Chevy Vega

4getgto

4getgto

Bill from Northampton County, Pennsylvania
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The Chevrolet Vega is a subcompact automobile that was manufactured and marketed by GM's Chevrolet subdivision from 1970 to 1977. Available in two-door hatchback, notchback, wagon, and sedan delivery body styles, all models were powered by an inline four-cylinder engine with a lightweight, aluminum alloy cylinder block. The Vega first went on sale in Chevrolet dealerships on September 10, 1970. Variants included the Cosworth Vega, a short-lived limited-production performance model, introduced in the spring of 1975.

The Vega received praise and awards at its introduction, including 1971 Motor Trend Car of the Year. Subsequently, the car became widely known for a range of problems related to its engineering, reliability, safety, propensity to rust, and engine durability. Despite a series of recalls and design upgrades, the Vega's problems tarnished both its own as well as General Motors' reputation. Production ended with the 1977 model year.

The car was named for Vega, the brightest star in the constellation Lyra.
 
That's exactly my first car! That orange with white stripe is the " millionth vega" edition. Says millionth vega on door handles. Every major dealer got one to sell after they hit a million sold. Despite engine problems, that was one sweet handling car. Year of millionth vega was 1973.
 
I had to put in a new sleeved short block engine, but turned out my oil burning was due to the valve seals getting hard as a brick and letting oil flow past. Would have saved me a ton of money in those days if I'd have known it was just the seals. Starting in 75 or 76 engines came OE with steel sleeve liners. Years after I traded mine for a larger family car a friend got it, but sadly the unibody turned into a mess of rusty rot! Not safe to drive just in one's own driveway....that bad!
 
I had a 72 Hatchback. Dark gray. Body stayed solid on it. 4 cylinder. Had a manual transmission, 5 speed if I remember correctly. But I could be wrong about that one. Made it ok to around 60,000 or so miles. After that it was check the gas and fill up the oil. Wish I knew then what I know now.

jhn9840
John
 
My dads old boss had a Yenko Vega. I think they made 400 total. 200 in 71 and 200 in 72. He bought it brand new at Yenko dealership in cannonsburg pa. He sold it sometime in the 90s. It was red with a white stripe if I remember correctly. A really cool car for sure! I bet he wished he had kept it now! I bet he sold it for penny’s.

This guy at so many cool cars. Corvettes, BMWs, Porsches.

Yenko Chevy was only about an hour from here.
 
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My grandson was out in Washington and ran across a 66 Barracuda setting beside the road for sale. He stopped and texted a picture of it and asked if I wanted it. I must have moaned when I saw the picture because my wife asked what I was looking at. I showed her and she said "why don't you buy it!" Do you know how hard it was to say no when your wife says Do It? She asked why no and I told her "you can't go back in time".
Now with all this talk about our favorite cars I'm setting here having second thoughts about my decision. You guys are really Cruel!
 
Cvans said:
My grandson was out in Washington and ran across a 66 Barracuda setting beside the road for sale. He stopped and texted a picture of it and asked if I wanted it. I must have moaned when I saw the picture because my wife asked what I was looking at. I showed her and she said "why don't you buy it!" Do you know how hard it was to say no when your wife says Do It? She asked why no and I told her "you can't go back in time".
Now with all this talk about our favorite cars I'm setting here having second thoughts about my decision. You guys are really Cruel!
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There's one about a mile from me!
 
Cvans said:
Now with all this talk about our favorite cars I'm setting here having second thoughts about my decision. You guys are really Cruel!
Click to expand...

It always makes me want one. 15 years ago you could pick up a Nova or Chevelle for under 10 grand in running driving condition. Not perfect, but typically rust free.

Heck I don’t see them now for under 40k! If you do it’s a pile that needs a frame off restoration.

I’ve wanted to buy a 70 or 71 Nova for years. My parents drove me home from the hospital in January of 84 in my dads 70 Nova. White with blue interior! He sold it in 88 to buy a VCR!

I could kick myself for not buying one years ago!
 
I bought my first Vega in 1973. It was a '71. Less than 2,000 miles later I blew the engine. Ran out of oil. Should have checked it more often. The Chevy dealer did replace it for free though. It blew at about 32,000. I did get a Hooker headers small block V-8 kit in '74, but between school and work it didn't get done right away. I got a 300 HP 350 from a '70 Chevelle, got the machine work done, and the parts rounded up for the short-block during that time. By graduation time, the race car shop I had been working for was closing due to financial trouble, so I went into high voltage construction. Of course none of the work was here so was driving all over Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming during every kind of weather imaginable. By mid 1976, the engine was like John said, check the gas and add oil. I parked it in my mom's back yard and bought a '71 Monte Carlo. Loved that car but that's another story. I got some time to check the Vega out, pull the engine and assess the overall condition and it was by far too rusty to do a v-8 swap in. I knew a guy that put a well-built 327 in a '72 Vega that was rust free. He would stand on it and the windshield would crack, so no point using a rusty one. Building a full frame would have been the only way and could not swing that at the time. By the way, that 300 HP 350 is still running. I assembled it in 1986 and put it in the '72 GMC we still own.

The Baldwin-Motion ones Marty spoke of was my inspiration to build one but starting with a brand new car like they did was the only practical way. A very high percentage of the B-M Vegas were sold to rich OPEC oil barons in the middle east! They had the US by the nuts with oil prices and were buying up the fun cars to rub our face in it!

I had two others in the 1980's to just have for beaters. Painted a couple signs and got the cars in trade. Drove them for awhile and sold them. One was a '72 Kammback and one was a '72 Panel.

DAC
 
Mine was a 73 and I bought it in late 74 and it had 22,000 on it. Besides starting to use oil about 6 months later , the only other issue was using the AC, which would on real hot days would make the engine run hot as their radiators weren't large enough.
 
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