Stellar CXL 2.0

Hi everybody!
I'm a happy owner of antic Hyundai Stellar CXL 2.0. Did anyone hear about such a piece of metal? I could find some information about it only in the Hyundai MKotors Auto Museum. May be somebody have pleasure to own this historical vehicle? So I'll be pleased to exchange information about this car and how to keep it run ;)

The Stellar was the RWD forerunner to the FWD Hyundai Sonata. The Stellar was never sold in the US, but was offered for a few years in Canada. It should be similar in many respects to Mitsubishi products of the same generation. But, come to think of it, they didn't sell the Mitsubishi products in Canada either.

Thanks, Hudson
I know that Stellar has Mitsubishi engine and transmission, but electrical wiring is different and might be unic:( And carburetor has some differences...

Hi, I just got the 87 Stellar...it's my first car (;D )so if anyone has any info they'd like to share about this car it would be great! Thanx a ton!:wave:

Go to www.teamsr.org and talk to a guy by the name of Jed. He pretty much knows everything about the Stellers and Pony's.

Hello fellow Stellar owners!

I am the proud owner of Sweden's only Hyundai Stellar. It's a Canadian spec. -87, 1.6 litres with automatic transmission, originally sold in Kuwait.

In Europe, the Stellar was sold in the Netherlands and the U.K. and in some Mediterrenian countries. But with smaller bumpers than the model sold in Canada and Latin America.

The chassies in Stellar comes from the English Ford Cortina (called Taunus in the German version). Hyundai was producing English Fords before they begun developing their own models.

Hyundai Stellar was designed by the Italian designer Giugiario. I have read it was because Hyundai didn't like the look of Ford Sierra, which was the successor of Ford Cortina.

The manufacturer of the carburetor has a Korean name, I don't remember it right now.

Welcome to the forum, any pictures?

yeah pictures= good

Hi there,
Im in the UK and have a 1.6 GSL Stellar, methinks quite possibly the only one still running since ive never ever seen another one on the roads and nobody has ever even heard of them lol
Its not running at the moment, Im basically looking to restore it, just need to find somewhere to get some new body panels since I cant find anywhere at all!
Its not going because something seems to be draining the battery or the battery is earthing itself somewhere. It was fine then started to make hard work of starting up, then wouldnt start up but all electrics worked and now nothing, its compleatly dead even all the electrics. I stuck a new battery in it and over 3 weeks the same thing happened again :mad: :mad: :mad: Any ideas? Im no mechanic and am pretty new to all this stuff lol
I love the car (most people think im mad for liking it) love its retro style looks and the interior, full electics, centre console, gear changes with your little finger, love it all!

Stellar (http://xs8.xs.to/pics/04523/Img_0135.jpg)
Stellar Interior (http://xs8.xs.to/pics/04523/Img_0137.jpg)

Stellar (http://xs8.xs.to/pics/04523/Img_0139.jpg)

Hello GJM! Nice to hear that there are more mad Stellar-lovers out there.
Thank you for the beautiful pictures as well. Your car has the same nice racing red colour as mine. But mine has the Canadian-spec huge bumpers, like on this car:
http://hemsidor.torget.se/users/b/boivie/stellar/beater.jpg

I'm sorry I can't help you with your electrical problem. I'm no mecanic either, so I have no idea about what could have happened with your beautiful car.

If anyone is interested in more pictures of Hyundai Stellar, please visit my page:

Stellar pictures (http://hemsidor.torget.se/users/b/boivie/stellar/)

/Magnus
the only Stellar owner in Sweden

we had a 80 somthing steller!! it was a std and was rebuilt from the ground up in 92 (i think) because it was hit in the rear and was bought as a right off (damage worth more then vehicle) it ran strong until it was given to my sister in 2000 (i think) then the problems started (she drove it hard and stupidly) i never found out what happened to it after it was given to her.

Hi ,

Sioghh, my deceased father had a maroon 87 juts like the stellar in the pic but with a trunk rack on it... Memories......
Anyways. this past summer I bought a pony (86) which was in fabualous shape...
All i need for a safety certificate was rear brakes, rear exhaust pipe, Typical rusted spots under the front outer rear seats mounts (pony trait)
and a drivers side mirror.
thats it..
Body had quite a bit of surface rust, but nothing eaten through so i gave it over a few weeks a lovely coat of cement grey :iceslolan
I was only using the car for the summer, so later on i sold it to a girlfriend of mine for 100.00. Still running strrong, she loves it.
Crampped,noisy,smelly and gets her where she wants to go ...
Im planning on buying a 86 Stellar 1.6 automatic in april for 100.00...
the cars from out west , almost sero rust im told (its under a 8 ft snow bank right now) :rofl:
But i heard that it belonjged to a man driving through and it sprouted a major oil leak.
so, remains to be seen if can be fixed or not...
other wise im going to need to get ahold of a good used 1.6 from a pony or stellar...

Hi all :smokin:

Hej Det Magnus, that silver Stellar in your pics was located only 4 hrs from me.
I wanted that car soooooo bad, but they wanted 3000 cad for it :disappoin

Hi Jaari,

Yes, that silver Stellar looks really nice. How comes you like Stellars and Ponys so much?

I found a Russian website that has wallpaper pictures of lots of cars. Including three Stellar pictures.

http://www.autonet.ru/wallpaper/

That light blue Stellar has the same headlights as mine. I haven't seen pictures of Stellars with those headlights before. Are they common in Canada?

/Magnus

My very first car when i was a teen was a 85 pony, my father had a maroon 87 stellar, and a 88 excel,my sis a 88 excel.
i believe in europe excels are called ponys...
but my ponys rear wheel drive, not same car as the excel.
those lights on blue stellar are same as 1985 - 1986 stellars here, 1987 brough only one year of newer stellar here with new headlights,tailights,suspension,2.0 engine etc..
but were only sold here up till the 1987 model year.
reasons being other auto makers, ford,chev etc at time were taking hyundai to court over 'dumping' laws.
stating they were selling their cars at unfair low prices. (they never won)
but by time that was over the 1989 sonata was being introduced...
i like the stellar because of its classic european good looks and its simplicity, same with the pony...
they remind me of times past, im always thinking of times gone bye...
thinking what i was doing at the time, where i was, who was still around me before they were taken away..
im a nostaligist i guess...

Yes, Excels were called Pony in many European countries. But on some European markets they were also selling the old rear wheel drive Pony. That is at least the UK, the Netherlands, Greece and Spain. My interest in Hyundai begun in 1979, when I saw a Pony in the Netherlands. But it was not until 1991, Hyundai arrived in Sweden.

Well, maybe my Stellar is a 1986 then, since it has those headlights? I'm not sure the authorities got it right, when they registered the car with papers from Kuwait. Do you know any other way to determine what year the car is?

Did they ever sell Stellar or Pony in the United States?

Well I can't find any info on the Stellar ever being sold in the States, but the Pony was as the Excel according to autoindex.org. and the sales data from Hyundai Corp.

TS out

well my best answer be its a 1986 stellar,
1985 stellars here had the HD symbol in the middle of the grill, the 1986 has the word Hyundai on the drivers side....
i notice one thing, that 1986 model doest had the flag style mirrors...
maybye a european difference?

yeah, no ponys/ stellars in usa...
hyundai came to canada first in 1983 with the pony / stellar then came hyundai in usa in 1985 with the 86 excel

i notice one thing, that 1986 model doest had the flag style mirrors...
maybye a european difference?

Thank you both for you help.

What do you mean with flag style mirrors?

European models (as well as Korean) has much smaller bumpers than the Canadian and South American models.

Thank you both for you help.

What do you mean with flag style mirrors?

European models (as well as Korean) has much smaller bumpers than the Canadian and South American models.I was going to ask the very same thing. What do you mean by that. Any pics?

TS out

I was going to ask the very same thing. What do you mean by that. Any pics?

TS out
so ts, did u see what i meant by flag style mirrors?
look at the beat up stellar in my pics and youll see

Thank you for the pictures, Jaari. Now I understand. I had never seen that kind of mirrors on a Stellar before.

so ts, did u see what i meant by flag style mirrors?
look at the beat up stellar in my pics and youll see
same style as xg 350's mirrors

Thank you for the pictures, Jaari. Now I understand. I had never seen that kind of mirrors on a Stellar before.

Hur länge har du ägt din bil 'stellar', och när köpte du den?

Hur länge har du ägt din bil 'stellar', och när köpte du den?

Do you speak Swedish? :)

1999 ringde jag till bilregistret, för att se om det fanns någon Stellar, eller gammal Pony inregistrerad i Sverige. Bland de äldsta Hyundaierna fanns det några Excel, och en som saknade modellbeteckning. Så då kollade jag upp den bilens längd, bredd och vikt, och kom fram till att det borde vara en Stellar.

Därefter försökte jag ringa ägaren till den bilen ett flertal gånger. Men jag fick inte tag på henne förrän två år senare. Då frågade jag om de ville sälja bilen till mig, och det ville de faktiskt. Så jag köpte Sveriges enda Stellar 25 juni 2001.

Which means I have owned my Stellar for almost 4 years.

The first owners of my Stellar was a Swedish couple, who works in Kuwait. They bought the car new in Kuwait, and used it there for two years. Then they shipped it to Sweden, and was using it here every summer, when they were coming back for holiday. That is until I bought it from them.

/hdstellar

Do you speak Swedish? :)

1999 ringde jag till bilregistret, för att se om det fanns någon Stellar, eller gammal Pony inregistrerad i Sverige. Bland de äldsta Hyundaierna fanns det några Excel, och en som saknade modellbeteckning. Så då kollade jag upp den bilens längd, bredd och vikt, och kom fram till att det borde vara en Stellar.

Därefter försökte jag ringa ägaren till den bilen ett flertal gånger. Men jag fick inte tag på henne förrän två år senare. Då frågade jag om de ville sälja bilen till mig, och det ville de faktiskt. Så jag köpte Sveriges enda Stellar 25 juni 2001.

Which means I have owned my Stellar for almost 4 years.

The first owners of my Stellar was a Swedish couple, who works in Kuwait. They bought the car new in Kuwait, and used it there for two years. Then they shipped it to Sweden, and was using it here every summer, when they were coming back for holiday. That is until I bought it from them.

/hdstellar
jaap,
I know a little bit :)
Id like to learn more,, i have a very good friend in Satiila Sweden =)
Im half finn/irish.
some day I want to come there to live, i love scandinavia...
lucky to find such car, must be in nice shape ??
do you have pics of your car?

im sick of the autoweek forums, so many nasty people there who cant accept the fact Hyundais moving up, and faster than any other maker concidering their short history.
im not going there any more, i laugh thinking why are you guys so millitant about it all.
like fords never made junk? well according to some no i guess :banghead:

i mean 'they' :biggrin:

jaap,
I know a little bit :)
Id like to learn more,, i have a very good friend in Satiila Sweden =)
Im half finn/irish.
some day I want to come there to live, i love scandinavia...
lucky to find such car, must be in nice shape ??
do you have pics of your car?

Yes, it is in pretty good shape. But I don't have any pictures of it. That is stupid, I only take pictures of the cars I want to sell. When I soon release it from it's winter brake, I'll have to find a camera, and take some pictures.

But it is pretty much identical with the light blue, and the white Stellar at the Russian wallpaper site. The color of my Stellar is Racing Red.

/hdstellar

Hi i also have a stellar. right now i'm trying to restore it. it is running fine. the interior needs work tho. any ideas where i can get the light for the back and front of the car cause some are broken.

Hi!
I live in Canada and I just Buy one of the Last HYUNDAI STELLAR in The hole QUEBEC PROVINCE! I love this car, It's my first one and it has my age! Actually it's a 1987 Hyundai Stellar CXL 2.0 ! In perfect Shape, Almost no rust and perfectly clean! Anybody in Canada have a Stellar?

Hi!
I have one of the last STELLAR in Quebec province CANADA, it's a 2.0 CXL 1987, Anybody around Canada owns one too?

Hi there,
Its not going because something seems to be draining the battery or the battery is earthing itself somewhere. It was fine then started to make hard work of starting up, then wouldnt start up but all electrics worked and now nothing, its compleatly dead even all the electrics. I stuck a new battery in it and over 3 weeks the same thing happened again :mad: :mad: :mad: Any ideas?

the exact same thing is happening with my girlfriends 87 stellar. thats how i found these forums through google. i am visiting my girlfriend in canada right now, she doesnt drive but her friend gave her this stellar. i had never seen or heard of one before. so anyways, its running along ok for a few weeks, and then one day, i goto crank it and the battery is dead. so then i happened to notice there is no belt on the right hand side of the engine to what looks like could be the alternator. thing is i ask a couple people and they say ohh its probably not supposed to have a belt there. i cant find any info on it, so we took it to get battery tested. they say bad battery. so the new one is working ok, but then while driving if i turn on the defrost or headlights, the volts guage goes way down towards 8 again, and never appeaars to jump back up ever! so we got a jump start tonight, and then the thing went back to 12 volts, the car died out. i start it again, and it starts right up. dies out again. start it again and absolutely nothing.. LOL its really weird. anyways can anyone tell me for sure that has a 87 stellar.. as youre looking facing the engine with the hood open, there is a gear that looks to be connected by a belt going over to the left of the engine. is it supposed to be there (cause this has nothing, and i assume its supposed to!) anyways thanks

Hello! I've got a 1986 Hyundai Stellar GSL - 1.6L / 5spd. Nice car if a bit under powered. Mine is rusty so currently I'm chopping it up to as a donor car for a Lotus Seven clone. If anyone needs interior, sheet metal, trim, etc send me a PM and you have it for the price of postage. Here's a little Hyundai history I wrote for the Sevens clone folks.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v197/arthurdent/Locost/1986HyundaiStellar.jpg

The in early to mid eighties Hyundai entered the Canadian market place (not the US) with two cars - the Pony and Stellar. These are quite useful if you want to build a close to "book" Locost. Back in South Korea Hyundai was building Ford Cortina MkIIs under license. They soon decided to make a car of their own, the Pony, and they used various pieces from the early Cortina. One piece was the so-called "English" live rear axle, which is also shared with the Ford Escort MkI and MkII. The engine and transmission were sourced from Mitsubishi, the styling from Italdesign. The Pony received a face-lift to become the Pony II and this was exported to Canada in five door hatchback form from 1984 to 1987. So from the Pony we can get our Escort MkII rear axle and a one-piece prop shaft. The other car was the Stellar. It was launched in 1983 to replace the old Cortina they were building under license. It was essentially a Ford Cortina MkIII with a styling again by Italdesign and engine and transmission from Mitsubishi. Starting in 1987 it was updated to Stellar II, which has flush fitting headlamps and MacPherson strut front suspension. So from the 1984-1986 Stellars we can get the front spindles and any other various Cortina pieces. The 1987+ ones are not suitable.
The engines available in the Pony and Stellar were Mitsubishi 4G33 1.4L and 4G32 1.6L fours. They are sturdy, uncomplicated engines with points ignition and a manual choke two barrel down draught carburetor. The 1.6L version gives 74hp and around 93lb-ft of torque. A later descendant the 4G37 1.8L lives in the first generation Eagle Talon / Mitsubishi Eclipse. Stellars used a KM119 5spd manual box. The Pony was available with either the 5spd or a 4spd. The later Stellar II could be had with a Mitsubishi 4G63 2.0L I4.

=Trying to keep the thread alive= :p

Good work Dentures, been trying to find out about the Stellar myself lately. Found one for sale near by in mint condition, think i'll get it- hopefully!

The Stellar apparently used (the 1600 this is mainly used in Europe) the 1970's Mitsubishi Galant engine, namely the 1600 'Sport' engine, less the 'Sports' twin carb (:frown: ) It used mostly mk5 Ford Cortina running gear and floor pan for the mk1 Stellar ('Hyundai' badge in middle of grille?) and for the mk2 only the rear axel and suspension remained that of the mk5 Cortina from then using Mitsubishi brakes etc
Because of its Ford and Mitsubishi history many Mitsu and Ford engines will fit straight into the Stellar including (UK Spec cars) the Cortina/Granada's 2.3 V6 Cologne, 2.8 V6 Essex and various Mitsu engines including several 2.0turbo units (or so ive been told)

Im currently trying to find out what carbs will fit straight onto the Stellars 1600.

Graham

so is your 1600 a Ford or Mitsu motor? If its the same as mine Mitsubishi one (ie 4G32) then the intake manifold complicates things as the thermostat is built in and coolant runs through it. Apparently helps emissions but makes manifold swapping or making really ackward.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v197/arthurdent/Locost/enginetopm.jpg

1600 Mitsubishi. Ahh right i see, thats quite annoying :frown:

Ah well, also rencently learnt that the turbo from the Dodge/Mitsubishi Colt or Mitsubishi Cordia fit straight on, might be worth looking into :iceslolan

its a puny turbo though. Manifolds might be useful with a larger turbo.

Well, i've just brought a Hyundai Stellar!

Not the nice shade of red my old one was but the new one looks good in prosthetic limb beige. One owner since new GSL.

Hopefully going to pick it up tommorow so i'll post some pictures up then.

Graham

Ok here are the pics of the Stellar.

Needs one or two things doing to it, alternater is screeching, passenger door makes lots of noises, drivers leccy window needs fixing as does boot and one of the rear doors centeral locking.

Other than that its great, goes well (if slowly) and is lovely and clean!

http://xs75.xs.to/pics/06140/Stellar_new_001.jpg

http://xs75.xs.to/pics/06140/Stellar_new_002.jpg

http://xs75.xs.to/pics/06140/Stellar_new_006.jpg

http://xs75.xs.to/pics/06140/Stellar_new_008.jpg

http://xs75.xs.to/pics/06140/Stellar_new_009.jpg

http://xs75.xs.to/pics/06140/Stellar_new_010.jpg

http://xs75.xs.to/pics/06140/Stellar_new_012.jpg

http://xs75.xs.to/pics/06140/Stellar_new_013.jpg

Graham

I have a 1987 Stellar CXL 2.0 Canada-spec Stellar and want to replace the McPherson struts. Hyundai Canada says there are exactly eight front struts left in all of Canada, and only for the left-hand side (really). Anybody know what aftermarket strut could be substituted? I'm guessing Hyundai probably bought the part from Mitsubishi, so perhaps there is a Mitsu model... The Hyundai part numbers are 54650 and 31613, if that helps...

go get aftermarket struts, im sure monroe still makes something for that car

i own an86 stellar canadian spec, my father purchased the car new and it has been my vehicle since i have been able to drive. i felt the car had potential and looks cool so i did a few thing to it. Lowered on 17"rims and tires, 4 wheel disc brakes front cross drilled rotors, sonata 2.4 multi port fuel injection, (still workin out some bugs but it runs and drives) eagle talon turbo clutch and lightened flywheel, 87 headlights with bmw h.i.ds and a sweet stereo set up. just some of the things i have done. will post pics sometime when i can.

You lowered your Stellar? May i ask how? Been wanting to do this but trying to avoid cutting the springs.

Hi
I have a hyundai stellar, my mother had it for about 20yrs now and she gave it to me. I am currently fixing it, changed the engine recently. Hope to repaint it next year. I will post some pictures of it soon.

Hi i am looking for rear and front lights for my hyundai stellar 2.0, if anyone knows where i can get this plz let me know. thx

Late 80's model Stellar was my first and only purchase..talked into it by my older brother who owned one of the first model Stellars in Canada..Everyone thought he was nuts..

I loved that old car...put over 500K on it..EXCELLENT Winter car..rear wheel drive and all..solid runner, excellent gas mileage..easy to work on...

Only issue I haven't heard mentioned in forum was the pilot bearing problems they had on some of the 5 speeds..fairly common problem..but if I found another one, I'd buy it in a minute

I might have some rear light from an 86.

I once was an ower of the 87 Stellar! It was my first car and I loved it despite all the headache it caused me. I bought it through the classifides for $500 and it lasted me almost 2 years and a good 30k clicks.. Unfortunately just this past Wednesday (Oct 10th 07) while i was driving with my 1 year old daughter, it caught fire and combusted!! :(
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1415061&id=848255244

I once was an ower of the 87 Stellar! It was my first car and I loved it despite all the headache it caused me. I bought it through the classifides for $500 and it lasted me almost 2 years and a good 30k clicks.. Unfortunately just this past Wednesday (Oct 10th 07) while i was driving with my 1 year old daughter, it caught fire and combusted!! :(
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1415061&id=848255244

Oh no!

I've heard of a Pony doing this, although I thought it questionable...

Here's my 1987 CXL (Auto booooo!) I got it for free, but it needed some $800 in repairs (largely done myself) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/Jed118/PICT0008.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/Jed118/PICT0005-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/Jed118/PICT0004-3.jpg

4G63 SOHC at it's finest! 125,000 K on it in that pic

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/Jed118/PICT0003-3.jpg

That's it in NYC (well LI) when I drove down 2 weeks ago. Solid cruiser, but I get SHIT gas mileage (like, 22-25 MPG), way less than my other Pony's (I have a 1986 Red 1400GL w/68,000K, a blue partially modded 1400L (unknown miles), and a 1984 1600GLS fitted with this above pictured engine. That will will receive a 2.4L (4G64) DOHC engine, fed by 2 webers ;) - 200 HP? I think so! now to build it... Also it bolts RIGHT in, just as the 4G63 did.

I understand that several ford engines will work in a Stellar chassis. How about the reverse, putting a 2.0 litre Mitsu engine into my 1977 Ford (Mercury badged) Capri II. I drove a Stellar for some years and really liked the handling. I recently picked up this Capri minus the eriginal V6 engine and I am wondering if the Mitsu transplant has been done before.

I noticed there hasn't been any posting in a while. I am trying to shoot a short film and need a Stellar, can anyone help?