Saturday, January 16, 2021

Remember this car?

 


14 comments:

  1. WOW $2,899. That's about $300 more than I paid for my 1965 (delivered June 1964) 289ci Mustang.

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  2. we called them Shitvettes back in the day

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  3. I saluted general motors 5 days a week in the mid 80's to mid 90's. That was the biggest piece of shit ever made. Its what happens when you put a bean counter dumbass "Roger Smith" in the top job. Cut cost build shit. Everybody should thank the Japanese for making them correct their ignorance, honda accord for years top selling care until ford fleet sold the taurus and knocked them off a couple of years. Then before they put a female in there, Mary Bara, another stupid move they put their lifelong corporate council in the top job, brilliant.

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    1. You quote the examples of trying to treat the disease of unionism. Reducing construction costs was the only way to attempt maintain profitability after years of surrender to union demands and strikes.
      Union bosses never gave a damn about bankrupting the company - only short term glory. They were good Democrats, same as today.
      GM as well as Eastern Airlines were case studies in MBA school.

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    2. Not really. After smith they got car people running the joint and built some really good stuff and good looking. The Japanese influence was a good portion of the push. They always had the unions as did the competitors who also built better cars as well except Chrysler. Iacoca had to sell sell sell or go bankrupt but his cars were lipstick on a pig. He invented the government bailout.

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  4. My buddy was sitting in one at a stoplight. An accident in the intersection pushed a pickup into his door, and pushed the car onto the side walk. 4 broken ribs.

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  5. I had one, was my first construction worker vehicle. The hatch back worked out well. Did quite fall apart so bought a F-150.

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  6. The works rally cars had a bit more of an edge - 145CI, twin cam Lotus head, twin 40dcoes and - allegedly a Ford axle to handle the power!
    www.youtube.com/watch?v=013tL3aW_A4
    www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOZiKO3BvHc

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  7. Too cheap to weld the firewall, GM just punched two pieces of metal together leaving sharp points jutting into the engine compartment. Found this out replacing a starter.

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  8. They had a reputation for the engine not lasting past 50k miles and that's what killed the model. So I was hearing in '72.

    My first car was a '72 Ford Pinto, chosen over the Chevette because of that. Also a hatchback, that was great for fishing and packing lots of stuff. I had it 10 years with nearly 120,000 miles on it then sold it. Yeah, it left me on the side of the road a few times, all due to a rubber timing belt, but the engine didn't eat itself.

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  9. My wife bought a brand new one in 1984 (4 dr, white/blue) and had it for more than 10 years and never had a problem with it. I drove it once, hit a 1/2"and 9/16" open end wrench on the road and blew out the left front tire. She was livid. I never drove it again.

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  10. My cousin got the "Rally Sport" version through military sales when he came home from Germany in the late 70's. It had the fancy stripes, spoilers, and chrome rally wheels but had the same performance as every other Chevette. After a month's leave he drove from GA to Minot ND for his next duty station. Some time in November he lost his car in a snow drift. He got it back in May with all the body panels dented in and all of the glass broken from the ice. He bought a beater 4x4 until he got stationed elsewhere.

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  11. It was the only 'Vette I could afford

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