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1978 Chevy Chevette 44k Original (Documented) Miles. Survivor '78 Chevrolet

44231 MILEAGE
Coupe BODY TYPE
1.6L ENGINE
Automatic TRANSMISSION
Gasoline FUEL

1978 Chevrolet CHEVETTE Description:

PLEASE READ ENTIRE DESCRIPTION BEFORE BIDDING.NO RESERVE AUCTION MEANS HIGH BIDDER IS THE BUYER!!!
The Basics:
Selling my very nice, remarkably solid, very low mile (44k DOCUMENTED miles) survivor '78 Chevette. Automatic. 1.6 Litre 4 cylinder. I currently have 6 cars and I'm having to thin the collection by at least a couple cars. Starts, Runs, and Drives very well. Engine runs smooth, tranny shifts nicely. Steering, Brakes, Exhaust all in good operation. In fantastic shape for it's age inside and out with just minor wear and blemishes showing. Not many Chevettes left in this nice, this original, this low-mileage condition (especially the 70's Chevettes). Check out all the pictures, I tried to capture most every area of the car. I welcome (actually I strongly encourage) any interested buyer to come out and see it in person (a picture may be "worth a thousand words", but seeing it in person is worth more than a thousand pictures). Contact me to set-up a time to view & inspect this little gem. Too far away to check out the car yourself?, Then I suggest hiring a 3rd party vehicle inspection service to check it out for you.
No reserve auction, High Bidder is the lucky new owner of this time capsule. Do NOT bid if you are not prepared to follow through with the purchase (for example: make sure you have the money, make sure it's ok with your wife to buy it, etc, etc). Being the winning bidder does NOT "win" you the opportunity to think about buying the car, or the chance to check it out and then decide, it means that you have BOUGHT IT. The time for checking out the car and deciding whether or not you want it is before you bid, not after. Located in Hudson, WI (about 20 minutes east of St. Paul, MN, and about 40 minutes east of MSP international airport). Clean and clear WI title in my name. Buyer responsible for shipping or local pick-up. I will help the new owner when I can with being available for the shipping company and whatnot.
This car is over 40 years old and is sold As-Is & Where-Is. No warranty or guarantee written or implied. It is in very good condition, but certainly not "perfect", it's a 40+ year old survivor car that has been driven 44k miles, and you will hardly ever find an early model Chevette this nice.
The finer Details:
For those interested in more specifics: I have A LOT of paperwork and receipts for this car, including almost all of it's original papers (owner's manual, do-it-yourself service manual, maintenance schedule, new vehicle inspection sheet, new car warranty pamphlet, "build sheet", dealer invoice, etc). This car was originally sold to a "Class A" GM employee (as shown on the invoice) on June 13th, 1978 in Anderson, Indiana. But the majority of this Chevette's life was owned by a retired "little old lady" named Edith Harvey (also of Anderson, IN), and she saved lots of receipts for service work (usually done by her local Midas shop). The vast receipts show that Edith drove an average of roughly 1000 miles per year, using the Chevette very sparingly, but still using it (the car wasn't just sitting). She stopped driving in the early 2000's and sold the car around 2004. (Edith passed away in 2009 at 82 years old).
A receipt from the next owner dated 8-15-07 shows that the car got a set of new tires installed at 35,666 miles at the Tire Barn. The car still wears these tires with LOTS of tread left on them, illustrating that the car hasn't been driven much since 2007 either, and leads me to the point I want to make about the tires. Despite lots of tread being left and looking good, the tires should probably be replaced due to age (12 years old now). That would be the one thing I would address before driving the car long distance. Besides, I think this little rig would look much better with white stripe tires, but that's just me.
So many people on eBay (and other sites) sell cars claiming "Original Actual Miles" with the old 5-digit odometers, when in fact you can tell by looking at the car(s) that they are not original low mile cars. How frustrating is it to see sellers advertise old cars as ACTUAL low miles when it's obvious they are not and they have nothing to back up their claim? This Chevette not only looks like it's original actual low miles, it has the documentation that proves it.
I've had the car only a year, and have barely been able to use it (too many cars). Maybe put on 50 miles since I bought it. I did take it to a local small car show, and it was a surprisingly big hit with the crowd. This little car seemed to draw more attention than cars worth ten (or 20) times as much. They would walk right by the "typical" show car and stop and check out the Chevette. Everyone seems to have a Chevette story too. If you don't like random people coming up to you and talking to you about your car, you may not want to drive an old Chevette.
Exterior: Very nice with just minor spots diminishing it's looks. Some very very small spots of rust where it looks like chips in the paint have occurred. Some of the chips have been touched up to prevent corrosion. Underneath is very clean and solid, with a small patch having been done on the driver's side foot well. This Chevette originally came with body-side moldings, they are gone but you can faintly see where the moldings were. A little paint fading on the roof and hatchback, but not bad.
Interior:Beautiful! Seats are fantastic, as is the dash, headliner and carpet (carpet was replaced). Interior side panels and other interior plastics have suffered from the all-too-common Chevette color fade, and have been touched up, but could still use some better refreshing.
Mechanical:Runs/Drives very well. Engine runs and tranny perform as they should. Ever so slightly cold-blooded, runs good at start-up, but runs even smoother once warmed up. Really just needs to be driven and enjoyed. Exhaust and brakes are sound. Tires, though rather old, have about 75% tread left and are not weather checked. Battery appears to be less than 2 years old.
Known Issues:A factory AM radio is there, but not hooked up. Will require someone who knows car audio to get it wired in. (Until then, just enjoy the sound of the 63 hp beast under the hood...Lol). The hatchback strut no longer has the power to hold the hatch open by itself. Cigarette lighter doesn't work.
Overall:A great little time capsule with very low original miles that you can drive, cruise and show right away . You don't see many "1st gen" Chevette's available, especially low-mileage originals. These cars were generally used hard, used up, and thrown away. And although it's not perfect, it would draw lots of attention at the local car show or cruise in. Almost everyone has comments about the Chevette, having either owned one themselves, or knew someone who did.
And included in the sale is a Dealership "Promo" model of the '78 Chevette in the same color that looks just like it!!(see picture). Also an issue of Car and Driver Magazine from Oct '75 when the Chevette was introduced (Many people today don't realize just how big of a deal the Chevette was when it came out, but at the time it was HUGE)! Plus an old magazine ad ("Chevette.....It'll Drive you Happy"). These are some fun display items to have if you plan to do any car shows with it.
A small PayPal deposit of $200 is due at auctions end by the winning bidder. The balance due in cash or certified funds within one week of auction's end (not via PayPal). I can store the car (inside) for up to one month for the new buyer free of charge until shipping can be arranged, as long as the car has been paid for. I reserve the right to cancel bids by those with poor or no feedback. Please don't waste my time and ruin the listing for myself or others who are actually interested. Also, in the unlikely event that I receive a local offer, I reserve the right to end the auction early and sell it locally. Thank you for looking and feel free to contact me with questions!

Features:

Item location:Hudson, Wisconsin, United States
VIN:1B08E8Y333138
Year:1978
Mileage:44231
Make:Chevrolet
Model:CHEVETTE
Type:Coupe
Color:Blue
Interior color:Blue
Engine:1.6L
Cylinders:4
Fuel:Gasoline
Transmission:Automatic
Drive type:RWD
Drive side:Left-hand drive
Vehicle Title:Clean