Learn me chevy citation....

During my daily CL search, I ran across a car that I really had forgotten about.... 1981 Chevy Citation.

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/4439356498.html

Do these have any performance potential w/o a bank vault of money and welding skills?

No

Don't go there.

it's got the same rear suspension as a Fiero- in the front..

a Supercharged 3.8 would be a fun swap into one, but the sideways radio makes things tricky in the audio department..

bolt some 16" Cavalier wheels on it and it will look kinda sorta cool..

I'm surprised there are any left. Back in the day the Citation X-11 was considered pretty high performance.

Making one handle might be a challenge, but I've sometimes pondered the sleeper potential of putting one of the engine conversions designed for a Fiero in a Citation. Or an LS4 front wheel drive V8.

The other night I was watching Magnum P.I. and Lieutenant Tanaka was driving a blue Citation. I think our '78 Malibu wore the same shade of blue.

And I always loved the way they ended the commercials: Chevy Citaaaaaaaaaaaaaation.

http://youtu.be/sh_F2vFfDW0

Hold out for an X-11.

Well, at least it's the more sought-after coupe version.

For some odd reason, I liked the X11 when it came out. The power bulge on the hood and the awesome 4-speed manual - 2.8 V6 combo .......

My girlfriend had one in HS...very roomy front seat.

You know how the domestic car companies got a reputation for poor quality? Cars like the Citation.

Tom_Spangler wrote: You know how the domestic car companies got a reputation for poor quality? Cars like the Citation.

and if it's still alive and functional 30+ years later, it wasn't one of the examples that had the poor build quality...

There was, at one time, documented L67 (supercharged 3.8) swaps into Citations back in the earlier days of the internet. The possibility of a 3.1/3.4/3.5/3.9 swap is also there.

On the negative side of things, the X bodies were, in their early years, half baked, similar to the Volaré/Aspen upon their debut. They got better in the following years, but the early ones (80-81) were definitely lacking in the quality department. Of course, this one is still on the road, so it must have been one of the good ones, relatively speaking. As Derrik already said, the front subframe of the X bodies were used in the rear of the Fiero, so hopefully there's some aftermarket there, as I have heard that accelerating in an early X body is a bit of a disconcerting experience.

All that said, I say do it. I always root for the underdog.

I did some googling, and this is what popped up: https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/citation-x-11/6933/page1/

Also of interest: http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=20073

My Ma bought a leftover 82 demo. It actually wasn't all that bad compared to what we had (78 LTD). Quality was ok, nothing fell of or broke (for awhile) and it rode well, got tons better gas mileage and was pretty roomy for it's size (was especially nice to have the folding rear seat). I ended up with it when I left to serve my country, little did I know that the Iron Duke's nylon timing gears would bite me in my shiny metal ass.. After it caught fire when the timing jumped I traded it in on an 81 Regal diesel (talk about going from sugar to well you know). I still wouldn't mind having an X11, but hard acceleration, especially with the wheels not in a straight line, was quite the experience. But, that one in the ad will probably run forever as long as you don't do anything more strenuous than the occasional grocery run.

novaderrik wrote:

Tom_Spangler wrote: You know how the domestic car companies got a reputation for poor quality? Cars like the Citation.

and if it's still alive and functional 30+ years later, it wasn't one of the examples that had the poor build quality...

I don't know that I agree with that. You can keep any pile of crap running and driving if you're willing to throw enough money at it. The reason they are so rare nowadays is that most people didn't consider them worth saving.

A close buddy of mine had a Citation 5 door / Iron Duke/ 4spd when we were in college. It was a total dog, but it just wouldn't die. That poor thing went through 3 teenage boys after being retired from Mom and Dad use. It went offroad, got air, never had any sort of maintenance, and was generally treated like a red-headed stepchild. It took it all, and kept chugging along.

He picked me up after the school year had ended and moved all of my crap back home--- that thing was cavernous! Everyone who knew the "Pink Floyd London" Citation has fond memories of it. (the kids had stenciled Pink Floyd London on the back in the same script as the band's amps have in the movie Pink Floyd at Pompeii--- awesome movie for Floyd fans by the way )

I'll always have a warm spot for the lowly Citation. Weird radio placement and all.

Those cars were made of suck.

Ya gotta remember... the improved version of the Citation with improvements that were added to the chassis over the years was the Celebrity and its twins. Those were suckage too.

The Celebrity also had some sport versions but they were hardly collectable.
I think the Olds Ciera was made until '96

FWIW the Pontiac 6000 STE (same platform as the Celebrity) was a press darling back in the day. Car & Driver elected it to it's 10 Best list, and it was looked upon as the standard in sporty affordable sedans--- back in the middle 80s. Keep in mind, this was before the Maxima became a 4DSC, and before the Accord V6. The early to mid 80s were dark days for the automobile.

The first car I spent considerable time driving was a 83 Century. It was a pleasant enough appliance but it did not hold up well at all to abuse......poor car--- it really didn't deserve it's fate.

^^^IIRC, the STE also had an AWD variant around '88 or so...a big deal for the USDM back then.

Yep, total suck. They never raced the Citation in SCCA. Nope.

And you guys are right. No collectible A bodies.

Celebrity Eurosport VR: 6000 STE: Olds Ciera XC:

Century GS:

no matter how much E36 M3 you guys are talking now I am combing craigslist for these now. haha.

NIXON! I know where one of those Ciera XC's is, Seen it a few times and always wondered what special model it was. Looks clean and moves under its own power too.

Gawd - I once bought a 2.8l automatic citation for $100. Drove the crap out of it, including towing a 1500 spitfire from NC to MI on a uhaul auto transport (4500 pounds on a bumper hitch?). Never had any issues that were not caused by me. Floor boards finally rusted out & took out the rear brake line. I wound up capping the rear brakes off & driving that way (I was stranded). Eventually sold it again for $100

Good Times.