Makes me want a chevette?!?

I stumbled upon a couple of photos while searching Opel Rostyle wheels...

Not sure I'd like the torque curve and resultant launch but I'm sure I could find something to swap into a lightweight, reardrive hatch (chevette).

BTW - that is R1 engine. Here is a link to the story (best if you know Swedish). http://retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=74340

Chevettes were a decent car to mod in europe (still are for a nice retro racer) shame they were compleatly ruined when brought over to the states

When the Chevette was first introduced, it was supposed to be a quick fix during a gas price crisis: something GM dealers could actually sell to people. Pete Estes, the boss at GM at the time, told a reporter that he had seen the car in Brazil and told them to bring it to the US market ASAP, so long as they could "figure out a way to put air conditioning on it."

So, assuming this was straight up (that is, assuming Estes didn't mention Brazil because Europe didn't sound like somewhere Real Americans would buy a car from), here's the question: were Brazilian Chevettes and European Chevettes significantly different? Could we have gotten "better" Chevettes with a different starting point?

If I recall there was a diesel version whick knocked down some pretty good mpgs. I sure would like a small rear drive hatch w/ a diesel for my 134 mile daily commute.

If I remember, the other market cars were different mechanically; the US versions may have had a Vega derived motor. Someone else here may know for sure.

In Europe I think they were sold under the Vauxhall name and were based on the Opel Kadett.

There was also a Pontiac version called the T100.

One of my good friends at school had a diesel version that was ungodly slow and pitiful. A dreadful, dreadful little car that you avoided like the plague! My '78 GLC at the time was Ferrari in comparison!

PS122 wrote: If I recall there was a diesel version whick knocked down some pretty good mpgs. I sure would like a small rear drive hatch w/ a diesel for my 134 mile daily commute.

Unless you have like an hour to get to 45mph or so, you may want to look elsewhere. I think it had something like 50 hp total, poor brakes, poor steering, poor everything. To this day, I can't think of a single worse car I've ever been in. I hate to bad mouth it, or any car, but we hated that thing and I can't think of a single redeaming quality. Now if you built into something else totally....

Growing up with chevettes (3 gas, one diesel) there is not enough money, cheese or beer in this world to ever make me want one again. Ever.

There were several versions of the GM T-car used in various markets. The obvious ones are the North American and British Chevettes. The Isuzu Bellet was sold as a Buick/Opel and came in 4 door form to the US. I believe Buick dealers actually sold "real" German Opel for awhile before the Isuzu version was substituted. The body shells had lots of interchangeable parts between various versions. You can swap doors and front clips pretty easily. There will be differences in the radiator mounting panels and the bumper mounts on later US Chevettes because of the 5 mph bumpers. My understanding (from researching this 20 years ago) was that most of the Euro bits would bolt into a US shell. I was in love with the idea of building a North American version of the Vauxhall Chevette HSR to play with.

oh man i just turned down a 82 chevette last week for 500 bucks.

Because racecar?

What modern GM engine will fit in a Chevette? LS1? Turbo 2.4?

New engine, strip the interior, rivet-on flares and huge rubber. Sure would get some odd looks at an autox.

Hotlinked the best pic I could find:

Stealthtercel wrote: When the Chevette was first introduced, it was supposed to be a quick fix during a gas price crisis: something GM dealers could actually sell to people. Pete Estes, the boss at GM at the time, told a reporter that he had seen the car in Brazil and told them to bring it to the US market ASAP, so long as they could "figure out a way to put air conditioning on it." So, assuming this was straight up (that is, assuming Estes didn't mention Brazil because Europe didn't sound like somewhere Real Americans would buy a car from), here's the question: were Brazilian Chevettes and European Chevettes significantly different? Could we have gotten "better" Chevettes with a different starting point?

European Chevettes may have been tuned for better handling, but originally had an even smaller engine than the US model. However, the UK eventually got a 2.3 slant four upgrade, while the largest gas engine for the US market Chevette was a 1.6.

All that HSR body kit is still available in England ,too. Figure out how to put the 1.4 turbo from the Cruize in a Chevette and abuse your credit card on the body kit and suspension,have fun !!

Weird that this car has come up twice in a week. "Hey, nice 'vette!"

I haven't seen a Chevette on the road in years.

Graefin10 wrote: I haven't seen a Chevette on the road in years.

That's because the strut towers have all rusted out andthe shocks are poking through the hood.

Bobzilla wrote:

Graefin10 wrote: I haven't seen a Chevette on the road in years.

That's because the strut towers have all rusted out andthe shocks are poking through the hood.

The good news is when the inevitable strut failure tears off your brake lines, you can always stick your feet through the floors and stop.

My sister in law drove one for 15 years. Close to 140K miles. Go figure. I still see them around here every once in a while. Not just sitting under a tree either. Some of them will still move under their own power.

I'd rather have a Pinto. All kinds of stuff will fit under that hood.

Rented a Chevette in .....1982 ?? (Memory is getting foggier by the minute.)

It was "Loaded" 1.6 motor, 4 spd manual (Who woulda believed it.) The Hertz ladies were probably laughing at me for taking the turkey on the lot.

It was OK. As long as you treated it as just another rental car, with your foot on the floor and lotsa steering input, it was OK. From then on I always requested manual transmission rental cars....which really confused most of the counter people.. (Grin)

Rog

There is a fellow toolin around here in one that looks like it is new off the showroom floor. No rust or anything. The only other ones I have seen around here have been used for ice racing.

I really dig the exhaust system :)

this one is pretty awesome... volvo turbo powa http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=195979

the Euro version may have had a smaller engine.. but I bet it put out more power than our smogged and anemic versions.

emodspitfire wrote: ... The Hertz ladies were probably laughing at me for taking the turkey on the lot.

I got even. If you mashed the gas to the floor, waited about 2 minutes, then yanked up the emergency brake while turning, you could do a perfect bootleggers turn,

I wonder if the DOHC 1.8L 4XF1 from the 1992-1993 Isuzus/Geo Storm GSi would be easy to swap into the Chevette. I am surprised no one has mentioned it, but the first generation Isuzu Impulse was built on the same platform as the Chevette. The 2.0L Turbo version was only rated at 140hp in the US.

My dad bought a yellow manual 4 door Chevette in 1980. I liked it though I had to ride in the hatch area. Later my brother used it to tow around lawn equipment. I remember helping him change the clutch. I think he sold it for $300 back in 1988.

I've driven a great many vehicles, and Chevettes are the only ones in which I have thought, "55 mph is fast enough, thank you."