Idea for new Chevrolet model

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addyguy

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In the last 5-7 years, the domestic auto makers have had a fair amount of sales success promoting the nostalgia factor, and 'bringing back' cars from the 1960's and 1970's - Dodge Charger and now Challenger, redesigned Mustang, and now the Camaro.

Problem is, all of these have been 'uplevel' cars, that appeal to nostalgic people with money. None of the 3 have tried to bring back a 1960's/1970's-style economy car. I'm aware that the reason for that is that 1970's American econo cars were, for the most part, junk - the Vega and Pinto are the poster children for that. But what about bringing back a 'reliable' 1970's econocar, like the Chevy Nova? No, not a re-badged Corolla, but a REAL Nova.

Picture this:

Take the 2003-2005 Cavalier body, with the slightly 'raised up' hood from the 1995-2002 version. Stretch the body/wheelbase a couple of inches, and 'style' the front/back end to look like the 1970's Nova. - ie, put a small, flat grill in, put round headlights in, and put squarish red tailights out back. Keep the basic body design, to save on develpment costs.

Take the discontinued 2.2 liter, OHV I-4 engine. Tack 2 more cylinders onto the end of it, and it becomes a 3.3 liter I-6. Makes 120 HP as a 4; should have about 150-170 HP as an I-6. Fit this engine under the hood of the above body longitudally; it 'should' fit b/c of the slightly 'raised' profile this hood has to accomodate the Ecotec I-4. Pair this to an auto of manual transmission; and make the car rear-wheel drive.

With this, you would have a compact rear wheel drive sedan, with a torquey, low-revving, low-maintenance in-line six. It would be relatively cheap to make and sell. Style it right, and call it the 'Nova', and I'd bet you would have a whole crop of buyers who would fondly remember a reliable 6-cylinder Nova they had in the 1970's...

May sound silly, but I think it would be a great idea!
 
Now that WOULD be cool - take my basic idea above, 'style' it to look like a Chevy II, and put a 4.8 Vortec in it....
 
Originally Posted By: addyguy
In the last 5-7 years, the domestic auto makers have had a fair amount of sales success promoting the nostalgia factor...
Really? You'd call anything the domestic manufacturers have done in the last 7 years "success?"

Isn't this idea of recycling parts from old cars that were never good in the first place, then using goofy styling to hide the fact it is an obsolete piece of junk exactly the reason they are dying a deservedly ugly death right now?
 
Originally Posted By: Lorenzo
Originally Posted By: addyguy
In the last 5-7 years, the domestic auto makers have had a fair amount of sales success promoting the nostalgia factor...
Really? You'd call anything the domestic manufacturers have done in the last 7 years "success?"

Isn't this idea of recycling parts from old cars that were never good in the first place, then using goofy styling to hide the fact it is an obsolete piece of junk exactly the reason they are dying a deservedly ugly death right now?


Not sure how old you are, but I have to ask, were you driving in the 60's and 70's?
 
I know the Camaro is coming back, but I would love to see the Chevelle re-incarnated. One of my dreams has been to find one and restore it for quite some time. The only minor problem that gets in the way is money. Drat
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You're proposing an impossible transormation. While the engine MIGHT fit after a considerable re-design of the engine bay, the transmission, driveshaft and rear diff wouldn't. They'd have to do some serious hacking on the Cavalier floorpan to get all that in there, completely re-design the rear suspension, relocate the gas tank, etc. etc. etc.

I like the thought of an affordable rwd coupe and / or sedan, but they'd have to start from scratch.
 
Inline 6, manual transmission, rear wheel drive--SOLD! Addyguy, your my man. Now how do we get you into a position of power in GM?
 
Originally Posted By: Johnny
Not sure how old you are, but I have to ask, were you driving in the 60's and 70's?
Old enough to be nostalgic for a 1978 Trans Am, and realistic enough to understand why dinosaurs like that should remain extinct.
 
Originally Posted By: Johnny
Originally Posted By: Lorenzo
Originally Posted By: addyguy
In the last 5-7 years, the domestic auto makers have had a fair amount of sales success promoting the nostalgia factor...
Really? You'd call anything the domestic manufacturers have done in the last 7 years "success?"

Isn't this idea of recycling parts from old cars that were never good in the first place, then using goofy styling to hide the fact it is an obsolete piece of junk exactly the reason they are dying a deservedly ugly death right now?


Not sure how old you are, but I have to ask, were you driving in the 60's and 70's?


I was driving in the 1950s, except for a nostalgia collectors item, I see no reason to resurrect those obsolete cars in any form. There aren't all that many people interested in them and far fewer that are interested and would pay for a new one.
 
Originally Posted By: ViragoBry
You're proposing an impossible transormation. While the engine MIGHT fit after a considerable re-design of the engine bay, the transmission, driveshaft and rear diff wouldn't. They'd have to do some serious hacking on the Cavalier floorpan to get all that in there, completely re-design the rear suspension, relocate the gas tank, etc. etc. etc.

I like the thought of an affordable rwd coupe and / or sedan, but they'd have to start from scratch.


Not to mention it wouldn't meet a host of current legal requirements to be sold here in the US. The rules are constantly changing for safety and emissions.
 
Even if they came out with newer versions of old cars, it's not going to have the same feel. Those interested in them would still probably rather restore an old one.
 
You're much more likely to see a Chevrolet version of the Pontiac G8. But I don't know how well that car is selling. I don't see too many being sold around here.

There is no way that they'd try to rework a front-drive platform into a rear-drive. I don't think it's even possible. For certain, they have already thought of RWD models in the Chevrolet and Buick lines, borrowed from the Pontiac and Cadillac lines, but will they sell?
 
I had a feeling that what I was proposing was not really do-able...the idea started from the fact that I was thinking about how if you added two cylinders to a 2.2 OHV Chev, you get a 3.3 liter I-6, just like the ford 200 CI I-6 of the 1970's..lots of people on here seem to like the smoothness and simplicity of old inline sixes, so why not make a 'simple' car to go with it?
 
Funny you should use a Nova as an example. My first car was a '72 (got it in '77). Had a 250 cu. in. straight 6, a three speed column shift and bench seats.

All the wheel wells were rusted out as well as the trunk. The killer was it got 9 mpg (yeah, nine) due to some mysterious problem I was never able to figure out. Dumped it on somebody when it only had 70k miles on it. Had a ball with that car even though it was a POS (as even expensive cars were in the seventies). It was simple, almost reliable, and had some character.

Give me a simple car with today's quality at a reasonable price.
 
I miss the light and nimble feeling of my 91 Civic Si. It's too bad newer cars are so heavily laden with gadgets, safety equipment and heavy unibodies. I know it's all in the name of safety, but I hope there's a limit coming soon.
 
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