Today is an important and bittersweet day for us Corvair folk. On May 14th, 1969, the very last Corvair (#6000) came off the line at the Willow Run plant ending a revolutionary 10 year run for the Corvair.
Not to disappear without some controversy, there is much folklore, mystery… conspiracy(!) regarding the last Corvair, #6000.
The last Corvair off of the assembly line, car #6000, an Olympic Gold Monza coupe disappeared shortly after being assembled. The only known public photos of it are from the AP story and a photo of Senior Reliability Engineer and Superintendent Joe Strayhorn behind the wheel of the car. (Both photos above).
The Disappearance: At 1:30 PM on May 14, 1969, the last car was photographed, then loaded onto a covered truck and taken to a GM garage, never to be seen again.
The “Scrapped” Theory: Many experts, including those interviewed by historian & SFBA co-founder Dave Newell, believe the car was scrapped. A prominent theory suggests it was destroyed because it was “a liability” and GM wanted to avoid issues.
The “Secret Keeper” Story: Another story suggests GM Manufacturing Manager Jim McLernon promised GM Chairman James Roche that the car would never be sold while he was with the company. The Harrah’s Story: On April 1, 1969, a Tacoma-based dealer, ordered the last Corvair (VIN #6000) for hotel/casino magnate Bill Harrah. It was specified as an Olympic Gold Monza coupe with a 110-hp engine, Powerglide, and specific equipment, representing a prized piece for Harrah’s renowned 2,500-car collection. A former GM executive Harold Boyer, also ordered the last Corvair, creating conflict. An unverified rumor is that Harrah privately received the car, but never publicly showed it.
5999 vs. 6000: The car officially known as #6000 is the one that vanished. However, #5999 (a similar model) had a dramatic, well-documented final day where it failed to start for the press.
The “Second to Last” Survivor: Car #5999 actually survived, was purchased by a GM employee, and has been reunited with other last-year models at the CPF Corvair Museum. CPF also possesses an unfinished 1969 body that never went into production.
Production Context: Why the number 6000? Only 6,000 Corvairs were produced in 1969 to match the number of Chevrolet dealerships, preventing overstock of the discontinued model
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