Vehicle Description
SEE EBAY OR HEMMINGS FOR FULL DESCRIPTION. . 1987 CMC Gazelle
Mercedes SSK Replica Only 248 Miles! White Exterior / Red Interior
Chevrolet Chevette Drivetrain CMC Car Number: B9899 VIN:
SOS299581LL Evolve Motors and Chicago Car Club are pleased to
present this 1987 CMC Gazelle! First off, what is it? CMC (Classic
Motor Carriages) was a Florida-based company that sold fiberglass
kits of various iconic classic cars throughout the 70s, 80s, and
90s. This model was called the "Gazelle", and was a replica of the
Mercedes-Benz SSK sports car of the late 1920s. From a mechanical
perspective, this car is a re-bodied Chevrolet Chevette. The
fiberglass SSK body sits on a Chevette chassis and is powered by a
1.6L Chevette motor and 3spd GM Hydramatic automatic transmission.
We purchased this Gazelle from a woman in Chicago who was selling
off her late husband's collection following his passing. He had
owned an auto-parts supply warehouse, and had amassed a small,
eclectic car collection. This particular car was assembled by one
of the techs that worked for him, having come in on weeknights and
weekends to put the car together. The car was assembled in the
early 1990s, and was used as a parade vehicle in the coming years.
As it was used so sparingly, the car remaining in tip-top condition
and was even featured in a Hemmings Magazine spread in the early
2000s. As it sits, this is surely one of the nicest Gazelles on the
market. It has only covered 248 miles since being built, and was
always garage-kept. We have since given the car a comprehensive
inspection, changed the fluids and battery, and begun to rack up
the mileage. The Exterior: This car presents in nearly perfect
condition, as would be expected from a garage-kept car with under
250 miles on it. White paint is free of any significant chips or
blemishes. There is one very minor scratch on the hood that has
been touched up and is only visible upon extremely close
inspection. Chrome has a mirror-like finish, polished Western wire
wheels are mint as well. The front end looks great with yellow
"Euro" foglights and grille badging. A thick brown leather belt
holds the bonnet in place, one of our favorite parts of the car.
The only thing I can really knock on the car is that there are a
couple of buttons missing from the boot cover and convertible top.
The Interior: Red leatherette interior really pops against the
white exterior and black carpeting. Wooden wheel suits the car
well, and is in excellent condition. Both front and rear seats have
no tears, scuffs, stains, or discoloring of any sort. Dash also is
in great shape, and all gauges are functional, as is the Targa
radio. All lights and signals are clear, crack-free, and
functional. Glass is in excellent shape, and wipers are functional.
Under the Hood / Under the Car: While maybe not quite as
exhilarating a drive as the real Mercedes-Benz SSK, this car is
still a lot of fun. It has a ton of crowd appeal, bystanders always
get a kick out of it. With the Chevette drivetrain and automatic
transmission, this car is as easy to drive as any. It has front
disc brakes, which work very well. Looking underneath the car, the
brake rotors still shine bright silver, with not even any rust or
road grime on them. The underbody is in excellent shape throughout,
with the only spot of any rust being some surface rust on the heat
shield covering the catalytic converter. The rest of the underbody
is very, very nice. The 1.6L Chevrolet inline-4 only makes just
over 60 horsepower, but with the low-slung doors and drop-top, the
car is plenty fun. The car runs nicely; it starts right up, idles
low and cool, tracks straight under both acceleration and braking,
and doesn't make any noises of concern when soaking up speedbumps.
This would make an excellent parade vehicle, or even just a fun
weekend cruiser. Overall, this is a very nice, low-mileage example
with the fantastic white/red colorway. Fo