My father just bought a '76 Chevette "Woody" on eBay a week ago and we get to pick it up this weekend. I know I'll get flamed for posting this, but I'm actually excited to get this project rolling. It should be a much cheaper and easier restoration than the '56 Bel Air sport coupe we did a few years back. Here's some pictures of this little thing.
NOTE: The driver's side was repainted without the wood trim installed. We've already located a place in Florida that has the 3M wood grain film and we'll probably respray the entire car, and reapply the wood.
It has factory air, the 1.6 liter "H.O." motor and a 4 speed trans. The Woody model was a unique series that was only available for two years I beleive. Plus this one has 78K original miles on it and appears to be clean & straight. Wish us luck, we'll be towing it back since it hasn't run in 10 years.
My parents had two Chevettes when I was a kid and they drove them all over the place. We even took one to Florida in 1985 with NO AIR CONDITIONING! Other than that they were great cars that were fun to drive.
Anyways I'll be adding this to my webpage once we get it home and Dad starts tearing into it. I wonder if I can con him into swapping in a turbo 3.8 V-6 out of a Grand National...
Any other Chevette owners on JBO?
Find him some hot rod magazines circa 1998? that involved a cheap thrills chevette build up that had a caddy 500ci in it. I believe it was 12's for 2k including the price of the car.
I think it would be cool to have one with a nice motor swap.
I think you should restore it 100% stock. As a car guy I always like to see rare models in like new conditions. There's only so many Camaros and Trans Am you can see without wanting a little bit of diversity. A nice Chevette breaks the monotony.
My own favorite "rare" car that nobody wants is a 1968 Ford Falcon Futura. Nobody's ever restored one, and I figure "why not me?"
Anyway, good find!
I remember that article. It was hilarious to see what some junkyard engineering could do.
My dad's all about the factory correct appearance, so I'm sure we'll be keeping the 4-banger in there. But oh, man are there possibilities. Maybe I'll buy one to thrash on.
Knox, I am the same way. I was raised to respect the originality of old cars. I still do, and my 86 Cavalier is still 100% stock. But I also get a little grin when I see a blown small block stuffed into a Vega
good luck with your '68 Falcon. I like those old Fords, too!
my neighbor across the street had a @!#$vette , car would run for 30 minutes after he shut it off and went in side
was funnier than hell to watch , nothing like a motor running backwards , and yet last for 15 years , to give a true testament to quality
I'm remember growing up my dad had a Pontiac Acadian (pontiac version of the chevette) man that was a fun little car.. RWD was fun in the winter time too
Red 2005 Saturn Ion-3 Coupe
wasn't the chevette put on the top 10 list for worst cars of all time ?
My Cav
I give up...
i'm buying a VW those people love trees, so they should love eachother too... "Andy"
Short Hand wrote:wasn't the chevette put on the top 10 list for worst cars of all time ?
Yeah I heard that on "Car Talk" but that's such a subjective list.
I had a 4-door chevette in high school. 4 of us bought one by each pitching in $100. We cut out the entire roof so our surf boards would fit. We dorve that thing everywhere and even slept in it to catch wave early in the morning (back in my hardcore beach bum days). It was a great car. We drove it for like 5 years and then i sold it for $300 and the guy that had it I still saw him driving around for another 5 or so years. The car was already like 7 or 8 years old when we bought it so....not too bad of a car. And i assure you we beat on that thing.
"Formerly known as Jammit - JBO member since 1998" JBOM | CSS.net
Short Hand wrote:wasn't the chevette put on the top 10 list for worst cars of all time ?
For build quality and fun to drive, it IS a bad car. But then again so is the VW Beetle and the Citroen 2CV and the Mini Cooper. Yet all those cars are absolutely indestructible and have their charms.
Also, there was a Hot Hatch euro version of the Chevette believe it or not called the Vauxhall Chevette HS. Lookie...
It was built for rally racing and had a DOHC 2.3 that made 200hp and a 5 speed manual. That thing must have FLOWN down the road.
I love chevettes they're cool lil cars. Had a woody as well but my dad ended up getting rid of it. I wanted it really bad as my first car. Factory 4 spd with 4.10 gears in the back. Would have made for a fun lil cruiser. I would either love to pick up a chevette or a vega to mess around with some time down the road. I hope you enjoy yours.
2009 Ford Mustang V6
nice thing with the chevette , its rwd already
toss in the GXP/REDLINE 2.0 turbo drivetrain ,ultimate sleeper/drifter
i miss our old chevette, first car i was in. ill get one someday again just for fun since theyre only like 800 bucks
I just remember my moms engine in hers ceasing up @ 120km... lol
My Cav
I give up...
i'm buying a VW those people love trees, so they should love eachother too... "Andy"
Neither of mine ( '79 base model "Scooter" 4-spd, '85 Sport 2-dr Blk 5-spd ) ever ran-on ( AKA: Dieseled ). Speaking of Chevettes and diesels, goto www.DieselChevette.com for a plethura of Chevette info. By the way, the Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HSR was such a rally champ that it could only be beat by an Audi Quattro. Tell you import friends that and watch'm just stare & blink. Ha!
Drove the Scooter litterally up a wall and off a cliff, and it was just like " Okay, that was interesting... now what really do for fun?!". That little car is practically indesturctable!
Go beyond the "bolt-on".
Thanks for the comments and Chevette stories everyone! We picked her up today and it drove onto the trailer under her own power. Motor still runs like a top with 78K on it. No smoke, no noises or anything after 10 years of sitting! Here some shots. I'll add updates once my father & tear into it, but it will be brought back to stock. He already got teased about it. My father in-law referred to it as a "pregnant roller skate".
Cheers,
Crap, I accidently posted the first picture. It was the "Girls Gone Wild" RV that I saw on I-55 south of Springfield. Here's another pic of it just for grins.
Uh, pregnant rollerskate is old CB-lingo for a Volkswagen Beetle, anything that is a compact or smaller is just called a rollerskate. My Scooter run and drive so well, my "Big-block V-8" friend it a freak! Kept up with his '67 430-ci Buick Wildcat on the highway doin' 120. It just proved everybody wrong about the Chevette performance & durability wise. It sure could roll, but it sure was no rollerskate.
Go beyond the "bolt-on".
i want a big block chevette...i might just get one....
<~~~~PWN3D!!
Uh Cab, even a ZL-1 engine would make it ungodly nose-heavy, and without PS ( 'Cause there won't be room for the pump! ), steering it at low speeds will seem impossible. The car came from the factory with a 54/46 balance and handles very well. Don't mess with it, fool!
Go beyond the "bolt-on".
I have a 79 4 door and owned a bunch bach in the day. Actually am supposed to sell it this weekend. The woodys were/are super rare. If yours has the HO engine it should have the factory dual exhaust header. There is a lot you can do with them. I think I still have some "trick" papers printed up on what to do to poop up them motors for cheap and other things that work on them, etc. If I remember correctly there are certain year S10's that the rear ends will either bolt right in or with very minor modification. Chevette's were popular in SCCA events back when they were new, every once in awhile I see an old SCCA Race car Chevette on ebay and they get pretty pricey. There front suspension is built very well and is pretty much the same thing as a Pontaic Fiero. I got a lot of info on these little cars...some people say I have too much time on my hands and that I should be in a mental hospital for all the knowledge I had on them. LOL Hooker Headers used to make a Buick V6 swap kit for them that came with headers and motor mounts, it was a direct bolt in pretty much. Also, another VERY VERY rare feature for a chevette is a factory tachometer and the gas gauge was were the clock is. Yes, they did make them. I saw one go on ebay for $250!!
I could go on and on for hours... LOL Looks like you got a super clean car!! Are the floor boards rusted out?? That was very common for them to rust out the floors. Then you can run it Flintstone style.
Nickelin Dimer wrote:Uh Cab, even a ZL-1 engine would make it ungodly nose-heavy, and without PS ( 'Cause there won't be room for the pump! ), steering it at low speeds will seem impossible. The car came from the factory with a 54/46 balance and handles very well. Don't mess with it, fool!
Id be making a borderline drag car, i have the R/L that handles and my Fiero WILL handle when im done with it. I need straight line power.
<~~~~PWN3D!!
