I came across a local classic car site clicking around and checked out their inventory. There are a lot of nice cars but I'm sorry this does not qualify as a classic. 1977 Chevrolet Chevette - Cruisin Classics--Classic Car, Muscle Car, Vintage Car, and Collector Cars A Chevette for $6k that's double what it was new and it was junk then. Just because it's old doesn't mean it's gold.
I used to think the Chevy Vega was a POS too...... until I was stationed with a guy in '87 that had a Cosworth Vega. I think the advertising was something like " Same car, for twice the price!". I tried to trade him for my brand new '87 IROC Z, but no joy. I agree with you about the Chevette though. The only good thing about them was you could honestly say " I own a vette". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Cosworth_Vega
While I agree a Chevy Shove-it isn't the ideal classic car - as it was barely a car.....still, think about when you were growing up - any 40 year old car was a classic, wasn't it? And look at some of the cars bringing huge money these days - like classic Minis!
When I was a kid, classic cars were rare old luxury cars, like Duesenberg, Rolls Royce, Mercer and Mercedes Benz. A 40 year old Chevrolet was just an old Chevy.
Can't say as I agree with you a 100% there Dave. When I graduated from High School, even as jaded as I was with Barris and Roth customs, I would have considered a '25 Chevy a classic. YMMV
I guess you guys didn't get the HS and HSR versions made in Britain for rallying, with a 2.3 litre engine from another GM car, converted to a DOHC 16-valve head. Not entirely shabby and worth a lot more than $6k nowadays: In action with Pentti Airikkala: https://youtu.be/L022omgZrWU
For that money, I'd consider this instead. 1931 Alfa Romeo 8C2300 (Replica) - Cruisin Classics--Classic Car, Muscle Car, Vintage Car, and Collector Cars google-site-verification: googlebc591bc3360aa717.html google-site-verification: googlebc591bc3360aa717.html
That Alfa is pretty sweet for the price. I saw a real one run at VIR at the classics race once. I think that one was valued at a little more. Everything under the hood on that thing was machine turned. Whole car was a work of art.
They have a regular Vega there too. Twice the price. At least the Vega looked better and you could swap the engine for something better. I had a shove-it I tried everything to make it faster, handle better, or look better. It just wasn't made for any of that. When the Pontiac version came out I looked to see if there were some parts to help. Nope same car, different badge. I finally get rid of it and got a used Buick version of the Monza, a Skyhawk. That was more fun. Hey it was the early '80's and I was poor college student.
Sorry to all of you car snobs. But I think a low mileage, apparently pristine time capsule example of a typical everyday car like this 1977 Chevette can be fairly be called a classic car. Sure, it may not have been a car of your dreams when in high school, but it is a genuine surviving slice of automotive history preserved in great condition. The Chevette marks the first time GM attempted a "world" car produced globally with changes for local tastes and conditions. Granted, it offered no breakthrough technical or engineering feats, but it was just a humble and honest transportation offering from the world's biggest car maker (at that time). We can't just save what we currently consider the "cool" old cars and pretend that was all that was on the road back when. Plain Jane everyday cars deserve their place too. Honestly, at a car show of 1950s cars, I'd rather look over a Crosley or a Rambler or a study the details of a Hudson than even glance at another boring '57 Chevy.
Bruce I agree that everyday cars deserve their day. That's why I like the Vega or even a Pacer. But there was never anything interesting about a Chevette. Isuzu motor and a plastic dif gear. The best thing that came from the Chevette was that it gave the Fiero a front suspension.
I think it was only the diesels that had Izuzu engines. It is a shame GM didn't bring this version in. Vauxhall Chevette HSR quite the rally car in their day. :arf:
The Vauxhall Chevette RSR sure wasn't. :arf: Snipped from an article at the GM Heritage center site. All U.S. Chevette gasoline engines were produced at the Chevrolet “V-8†engine in Flint, Michigan, and were very similar to the 4-cylinder OHC engine used in the General Motors do Brasil Chevette. From 1981 through 1986, the Chevette was also available with an Isuzu 1.8 litre OHC 4-cylinder diesel engine. Initial U.S. production of the Chevrolet Chevette was at GM's Wilmington Delaware Assembly Plant. As demand grew, production was added at the Lakewood, Georgia Assembly Plant near Atlanta.