NMNA.
Chevettes and the ultra rate CDM (Canadian Domestic Market) Pontiac Acadian
Rather have the Pontiac T1000. Just for the name.
I thought they had all been put out of their misery for the benefit of all mankind. 
Knurled. said:Rather have the Pontiac T1000. Just for the name.
would require XM radio permanently tuned to Liquid Metal.
After reading the title, I thought "two?"
Knurled. said:Rather have the Pontiac T1000. Just for the name.
My father ran self-serve carwashes when I was a kid. Back in 1981-2 or so, we had a customer come in with a Chevette. Brand new, still had t-tags on it
Bowtie on the grille and Chevette on the fenders. Pontiac, arrowhead, and T1000 on the hatch. Apparently no one, from QC through the dealer to the new owner, had noticed until I mentioned it to him.
A while back I saw a diesel Acadian for sale and thought that would have be of one the most rare Chevette variants produced.
Oddly enough, I saw a Chevette in the N.C. mountains earlier this week. First one I’ve seen in years.
They've all returned to the Earth here in the rust belt. Good riddance.
I'm surprised to see the Chevette hate. I think they're cool in hindsight, kind of like the old full size wagons that only now have a serious following. No they're not great if that's your only transportation, but as a retro cool ride pretty dang neat.
dculberson said:I'm surprised to see the Chevette hate. I think they're cool in hindsight, kind of like the old full size wagons that only now have a serious following. No they're not great if that's your only transportation, but as a retro cool ride pretty dang neat.
No, they will never be cool to me. Back in the 70s, we were leaving town to head over the mountains to visit the parents for Christmas. Literally as we're pulling onto the highway, the oil pressure idiot light comes on. We make our way back to town and rent the only car we can find - a beige Chevette automatic. It wheezed and roared over the mountains excruciatingly slowly, but made it. On the way home, we had a box tied to the roof, about two feet wide and ten inches tall. Driving down the highway heading for home, into a headwind, the "Shove-it" couldn't top 80 km/h (50 mph) floored! There's an reason so few survived.
dculberson said:I'm surprised to see the Chevette hate.
Other than being small and RWD, there's really not much to recommend them.
Duke said:dculberson said:I'm surprised to see the Chevette hate.
Other than being small and RWD, there's really not much to recommend them.
I think that most of the appreciation for these and other malaise-era American cars comes from folks who are too young to remember when they were all over the place. The E36 M3vette was a cheap, disposable pile of garbage, built to a price point by a GM that was at the height of it's arrogance and complacency, as a way to throw a bone to the idea of fuel economy. They were outclassed by literally everything else on the market, even then.
I keep saying it to younger car folks - The 70s were the Dark Ages. You are lucky not to have to experienced them. Why you'd want to voluntarily subject yourself to those cars is beyond my comprehension.
In reply to Tom_Spangler :
They weren't even particularly inexpensive for all the cheap you got, either.
they had a better following in europe.. because they were a better car. GM intentionally made them crappy here in the states so people would come to look at them, and then decide to buy a bigger car. The centre console is a big intent on this. They would be rather roomy little cars inside if they hadn't but that huge console in just to eat up interior space.
Duke said:dculberson said:I'm surprised to see the Chevette hate.
Other than being small and RWD, there's really not much to recommend them.
Lightweight, double wishbones...
Yeah, they are kinda neat on paper.
Tom_Spangler said:Duke said:dculberson said:I'm surprised to see the Chevette hate.
Other than being small and RWD, there's really not much to recommend them.
I think that most of the appreciation for these and other malaise-era American cars comes from folks who are too young to remember when they were all over the place. The E36 M3vette was a cheap, disposable pile of garbage, built to a price point by a GM that was at the height of it's arrogance and complacency, as a way to throw a bone to the idea of fuel economy. They were outclassed by literally everything else on the market, even then.
I keep saying it to younger car folks - The 70s were the Dark Ages. You are lucky not to have to experienced them. Why you'd want to voluntarily subject yourself to those cars is beyond my comprehension.
Absolutely this! I have flashbacks just hearing the name. There has never been a bigger pile of garbage ever put on the roads than a Chevette. I have a bit of experience with a couple of them when they were current, and while I can usually find something good in every car, this one is the exception. I simply cannot find anything pleasant at all in them. They drive bad, fell apart while going down the road, slow, slow, slow, terrible steering, and given their size, did not even get very good gas mileage. In high school, every kid worried when their parents went to get them a car as you did not want to end up with one. Fortunately I ended up with a GLC, my girlfriend was not so lucky. And her's was a diesel to boot. Beastly little things.
racerdave600 said:Tom_Spangler said:Duke said:dculberson said:I'm surprised to see the Chevette hate.
Other than being small and RWD, there's really not much to recommend them.
I think that most of the appreciation for these and other malaise-era American cars comes from folks who are too young to remember when they were all over the place. The E36 M3vette was a cheap, disposable pile of garbage, built to a price point by a GM that was at the height of it's arrogance and complacency, as a way to throw a bone to the idea of fuel economy. They were outclassed by literally everything else on the market, even then.
I keep saying it to younger car folks - The 70s were the Dark Ages. You are lucky not to have to experienced them. Why you'd want to voluntarily subject yourself to those cars is beyond my comprehension.
Absolutely this! I have flashbacks just hearing the name.
As the current owner of three Fairmonts, one of which I’ve had since 1987, I’ve been through the entire range of this. When I was in school, my bone-stock ‘Mont got no respect, even though it had a 302 and a 4-speed, and was far from the slowest car in the parking lot. I attribute this partially to my lack of social standing, but that only explains part of it. As I worked on the car over the years, it always got laughed at , especially by people who couldn’t listen to a car and know better (the paint and vinyl top were pretty hammered), but toward the end garnered some respect among the people who knew enough to not just take it on looks alone, and as it got old enough to be “classic” instead of just “not new anymore”.
The red car had shinier paint, and received all the good parts from the old blue one after it’s front subframe failed. That means that it debuted at 300 whp, and somewhat decent handling. Most people thought that I repainted my old car. It only got faster and louder from there, and I can almost understand someone thinking it’s cool. It’s got a decent stance, and some racy stickers on the windows.
What I really get a kick out of is my powder blue bone-stock 6-cyl/auto 2-door sedan. It’s got slightly worn original paint, and ‘86 Mustang GT wheels, and people love it. Someone will tell me “nice car”, and while I’m thanking them, my brain screams, “You’re old enough to know better! This car was designed and built to be crap! Where’s your standards!?!”
My dad bought a '74 Camaro with a 350 and 4 speed new. I'll never forget him walking out to the car the next day after I had borrowed it for a date (begged and pleaded) and wiping rubber off the fender behind the right rear wheel. A few weeks later he traded it for a tan 4 door Chevette with a 4 speed. That was the worst car I have ever driven, by far and the emission controls made it impossible to shift smoothly. The only thing it could do worth a damn was what we called a gangster turn- snatch up the parking brake and spin around. Edit to clarify: I was 17 or so, so the Chevette must have been a '78 or '79. Wish I had the Camaro now.
Hey, my brother had a Chevette growing up, and my wife's family had a Pontiac T1000 when we were dating. I know they were (are) E36 M3ty, but so are so many other cars we like. Biturbo anyone?
Small RWD and double wishbones up front sounds like a great start to something neat.
Tom_Spangler said:Duke said:dculberson said:I'm surprised to see the Chevette hate.
Other than being small and RWD, there's really not much to recommend them.
I think that most of the appreciation for these and other malaise-era American cars comes from folks who are too young to remember when they were all over the place. The E36 M3vette was a cheap, disposable pile of garbage, built to a price point by a GM that was at the height of it's arrogance and complacency, as a way to throw a bone to the idea of fuel economy. They were outclassed by literally everything else on the market, even then.
I keep saying it to younger car folks - The 70s were the Dark Ages. You are lucky not to have to experienced them. Why you'd want to voluntarily subject yourself to those cars is beyond my comprehension.
No, not necessarily. While I'm not at all saying I want to buy one, I like the Chevette simply for the nostalgia. I'm very much old enough to remember when they were new. Yep, they were steaming piles of crap, and I remember making fun of them as a teen. But when I look at them, it still makes me smile.
Any car that conquered the Circuit of Ireland back when it was a real circuit is worthy of respect.
41. Benson & Hedges Circuit of Ireland 1980
4. 4. – 8. 4. 1980 • asphalt • Other years
ERC #12 (coef 2) • Great Britain #2
Final results
finished: 52 (10 on list)
1.#2
McRae Jimmy - Nicholson Mike
Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HSR (CVA 751V)87:42:40
2.#5
Vatanen Ari - Richards David
Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII77:45:04+2:24
+2:24
3.#15
Buckley Ger - Caplice JohnFord Escort RS 1800 MKII77:58:27+15:47
+13:23
4.#8Wilson Malcolm - Harryman TerryFord Escort RS 1800 MKII (FEV 1T) 78:02:19+19:39
+3:52
5.#23Cathcart Ian - Harkness RobertFord Escort RS 1800 MKII78:19:34+36:54
+17:15
6.#18Kaby Terry - Rainbow BrianVauxhall Chevette 2300 HS (CEB 235V)88:22:31+39:51
+2:57
7.#31Logan Jim - Ervine DerekFord Escort RS 2000 MKII38:27:59+45:19
+5:28
8.#36Jones Godfrey - France-Jackson CyrilFord Escort RS 1800 MKII78:28:59+46:19
+1:00
9.#72McDonald Jim - Murphy Leslie
Talbot Sunbeam Lotus68:35:42+53:02
+6:43
10.#45Tansey John - Inglis ReaFord Escort RS 1800 MKII78:35:53+53:13
+11
Below is actually a picture from the Open but the Circuit winning McRae car.
Some of you may recognize the name of the first loser in a Ford.
Klayfish said:No, not necessarily. While I'm not at all saying I want to buy one, I like the Chevette simply for the nostalgia. I'm very much old enough to remember when they were new. Yep, they were steaming piles of crap, and I remember making fun of them as a teen. But when I look at them, it still makes me smile.
That's cool. Sounds like you are going in with eyes open. If it's what you want, go for it. I'd still like another '77 Cougar. I know first-hand how terrible it is, but it was my first car, and if it makes me feel what it was like to be a 16-year-old with freedom again, even briefly, it's worth it.
Tom_Spangler said:Klayfish said:No, not necessarily. While I'm not at all saying I want to buy one, I like the Chevette simply for the nostalgia. I'm very much old enough to remember when they were new. Yep, they were steaming piles of crap, and I remember making fun of them as a teen. But when I look at them, it still makes me smile.That's cool. Sounds like you are going in with eyes open. If it's what you want, go for it. I'd still like another '77 Cougar. I know first-hand how terrible it is, but it was my first car, and if it makes me feel what it was like to be a 16-year-old with freedom again, even briefly, it's worth it.
Oh no, I never said I wanted it. 
Just admire them. In the same way I admire the Pontiac 6000STE, Mercury Topaz (father had one as a company car) and Chrysler E-Class (ditto). All pieces of crap, but the cars that were available "back in the day".
My first car I daily drove was an '88 Chevy Nova. Certainly a reliable car, but that's about all it had going for it. I wouldn't mind having another just for nostalgia.
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