YES I SAID CHEVETTE!
It all starts with a simple photo I stumbled on and then it goes crazy and keeps going.
It all starts with a simple photo I stumbled on and then it goes crazy and keeps going.
Oh I know just a stupid base model car right, oh you are wrong my friend!
ADMIT IT, THEY CUTE!
Assembly Plants Atlanta Georgia and Wilmington Delaware
1976-1987 IN THE USA- South America 1973 to as late as 1998
43/31 MPG remember this for a coming blog, I guess this was not important in 70's and 80's oddly?
All over the world it seems too!
Decals make a special edition, right?
Well still cute
Woody?
Thought those were wagons?
Even an Acadian Woody
Well we tried in North America
Remember Diesel? Isuzu engine, ok keep reading.
Electrovette concept above
As the Chevette bowed out in the USA the new V6 showed up and GM toyed with this V6 Chevette, it would have been cool!
A tough one because only found a newspaper clipping from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette 1/23/79 and the article tells us standard 1.6 engine with a small TO-3 turbocharger which takes it from 63HP to 100HP about a 40% increase. Stillborn and forgotten!
Then Pontiac T1000
T was the GM platform.
Acadian in Canada
Opel in USA via Buick dealers?
Look around the windshield and doors.
All the T Platform Chevette family
All the T Platform Chevette family
1973 PROTOTYPE
Squint a little and stare at the windshield and front doors!
Isuzu hits the USA in 1972
Remember the I-Mark?
I can see the Vega in there too!
Cover everything behind the doors and you see a Chevette!
I bet the fastback above would have been popular in the USA
Also Assembled in Venezuela,hum?
In Brazil it was out in 1973 and started with this coupe body.
At one point it started to look more like the USA version.
A 4dr with a different style showed up, it had a deck lid.
A 2dr wagon also was developed called Marajo
Chevy 500 pickup truck!
Yes its the Chevette!
Good for bikes!
Germany as the Opel Kadett line
Called a City
Aero, a fun sporty Chevette in the USA, nope we just got a basic transportation slug
TEST bed safety car
GT/E
Limousine 4dr and wagons
Now to the United Kingdom
The Bedford Chevanne
Sedan Delivery
Vauxhall and Bedford Parts huh?
If GM was present that country got a vehicle based on the T platform
Vauxhall Chevette
Targa
In the whole Range as they say over there!
And spice it up a bit.
HSR Turbo 2.3 ONLY 50 MADE?
Rallye car
USA,CANADA,UNITED KINGDOM,JAPAN,AUSTRALIA
BRAZIL,ECUADOR,AUSTRIA,FRANCE,NEW ZEALAND
SWEDEN, URUGUAY
Any other car been worldwide?
HS
Chef Graham Kerr's car below
There is another evolution brewing, but not for this blog yet!
Ok lets go to Argentina
Our Chevette shows up as a GMC
And Chevrolet
And Chevette Junior
Throughout South America many slight variations and versions
You can see the Monza and Vega coming within there!
This Chevette based pickup is an extended cab with a rather long useful bed, could not find much else on this one? It is in Uruguay.
Used the name Saehan and Daewoo
Just keep an eye on the windshield!
Chevrolet Condor Ecuador
Philippines
Daewoo Korea
I believe I made my point that although we ignored the Chevette it certainly made a big impact around the world. We tend to sit back on our laurels while in other parts of the world they explore different paths.
I started this Chevette blog because I stumbled on to this crazy car!
This was the late Don Stinebaugh's creation.
Well executed, but the entire vision was near sighted, he meant well.
Although gaudy there was nothing chincy about the conversions.
Notice the Monte Carlo theme and overall body masking on almost every panel, a little Grand Prix mixed in?
You have caught on? Its based on the rather mundane USA Chevette?
The pick up needed a frame added
Sometimes dubbed Mini Carlo
A little upscale trim pieces and power windows added
Switches on console looked like Volvo pieces to power the windows
Reshaped lines and baby Rolls Royce grille shell
It is still only a Chevette, maybe 100 built in any style
It started below.
22 coupes, 1 convertible, 1 sedan and 3 trucks were built
Prior to the Chevette was?
This one on display as Idaho is very proud of Mr. Stinebaugh!
Leata was Mrs. Stinebaugh's name
1n 1975 Leata produced this little know fiberglass body car.
Like a baby Hudson or reminiscent of a Crosley, but in 1975?
Note the only sedan built below on the right
Pinto 4 cyl. engine
And truck
Family run they built the entire car in house, frame and all!
Prior to this they built an ATV vehicle with a sort of mini Model A Ford body, pictures?
Stinebaugh produced a few high end neoclassics after the "Chevette", but can not find a single photo? They were all different and about $75,000!
We did find many ways to stuff big engines in Chevettes!
SLEEPER I like this one skinny rear tires and looks like a single exhaust
They were rear wheel drive, unlike many European cars!
Being rear wheel drive I am surprised of it's worldwide acceptance
Rear Engine
Nah this never happened
Not sure whats going on here?
HUH?
It's a Chevette diesel
I think?
Made a good parking enforcement car
An insider tells me even the Delaware SP used an unmarked car for various assignments and an un-named trooper could not resist pulling a speeding Corvette over with his State Police Chevette to issue a summons All in the family both were Vettes! You know you have to enforce the law, right?
?
Model kits and promos were made
Always wondered about the exaggerated flares that were in this kit!
Yeah it WAS a Chevette once
Didn't we go here already?
Yes the T-Tops were painted on!
And "button man" Dalton who covered everything in buttons, including a Chevette!
I think any car could be done up just right with some imagination!
At least masked a little!
To cap off this odd journey I shot this Chevette in the Sloan Museum in Flint Michigan, it is the first Chevette built in the USA and in 1976 was saved, it is brand new with no miles on it!
Built May 1975 and is serial # 00001 pre-production car built at GM assembly research center in Warren Michigan.
The T platform had quite an alter ego, huh?
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