I saw a Chevette today. . .

just putting along in the right lane of the highway, minding its own bussiness. First one I've seen registered, inspected, and driving in who knows how many years.

I saw one a couple months ago. I also remember riding in the back seat of one back in the eighties as my older sister was learning how to drive a stick in her high school parking lot. Yeah, that was fun. My dad, "Light pole!"

There are 2 or 3 here in Memphis, and a few weeks ago I think I saw one in Jacksonville...or on the way there(perhaps in Alabama?).

There are also a few of those "Opel by Buick" Chevette lookalikes here in Memphis. I delivered a pizza to an apartment complex that had a DIESEL Opel parked out front..tho I never see it run, it does/did move from that parking spot.

for some strange reason, I get all nostalgic when I see a chevette. My aunt had one of the first ones (with the round headlights) in silver,

My Grandmother had a red one

and my best friend in HS had a T1000

Funny thing was, I think they were all automatics

"Funny thing was, I think they were all automatics."

It's my opinion, that GM offers cars like Chevettes and their bigger "sisters", the Cavalier and it's clones, with manual transmissions ONLY because Honda and Toyota build similar sized cars with manual trannys. They do it almost as a courtesy to budget shoppers, and as such, do a REALLY CRUMMY job with the shifter engineering. (VW and Chevrolet both offer/offered "cable shifted" manual trannys....which do you thing had the better shift quality?) Since the first, optional GM auto arrived, GM has consciously(sp?) or unconsciously, HEAVILY pushed automatics....I'll bet they even built a few diesel Chevettes with automatics.

TR3only wrote: ....I'll bet they even built a few diesel Chevettes with automatics.

Now I bet those would be zippy!

On being nostalgic, my brother had a 83-84 that he bought nearly new. It was a 2 door manual, sparkling poo with a blacked out grille. I've always wanted to find another one just like it and put a buick T-type or Pontiac boosted V-6 in it.

I have two chevettes. One is mostly stock but I am in the process of swapping in a T5 transmission and 8 inch clutch. It is a fun car to drive. I get the feeling of going fast without exceeding the speed limit enough to get in the $500 fine range. With the 4 speed transmission and 3.70 rear gear, exceeding the speed limit on the interstate is not possible

If I ever get the time, the second Chevette will be a bit more exciting.

A local girl has a nice clean early 80's 'vette, and she must drive it a lot, because I see her almost everyday. Pulling out of work on Friday, I saw a mint 86/87 with nice rims and tires. Haven't seen one of those in awhile.

I owned on back in the 80s, bought it for $100 and drove it to death (it was a short 8k mile trip). I jumped it over a berm in the road and the front shock towers popped thru the hood. It still drove to the junkyard where they gave my $25 for it so I suppose my depreciation curve wasn't as terrible as some people experienced.

Even though I have 1st hand experience with what a total POS that car was... I have some strange urge to find one and do something ridiculous to it. I think it would make a good mid-engined tube chassis-kinda-thing along the lines of what people did to old Morris Mini cars.

walterj wrote: ... I have some strange urge to find one and do something ridiculous to it. I think it would make a good mid-engined tube chassis-kinda-thing along the lines of what people did to old Morris Mini cars.

Something like this?.....

http://www.truveo.com/2007-Byron-Wheelstand-Contest-Chevette-Flip/id/694335684

Edit: they seem to be good at this. Here is another one...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-YIDmwv4pE

Here ya go..

http://www.highperformancepontiac.com/features/hppp_0903_1985_pontiac_t1000/index.html

Shawn

Drag racing isn't my bag but... while looking at those clips I came across this:

http://current.com/items/88791993_chevette-ice-racing.htm

Now that is some cool (pun intended) use for a Chevette!

I've had the desire the mess around with one for faaar too long.

V6, fab a 4 link in the rear...mmmmm

walterj wrote: Drag racing isn't my bag but... while looking at those clips I came across this: http://current.com/items/88791993_chevette-ice-racing.htm Now that is some cool (pun intended) use for a Chevette!

Wow That looked simultaneously terrifying and awesome! Thant was quite a pile of sand they were racing through...