1961 Corvair Rampside Features GM’s Funkiest Design

With a rear-mounted flat-six, long pickup-truck bed, and swing-down panel, the Corvair is one helluva unique pickup.

Cars like the Chevrolet El Camino were extremely popular when they were introduced, as they mixed usability, versatility, and enjoyment into one cohesive package. For enthusiasts that enjoy the same look in something with a little more age and usability, there’s the incredible 1961 Chevrolet Corvair Rampside Pickup we recently spotted on the Mecum Auctions site.

The Corvair Rampside Pickup features one of General Motors’ most innovative designs. The truck had a rear-mounted flat-six that was air cooled! And this, folks, is from GM. The engine, a 145 cu. in. unit, was small, only delivering 80 horsepower and 128 lb-ft of torque, but still, it was an impressive motor. To accommodate for the engine, the rear end of the Corvair Rampside Pickup was slightly elevated to ensure the engine fit, because the flat-six wasn’t flat enough.

In addition to the quirky engine choice, the Corvair Rampside Pickup got its name from the unconventional swing-down panel on the right side, which had a 22-degree incline, of the vehicle, which, as the outlet states, allowed owners to carry heavy cargo onto the pickup with ease.

You may assume that the unusual styling and engine choice would dissuade consumers from purchasing the vehicle, but 11,000 models were delivered in 1961, which was an impressive figure at the time.

The gorgeous ’61 model we found on Mecum Auctions sports a two-tone, white and red paint job that makes it look like a classic fire truck. The exterior is truly unique and puts modern pickup truck designs to shame. The listing claims the vehicle is “highly original with a little bit of touch up,” which makes this a rare example.

The Corvair still features the six-cylinder engine and what is believed to be the original four-speed transmission. And the interior also looks to be original with a plaid bench seat, a chrome dashboard, metal doors, and a minimalistic approach that defines trucks of the era.

Seriously, GM should take notes from its previous machines, because a modern take on the Corvair Rampside Pickup would be an amazing thing.