Greetings all! Just joined the forum and thought I’d drop in a quick message to say hello. I am the very happy owner of a black/black 2008 HHR 2LT panel that I got about 6 years ago that had 40,000 miles on it at the time. Some previous owner had had the good taste and fine aesthetic eye to replace the front and rear bumper covers from a less fortunate HHR SS to make a pretty nice looking car. As with all my vehicles, there is a story.

I’d been looking off and on for a nice HHR panel for about 3 years. I liked the anti-jellybean, pseudo vintage look of the HHR and the panel specifically. In my storied auto history, I had owned 2 1950/51 Chevy sedan deliveries that I thought were wonderful looking cars. I was also influenced by a guy I went to high school with who had a new black Ford Pinto sedan delivery at the time that was gorgeous. The next car would be an HHR panel if I could find one I liked.

I had finally found an LS trim HHR panel in Ohio in the grey color with black interior I wanted. It was a lot higher mileage and more expensive than I thought it should be but to make it worse, it was about a thousand mile drive from home. On the other hand, I could squint my eyes just right and see it sitting in the driveway, Eibach suspension lowered about 2 inches with solid black 18” lip laced Dayton wire wheels, sporting fat Michelin Pilots. Perfect. Let’s go get it.

Plane tickets in hand, hotel reservations made and 3 days from launch, I whistled up AutoTrader.com and what should my wondering eyes behold? Twenty miles away from my Monty Python Signature Comfy Chair, the local Toyota dealer had a very nice 2LT trim 2008 panel in black with a hundred thousand fewer miles for $4000 less than the Ohio candidate. Sold. Suddenly my safari into the wilds of deepest, darkest Toledo would have to wait.

I immediately liked the car. It drove very nice. Whoever had owned it before loved it long time. The Michelin Pilots on 18x8s were already there. I suspected there had been some performance mods to it. It had a lot more pep than I had expected and the exhaust had a very healthy rumble to it. It could have been the way the 18” wheels sat in the wells but it looked like it might have been lowered already, too. Anyway, it was low enough to please my eye and that was enough for now.

The one thing that it needed was some “adjusting” to the cosmetics.The car sported badly weathered silver SS stripes and some ugly red graphics that all needed to go. My new owner aesthetic vibe was moving closer to all black and a bit less chrome. About 12 hours with a couple 3M eraser wheels in a drill motor and a fistful of Advil took care of the stripe/graphic problem. Graphics removed, I added an SS spoiler. Much better. It was good enough for now. Time to put some miles on it.

The only thing I was going to have to get used to was the feeling of driving inside of a bucket. That took some work for someone who drives motorcycles (granted, with a full face helmet), a convertible or a lifted 4x4. If nothing else, I became a better driver because of it. With even less peripheral vision than in a full face helmet, I really had to learn to plan my in traffic moves; not a bad thing.

As of today, I have added almost 100,000 miles to the odo. Just got back from a 4000 mile vacation trip that was as trouble free as the previous 90G has been. Including all maintenance in the past 6 years, I don’t think I have spent $1000 yet. Before the vacation, I had some paintwork done, put in nice clear headlights and changed out the chrome 5 spoke wheels it came with for some matte black 16 spoke Petrols with Conti Attacks to keep them off the ground.

Looks like I’m ready for another 100,000.I have added a couple pictures of before and now on the panel. I haven’t been able to do a really complete detail on her lately because of the recent paint work. When I do, I’ll upload a couple more. Her name is Cassandra after Cassandra Peterson. Big props to you if you know who she is without google. (Hint: she’s the showgirl on the cover of the Tom Waits album “Small Change”.)

I originally came here looking for production numbers for 2LT panels (anyone have a ballpark figure?), lurked for a while and then decided to join what looks like a nice community supporting an orphan car. Exactly my kind of people! Although retired, between naps I build first gen Kawasaki KLR 650 enduro (now called Adventure Sport) motorcycles for fun and frustration.

Enough for now. See y’all on the road!

 

Welcome aboard, sharp ride, looks familiar.

 

UH, 2LT? Did you look under the hood? If there is an intercooler and turbo it is a real SS. Or you could decode the VIN here VIN decoder, the HHR is a light duty truck. If the 8th digit is an X you got a great deal.

 

Welcome- There were 266 Panels that came in 2LT trim. Mine is an 08 2LT Panel also.

Don- I see rear drum brakes I believe, & running boards...... So I don't think a Turbo is under the bonnet from factory.

 

Yeah, it's not a turbo - he made mention "previous owner had had the good taste and fine aesthetic eye to replace the front and rear bumper covers from a less fortunate HHR SS" - and the new bumpers look great on it.

 

Welcome.

 

At least the seller didn't try to sell it as an SS, like many others have.

 

 

Yeah, maybe lose the SS badges. Or at the very least, fix the one on the rear hatch because it's UPSIDE DOWN !!!!

 

EDIT: Wrong 08 panel thread! Whoops!