[1]Just when you thought that the road-racing scene only belonged to Germany and the U. K., this Corvair Monza [2], powered by a 3.1L V6 with dual-Webers, sets all the records straight.
This V6 Monza is set-up with all of the right handling suspension components, enough to make the ’65 Corvair nimble enough to wax a 240Z while sounding like a Porsche. In this video, the Corvair Monza can be seen whipping several other cars, both at the drags and on a road course. What makes it distinctive is the smooth but responsive running dynamic of the V6, putting-out power even in the low revs.
Because the Corvair is light and has the right suspension setup from the box, is doesn’t take much of a motor to get it to move, and the 3.1 liter displacement works perfect for a car this small. The motor sounds as though it has a little bit of a backfire in the higher-RPM ranges, but it still doesn’t have the lag or the “flat spots” that are common with a lot more radically-built V8s, even V6s in the case of some applications.
Running a V6 in this ’65 Monza has also proven to be successful in the sense that the V6 motor offers a platform that accelerates and idles aggressively without being too lopey. In this sense, the 6-cylinder really does sound a lot like a 911 Porsche, in an American car that almost resembles the same concept while sharing a similar curb weight.
Another advantage of this conversion is that the American-made V6 will be a lot cheaper to build than a lot of imported engines of the same or similar displacement, which means that buying replacement parts, should the need arise, will not be nearly as grueling of a process. Overall, the idea of building an all-American platform around a European concept is one that just works, and this V6-powered Monza is living, “breathing” proof.