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  • mrdontplay

    Jan. 12, 2009 6:35 p.m. mrdontplay None

    I have a '79 chevette that I am wanting to turn into an autoX/ road race car. There is no after market for American chevettes, but in the UK the Vauxhall chevettes are pretty popular and enjoy lots of after market support.

    I need to know if springs and shocks from a vauxhall chevette will cross over to an American chevette. I am more interested in the front end than the rear sense I can just more the front springs to the back if I get performance springs up front. I am interested in adjustable dampers from spax.

    BTW I'm a new member and I like what I see so far. Thanks for viewing.

  • ronbros

    Jan. 12, 2009 6:39 p.m. ronbros New Reader

    IM not 100% sure, but Opel chevettes were made by Isuzu, called Gemini ZZ

  • Travis_K

    Jan. 12, 2009 6:45 p.m. Travis_K Reader

    http://www.holdengemini.net/feature_isuzu_david_imark.php

    Those are really popular in austrailia, and they have tons of parts for them there. You should be able to find a quaife LSD, koni struts, stiffer springs (but not stiff enough for a track car probably), maybe other stuff I dunno. The engines arent the same though.

  • Jensenman

    Jan. 12, 2009 7:35 p.m. Jensenman UltimaDork

    AFAIK, the US Chevette used a lot of Opel parts (front suspension, rear axle, etc) and the engine was a Brazilian design, I dunno how much stuff is interchangeable with the Vauxhall version. 44dwarf is probably way more up on these than anyone else on the board.

    The Opel by Isuzu was a completely different car here in the States, I dunno about overseas.

    EDIT: As usual, take Wikipedia with a grain of salt but they say the US and UK variants were the same GM 'T' platform. So I would imagine Vauxhall Chevette and US Chevette suspension stuff would interchange.

  • oldopelguy

    Jan. 12, 2009 9:21 p.m. oldopelguy HalfDork

    For front suspension stuff in a Chevette you should be able to adapt and install parts from UK Chevettes, Fieros, and most of the RWD Isuzu cars including the Opel Isuzu, Impulse, and I-mark. With a little adapting you could probably make Opel Manta stuff work too.

    For auto-x in a Chevette I'd start with the Fiero stuff if you wanted new or aftermarket or with Isuzu Impulse parts if you're junkyard shopping. Your front springs to the back, with a little trim, should be @280#/in IIRC, and you'll want something in the 450-500#/in for the front, based on the "cheap" hot set-up in an Opel Manta.

    There is a Rancho adjustable shock for the rear of an Isuzu pickup that we use a lot on the front of an Opel, and it might fit your scooter too. I'll see if I can scrounge you up a part #.

  • Travis_K

    Jan. 12, 2009 9:25 p.m. Travis_K Reader

    These konis should fit http://www.directtuning.com/store/pc-45395-125-KONI.aspx Fiero brakes should too right?

  • oldopelguy

    Jan. 12, 2009 9:44 p.m. oldopelguy HalfDork

    The Fiero had 5-lug instead of 4, and the hubs themselves are thicker to space the wheel mounting surface about 3/4" further out per side for FWD rims. In my case that's great, because the Toyota rear axle I'm putting in is just wide enough to use FWD rims and the set of rims I have are drilled with both the 5x100 Fiero and the 5x4.5" Toyota patterns.

  • gamby

    Jan. 13, 2009 12:15 a.m. gamby UberDork

    I'd like to see the Vauxhall front end on the Chevy. Maybe even the flares.

  • oldopelguy

    Jan. 13, 2009 4:52 a.m. oldopelguy HalfDork

    I just so happen to have a set of those flares....

  • ignorant

    Jan. 13, 2009 6:24 a.m. ignorant PowerDork

    /thread.....

  • Jensenman

    Jan. 13, 2009 6:29 a.m. Jensenman UltimaDork

    Hey, I forgot we have an Opel expert on the board.

    What exactly is the US Chevette motor? To me it looks a bit like a Vega motor with an extra valve cover.

  • oldopelguy

    Jan. 13, 2009 8:12 a.m. oldopelguy HalfDork

    The US got the 1.4/1.6L motor from the Brazilian Opela version of the T-chassis. It's really not an all-together bad little lump, and if I had one with a 5-speed I'd even consider it a good Locost choice. I've seen a few of them swapped into Opels over the years, and it's a good fit in a GT if you aren't looking to add any power but want a little more room around the motor to work on it and want easier to get parts. It's an all iron motor, not aluminum like the Vega, and if you factor in how we all abused any Chevette we got into in high school I'd consider the motor pretty robust.

    The diesel Chevettes got the same little Isuzu diesels as the LUV and I-Mark, and IIRC it has the same bolt pattern as the 2.2L motor Isuzu used ineverything from the I-mark up to the Trooper. That motor was available as a real screamer in the turbo Impulse, and should be an easy swap with almost no fabrication required. Of course you might as well start with an Impulse for the Lotus handling bits, unless you're looking for a sleeper. Keeping the diesel and adding a turbocharger might be a viable option too, if you're into making exhaust smoke with your tire smoke.

    The UK version Chevette that was the real screamer had the Vauxhall slant-4 in it, and that motor just loved aftermarket induction and tuning. I've heard of guys with bolt-ons getting easy 150hp+ and being almost untouchable on the curves too.

  • nutherjrfan

    Jan. 13, 2009 12:24 p.m. nutherjrfan New Reader

    http://cgi.ebay.com/Vauxhall-CHEVETTE,-Graham-Robson-MRP-Rally-book-NEW_W0QQitemZ1...

    I have this excellent history book, but it is unfortunately for today's purposes, just that. Well worth the 25 bucks, tho'.

  • Jensenman

    Jan. 13, 2009 12:49 p.m. Jensenman UltimaDork

    oldopelguy wrote:

    The UK version Chevette that was the real screamer had the Vauxhall slant-4 in it, and that motor just loved aftermarket induction and tuning. I've heard of guys with bolt-ons getting easy 150hp+ and being almost untouchable on the curves too.

    If that is the 2.3 slant 4, it's the one that the Jensen folks tried to make work in the Healey and it didn't have near enough snap when Federalized so it was dropped in favor of the 907 Lotus. If they are making 150 HP now, the years have certainly been kind to them!

  • Junkyard_Dog

    Jan. 13, 2009 1:54 p.m. Junkyard_Dog Reader

    nutherjrfan wrote:

    http://cgi.ebay.com/Vauxhall-CHEVETTE,-Graham-Robson-MRP-Rally-book-NEW_W0QQitemZ1...

    I have this excellent history book, but it is unfortunately for today's purposes, just that. Well worth the 25 bucks, tho'.

    1 left now

  • mrdontplay

    Jan. 13, 2009 2:46 p.m. mrdontplay New Reader

    Is the G161Z the same as the american 1.6?

  • Travis_K

    Jan. 13, 2009 2:57 p.m. Travis_K Reader

    Rear swaybar http://www.modyourcar.com.au/whiteline-18mm-rear-sway-bar--holden-gemini-tx-tc-td-...

    Adjustable panhard rod (id fabticate a watts linkage instead though) http://www.findthebestprices.net/whiteline-rear-panhard-rod-kit-adjustable-wagon-v...

    Acticle about suspension setup

    http://home.iprimus.com.au/ryan300/LINK11.HTML

  • mrdontplay

    Jan. 14, 2009 4:07 p.m. mrdontplay New Reader

    Does anyone know where I could find a picture of vauxhall chevette suspension

  • impulsive

    Jan. 15, 2009 10:59 p.m. impulsive New Reader

    search here => chevettes.com

    and here => ozgemini.com

    and for the record the rwd Impulse = ultimate unloved & unsupported but most refined T-car bastard. not that anyone cares

  • oldopelguy

    Jan. 16, 2009 3:47 p.m. oldopelguy HalfDork

    I have all sorts of suspension pictures, just can't get them on the internet until I get the desktop back together. I'll see what I can do.

  • mrdontplay

    Jan. 17, 2009 11:31 a.m. mrdontplay New Reader

    I got on the monroe website and looked up part numbers. The chevette and i-mark part numbers are different I think I'm going to go to sears or something and ask to see both.

  • nickleone

    Jan. 17, 2009 1:29 p.m. nickleone New Reader

    http://homepage.ntlworld.com/paul.kemp3/scampspeed/Sportpart/index.html

    Try this for info. Nick

  • mrdontplay

    Jan. 17, 2009 6:42 p.m. mrdontplay New Reader

    nickleone wrote:

    http://homepage.ntlworld.com/paul.kemp3/scampspeed/Sportpart/index.html

    Try this for info. Nick

    HOLY E36 M3. You just made my day. How did you find this????

 

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