Sometimes the most unexpected listings make for the best conversations—and this 1976 Chevrolet Chevette just might be one of those. Listed for sale on Facebook Marketplace with just 70,000 miles on the odometer, this car appears to be an honest, unmodified survivor from an era when economy cars ruled American roads. You can check it out here on Facebook Marketplace.
Chevrolet introduced the Chevette in 1976 as a fuel-efficient, front-engine, rear-drive compact to help compete in a rapidly changing automotive landscape. It was the right car at the right time, and many buyers picked them up as affordable, dependable daily drivers. Because they were so commonly used and eventually deemed disposable, clean, original examples like this one are extremely hard to find today.
This particular car is said to be “very original” and shows just 70,000 miles, low for any vehicle nearly 50 years old. While the seller doesn’t provide a lot of detailed photos or mechanical information, the tone of the listing suggests pride in the car’s condition. There’s no mention of modifications, which is a good sign for collectors looking for a stock example.
These early Chevettes featured simple mechanicals, modest styling, and a lightweight footprint that made them easy to maintain. They’re not fast by any stretch of the imagination, but they’re honest cars, and for those who came of age in the late 1970s and early 1980s, they offer a unique kind of nostalgia. Whether you remember one in your family’s driveway or learned to drive in one, it’s easy to see the appeal of a clean survivor.
The seller encourages interested buyers to message with questions, which likely means they’re open to reasonable discussion and might be able to provide more detail upon request. If the car is as original and solid as it sounds, it could make a great conversation piece at local shows—or even a fun, low-mileage oddball to add to a collection.
Would you daily-drive this survivor, or tuck it away as a reminder of an era that’s quickly disappearing?
According to the ad, this was “posted 45 weeks ago.” Easy to see why: at the original price of $10K (now reduced to $8,000) plus a slushbox and no details on running condition, mileage, past damage, rust, etc., this has “no sale” written all over it.
I have nothing against small cars — I’ve owned quite a few — and no real beef with Chevettes. However, there’s that malicious side of me that would stuff in an alloy-block SBC, plus a manual trans. and a rear axle that could take the added punishment. Stouter brakes and suspension pieces, too.
I would, however, leave the exterior alone. These are kind of cute.
I would imagine the seller is ready by now to entertain more, shall we say, “modest” offers.
The affordable Vette.
The “Shove-it” was actually a good car, basically a rebadged Opel, sharp dOpel freaks, if any, will note the “Manta” steering wheel and shifter. I believe the rear suspension was also Opel, and Opels were great cars, no shame there. However, the Chevette had some miserable shoes to fill. The Vega was still on many folks minds, and the Chevette was no Vega, but tell Joe Pinchpenny that. Once that subsided, GM sold an outstanding 2.8 MILLION Chevettes, none survived. It was the salvation for long time holdouts for American cars, the “anti-Asian” as it were, and a huge success. Not everyone wanted a Toyota in the 70/80s and to actually see one like this again, is a real treat. They were good cars. At $3098, it was the cheapest car in America, but there was another. The Chevette Scooter, at $2899, topped them all. A VW Rabbit was almost $3600, a Corolla $3200, its closest competitors.
Actually the steering wheel is semi correct coming from a later Monza with an SS horn cap. This one appears to have everything including the special custom cloth.
It’ll drive you happy, they used to say.
The car has been FOR SALE on Facebook for only 45 weeks.
Maybe just Maybe the car is VASTLY OVERPRICED!!!
My dad had one of these about the time me and my sister started driving. It was the car we borrowed if we needed to drive somewhere since my mom’s station wagon was off limits. These were cheap A to B transportation, the doors had no substance and when closed had an empty tinny sound that even my first car, a 1974 Vega GT didn’t have. The body panels were thin and the seats and the rest of the interior were cheap and lacked comfort. At least it had a manual transmission.
There is a reason not many survived, it’s an oddity today. For the right price it might appeal to someone looking for a car to take to a coffee and cars, where it might draw some attention, but it wouldn’t be on its merits.
As mentioned above, 45 weeks on Facebook suggests it’s overpriced and likely has little interest from potential buyers.
Steve R
My company car for a couple of years in the early eighties was a Chevette. It did what it was designed to do: get one from point A to B as economically as possible. But it was a slug with the automatic transmission and the brakes were sorry. I used to laugh that it had two speeds; off and on. When the company finally upgraded me to a Dodge Omni of similar vintage; it was truly an upgrade. I do hope however that this little survivor finds a new happy home. GLWTS.
Believe it or not there is at least one song that is about a Chevette. Well, the song has deeper meaning, but it was by a Christian rock band called Audio Adrenalin. Here is a link for anyone interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQNZlDEVoKg
These cars are fairly reliable but terrible to drive imo. My buddy had a chevette 5 speed and I had a 83 civic there is no way a chevette owner drove a civic before their purchase. The Honda was 10x the car in every aspect, but the jap crap mentality sold these horribly engineered cars.
I remember the transmission tunnel being so big that you can barely fit both your feet in the pedal box. Wheelbase way too short for rear wheel drive. All small cars in the 80s were terrible with an automatic transmission and this will be a tough sell.
I took one for a test drive, with the 4 speed. First thing I noticed was that my size 11 work boots, barely fit. The pedals were shifted a little to the left, due to that tunnel. Plus the sales person that rode shotgun weighed in at around 350lbs. That was one quick test drive.
I’ve had two. (I know) God awful just terrible cars.
awful cars
Had a classmate bud who had a hand-me-down one back in the high school days. After high school, he traded it in on a new Toyota (Hilux) pickup. He told me that when he pulled it in to their shop, they asked him: “Does it go forward?” “Yes.” “Does it go backward?” “Yes.” “We’ll give you $50 each way.”
Just like most comments say it is a point A to B car and the auto trans probably has no power. Just a cheap car to compete with the foreign japanese car at that time.