Chevrolet Chevette – A Walk Down Memory Shame
A look back at the Chevrolet Chevette – one of the worst cars ever built by General Motors, in my opinion at least. Why would I make such a claim about a vehicle which hasn’t been produced since the early 1980′s? Probably because the earliest memories of a Chevette stem from my childhood, watching my father’s ’81 model get carried away on the back of a tow truck on a weekly basis. His nickname for the car was “The Shitter.”
Granted, my father may have just purchased a lemon, or perhaps not. Chevy’s Chevette (also made into the Pontiac Acadian) was first released in Brazil under the Chevette name in 1974. First as a two-door model, the car was transformed into a four door and three-door hatchback for US buyers. Chevette ran from 1976-1987 – and was constructed as an inexpensive economy class ride. It’s “economy” status was easy to see – issues from light switches shorting out to transmission failure early in the vehicles life to not starting (which added to my father’s anxiety) would lead to the eventual downfall of this tiny ride.
Even back in the ’80 Chevrolet enthusiasts complained of the Chevette’s poor braking, traction and engine issues. A slow top speed and dangerously inadequate brakes didn’t add to the ugly car (that’s not only my opinion, many bitched about the vehicle’s design). But worst of all for GM, the Chevette caused countless faithful Chevy buyers (such as my parents for decades) to reconsider and switch to foreign automobiles.
I think they made the Chevette as late as ’87. Used to ride home from work in a cow-orker’s late-model Chevette, and I still remember the tractor-like engine note. My HS physics teacher had a ’76(?) Chevette he bought for $25 (this was in ’89) and you could see the road go by through the rotted-out floorboards. Those little cars were everywhere!
I have a 1979 chevette and it runs amazing. Becids the minor rust on the exost it is a wonderful ccar and i have not had any problems with it with the transmition or any of the other problems stated. I think the car wasent taken care of very well.