In 2001 John Davies-Hale of Warwickshire, England, decided that instead of owning a British classic car, he would buy a big American muscle car, such as a Charger. He started a Web search for cars to buy and soon came across the 1965 Corvair Monza convertible pictured below. He immediately fell in love with the shape and styling of the car and because he had never heard of the Corvair before, he did some research. Everyone he spoke with told him not to buy a Corvair because they turned over, caught fire, or were unreliable. Continuing his research, he concluded he could ignore the comments. He was convinced Corvairs did not turn over or catch fire, and, in fact, they were one of the most reliable cars of their time.

The Corvair he had found was located in London. It had just been imported from South Africa, where it had undergone restoration. There was still a bit of work to be done, however. The carbs needed replacement, so he fitted a 4-barrel Edelbrock that performs well and gives the car great WOW factor when the lid is opened. He rebuilt the steering box, refurbished the fuel tank, renewed the track rods and painted the underside. The Monza's function has been enhanced by the addition of 14" Chevrolet rally wheels replacing the stock 13" wheels, and by the inclusion of the more fully instrumented dash panel of the Corvair Corsa series.

John never takes his American treasure out into the rain, so naturally he looks forward to sunny, hot weather so he can drive the Corvair as much as possible. He has taken the Monza to many shows. It always draws crowds because the Corvair is such a rarity in the United Kingdom. He and his car won Best Convertible at England's American Nationals in the summer of 2003. The show is the biggest of the year and to win is a great accolade. Congratulations, John. Well done!