2nd Owner: 1976 Chevrolet Chevette

Chevrolet introduced the Chevette in 1976 as the eventual successor to the subcompact Vega. It turned out to be less controversial without the production ills of the other car. But “exciting” was not a term likely to be used to describe the auto. The seller has a nice-looking first-year Chevette 2-door hatchback, with aftermarket wheels being the only noticeable upgrade. Located in Ventura, California, this mini-Chevy is available here on craigslist for $5,900. A nod goes to Tony Primo for this latest tip.

The Chevette remained in production for 12 years (through 1987), and 2.8 million copies found American buyers. But it was largely a disposable automobile since you seldom see one four decades later. Though it was built on a global T-body GM platform, there wasn’t a lot that was unique about the car. Front-engine with rear-wheel drive and a 4-cylinder motor. But its ease on gasoline made it the best-selling compact for two years running at the end of the 1970s. Because of the global design, everything was set to metric measurements.

During the production years of the Chevette, they were also sold in Canada as the Acadian and by Pontiac in the United States as the T-1000. Perhaps the most interesting thing about this 40-year-old vehicle is that it has had only two owners who’ve put a collective 152,000 miles on the Chevy. You would think that mileage would point to a rebuild of the 4-banger and/or the 4-speed manual transmission, but no such reference is made.

The body and blue paint look fine, as does part of the interior. But aftermarket discount store slip covers suggest the bucket seats could use a refresh. New parts include the fuel system (gas tank, carburetor, and fuel pump?) and new CA smog devices. Also, the brakes and tires have been replaced. Little else is said about the Chevette, so we must assume that the usual inspection will be needed before sealing the deal.