Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Flint Car Buffs in the Desert

What does a Flint Expatriate like Jeff Stork do when he moves to Palm Springs? He starts a blog called the Palm Springs Automobilist, of course.

Update: Believe it or not, there's a website devoted to the Chevette Sandpiper like the one Jeff is working on in the photo. By the way, that yellow paint looks suspiciously close to the "Bamboo Cream" of my grandma's Buick Electra 225.
at 5:20 AM
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7 comments:

  1. Is that a Chevette? I always thought it would be cool to drive around a mint condition car that most collectors would hate...like a vintage pinto or chevette or vega. Then go to the car shows and park it next to a GTO or an old vette. It wouldn't be easy. You'd probably have to rob the Sloan Museum to get a mint Chevette, but that would be part of the fun.
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  2. That was my Chevette Sandpiper, the designer Chevette and identical to my first car. The little car got tons of attention at car shows. we even made USA Today and CNN together.

    I'll be doing an upcoming piece about the two.

    And Gordie, thanks for the plug!
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  3. Flint is the only place in Michigan i have seen a Chevette...I think that was a few years ago when I was visiting the area. When I saw it on I-75, I laughed and remembered the one my family used to have back in the 80's.My brother totaled it.

    RoadsideDinerLover
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  4. I'd like to park next to you with my Pacer, Sable.
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  5. I remember driving a chevette in the 80's (a 70's brown color with orange trim)... it only had an AM radio and no air conditioning.
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  6. There is probably a good reason you only see the Chevette in Flint. A brand new one in the 80's had no power so a restored one of today is probably just as weak or weaker. Chevette's 4Cylinder Engine was definitely developed by someone with Michigan roots. When I drove it in Flint there was never a problem that it only had enough power to come to a stop at a corner or traffic light and drive on either straight or turn when you had the full right of way. Here in the east you have to merge with the flow of traffic while driving fast down the on ramp and be ready to stop if there is no break in traffic. The first time I drove it under those conditions, I thought I was going to be severely rear-ended. I gunned the accelerator to merge and nothing added to my speed. The Chevette's extra power button was also a joke. I think I had the only Chevette in New Jersey for the next 4 years until it fell apart.
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  7. Chevettes had an extra power button. Wow.My old Camry also has an extra power button. It also seems to be more for psychological effect only.
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