"Astre GT" What Year Is It ?

[Badsunbird]

Thanks Guys,

I gave her another try today, this time I raised her up on the poor man's lift (big forklift) where I could get a good grip on the crank with a breaker bar and still no luck. I've tried the WD40, Rust Buster, Transmission fluid, but not the brake fluid. I guess the next step is going to be pulling the little engine and taking the pan & cylinder head off of it and see what exactly has happened.
I even went back and talked with the previous owner and he still claims that it was in "good running order" when he parked it. I'm just going to chaulk it up to it having set for twenty years and being neglected. I can't really say either way, I will have to wait until I get the engine out of the car to say for sure. Hopefully there isn't any catastrophic damage inside there !!!
Besides that, I still have the engine to the SunBird on my good engine stand & another sbc project on the other. I'll have to wait until I get the engine dropped into the SunBird before I yank the little 140.

[Badsunbird]

Does "ANYONE" happen to have a good 140 cid engine that happens to run that they want to sell close to Nebraska? Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Iowa, South Dakota? Something within relatively close driving range to me? I would really like to find something that atleast runs that I can put in the car until I can fix the original engine.

I have seen the car on ebay that is in Rapid City, SD. and I am seriously considering it. But is there anyone else that might be a little closer?

[marco_1978_spyder]

The 151 from my 78 sunbird didnt sit as long as yours, but it was locked up good and tight after sitting for 2 or 3 years.

A breaker bar on the crank pulley wasnt budging. So I removed all 4 plugs and liberaly doused the chambers with liquid wrench.

After about an hour, I tried again and it began to break free. It was noisy and notchy for a bit but after a while It spun without a hitch. Now it runs.

But that block is iron and only sat for 1/10th the time yours did...so I dont know if the situation is even comparable.

I was amazed when I saw the pics of your vin.
Thats wild.

I knew of a local 1978 monza spyder that was number 911 off the assembly line. That was the earliest I've seen until now.

[marco_1978_spyder]

Some interesting observations.. fisher body had served up 1,965 bodies before yours...Possibly Vega's and whatever else the plant (actually plant's', Fisher body and GM final assembly) were assembling at the time. I bet yours was the 41st car built that day. Which seems likely to have been the 2nd day of production.

[HI WINDING MONZA]

Steve, they have a good one here............http://www.elmersautosalvage.com/ .

www.car-part.com


Doug in AZ

[hammerdown7]

I know it has been determined it's a '75 but if Astre's followed the Vega format, '75's would have a 4-link and '76's would have a torque arm.

Dick

[Badsunbird]

Thanks Again Doug !

I've got a call into them, hopefully I'll hear something back from them next week.

Dick,

Yes, it does have the "four link" rear suspension. Also as I mentioned before, it has sway bars both front & rear as well.

Marco,

Were both the Vega & Astres assembled in Lordstown & in California, or were they split up? I'm sure that you've seen that this Astre was run off of the California production line. I actually don't know, that is why I am asking.

[marco_1978_spyder]

Marco,

Were both the Vega & Astres assembled in Lordstown & in California, or were they split up? I'm sure that you've seen that this Astre was run off of the California production line. I actually don't know, that is why I am asking.

You know....I dont know for sure, and come to think of it....knowing that skyhawks and monza's were being built there, maybe those 1st 1900 cars were those, not vega's.

Ok, I just did a google search and found this..
GM's South Gate plant produced only standard cars in MY 1974. For the first part of MY 1975 it produced the subcompacts Vega and Astre. During January and February of 1975 the plant was shut down to convert to "luxury small" car production; from March to December 1975 the plant produced the luxury small Monza, Skyhawk, Starfire and Sunbird.

[Badsunbird]

Marco,

The manufacturer date on my Astre GT is 8 of 74 ? Did I miss something in that translation or am I just S L O W ?

[cammerjeff]

No you read that correctly, 8-74 would be the 1st month of production for the 75 MY (model year) Depending on the plant they would have at least a 1 week shutdown either the last 1/2 of july, or the 1st 1/2 of august for model year change over.

[marco_1978_spyder]

From what I understand, the new MY cycle starts the 3rd or 4th week of august.

And that would explain the '08C' on the trim tag....the third week of august, 1974.

As long as there werent any new models being introduced, the line kept hauling ass, straight on through the changeover.

[HI WINDING MONZA]

Just a thought Steve, the first 57 Chevy " sedan" ever built (000001) second body off the line( 000002 ) with a 6 and 3 on the tree, sold at Barrett- Jackson last week for 165K !



Doug in AZ

[T-FATTY]

What a great find! So what have you done to it since your last post? Any more info/pics?
-Todd

[Badsunbird]

Wow...., Doug,

Very Nice "57"! You know the thought of how much this little Astre is worth has crossed my mind once or twice. I even considered taking it someplace and having it restored and then running it across the auction block afterwards, But seeing how reasonably cheap cars were selling for at "Barret-Jackson" this year, I will have to reconsider that notion and think about it again.

"T-FATTY"..,

Nothing has been done to the car, it is still in the "as-seen" condition that is shown in the pictures. I messed around with trying to free up the engine for about two months and then decided that it was in need of a total rebuild. I then loaded it back up on the trailer and took it to the farm and put it in storage to remain safe from mother nature. I occasionally look at doing something with it, but I already have a big enough project going and will not begin another one until the "Sunbird" is finished. I have and I would still considering selling it though, it would be a shame to see it sit there for who knows how many more years before I ever get to it. Ofcourse, all serious offers will still be considered if presented.

[v8astregt]

I'll just outright say it. I would not get any hopes of this thing being Barrett-Jackson big dollar material. Don't mean to sound negative, but the H-bodies are only popular amongst Hotrodders. It would have to be a 100% perfect H-body to fetch even $15k at auction I imagine. The market just isn't there for these cars. Just don't want to see you spend $20-25k on a car, and lose. I especially don't see the market for the big bumper cars. Maybe if it's a steel bumpered car, but even then, nothing earth shattering.

Don't want to be the pessimist, but that's just something I've accepted. I just enjoy my car built... I don't expect any big return on what I've spent.