1977 Vauxhall Chevette HS

Lot details
Registration No: TET616S
Chassis No: 9B08RGY142615
Mot Expiry: March 2011

By 1976, Vauxhall's Chairman, Bob Price, had decided competing in international rallying was the best way to increase the company's profile and a deal was struck with Blydenstein Racing to develop a rally version of the Chevette - enter the HS. A 16-valve version of Vauxhall's 2.3-litre Slant Four engine was shoe-horned into the car's purposeful snout and mated to a five-speed Getrag gearbox, while the suspension and rear axle were lifted from the Opel Kadett C GT/E. Entry into Group 4 required the building of 400 `homologation specials' for general sale, the result of which was a rapid, good handling if rather raucous machine. The Works rally versions enjoyed great results in the hands of such talent as Pentii Airikkala and Tony Pond.

`TET 616S' began life as one of those original 400 HS road cars but was reworked in the style of a Works rally machine by its previous owner - the Chairman of the Droop Snoot group. Ex-Blydenstein guru Gerry Johnstone apparently knows the car well, has worked on the engine and supplied parts for its recent (fully documented and photographed) £3000-plus renovation by John Chatham Cars. An original Blydenstein 2279cc 16-valve HS unit, it is now said to be delivering 190 bhp. Other key items of specification include: new clutch; reconditioned Getrag 235 dog-leg gearbox; 4.22:1 limited slip differential; Bilstein dampers all-round; uprated suspension (700 lb springs front, 350 lb rear); uprated brakes with Volvo four-pot conversion operating on drilled / vented discs at front, HS drums on rear; hydraulic handbrake; Group 4 bias peddle box (dash adjustable), strengthening plates and body kit; sump guard; internal fluid lines; plumbed-in and hand-held fire extinguishers; full Safety Devices rollcage. A former class and award winner (of which a scale model is apparently currently being produced), the Vauxhall comes complete with a fresh MOT certificate and MSA log book.