Introduced in 1960 as America’s mid-engine solution to compact European sports cars, the Chevy Corvair was an instant hit with sales topping 200,000 units in its first six years. But then along came Ralph Nader with his book, “Unsafe at Any Speed,” which unfairly targeted the Corvair for its admittedly sub-par safety record, and sales sunk almost overnight. By 1968, Chevy Corvair sales were barely above 14,000, and in 1969 the nameplate was buried, ending America’s love affair with mid-engine compacts.

The Corvair has a small but loyal following, even more than 40 years after the last new one rolled off the production line, and one Massachusetts shop has been serving Corvair clients exclusively since then. ABC40 has the story of Clarks Corvair Parts in Shelburne Falls, Mass., which has provided everything from engines parts to new upholstery to customers all over the world.

Cal and Joan Clark started the business with $3,000, much of it borrowed from family and friends, and started their little Corvair parts store. What had begun as a small side hobby eventually turned into a full-scale operation as demand for hard-to-find parts blossomed. The Corvair has proven popular with many car guys looking for a cheap-but-fun project, and the Clarks have an inventory of over 16,000 parts to chose from.

But because the Corvair has been out of production for over four decades, some parts the Clarks have to make themselves. This includes new seats and other interior parts that are built to the same, or sometimes even higher standards than the original GM pieces. Their dedication to the Corvair has been a boon for customers as far away as Japan and Australia. It’s not the kind of story you read about everyday, and it’s one of those interesting little quirks of the Chevy car community that makes it so dang special.