1964 Chevrolet Corvair Rampside

The Chevy Corvair Rampside (Model 1254) was given its name due to the unique swing-down panel located on the right side. When lowered, it allowed cargo to be easily loaded and removed from the bed-like midsection which had a load capacity of 1000 lbs. It was a versatile and utilitarian vehicle that was an attractive option for local fleet delivery, farmers, construction contractors, appliance dealers, newspaper delivery, and many other industries.

As a Corvair, its engine was mounted in the rear. The horizontally-opposed six-cylinder, air-cooled engine offered 80 horsepower. Although the engine sat flat, it was not low enough, so the interior of the bed was given an elevated floor to accommodate the engine.

Around 11,000 examples were produced during its inaugural debut year of 1961. The final year of production was in 1965 and by this point sales had slowed. Many reasons accounted for the decline including the bad publicity from the Corvair cars, spearheaded by Ralph Nader. Another reason was the increase in competition from other manufacturers.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2018