Luxurious aspirations, economy-car roots.
Trying to construct a limited-production specialty automotive that includes distinctive styling and a minimum of respectable efficiency? Why not do what so many people earlier than you’ve got completed, and begin with an excellent car, and modify it to your liking. Automotive historical past is wealthy with such efforts. Think about the next:
What was the Leata Cabalero?
Zimmer Quicksilver
This baroque coupe is arguably ridiculous trying, however has attention-grabbing roots. Based mostly on the Pontiac Fiero, the Quicksilver boasts a mid-engine design and respectable dealing with. Try the Zimmer Quicksilver.
Monteverdi Safari
This rugged Swiss-made SUV shares its primary underpinnings with the Worldwide Scout. Whereas technologically humble, the Scout was identified for its powerful character and usually dependable operation. Try the Monteverdi Safari.
Sterling Bullet
Based mostly on the Dodge 3500 pickup, the Bullet gave short-lived Sterling a medium-duty chassis cab with which to bolster its lineup of business and fleet automobiles. If you happen to’re considering that the Bullet was mainly a rebadged Dodge, you’d be proper. Try the Sterling Bullet.
Eldorado Revolution
This slightly excessive redesign of the Cadillac Eldorado got here to the American public by the use of vogue designer Pierre Cardin. Buyers with the cash loved each distinctive styling and tried-and-true Cadillac underpinnings. Try the Eldorado Revolution.
Studebaker XUV
Appears somebody is at all times attempting to re-animate Studebaker. This effort to deliver the storied automotive model again to life as a purveyor of SUVs concerned ripping off Hummer design and making use of it to the chassis of a Ford F-350 pickup truck. In contrast to the opposite automobiles on this record, the XUV by no means noticed manufacturing. Try the Studebaker XUV.
What all of those short-lived specialty automobiles have (had) in frequent is a stable car on which to start work. The Fiero, Scout, Ram 3500, Eldorado, F-350—all stable and confirmed stuff.
Enter Chevette
So why, you may ask, would an automotive entrepreneur trying to construct one thing particular, start with a automotive much less beloved—and fewer revered—than these “starter automobiles” listed above?
Whereas we could by no means know the reply to that query, there was a short-lived hand-built car from the Seventies that was primarily based on one of many humblest automobiles of all time: the Chevrolet Chevette.
Between 1976 and 1987, the Chevette offered in gargantuan numbers. Not as a result of the automotive was “good,” however as a result of the tiny Chevrolet struck the right stability of worth and gas effectivity, and it wasn’t too small for American automotive buyers. That stated, the Chevette was a wierd alternative for a corporation trying to create a customized luxurious automotive.
Leata Cabalero
The Leata Cabalero was a short-lived, Chevette conversion produced between 1976–1977 in Put up Falls, Idaho.
Created by Stinebaugh Manufacturing Inc., which was based by Donald E. Stinebaugh, the automotive was named “Leata” after Stinebaugh’s spouse Hilda. Her nickname got here from a misunderstanding of the Norwegian phrase for little (liten).
Modified Chevy
The Cabalero was basically a closely modified Chevette with customized fiberglass physique, baroque “private luxurious” styling, and some added options. It was an try to show one of many least expensive, most elementary automobiles of the period right into a premium-ish car.
Physique Types
Manufacturing included largely hatchback coupes, although a couple of pickup vans had been additionally made, as was one convertible. Although a 4-door Chevette was supplied, all Leata conversions had been 2-door fashions.
Engines
Stinebaugh didn’t hassle to mess with issues beneath the hood, so all Cabalero conversions had been fitted with the Chevette’s underwhelming 1.6-liter pushrod engine, rated at between 50 and 52 horsepower. Just like the Chevette, the Leata may very well be had with both a 3-speed computerized or 4-speed guide transmission.
Options
Most Leata examples had been fitted with energy home windows, energy seats, and cruise management. Additionally word worthy is crushed velour and naugahyde cabin trim.
Value
At $10,000, the Leata listed for roughly triple the worth of a base Chevette, and, maybe extra importantly, virtually double the worth of a roomy, properly geared up, V8-powered Pontiac Bonneville.
Manufacturing
An estimated 97 items had been constructed earlier than the corporate folded in late 1977.
Legacy
Solely a handful of Leata Cabalero nonetheless exist, and so they have a tendency to attract consideration at native automotive reveals. Whereas too few commerce arms for us to gauge the automotive’s worth, we are able to’t think about there’s a lot common collector curiosity in proudly owning one.
Would the Leata Cabalero had fared higher had been it primarily based on one thing much less elementary than the Chevette? Say a Ford Maverick of Audi Fox? We’ll by no means know, but it surely’s enjoyable to think about what a Leata primarily based on the Ford or Audi might need regarded like.
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