At the moment’s video is on the lesser noticed Vauxhall Chevette! The automotive has been kindly loaned by Nice British Automotive Journey in …
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I had the 2 door saloon in 1992. It was old by then but I took it to Alton Towers several times and it never failed me. Mine was blue with blue vinyl seats. Thanks for bringing back the memories Steph
Feels so much better than a BL product
Such a good little car in their day. Light controls, nippy engine up front driving the back wheels, lovely gear change and good brakes. We had one for years as a general works hack at the garage I worked at. Had a Triumph Dolomite 1850 engine in the back at one point, also towed a twin-wheel Bedford CF tipper up hill with it, and it still came back for more! (We did have a proper tow bar fitted!) Happy days! Sad that so few survive today. Great video as always!👍
An excellent review of such a pretty little car. I had the very similar Opel Kadett, the Chevette's German sister, and can vouch for it being a lovely car to drive, with a slick gearchange and fantastic handling. The up-range versions in particular looked as nice as anything in the class.
Had a few of these, one was a standard GL hatchback, one was a GLS that I put 2.0 manta running gear in, and the other was a HS that I restored, but then sold because I couldn’t afford the insurance being 19 years old, back then they were worth so all and I done it mainly for my love of the ol shovit, wish I still had the HS, they are sought after now. Great fun on roundabouts in the wet, the chevette was a lot nicer to get sideways than the equivalent escort.
Why's the video so jerky? 🤔
Could you do a revew of a SIMCA 1301?
great content as always madam.
Passed my driving test in a brand new Chevette [WFC 559R] in April '77.
Remember my old man had a Vauxhall Shove-It when I was a kid – and an Opel Kadett. So rare now because they rotted before your eyes. Still, more reliable than a 1979 Renault 5 that conked out on a holiday to Wales. The thermostat on the fan broke so the engine overheated and warped the block. Happy days.
My two chevettes still get used on a regular basis both 4 door saloon and only about 10 miles from the museum
We had the chevette in america from 1976 to 1987. It was only sold as a 3dr hatch in 1976 and 1977. Starting in 1978 it was sold as a 3dr and 5dr hatch. They sold very well in the US for a dated design. The United States Postal Service bought a lot of them and were used to deliver the Mail!
You look good in that chevette !
My Dad had a 2 door Shedette estate company car, back in the early 80's. It was alright~ish until the rear passenger pop out windows popped out of their own accord! The hinges (small chromed zig zaggy plates sitting in slots in the rubber window seal) in the B pillar were literally super glued to the glass, from the factory. Probably cost cutting as glue is cheaper than making holes in Triplex glass and using big rivets. Also, the metallic blue paint was so thin that after 2 seperate occasions of using T-Cut, the grey primer started to show through!
Remember the song in the TV ad? "The Vauxhall Chevette is whatever you want it to be". I wanted it to be a 3Litre Mk1 Capri but that never happened. lol
Back in the day, I recall my mate's Dad buying a new primrose yellow Chevette E.
As Steph pointed out, the L trim example shown here is missing a glovebox lid. The E was further impoverished, with "features" such as having just a single sun visor on the driver's side!
I drove one back in the day lovely car solid comfortable ☺️
👍Thanks for video. A very nice example. I remember loads of these on Brirish roads. However, they rapidly disappeared after production ended.
Opel 1204
Although production of the Vauxhall Chevette ceased in January 1984 my stories state that the last remaining four door saloons and three door estates didn't find homes until November of that year. A number of Graham Pearson spec Chevette four door saloons and three door estates had head restraints, front and rear seat belts, blind spot mirrors, multiband radio and alloy road wheels.
Wow watching this video brought back memories of the Vauxhall Chevette in the mid 80s my late father had a 1979 T registration Vauxhall Chevette in cherry red it was a 3 door 1275cc hatchback one abiding memory of it was the red number 3 pool ball on the gear stick if I recall it was the GL model of the Vauxhall Chevette with white contrast piping trim on the bodywork 😀
I passed my test in a Chevette back in 1987. I met my friend on my return home and told him about passing my test. He chucked me his keys for his Rover SD1 and told me to keep it for a week.
My very first car and it was a great little motor, far quieter and smoother to drive than the Escort!
When Britain was under hardships, this motor was the cheap alternative to a working man’s life. It was used in the secretary departments, teachers, and business managers across Uk in the early 80’s.
I remember the Opel Kadett from the same era here in the continent. The Vauxhall looks much better outside and inside.
Back in 1984, I had my first ever driving lesson in a Vauxhall Chevette , it was a A reg this brings me back memories. Love your you tube channel.
The American Chevette was the only car motoring journalist Brock Yates called a s$&tbox in print in 1976… and the T car was launched in Brazil in 1973 as the Chevette
😍🤩👏👏👏
just found your channel i passed my in a chevette GL first time nice car to drive.
i like how the passenger drives in England.
why could nobody, ever workout fog lights and reversing lights, should be part of rear light cluster.
Instead of Halford fog/ tail lite bolt on's, with alloy plate to in the light, to change from fog light to brake light
My Uncle had one of these but in hatch form as we looked through some old family slides from my dads side of the family and the car was in the background of some shots along with a Renault 12 my dad had.
That brought back a few memories! My first car was a Chevette, a black estate (FCK 698Y) nicknamed The Hearse! It had pressed metal numberplates in a distinctive style which a friend said it meant it was an ex MOD car used to teach squaddies how to drive. It had little luxuries like a clock and erm…..that was all. My dad used to load it up on a regular basis on account of his love of DIY! With his help, I used to service it myself and even managed to replace a diaphragm in the carburetter when it failed,causing it to backfire like a cannon! It was a great first car, easy to drive as you say. Oh,and it had a reconditioned engine!
In Australia we got these, with different front end stying and an Isuzu 1.6, as the Holden Gemini, in Sedan and Coupe only.
My Astra was this colour
There's a Chevy Chevette in my town still ticking and in excellent condition, garage kept by its owner who looks to be in his 80s
My Mum owned an X registration version of the Chevette (1980/81 year I believe), didn't go anywhere fast but we went on plenty of family trips in it over the years including to Derbyshire and I remember it wasn't a fan of steep hills.
Cool to see this car…..we "family" had a Chevrolet Chevette….1980
Heater worked well but you still go cold air through centre vents, to keep you awake but still have warm feet
Had one 30 years ago, garbage, much preferred the Ford's of that era. Headlamp lenses that fell out, shattered and punctured your tyre.
Think Gl stood for glovebox lid
Looks better than America's version
My Mum had the Opal version – the Kadett – smaller engine I think (I don't remember it being the same as my Viva but I could be wrong, we're talking 40 years ago). These were great cars. My Dad was in the police and they had them as panda cars and always used to say just how reliable they were.
My favourite car – had 3 of them,my first one with recessed headlights,had it for 5 years,passed my test in it,and drove it everywhere,easy to drive,easy to work on,had the reliable 1256 engine found in the earlier Viva's.,sometime later I had the estate version,which proved to be a reliable workhorse,then some years ago,I was given – yes given a saloon version,sadly that car was stolen and I've been hoping for its return,but I'm not holding my breath,great video about a true classic,would have loved to have heard the sound of the engine though and the characteristic gearbox whine that was typical of the Chevette and Viva.
In Brazil, it was sold as a Chevrolet chevette, but with a 1.6/s engine, and in 1983 it was restyled until it was discontinued in 1993.
I love your style beautiful and retro like the superior classic car 🚗 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻❤️
My dad had a white saloon and we travelled to France towing a caravan. The inside is so familiar. Later on my mum bought a red hatchback. They were great a to b cars
I would have got lost
What is going on with the front number plate ?