). Of course, another notable feature was the four-wheel independent suspension with transaxle. A first for a U.S. truck, the suspension added “stability to truck performance and to take the roughness out of road surfaces.”
Each of the Corvair trucks had different production lifespans: the Greenbriar was produced from 1961-65, while the Corvan was available through 1964. For the pickups, the Loadside was only available 1961-62, while the Rampside was produced through 1964.
This 1961 Chevrolet Corvair 95 Rampside stands out from the others due to the four-speed manual backing the 80-horse six. The two-tone paint just looks right, and it’s complemented by the chrome grille and optional chrome bumpers (white was standard). Other features include “West Coast” mirrors, rhino-lined bed, and mag wheel covers, a post-1965 addition. “Spotless interior, optional heater, AM/FM radio, and blinkers,” says the seller. Blinkers? Nonetheless, “the underside is very clean.”
For 1964, Chevrolet introduced a more conventional Chevy-Van based on the Chevy II (with the family-oriented Sportvan appearing the following year), though a pickup was never offered. That makes this 1961 Rampside quite unique. While the 10,787 built (the peak during its existence) sounds somewhat generous, the Rampside was a disposable workhorse so they are few and far between. For $27,500 (sans the Corvair Monza GT go-kart), this is a fine conversation piece at car shows and landscaping jobs alike.
Click here for this ClassicCars.com Pick of the Day.
Source: www.classiccars.com