Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ?

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Fri 21 Apr 2023 17:49
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - _

Just in case anyone fancies it.

Private sale, good condition drives ok (for a 1978 car ! )

Neighbour doesn't use any more, was a 3rd car anyway, looks tidy to me bodyshell refurbed a few years back. Dry garaged.

What to do?

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Fri 21 Apr 2023 17:57
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - badbusdriver

Assuming 2.3 is not a mistake, and assuming the engine is original equipment, that would make it a 2300HS or HSR.

Surely a very desirable car (if not worth the big numbers of the hot Escorts)?

Here is one on carandclassic.com at £40k!

C1463473

Edited by badbusdriver on 21/04/2023 at 18:03

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Fri 21 Apr 2023 18:29
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - _

Definitely the 2300.

pretty well identicalto the link posted but maybe not quite as polished ...creamy beige..

Edited by _ORB_ on 21/04/2023 at 18:33

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Fri 21 Apr 2023 19:02
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - Adampr

If it's beige, it's either not (originally) a 2.3 or it's had an ill-advised respray. Does it have the funky tartan interior?

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Fri 21 Apr 2023 19:12
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - elekie&a/c doctor
All genuine HS models are silver with the 2.3 twin cam engine and twin Weber carbs . Do you have a registration number?
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Fri 21 Apr 2023 19:15
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - badbusdriver

Pretty sure the 2300HS only came in silver with the (black and red) tartan interior.

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Fri 21 Apr 2023 19:21
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - _

I'll get more details in the next day or so, but maybe that is my impression seeing it in a dimly lit garage, complete with dust. It does have those wheels and the stripe on the side, front spoiler identical too.

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Fri 21 Apr 2023 19:50
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - paul 1963

I'll get more details in the next day or so, but maybe that is my impression seeing it in a dimly lit garage, complete with dust. It does have those wheels and the stripe on the side, front spoiler identical too.

Got the reg number ORB? as said if it's genuine it should be silver with a tartan interior, be a b***** shame if its been painted beige.

Edited by paul 1963 on 21/04/2023 at 19:52

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Mon 24 Apr 2023 09:02
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - skidpan

Here is a tatty looking one that sold at Mathewsons last year.

www.mathewsons.co.uk/auction/lot/lot-248---1980-va...1

Tell your neighbour I will take it off his hands and not charge him anything for moving it.

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Mon 24 Apr 2023 09:14
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - badbusdriver

Here is a tatty looking one that sold at Mathewsons last year.

www.mathewsons.co.uk/auction/lot/lot-248---1980-va...1

Tell your neighbour I will take it off his hands and not charge him anything for moving it.

£14k for one that is tatty and in the wrong colour?, pretty good going!.

Curious as to why Frankie Boyle is sitting in it though?, did he buy it?

;-)

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Mon 24 Apr 2023 09:44
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - Adampr

Here is a tatty looking one that sold at Mathewsons last year.

www.mathewsons.co.uk/auction/lot/lot-248---1980-va...1

Tell your neighbour I will take it off his hands and not charge him anything for moving it.

£14k for one that is tatty and in the wrong colour?, pretty good going!.

Curious as to why Frankie Boyle is sitting in it though?, did he buy it?

;-)

You'd have to be a comedian to spend £14k on a rusty 45 year old car with no windows.

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Mon 24 Apr 2023 10:40
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - skidpan

You'd have to be a comedian to spend £14k on a rusty 45 year old car with no windows.

People are probably quite happy to spend that money since a Escort RS1800 in the same condition would probably be at least 3 times that sort of money.

But the Escort would be way more desirable than the Chevette after restoration and you would be far more likely to recoup your money.

Not saying there was anything wrong with the Chevette, but it simply wasn't (and still isn't) an Escort.

Bit like on the auction programme the other week. A rare Subaru Impreza 555 and Escort Cosworth went up in the same sale. Subaru was unsold at a best bid of £15,000, Escort sold for over £60,000.

Both looked better than decent and unmolested examples but in all honesty why should the Escort be worth 4 times as much.

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Mon 24 Apr 2023 11:23
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - Adampr

You'd have to be a comedian to spend £14k on a rusty 45 year old car with no windows.

People are probably quite happy to spend that money since a Escort RS1800 in the same condition would probably be at least 3 times that sort of money.

But the Escort would be way more desirable than the Chevette after restoration and you would be far more likely to recoup your money.

Not saying there was anything wrong with the Chevette, but it simply wasn't (and still isn't) an Escort.

Bit like on the auction programme the other week. A rare Subaru Impreza 555 and Escort Cosworth went up in the same sale. Subaru was unsold at a best bid of £15,000, Escort sold for over £60,000.

Both looked better than decent and unmolested examples but in all honesty why should the Escort be worth 4 times as much.

I haven't a clue. Why anyone would want an old Escort is beyond me too! The Mexicos looked cool and I suppose they all had an element of fun in them. My brother had a Mk2 that he bought for £200. It was a laugh, but kind of junk.

I'm looking forward to my Twingo making me a fortune!

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Mon 24 Apr 2023 09:42
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - Adampr

Here is a tatty looking one that sold at Mathewsons last year.

www.mathewsons.co.uk/auction/lot/lot-248---1980-va...1

Tell your neighbour I will take it off his hands and not charge him anything for moving it.

I'd say a bit more than tatty.

Tell your neighbour that I'll give him a tenner, that I shouldn't and the missus is going to go nuts, but I have fallen I Iove with it and want to keep it for myself as a daily driver.

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Mon 24 Apr 2023 10:41
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - skidpan

Tell your neighbour that I'll give him a tenner,

Fair enough, I will take it away as seen for £20.

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Tue 25 Apr 2023 00:29
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - edlithgow
I think y’all know, deep down, that this should be MY car.

Who else on this forum has recent Old Car Credentials?
It’s even apparently already been cosmetically ruined, which would save me a lot of time and mental anguish.

No objection to someone looking after it for me meantime
I would of course refund the 20 quid.
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Tue 25 Apr 2023 13:54
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - Andrew-T
Who else on this forum has recent Old Car Credentials?

Well, I bought a 31-year-old 205 last Christmas from the original owner. Does that count ?

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Thu 27 Apr 2023 04:50
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - edlithgow
Who else on this forum has recent Old Car Credentials?

Well, I bought a 31-year-old 205 last Christmas from the original owner. Does that count ?

If you are still running it in, say, 10 years time, I'd say so.

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Mon 24 Apr 2023 12:01
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - mcb100
Even an Escort Mk1 V5 (especially if it’s a Mexico or RS2000) is worth a few quid.
It means I can build a car from parts and it’ll have an identity.
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Mon 24 Apr 2023 17:04
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - Adampr

I'm obviously in the wrong demographic somewhere along the line. I see someone paid nearly £40k for an old Mini. I know it's very low mileage and it's the faster one, but still.

www.classiccarauctions.co.uk/1970-mini-1275gt-recc...3

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Mon 24 Apr 2023 17:25
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - badbusdriver

I'm obviously in the wrong demographic somewhere along the line. I see someone paid nearly £40k for an old Mini. I know it's very low mileage and it's the faster one, but still.

www.classiccarauctions.co.uk/1970-mini-1275gt-recc...3

Thats crazy!. I clicked on the link thinking it must be a Cooper with an interesting history, but a 1275GT?. I always liked them, but they were generally considered the poor relation!.

I guess the values of genuine Cooper's going so high makes would be buyers with less deep pockets look about for alternatives. This in turn drags up the prices for the 1275GT.

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Mon 24 Apr 2023 20:04
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - sammy1

Classic cars like this old bus are for people with more money than sense. When people do buy them they are afraid to drive them in case their ""asset"" should get damaged or be de-valued that's if it had any value in the real world in the first place

The only Vauxhall I owned was a Viva and it was not a bad car. The engine had some problem with the one of the push rods and would regularly punch a hole through the rocker. You could tell what was going on as the engine would loose power and I just got fed up with renewing the rockers. They where cheap enough and must have got through about 6 in a year and where easy to change

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Mon 24 Apr 2023 20:34
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - badbusdriver

Classic cars like this old bus are for people with more money than sense. When people do buy them they are afraid to drive them in case their ""asset"" should get damaged or be de-valued that's if it had any value in the real world in the first place

Clearly some are like this, but equally there are many who do use their cars as intended. You only need to look at Goodwood to see that. Multi million pound Ferrari's, Jag's, Aston's, Bentley's, Maserati's, etc charging round the track really stretching their legs. Yes, most of the drivers are driving mindful of the value and rarity, but you still see some very expensive spills!.

My uncle drives his vintage (1930's) Morris to classic car shows because he has a real chip on his shoulder about "trailer queens", reckons there should be separate prize categories for cars which have been driven to the event.

I love older cars but I'm really not that keen on examples which are "as new" (or better than). I prefer an "oily rag" car, something a little scruffy (but mechanically and structurally sound), something with a bit of patina.

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Mon 24 Apr 2023 22:24
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - John Boy
BBD said

I love older cars but I'm really not that keen on examples which are "as new" (or better than). I prefer an "oily rag" car, something a little scruffy (but mechanically and structurally sound), something with a bit of patina.

I feel much the same about old cars in period movies. They always look too shiny and perfect to be real.

Edited by John Boy on 24/04/2023 at 22:25

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Tue 25 Apr 2023 13:58
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - Andrew-T

<< Clearly some are like this, but equally there are many who do use their cars as intended. You only need to look at Goodwood to see that. Multi million pound Ferrari's, Jag's, Aston's, Bentley's, Maserati's, etc charging round the track really stretching their legs. Yes, most of the drivers are driving mindful of the value and rarity, but you still see some very expensive spills!. >>

My S-i-L and his brother were at Bicester last Sunday for one of these meets where owners chew the rag and gawp at each others' prides-and-joys. One of them was my previous 205 Garros hatch. I gather these gatherings happen at Bicester every few months, and most cars are driven there.

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Mon 24 Apr 2023 22:04
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - alan1302

Classic cars like this old bus are for people with more money than sense. When people do buy them they are afraid to drive them in case their ""asset"" should get damaged or be de-valued that's if it had any value in the real world in the first place

A lot of people are buying them as an investment more than anything else - getting it damaged when out and about will devalue their investement. It's no different to people paying large sums of money for art/sculpture/whisky/wine etc - rather than leaving the money in the bank it's invested elsewhere.

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Tue 25 Apr 2023 00:38
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - edlithgow

Classic cars like this old bus are for people with more money than sense. When people do buy them they are afraid to drive them in case their ""asset"" should get damaged or be de-valued that's if it had any value in the real world in the first place

I have heard of this “real world” of which you speak, but have never been there. Doesn’t come up on Google Maps. How would one get there (without resort to illegal substances)?

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Mon 24 Apr 2023 21:46
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - mcb100
‘ Classic cars like this old bus are for people with more money than sense. When people do buy them they are afraid to drive them in case their ""asset"" should get damaged or be de-valued that's if it had any value in the real world in the first place’

No need for Goodwood - just get to any rally in the UK and you’ll find Escorts, Chevettes, Sunbeams, etc, etc being driven competitively, maybe through fairly unforgiving forests.
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Mon 24 Apr 2023 22:14
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - sammy1
‘ Classic cars like this old bus are for people with more money than sense. When people do buy them they are afraid to drive them in case their ""asset"" should get damaged or be de-valued that's if it had any value in the real world in the first place’ No need for Goodwood - just get to any rally in the UK and you’ll find Escorts, Chevettes, Sunbeams, etc, etc being driven competitively, maybe through fairly unforgiving forests.

They may be old but I would not consider them classics in the accepted sense. Certainly a great hobby for the enthusiasts

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Mon 24 Apr 2023 22:25
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - mcb100
Not sure if you recognise the writing in between the ‘ and the ‘, but they’re your words, talking about the Chevette from the OP.

So they’re either for people with more money than sense who are afraid to drive them or they’re a great hobby for the enthusiast.
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Tue 25 Apr 2023 10:00
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - sammy1

I was using the word "classic" more as a museum piece which is why more up market old cars are traded for their value. A bit like art buy it, look at it and hope it appreciates.

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Tue 25 Apr 2023 12:30
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - bathtub tom

I spoke to someone with an original Cooper 'S' who was afraid to leave it anywhere, as it was too easy to nick, so sold it. Similarly someone with a Brough Superior who won't take it out of the garage. Another with an XK that's probably worth over £100K, so rarely takes it out. in case it gets knocked.

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Thu 27 Apr 2023 13:32
Vauxhall Chevette 2.3 1978 - For sale ? - badbusdriver

Started work this morning and had a double take at the Chevette parked at the other side of the road!

Not a 2300HS, but a remarkable nice looking X reg example in metallic blue sitting on minilite style allows. I hope the owner does have a garage because the Peterhead climate won't do it any good!

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