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Junkyard_Dog
Junkyard_Dog SuperDork
11/29/14 1:26 p.m.

85 CS w.Custom exterior package. A/C car with a factory T5. This may turn into a part out thread since it needs more bodywork than I want to do and has some semi-rare parts on it. I want to build a Chevette rallyX car and/or a $201X Challenge car. At least I have one after all those "buy a Chevette posts!

nepa03focus
nepa03focus HalfDork
11/29/14 1:49 p.m.

That looks pretty clean in the pics.

failboat
failboat UberDork
11/29/14 2:13 p.m.

Appropriate use of "Vette" to draw people's interest.

+10 Internets.

AngryCorvair
AngryCorvair GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
11/29/14 6:33 p.m.

i opened the thread thinking "i hope it's a chevette!"

The_Jed
The_Jed UltraDork
11/29/14 6:46 p.m.

There's a 4 door a mile or so from my house we had to stop and look at on our way to snag a christmas tree.

Low miles but it's a slushbox.

VWguyBruce
VWguyBruce Dork
11/29/14 7:47 p.m.

You got me. Now I'm watching.

EvanB
EvanB GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
11/29/14 7:51 p.m.

Awesome! I want one to drop a rotary in.

Woody
Woody GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
11/29/14 9:03 p.m.

I remember riding in a Chevette Scooter once. It was the most basic stripped model you could buy. Probably Chevy's cheapest car at the time. It had decals instead of emblems. I remember trying to slide the passenger seat back and the owner told me that it wasn't adjustable. The seat bolted directly to the floor.

LopRacer
LopRacer Dork
11/29/14 10:48 p.m.

I had a student a few years back that bought a 2 door as a beater while he built his 320i, he seemed to enjoy it despite it being very slow for his taste.

Kenny_McCormic
Kenny_McCormic PowerDork
11/29/14 11:02 p.m.
Woody wrote: I remember riding in a Chevette Scooter once. It was the most basic stripped model you could buy. Probably Chevy's cheapest car at the time. It had decals instead of emblems. I remember trying to slide the passenger seat back and the owner told me that it wasn't adjustable. The seat bolted directly to the floor.

Sounds like the perfect start for a hot rod.

How much chassis reinforcement is required to keep a healthy V8 from ripping itself out of the car?

Nick_Comstock
Nick_Comstock PowerDork
11/29/14 11:15 p.m.

In reply to Kenny_McCormic:

I've always had the dream of sticking a turbo'd 4.3 V6 with a five speed in one. No particular reason for it.

Now that I'm thinking about it though I'd rather stick the entire drive train from a Solstice GXP in one, I wonder how much work it would be...

Zomby Woof
Zomby Woof PowerDork
11/30/14 5:53 a.m.

I had an 87 and it was a good car. Basic, but it did everything I expected. I always thought a 200 HP Quad 4 would be a fun motor in a car like that.

Junkyard_Dog
Junkyard_Dog SuperDork
11/30/14 10:50 a.m.

Pics/link added to My Garage and My Flickr.

Powar
Powar SuperDork
12/1/14 8:52 a.m.

Great job, JD.

Dave
Dave New Reader
12/1/14 8:54 a.m.

Looks real nice in the photo. Citation hub caps are interesting.

NGTD
NGTD SuperDork
12/1/14 9:21 a.m.
Zomby Woof wrote: I had an 87 and it was a good car. Basic, but it did everything I expected. I always thought a 200 HP Quad 4 would be a fun motor in a car like that.

Better upgrade the brakes first . . . .

NGTD
NGTD SuperDork
12/1/14 9:22 a.m.

BTW - ice racer, if you are anywhere near a location. They are supposed to be an absolute hoot on the ice.

dropstep
dropstep Reader
12/2/14 10:30 p.m.

a friend recently snagged a clean 4 door stick car with a blown motor. these things are fun with a bit of power

Junkyard_Dog
Junkyard_Dog SuperDork
12/19/14 5:58 p.m.

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Terminal floor rot. Needs both rockers, both lower rear 1/4s behind the wheel-left side up to the gas door, RF floor, RR floor patch, Left floor from firewall to rear control arm (front of seat held in by carpet), Left door, both rear rocker pinch welds folded under, Right 1/4 and both doors dented. Pics to come.

The good news is the clutch and T5 trans are good, all the A/C parts are there, the front shock towers are rust-free, all of the rare-ish trim is there, and it runs and drives. Smokes a ton and has no belts but I can move it around fairly easily.

I'll be selling off parts I won't need for the future build starting next year. Hopefully I can recoup my purchase price and still keep the good bits I bought the car for in the first place.

Hopefully plan B goes into effect this weekend with the purchase of the drivetrain donor.

Junkyard_Dog
Junkyard_Dog SuperDork
12/20/14 10:16 a.m.

Left rocker. I knew it was rusty but figured if that was all there was I'd repair it.

Right rocker. Looked fine on initial inspection. I removed the trim and found these soft spots. Like so soft I pushed through with my finger. So two rockers. Not ideal, but doable. And the floors. Again I knew the seat anchors had rusted out, but didn't realize the only thing keeping it in the car was the carpet. And the right side was almost as bad. Hmmmm, not looking to good. Left rear frame rail above the spring mount. berkeley this!

So at this point I'll just keep looking for an early round tail car like I wanted to start with. Anybody need a Chevette shell to build tube frame drag car out of?

petegossett
petegossett GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
12/20/14 2:49 p.m.

Wow that really sucks.

NOHOME
NOHOME PowerDork
12/21/14 10:09 a.m.

kevlarcorolla
kevlarcorolla HalfDork
12/21/14 10:37 a.m.
NGTD wrote: BTW - ice racer, if you are anywhere near a location. They are supposed to be an absolute hoot on the ice.

I built a log manifold to turbo a buddies ice racer,it was megasquirted using a TBI of something else...blew it up in short order.Told him he was wasting time/cash and better to swap something modern'ish instead.

Good luck finding a better starting point.

klb67
klb67 Reader
12/21/14 5:43 p.m.

In-laws had an early 80s tan 4 Dr Chevette when we met. Hauled a 17 foot canoe on the roof and towed a pop up with it. Had well over 200K miles on it and an imaculate interior when the body finally returned to the natural elements. My father in law might kill to get another one.

Junkyard_Dog
Junkyard_Dog SuperDork
12/25/14 10:07 a.m.

So maybe I'm going at this from the wrong direction. I figure I can buy the car below, sell off the questionable bits (there are lots) and end up with a swapped driver for maybe $1000 left to make it right. Thoughts from the hive?

Swapped Chevette

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