5-Speed Convertible: 1988 Chevrolet Cavalier Z24

The Chevrolet Cavalier is one of those cars that gets some level of shade thrown at it for being an economy model, but here’s a tough question: do econoboxes demand more of our respect considering how much abuse they tolerate? Cars like the Cavalier, Corolla, Sentra and others in the entry-level class are often sorely neglected by owners and rarely looked after once the first caretaker has traded it in, yet they keep on kicking. This 1988 Chevrolet Cavalier Z24 convertible is one of the few we’ve seen that has survived in decent shape, and it has the added bonus of being a desirable 5-speed manual example.

Thanks to Barn Finds reader Mitchell G. for the find. The Z24 was Chevrolet’s attempt to help the Cavalier break out of the economy car doldrums by making it slightly sportier than your standard-issue Cavalier. A racy body kit with side skirts and front and rear lower valences, unique alloy wheels, and special badges helped set this model apart, along with a 2.8L V6 under the hood that offered respectable performance for the segment at the time. The seller seems to think there’s some hidden horsepower in his car, but I’m not so sure. That said, the engine likely does feel fairly punchy with the 5-speed.

So many of these cars have gone into the junkyard over the years owing to their throwaway qualities that it’s far rarer to see one on the road than off. Over the years, I have spotted countless Cavaliers in junkyards, and the Z24-equipped examples always stand out. The coupe with the manual gearbox is a car worth saving, and the version I would consider most coveted is the first-generation notchback, which you absolutely never see anymore. The seller’s listing doesn’t specify whether this Cavalier benefits from any recent maintenance or major servicing, but I doubt it needs much more than some basic tune-up ignition parts to keep it running smoothly for the foreseeable future.

The Cavalier has a sporty digital dash, complete with an outside temperature gauge. This serves as a reminder that much like the modern day touch screen interface found in so many cars of all different categories, the digital cluster was a big deal in the 1980s. As someone who owns cars from the 2000s with clusters showing bad pixels where the exterior temperature reading should be, I’m impressed to see the Cavalier’s read-out still displaying so cleanly. The seller is asking $8,500 here on craigslist for this clean Cavalier Z24, but it will still need a new soft top and the back window replaced before its all-weather ready. Would you consider a drop-top Cavalier for a summer ride?