When a Vega is found nowadays, they tend to appear as car show queens (mostly the Cosworth version), or in junked condition. William Garrett at the Cohort found this ’76-’77 one, looking much better than junk, but not being car show pristine. An average looker, the way it would have appeared at some point, with a bit of love showing in the form of rims and a respray.
I’m glad there are still some Vegas on the streets, specially in curbside-worthy condition. Not that I can’t forget its sinful past, for it’s a notorious one. Can sins ever be forgiven? In the case of the Vega, I don’t think so. But Christian teaching tells us to love the sinner, and this Vega’s owner agrees with that philosophy of life.
Further reading:
Curbside Classic: Chevrolet Vega – Winner Of Small Car Comparison And GM’s Deadly Sin No.2
Someone at least ticked the box for pop-out rear-side glass (which may mean it lacks a/c). Looks like a base model based on the mirror. It’s been debadged/detrimmed, too. Sits a bit tall – I know the ’76 Cosworth had its ride height raised about 1″, but don’t know if the standard Vega did. Don’t see a factory exhaust pipe behind the rear driver’s-side tire – could possibly have a V6 swap with Monza springs, but still has it’s original 4-bolt running gear. A look at the interior might help determine if it’s a ’77, as they color-keyed the dash and steering column as of that year.
Would be interesting to know what’s under the hood.
My thoughts exactly. I haven’t seen a Vega with an original engine (even restored and sleeved) in at least thirty five years. Finding an un-hotrodded Vega is akin to finding a like 40’s Willys Americar.
What a strange thing to color-key the dash and steering column for the last year of production (especially on a base model). Typically, it’s the other way around in that the strippos get a black dash/steering column/wheel on any color combination.
GM must really have been desperate to sell them to do that.
I own two last year model GM cars that did similar things. I bought a new Citation X-11 in 1985. That model year, GM restyled the dash so it had a horizontal radio, then discontinued Citations. I also have a 2019 Cruze that they restyled the front clip and stopped building them mid year!
Just like the 88 Firenza. GM was already hardly selling any. Redesign the nose for 88 then cancel it.
Still such an attractive car. If I was fresh off the plane from some foreign country and saw one of the early ones in good shape for sale (pre-internet), I might have bit based on looms and thd Chevrolet nameplate, alone. They got these right (or much better – reliable, more rust-resistant) at the end. I’m still irked by the amber rear lights that are “dummies”.
It’s a shame about the taillights because I thought the amber looked pretty sharp.
Yes. The act of omitting the functionality of the already tooled up amber rear signals to save two bulbs, two sockets, and one extra wire- even on the “One Vega for the Price of Two” Cosworth… yet the Chevette made it through with amber rear turn signals that functioned.
“Hey, boss! Have I pinched these pennies enough?!”
This is the first picture of a Vega I have seen in decades, I had assumed they had all rusted away or been sent to the scrap yards decades ago. All of the trim pieces have been removed and it has obviously been repainted. It’s also sitting higher than the Vega as I remember it. looking at it I doubt the original POS engine is still in it. I notice the chrome trim on the rear window is missing.
I don’t know that I’ve ever seen one with flush pop-out windows before. Strange!
I sometimes wonder what would have happened if Chevy had used the Opel CIH engine that was already in production in Europe before the Vega was finalized. Imagine the Vega with a 2.5L straight 6
There was also the bigger Vauxhall OHC slant four, which started as a 1600/2000 and eventually made 2.3 litres for 1972. Holden used to use it in the Torana Four before switching to the Opel engine – guess that says something. Probably slanted the wrong way for LHD though. Don’t know what it was like to drive – Bryce?
Interesting engine. Even more interesting is the block was the base for the Lotus 900 engine. I was thinking a straight 6 simply for the inherent smoothness and the Vega’s purported purpose of taking on the compact European sports coupes then hitting the US.
Oh yes, the Opel six would have been nice if it fitted. Or a Lotus-Vega. 🙂
What a shame GM wasted so much money tooling up for the ‘junk’ engine, when there were perfectly viable (or adaptable) alternatives elsewhere in their empire. And what a shame they cheapened the rest of the car to compensate for the engine expense.
All too often the last year or two of a GM car was a decent car; unlike the earlier models.
The General had a bad habit of using it’s car buyers as their testing grounds for too many years.
For all that the Vega has a terrible reputation, how amazing to see one 46 years on!
That late front end is about as basic and generic as could be, and those taillights just look so awkward and ugly.
GM was determined to penalize you for buying the cheap model, weren’t they? It never seemed to occur to them back then that a customer might even consider looking at another brand…
Just wow. Finding a Vega at the curbside at all, anywhere in any condition, is kind of a modern miracle.
Agreed ;
Amazing this car survives and is apparently a daily driver .
-Nate
Sometimes I dream about my 74 Vega GT. First new car. Clearly left an impression on my sub conscience. Wonderful car despite some flaws
I have a little Vega story – I started driving as soon as I was old enough (turned 16 in ’76) and in my young niavite I purchased a 1972 Vega GT Kammback.
Mine was gold rather than yellow, but otherwise just like the one below.
It was a pleasant enough set of wheels to me, but soon started having some engine issues – I don’t remember the details, but eventually it became clear it wasn’t going to get me around any more. I ended up fetching a V6 with it’s attached auto trans from a Monza from the local wrecker, which dropped right in to the moter mount bolts of the Vega. I got it all hooked up and was able to drive it short distances, but it would quickly overheat. I fiddled with it for a month or two and ended up abandoning it in the parents’ driveway. Eventually Pop figured out the problem – I’d kept the original radiator and shroud, and so I used the original fan because it fit. Turned out that the original fan was driven off the back of the serpentine belt, and when bolted on the front of the V6 it was trying to push air back through the radiator. Live & learn!
Vegas aren’t car show queens. My Vega has won more car shows (51) than any other and ts no “queen” It’s been driven to every show, some 500 miles round trip and there are plenty of drivers and barn finds. Do some research