Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS

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The 2300 HS was a far cry from the usual Vauxhall Chevette, a compact four-door saloon or two-door estate aimed at suburban housewives and jobbing tradesmen. 

Those cars had the lower mid-market nicely in hand, but Vauxhall was driving into new territory – international rallying – and again looked to the Chevette/Kadett platform to provide the optimum vehicle for the job.

In 1976, Dealer Team Vauxhall, in conjunction with Blydenstein Racing, set about developing a much more powerful version of the Chevette. This car would use a 135bhp twin-cam, sixteen-valve, 2279cc slant four engine mated to a Getrag 5-speed gearbox. Suspension and rear axle came from the Opel Kadett C GT/E: independent double wishbones at the front and live axle with trailing arms and a stabilising Panhard rod at the rear.

The HS sported a much more determined, spoilered snout (not unlike that of the Firenza) and eight-spoke Chevrolet Vega Alloy wheels. Only 450 were built to comply with homologation, costing £5,107 at launch. All were silver with red decals and a red, black and tartan interior.

The HS was certainly a good handling car – if a little uncouth – and with respectable performance figures; 0-60mph in under nine seconds and a top speed of 117mph. As a rally car it was a success, winning the British Open Rally Championship for drivers in 1979 and for manufacturers in 1980, notching up significant wins for such famous rally drivers as Tony Pond and Jimmy McRae.

This beautifully kept HS has only covered a well-documented 39,000 miles from new. It has also been Ziebart rust proofed all of its life. The silver paintwork is in excellent condition – with the correct decals in place – and the interior is unmarked.

The car took part in road rallies during the early Eighties and has some useful upgrades under the bonnet, being equipped with twin Weber 48 carburettors, an oil cooler and Magard throttle linkage. It has also just had a new cam-belt. The history is supported by all previous MOT certificates.

Should you want to take up the challenge, this car has a very legitimate place on the classic rally circuit, following in the footsteps of the likes of Pond and McRae. And whether or not you choose to test it any kind of events, it still presents a very collectable Vauxhall of significant interest, as well as a refreshing alternative to the more often seen Ford Escort RS.