For today, how about a double helping of J-car nostalgia with the aid of some second-generation models; a Pontiac Sunbird and a Chevrolet Cavalier wagon? Would that appease your late ’80s-early ’90s nostalgia needs?
If so, here’s this humble American pair, surviving far away from their native environment in the streets of San Salvador. Of all places, and far from proper GM-approved spare parts. A sign that if not quite the refined automobiles that the General needed by the late ’80s, they were quite the road warriors. Something to not be dismissed; perennial road cockroaches.
And yes, there’s no way that I can’t deny that these J-cars bring me significant memories of the period. Though perhaps not exactly in the way that you would expect.
Were there many of these around the streets of my college campus in California? As I recall, yes. But as I said, that’s not the only kind of memory I associate these J-cars with; though the recollections are indeed college related. Allow me to elaborate before you jump to any conclusions.
It was 1989, and I had enrolled at the UPR (University of Puerto Rico) Campus in Mayaguez. A part of my life result of the not-too-sharp assessment from my High School counselors: “Eh, you like drawing? How about architecture… or some craftsmanship-related profession? Those guys… draw, you know?”
So in that short 1-year UPR stint, I had the non-pleasure of going through a whole semester of technical drawing under the guidance of a stern and icy Polish lady professor. This being a first-year course, the assignments consisted of drafting an endless series of tedious diagrams of bolts and nuts. All to be perfectly done, under her cold Northern European direction; we were to turn into professional drafstmen after all. It was mind-numbing time-consuming work, executed with cold precision. As it had to be, for technical drawing.
While a dumb realization, my youthful 19 year old brain came to a sudden revelation: Doing anything, on an industrial scale, was very hard work. Even bolts and nuts. Never mind a whole car.
The whole world came to light in a new perspective.
Pontiac J2000, Oldsmobile Firenza, Buick Skyhawk, and Chevy Cavalier, the ’82 J-car crop (Minus the Cimarron).
Predictably, I had to apply these newly acquired insights to my understanding of the automotive world. On my arrival to Puerto in late ’87, the J-body cars were some of the most perplexing things to my youthful mind. Being a US territory, they naturally populated the whole island, as GM was still a mighty force in that marketplace.
Like many teens of the era, I derided the things. The multiple beaks on these otherwise similar cars shilled my heart and sent me a confusing message, tainting whatever upscale image some of the divisions may have had. I was an ’80s kid, and if occasionally the news came to me that Olds and Buicks were somehow upscale brands, a funny-looking Firenza and Skyhawk told me otherwise.
(Yes, there were larger reasons for the Olds and Buick divisions to jump into the J-car bandwagon, result of the crisis-prone ’70s. But try to explain that to a teenager.)
Aside new front and rear ends, plus new trim, much remained untouched on the ’88 Sunbird’s exterior. A reality on sedans and wagons, with coupes getting more extensive bodywork.
Olds and Buick dropped their J-cars when the second-generation arrived in ’88, leaving Pontiac and Chevy to carry on with the J-torch. In perfect ’80s GM immolation mode, there was now even less to tell them apart. So that new Cavalier wasn’t quite the “Heartbeat” of my generation, and the Sunbird was far from the most exciting of products from the “Excitement” division.
That’s an ’82 Cavalier beak for you.
Still, after my newly acquired experience in technical drawing, I had to shudder at their sight. Out of empathy that is. Someone, or more precisely, a team of stylists/technicians had to propose variations, elaborate diagrams, ready specs, and so on for those slightly different grilles, bumpers, turn signals, and more. Within very limited constraints.
As easy as they were to dismiss, each one of those J-car beaks required hours of toil.
The Cavalier face as updated for its ’90-’94 cycle. Missing its bowtie on this survivor.
Furthermore, after my later experience in advertising –more fun than drawing bolts in my opinion– I shivered at the idea of the meetings that took place to pick one design over the other (You know they happened). Trying to embody the “essence” of what had been rather identifiable brands through a few panels was a job that defied my mind. And would have driven me bunkers if trying to do it.
- Hey Jim… does this slightly angled fascia with slightly larger headlights say Chevy or Pontiac to you?
- Chevy, of course!
Meanwhile, at the Pontiac studio:
- How about some red trim and graphic-heavy taillights? Does that say Pontiac to you?
- Yeah Bob, I think so…
Regardless, a new appreciation for the work and people involved had been acquired. Any product, as mundane as it may be, requires much work. And the livelihood of many depends on their success.
And while these were behind the FWD import competition on their arrival, they were a step forward from the very-sinful X-bodies (To become N-bodies in ’84). The fact that these two J-cars are in San Salvador running to this day, proves that they became dependable –if unremarkable– transport for many. Dutifully accomplishing a car’s main mission, regardless of their less than groundbreaking engineering.
On the other hand…
One downside to rewarding by default that “hard work behind production” logic is that we, folks from non-car-related industries, also value our work greatly. Be it a cashier, waitress, or office clerk, we want the best we can get for our hard-earned dollars. Silky running and far more sophisticated Civics, Camrys and Acuras were what my classmates desired once out of school; not J-cars with early ’80s underdeveloped drivetrains.
So what these J-cars had in their favor was their accessible entry cost and that they spoke to domestic feelings. Neither was the best of strategies in the long term, particularly the latter. After all, the Soviet Union and Cuba had controlled markets, and even in those totalitarian regimes folks lusted for goods from abroad.
A third-gen ’03-’04 Sunbird, with a hue and beak that make you go “Eek!”
However, if we’re to engage further into the topic, launching a somewhat lukewarm product ain’t necessarily a death wish. That is, if it’s a starting point for further development. The one concept that just proved impossible for the General to do. As we know, both the Sunbird and the Cavalier just hung around way past their due date. Even though redesigned for ’94, they somehow managed to retain a shoulder-pad-era feel.
And just when you thought they had reached their styling nadir, they somehow managed to impress you again. In a negative way, of course.
If that ’73 Caprice in the back speaks to you as being a more real Chevy, I’ve covered it before.
But the hopes, failures, and minor triumphs of these J-cars now matter little with these survivors. Two more American Expats residing in San Salvador, a result of the endless stream of used gray imports that arrive monthly in this nation.
And in all honesty, few around here know much about these models. They’re actually, even mildly exotic against the commonplace Asian offerings.
So am I in favor or against these? Has my heart softened toward them?
The late teen that lives in me keeps me from caring much about them, finding little to like besides their value as period mementos. The most telling sign of my feelings is that if I had the cash, some Honda product would be my preferred purchase from this era.
On the other hand, the adult in me (with 1-semester technical drawing training!) has developed a begrudging admiration for them. Despite the odds and the little love they’ve gotten, a few are still around, some used up to their most. Proof that regardless of their origin, some respect is due.
Also, I can never help but wonder to what degree their beaks, bumper taillights, and so on differ from each other. After all, I know there’s work and expertise applied to that.
Related CC reading:
Curbside Classic: 1990 Pontiac Sunbird LE – Ornithology 101
Car Show Classic: 1992 Pontiac Sunbird SJ Convertible – The Most Appealing J-Car?
Curbside Classic: 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier RS Wagon – Ordinary Has Become Interesting
I think begrudging admiration is a term that applies to me too. When these were new, I found Neons so much more modern and fun and (of course) Civics as the pinnacle of the segment. But where the Civics began rusting away and the Neons disappeared because of a thousand little parts failures, these old dullards just kept hauling the working poor to their jobs at the Quickie Mart or to the office building to clean at night.
I am not begrudging about the color these near-twins are painted. THIS is what I miss about the 90s!
After all this time that little Cavalier wagon looks quite handsome to me. And as a former draftsman myself I think that would have been a good project to work on, with all those straight lines.
I spent the first two years of my career at the drawing board, and one of my tasks was to design a door holding jig for the 2nd Gen Geo Metro/Pontiac Firefly/Chevy Sprint. I had a pre-production door leaning against my desk and there wasn’t a straight line on the whole damn thing. We made the jig and although I never got to see it in action I never noticed doorless Metros driving around so it must have worked.
“… these old dullards just kept hauling the working poor to their jobs at the Quickie Mart or to the office building to clean at night.”
So these bangers have made a significant contribution to the functioning of the nation. True patriots, one might say…
Would have liked my 850 wagon in a colour like that. Unfortunately, I had to take it in “Pewter” instead, to get a light toned interior.
Your experience with technical drawing somewhat parallels my father’s experience: He worked as a draftsman – lured into the field under similar circumstances – in the early 1960s. Quickly becoming bored at being hunched over a drafting table drawing the minutiae of ships, he left the field after a year or two. I remember him telling me that working in the summer was problematic, because the draftsmen’s sweat would keep dripping onto the drawings.
J-cars were big blind spots for me at the time. In my age cohort, they were the fallback used car for folks who couldn’t afford a used Civic.
And the best I can say about the various beaks and taillights is that at least they offered some variety. Imagine how mundane these things would seem if they were all Cavaliers.
My mother had a US Cavalier Coupe that we drove into the ground… hard to tell from those pictures, but her car was painted an interesting blue green, I don’t think it was intentional from the factory, but it looked blue under natural light and a weird turquoise green after dark under street lights… not sure the pictured blue jcars here are the exact shade, mom’s was a 1991 I think… anybody else ever seen that out there, or driven one? The color difference was strong enough to not necessarily be able to recognize the car in a parking lot after Dark… it’s an oddball thing, but everybody that was around noticed it, and I was wondering if anybody else out there remembers that particular color… I think if it was intentional they would have sold it as a promotional gimmick… We literally drove that car to death! I ended up using it after I finally blew up my first generation GTI after 10 years…
My mother really liked the looks of the Cavalier wagon. Neighbors to her in FL had one so she saw it a lot. When she decided she wanted to test drive one, she was not impressed at all! She told me get me out of this thing – so we looked at a Somerset Regal which was very clean. However we also went to the Toyota dealer where an 89 Corolla was just traded in.
She loved that car, and the dealer being nice let us take it home for the night to really rest drive and check it out. We came back the next day and she bought it. I still have it, it’s a real time capsule at 105,000 miles and even now still doesn’t leak a drop of anything!
Of course it never let her down for the amount she drove it and she had no regrets.