Choose A Six-Cylinder Classic Coupe: 1963 Chevy Corvair vs 1981 BMW 633CSi

Good morning! I don’t feel like writing about sensible cars today. I feel like writing about cool two-door coupes in running project condition. I hope you’re all okay with that, because I’ve found a couple that I really like.

Yesterday we looked at two entry-level luxury sedans with manual transmissions. I had no idea which way this one was going to go, so I was looking forward to the comments. It’s always interesting to me to hear the reasons people have for voting the way they do: some folks won’t touch a front-wheel-drive car, while others wouldn’t come near a German car with that many miles on it. In the end, the Lexus ES won, and by a rather large margin. A lot of you seemed to think the seller of the Mercedes was hiding something. You could be right.

The idea of doing maintenance or repairs on a transverse V6 still gives me the willies, but I think in this case I’d take the Lexus too. It’s a good deal on what seems like an honest car, and while it may not be the most exciting thing on four wheels, Toyota does make good FWD manual transmissions, so it should be pleasant enough to drive.

There’s a fact that a lot of car folks don’t like to admit, but it is nevertheless fact: Owning a classic car is a pain in the ass. Sure, insurance is cheap, but you have to find a place to store it, you spend half your time waiting for parts to arrive, and something is always broken – usually right when you want to drive it most. If you’re going to put up with all that, you should pick something that really moves you. For me, that means it has to be a two-door, it has to have a manual transmission, and it has to be a certain level of rarity; not so obscure that you can’t find parts, but uncommon enough that you don’t see three others at Cars & Coffee. And it should be nice, but not too nice. These two caught my eye, and maybe one of them will catch yours, too. Let’s check them out.

1963 Chevrolet Corvair Monza – $3,999

Engine/drivetrain: 145 cubic inch OHV air-cooled flat 6, four-speed manual, RWD

Location: Benton, AR

Odometer reading: 33,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives well

Corvairs might be the best bargain in the classic car world. Everybody loves them, but with the exception of the really rare ones, prices have remained surprisingly reasonable. The prettier and better-handling second-generation Corvairs command a bit more money, but these early ones are downright bargains. Is it the “unsafe” stigma? Or the fact that they’re not V8-powered like so many more traditional classics? Who cares? They’re cool, they’re affordable, and they’re plentiful enough that you can hold out for a good one.

This is the Monza model, with fancier trim and a little bump in horsepower. Some Corvair expert out there will correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe this is the 95-horsepower version. It’s connected to a four-speed manual transaxle, driving the rear wheels through a pair of swing axles. It’s this tail-heavy configuration and unsteady rear suspension that gave the Corvair its widowmaker reputation, but also makes it fun to drive. This one runs and drives well, according to the seller, and has a racy-sounding dual exhaust. A stock muffler setup is also included if you don’t want to put up with the noise. It also has new brakes at all four corners, which should give you a little peace of mind.

It has new carpet and new seat upholstery inside, and it looks really nice. It also has factory air conditioning, a rare option, but it doesn’t work. I’m sure a specialist shop could make it work if you really wanted. The speedometer also doesn’t work, which probably means the cable is broken. This also means the mileage isn’t accurate, but on a car this old, the mileage doesn’t really matter.

It has a few dings and dents outside, and the windshield is cracked, but the seller calls it a “good twenty-footer,” and that’s good enough for me. There’s no rust on it, and all the trim is intact. The wide whitewalls wouldn’t work on a lot of cars, but I think they look good here.

1981 BMW 633CSi – $5,000

Engine/drivetrain: 3.2-liter OHC inline 6, five-speed manual, RWD

Location: West Linn, OR

Odometer reading: 192,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives well

Stepping forward a couple of decades, we find the company car of Blue Moon Investigations, and all-around yuppie dream machine, the BMW E24-chassis 6 Series. This grand touring coupe was the height of cool in the ’80s, and in the right trim, quite a performer, too.

This is a 633CSi, not one of the hottest versions of the 6 Series, but no slouch either. It has a 3.2-liter version of BMW’s renowned M30 six-cylinder, making 174 horsepower – about the same as a Z/28 Camaro of the same year. It drives the rear wheels through a five-speed manual. This one runs and drives well, and has had a bunch of work done to it, including a rebuilt head, new exhaust, new clutch and flywheel, brake and suspension work, and more. It could use new parking brake cables; they’re stretched out, and the parking brake doesn’t do much at the moment.

It could use some upholstery work inside; both front seats are torn up a bit. The rear seat looks good, though, as does everything else that I can see. I don’t know these cars well enough to know if the plaid shifter boot is factory, but I imagine not. It’s a cool little detail, though. This car has air conditioning, but the seller removed the belt because it was squealing, so there’s no telling how well – or even if – it works. The speedometer doesn’t work in this one either, by the way.

It’s not perfect outside either, but it does look really good. The seller points out a couple of rust spots, and it has plenty of rock chips on its nose. But to me, that just means you shouldn’t be afraid to drive it. It has a European-style front bumper, but the rear is still the big US-spec battering ram. Personally, I’d rather just have the US bumpers at both ends; yeah, they’re huge, but they work.

So there they are, two very different classic six-cylinder coupes, in similar condition. Either one could be a good weekend driver, and either one will draw appreciative comments at car gatherings. But which one is more your style? That’s what you have to decide today.