Shot in Santiago, Chile and posted at the Cohort by RiveraNotario.
QOTD: Can You ID This?
– Posted on January 5, 2018
-
-
Curbside Classics Archives
Shot in Santiago, Chile and posted at the Cohort by RiveraNotario.
My first thought was Geo Metro convertible with a bunch of custom parts added, but some details like the shape of the headlights don’t quite match. Of course they didn’t sell the Geo brand in South America, and I don’t know if Suzuki had an equivalent convertible model there, either. Or did someone just chop the roof off of a regular Suzuki hatchback I wonder? Or some other hatchback if I’m wrong about my Suzuki guess.
That’s what I thought too, but the front edge of the door line doesn’t match up where it would meet the base of the windshield.
Opel Kadett from 1985 to 1990. I think it is marketed as a Chevrolet Kadett in South America.
Opel Kadett E/South American Chevy home buildt convertible
You mean it isn’t the new VULCA Roadster with the Sport and Appearance package?
Being in Chile, it’s most likely a Brazilian Chevrolet Kadett convertible (yes, there was a factory convertible version to compete with the Ford Escort XR3 convertible). IIRC, production spanned 1991-1998 in different versions (3 door hatchback, 4 door wagon, and convertible – no sedan). If it’s in fact that model, it had a 2.0 fuel injected engine instead of the 1.8 issued to base Kadett and Chevrolet Monzas (Monza was the J car, built in Brazil very early as a 3 door hatchback and then just as a 2 and 4 door sedan). The Kadett GSI itself was built from around 1993 to 1996 and was very well equipped for what was typical then. The same car was sold in the US as a Pontiac Le Mans….now, that’s a weird use of a name.
Of course, as noted before, those Brazilian Chevrolets were Opels (or Vauxhalls, or Isuzu, you name it) with not necessarily the same engines. GM in Uruguay imported them in CKD form, and many Monzas were fitted with a 1.5 turbodiesel from Isuzu, mostly for taxi use. As diesel fuel was about half the price as regular gas, many private users also opted for the diesel. Cab drivers being about the same everywhere, I remember them (around 1992) saying that there was a switch to turn the turbo off to make them even more thrifty, or let it running for speed. Well, if I were to believe cab drivers, they would take their 1960 Mercedes 180 D to 100 km/h in 10 seconds.
Looks like some sort of Geo Metro convertible variant. I say that because the Suzuki Swift which it was based on was sold under more nameplates than I care to memorize 🙂
The only other convertible variants I’m aware of were the Suzuki Cultus in Japan, and the Pontiac Firefly in Canada.
I concur with Kadett/Astra,E but because the door is so short I reckon it started out as either the saloon (sold as Belmont here in the UK) or, less likely given its location, a 5-door hatch. The headlights look like they’re made of tinfoil! Credit where it’s due; there was a lot of work went into the front end.
I’d concur. The door maybe from a 5 door hatch or an estate, as the 3 door variant had a gentle down and then up curve on the lower window line, and curved rear shut line.
The lights remind me of those you see on French microcars – you always wonder which French car they came from but look unfamiliar in that location
For some reason this photo reminds me of an old guy on the shipyard worker bus who said “If I can’t tell if a person is male or female, I don’t care.”
That, my friends, is what remains of a choptop ‘96 Nunca Vulca GSI. For better. Or worse.
It’s interesting that even we Americans know this is a GM car. Even if the ‘90’s weren’t the best period for GM styling, their global design language was pretty consistent.
Daewoo. Don’t get it on your hands!
Id say Opel kadett E or whatever it was called there.
Looks like Kadett with Chevrolet Epica headlights.
Pontiac “LeMans”… late ’80’s early ’90’s.
Yes, I see some Opel Kadett (or Daewoo Cielo) in it, but the Daewoo was never available in convertible form, and I also see a hint of Renault 5 in the shape. The grille is definitely an aftermarket item.
This is a Kadett, but not a factory convertible. It’s a chopped up and filled 5 door – look how short the doors are.