This dear little Chevette lives on a quiet alley just three blocks from my house. It never fails to make me smile. But then the other morning as I was walking back home with the dog, I noticed it’s up on three wheels; kinda’ like the dog. Except there’s no bush nearby, and I suspect it’s not just taking a leak, unless of course the brake cylinder or axles is.
I’m looking forward to seeing it back on all fours, as this does not make me smile; it worries me.
It’s a Chevette. I think we can assume it’s constantly leaking anyway! Poor thing, doesn’t look to be in too bad a shape. Nice color too.
Looks like “Army” green.
That shade of green was common on some 1978 and 1979 GM vehicles, but I don’t ever recall seeing a Chevette in this color before this photo.
I remember this shade of green being popular on the full-size B- and C-bodies, along with the intermediate personal luxury coupes.
Paint has a nice dullness, to go with the Army motif.
The encouraging thing is that the owner is giving it some attention. Once you have a simple car like a Chevette this far apart, it can’t cost much to fix what is wrong.
I wonder when parts availability starts to be a problem, even with a car produced in the bazillions like the Chevette. There must still be a bunch of parts cars around, but those have to dry up eventually. Reproduction Mustang and MGB parts I can understand, but will anyone do that for the Chevette?
Perhaps this IS now a parts car. First part to be sold was the left rear wheel…
Aren’t old Chevettes still popular in Brazil? That could keep some parts in production.
“I wonder when parts availability starts to be a problem, even with a car produced in the bazillions like the Chevette.”
At present, the internet age makes this a cakewalk (for service parts such as driveline and brakes). For this Chevette, RockAuto lists 30 unique brake shoe part numbers, and the parts are cheap- I can order two drums, a set of shoes and brake hardware for a total of $36.01 (plus shipping…).
Parts quality is a concern when using internet suppliers, so I recommend choosing established part brands you’ve used before.
Of course, finding interior or exterior trim pieces is a different story, but keeping the engine running and the wheels turning is very doable.
RockAuto tip – Bought Raybestos front wheel cylinders from RA, they’re made in China.
For the rear wheel cylinders, I ordered AC Delco. They’re made in China.
Well, you can buy a complete Buick that’s made in China, so I don’t think that’s a surprise to anyone…
That is a 1979 Chevette. That year got the last major face-lift that the Chevette would recieve, but it still wore the 1978 rear end. In 1980 the rear got wrap around tail lights and a round fuel filler door.
also a reshaped rear quarter window and hatch door. Really everything from the B pillar (coupe) or C pillar (sedan) back was new.
Chevette was a popular car when I was in (late 90s) highschool it was one of those cars that were passed from sibling to sibling along with delta 88s and cierras
Having been dumb enough to buy one of these in 1976, all I can say is that it was even worse than my ’74 Pinto wagon, but with less room! Everything about the Chevette proved to be trouble prone in the case of my “Firethorn” colored one inside and out. So, on a positive note versus todays’ vehicles, it DID have color!!!
Gas mileage stayed in the 20s, no acceleration to speak of, handling and brakes were at best, so-so. Ride was choppy. Overall I really can’t think of a new car I’ve had that proved to be more disappointing…:( DFO
It was a happy day when I traded it for a basic ’79 Nova. 🙂 DFO
I had three in a row
Bought a 77 Scooter back in 1980, no power but fairly reliable
Traded it for a 1984 4-door that was also reliable until it started throwing timing belts after 50k miles
After that got a a 1980 4 door with AC and automatic transmission, most gutless car I’ve ever owned, liked to eat alternators on long trips
Why buy them? they were cheap, like the BIC lighters of cars
The drought (as seen in the lawn) is alarming. Hope you get several days of rain soon.
I found the earlier noses (’76-’78), generally more attractive.
We haven’t had rain since about mid-May. We have a Mediterranean climate out here, much like California, except our wet and cool winters are longer and wetter than theirs, and our dry summers not quite so long. But yes, we’re all itching to see it rain once again.
Just not too much too soon; this is my favorite time of the year for outdoor activities. We’re just about to head out for a whitewater kayaking trip down the McKenzie river. One wants plenty of sun for that!
Sounds awesome Paul, have a wonderful time! Looking at your forecast, there is little or no sign of rain into September. Grass and trees are amazingly resilient, and they will bounce back into Fall.
Otherwise, your current hours of sun, comfortable day temps, cool overnight temps, and low relative humidity, appear almost near perfection for being outdoors.
Unfortunately it looks like we’re also going to have smoke/haze too, from a forest fire up in the mountains. That’s been a real spoiler the past two summers.
The satellite images from your area and BC the past two years are quite troubling. The global changes are very real.
Watch for ‘ticks’ while you are out. With climbing temperatures, and growing ranges, ticks (and Lyme disease) have become a significant problem here in Central Canada.
I was at a classic car show a few weeks ago, and someone had the nerve to display their Chevette. Is it a classic?
It’s not because the Chevette is a classic. It’s more 70s kitsch nostalgia, I’d say. Everyone has a Chevette memory. Like the Pacer, it’s a conservation starter, conjuring lots of distant memories (good and bad).
Curbside Classic articles featuring some of the most mundane high volume cars of the past seem to draw some of the greatest volume of comments/reaction, as everyone can can relate to them most. Whenever Paul posts an article on say most any AMC product, the heartfelt sentiment for their cars is always present.
Yes, kitch I suppose. While most 70’s cars can bring me a little joy, especially AMC, there’s just something about the Chevette that bugs me. It’s my issue I guess. When the Chevette came out I just thought GM was saying- “here, this is our small car, like it or lump it”. There’s nothing loveable about it. It’s as interesting as a cardboard box. LOL, just my opinion.
I totally agree. When I look back on some of the worst cars of the past, and I remember what they were like when introduced (without the filter of 40 years and any sense of sentimentality), I am reminded of the cynicism I felt the manufacturers were demonstrating towards buyers. They didn’t appear to value a long term relationship, rather high volume short term sales.
Especially as competitors were proving cars like the Chevette, Pinto, Vega, Plymouth Cricket, were largely shit boxes.
I consider it a classic car. some car clubs define a classic car to be between 25 years old and 50 years old. The last Chevette was made in 1987 so the newest Chevette is 31 years old in 2018. That falls under the classic car banner for a lot of car clubs.
I don’t see the Chevette as any less a classic then a Ford Model T. By 1920 the Model T was horribly outdated in both looks and features. You only have to look at a 1927 Model T and then look at a 1928 Model A and the differences between the cars are night and day.
To me the Chevette and the Pinto are some of the successors of the Model T. They both were very easy to work on. They were were cheap to buy brand new and offered basic transportation.
In the 1930’s into the 1950’s the Model T for most people was a dated old shit box that could be picked up for dirt cheap or free. A goodly amount were turned into hotrods.
Of course I still cannot figure why VW Beetles are considered classic cars. Leaving beside the fact that they were the brain child of a dictator whose regime killed millions of people in 12 years (the irony of 1960’s hippies driving them to anti-war rallies protesting and calling the US Govt fascists and yet the car they drove to them was the rolling embodiment of fascism never ceases to amuse me)
By the time 1946 rolled around and production of them started up again, they were horribly dated, slow and really did not give that great gas mileage when all was said and done. Plus you froze to death in the winter and cooked to death in the summer. But these are considered classics and folks (including the VW ad campaign) bill these as the successor to the Model T (well they were both certainly primitive)
Not to worry, Paul. Those look like actual jack stands-two of them-holding up their end of the car. I would be concerned if their place was taken by a log, or even a steel wheel. Perhaps the owner is working on the rear axle, or the suspension?
That’s a nice looking ‘Vette! Hopefully an easy, cheap fix and the owner is just needing a few extra $$ to finish.
There was a small group of Chevettes in the parking lot at this summer’s Goodguys PPG Nationals in Columbus, Ohio. Seeing them made me smile, in spite of their mostly well-worn condition. One was sort of a rat rod – hole through a corner of the hood with a muffler half peeking out.
Also, earlier this summer, the local Craigslist had an ‘86 Chevette coupe that looked like the younger brother of my former ‘84. The starting price was $2,500. After a couple of weeks, they lowered the price and it was gone soon after. If I had the space and some mad money, I’d have been tempted. Parts for the running gear on Chevettes at still fairly easy to find.
One of these turned up on a New Zealend classic car group on FB recently yes a US Chevette but of the Pontiac flavour it had a Hz Holden grille grafted in but someone loves it and a very rare car here we only got the British Vauxhall and Japanese Holden models.
I’m amazed at how many of these STILL are out there and running, however many years after GM stopped making them.
My favorite one is the one I spotted about 25 years ago, looking ordinary except for custom wheels, and a backwards-molded hood scoop with a very subtle V-6 emblem fastened to it on each side…
We had an ’83 in ’93. Not great. Got stuck in 2 inches of snow, and broke it’s altenator bracket with what felt like 45 h.p. Slow, buzzy and chintzy. Only had 40,000 on it and sold it to get an ’83 Cavalier which felt like a Mercedes by comparison. (I’ve had a lot of old cars because of being financially-challenged but some are just terrible by design. This is one IMO.)