Faults:

Anti roll bar drop links at 16100 (15 euro on eBay).

Head gasket (my fault) at 17000.

General Comments:

Everyone looks.

Everyone loves it, from grannies to young lads that don't know what it is.

The car was sluggish with uncomfortable seats.

So I put in uprated suspension, Recaro seats, 2.4 engine from a Frontera, 5 speed box from a Manta, Manta 1.6 rear axle, HS wheels, Kadett GTE clocks, Kadett GTE engine mounts, Racetech gauges, polybushed quickrack, Manta steering wheel, and loads and loads more stuff.

Some rust on the passenger's wing, so gotta repair that.

Faults:

My Chevette has been in the family from new, and has lived outside all its life, but has not covered any more than 900 miles a year, so here is a run down of things I have had to do.

Six years old, some welding needed doing under front passenger wheel arch, and the following year, the same under the driver's side.

After 6 or seven years, the seats were becoming sun bleached.

At 10 years, the bottom of front wings was starting to bubble a little, and around the front valance etc; got worse as time went on, but note that there were no mechanical problems at all.

General Comments:

In 2006 I stripped the car, and rebuilt the bodywork and gave it a respray. I love this little car; it handles well and is fun to drive.

The seats have seen better days, but padded seat covers have improved things.

The heater is a little sparse.

All round vision knocks spots off modern cars, and the turning circle would give a London taxi a run for its money.

Mechanically it's very simple and brilliant to work on. The only improvement I have made in the last thirty years is converting her to electronic ignition; other than that, I have kept her as standard.

Faults:

Gearbox layshaft bearings went at 78000 miles, replaced clutch at the same time.

Radiator burst at 85000 miles.

Front inner wings badly corroded, welding repairs effected and the wings replaced to tidy up the cosmetic appearance of the car at 115000 miles.

Replaced both front seats to match as the driver seatframe broke with age. (134000 miles)

Finally at 163546 miles the car was due for an MOT, and on jacking up the O/S/R wheel, the jacking point collapsed damaging the sill and door. The car was scrapped, although the engine and gearbox were used in a 1982 saloon for another 20000 miles.

General Comments:

This was my first car, and everyone who traveled in it said it was great.

Excellent fuel economy approx 35 mpg.

Good insurance costs group 2 I think.