79 Chevette

Been meaning to start a thread for this for a while now. Picked it up for $1000 a week before I found my 77. This will be a slower build as I now have THREE 'Vette projects plus an S-10, a Miata, and a Van.

This car is 99.99% stock. It has crappy paint and came with aftermarket wheels but it's as clean as they come. No rust anywhere!

So far I've swapped in the black 85 grille and headlamp bezels, added Panasports, and driven the hell out of it. I also replaced almost the entire brake system. I'm gathering parts for an autocross-ready suspension and a built stock engine. It will probably get the 5 speed from my 85 to make highway cruising easier. This one Will definitely be under challenge budget, so even if it's still slow I hope to bring it next year.

You know, the older I get, the more I like those things. Cool.

We had a '78 in red when I was a kid. AM radio only, and no covering over the metal floor in the hatch (it would get hot as hell in the summer time). I learned how to drive a stick in it. Good times.

Just for fun I went on AutoTrader to see if anybody is selling a Chevette anywhere in Canada. There was one listing (well, sort of): a very confused person in Mississauga wants to sell a 2015 Chevrolet Chevette Z51 3LT, with the 7-speed manual, carbon fiber roof panel, etc.

"You keep using that word. I do not think it means... what you think it means."

Pretty sweet!

Now ya done it. Local one. $700. NMNA

http://altoona.craigslist.org/cto/5353816582.html

EastCoastMojo wrote: We had a '78 in red when I was a kid. AM radio only, and no covering over the metal floor in the hatch (it would get hot as hell in the summer time). I learned how to drive a stick in it. Good times. Funny reading this, as it matches my learning to drive experience 100%, with only exception being that we had a '76!

Junkyard_Dog wrote:

I don't remember these having such a simple, pared-down design. It's very clean.

Ooooh, found one for sale in Colorado Springs! Only $8000. No pictures, but I'm sure it's nice even if it does have some dents and scratches.
http://cosprings.craigslist.org/cto/5357369988.html

fasted58 wrote: Now ya done it. Local one. $700. NMNA http://altoona.craigslist.org/cto/5353816582.html

Watch for rust, but I SearchTempest for 3000 miles every day to keep tabs on what's out there and that one doesn't seem too bad if you get it for $500.

Keith Tanner wrote: Ooooh, found one for sale in Colorado Springs! Only $8000. No pictures, but I'm sure it's nice even if it does have some dents and scratches. http://cosprings.craigslist.org/cto/5357369988.html

Watch for crack heads or Nigerian princes! The record for the nicest Sandpiper (rare option) in the world was only like $5k.

Every time I see a Chevette thread I want to build a Vauxhall 2300 HS Grp4 replica.

Not much to update after driving it daily for the past few months. Added Mini Cooper wheels with 1" spacers and new tires. The 5 speed donor has been cut up so that swap is next on the list. Finally got it clean again, so here is a pic.

I hated them in the 80's because the only ones I ever rode in or drove were absolute junk. Now, if I saw one that clean for sale locally I'd really want it. I did come across a Fiesta on CL, but I think I favor Chevettes just because they are closer to the GLC that really want.

Not much to report. Swapped the starter for a slightly less crappy one. Re-ran all the vacuum hoses to cure a mid range bog. Nope, still needs a carb rebuild. Also while my latest Miata was laid up waiting for e-brake cables with the wheels off, I put them on the Chevette. Just because.

After seeing these photos I feel like I also should build one.

There is a 4 door sitting in a yard near me. Stop doing this. Just stop it. I mean it. BTW, nice car...

This makes me want one bad. Damnit.

There's a guy at the local Canadian Tire who seems to hoard these as projects. He has two Acadian Scooters and a regular Chevette currently, and I've seen more before.

A few hours north of here, they have an all-Chevette ice racing series so it's hard to find an uncaged, unraced example for street use.

Car still looks the same but is getting a tune-up from chevetteturbo so it should run better than new. Why didn't I do it? Because it is a REAL tune-up. Emphasis on TUNE. He's rejetting the carb for the soon to be added header, re-curving the distributor, and a few other things he won't tell me about. Should be a hoot when I get it back!