Ok, but let's talk about the significance of this video. From '70 to '75, the Vega's reputation was tarnished because the engines kept overheating and blowing up. This took a big toll on sales figures. So for '76, GM had redesigned the engine into the Durabuilt series, which included numerous major improvements. They lasted a lot longer, and this promo video was a panic measure to tell the public "Hey, if you buy a new Vega, it won't blow up like the older ones did!"
@@theemulsionalchemist5688 in 1976 I was friends with a boy {we were both 10} & his mother burned to death after being hit in the rear of her Pinto by a dump truck
@@theemulsionalchemist5688 a friend of mine had a black/gold Cosworth but the original engine was gone so he dropped in a mild built 305 4 bbl, headers & it was a little screamer
Yeah 76 & 77 Vegas may have had some engineering enhancements but it was too late in the game for Vega & Astre These morphed into Monza & Sunbird Vega from 74 back to the 70 in the beginning could not have gone. 180 / 200 miles on that Death Valley run
Too much, too late. Yes, GM engineers fixed the Vega, but after its ill fame had already been carved in stone. The film was ineffective, sales did not rebound but continued their downward trend, and the Vega was discontinued the following year.
I wish they'd showed some rear turn-signal action. There's an urban legend that the amber strips in the taillights were non-functional but I think maybe someone saw one once that had a replacement flasher unit meant for an earlier Vega or a wagon.
There’s actually a space but it’s not cut out. If you got another set of twist in bulb sockets and spliced into the blinking wires it could easily be retrofitted. I thought about doing it. I believe the housing were molded that way for the British market since they have to have Amber turn signals
It’s too bad that GM didn’t do enough research and development before this car was released to the public. GM literally handed the small car market to the Japanese after people bought Vega’s and they fell apart in two years. In my opinion GM is still paying the price today.
Hmmm, so by that data sampling, one might expect that 33% of Vegas will require a new timing belt within 60k miles. I don't know the service intervals they specified for the timing belts, but it seems odd that they mentioned it as if it were impressive.
Too bad they didn’t fix the engine problems right away, their reputation had long been in the toilet by ‘76. Could’ve been a great car from day one if they hadn’t screwed up the engine!
Running an engine non stop doesnt wear an engine anywhere near hot and cold cycles do. Ford did the same non stop thing with their turbo V6. 3 or 4 years consumer use in the midwest where temps range from below 0 to over 100 in stop and go traffic will beat down any engine in a hurry.
Ok, but let's talk about the significance of this video. From '70 to '75, the Vega's reputation was tarnished because the engines kept overheating and blowing up. This took a big toll on sales figures. So for '76, GM had redesigned the engine into the Durabuilt series, which included numerous major improvements. They lasted a lot longer, and this promo video was a panic measure to tell the public "Hey, if you buy a new Vega, it won't blow up like the older ones did!"
Disposable but at least they didn't blow up when rear-ended. Pinto Bombs
Yeah, that whole aluminum cylinder thing just didn't work out as well as they thought.
@@theemulsionalchemist5688 in 1976 I was friends with a boy {we were both 10} & his mother burned to death after being hit in the rear of her Pinto by a dump truck
@@SquirminHermanthe1eyedGerman Thats terrible. Rest in peace :'(
Such a great looking car, even after 1974. What a shame.
i thought the vega had great style
In the 80s I had a 1975 GT yellow with black strips & the optional 87hp L-11 engine & 5sp, great little car & wished I had kept it
there were too many orange ones. yellow with black stripes, very nice
@@theemulsionalchemist5688 a friend of mine had a black/gold Cosworth but the original engine was gone so he dropped in a mild built 305 4 bbl, headers & it was a little screamer
This should of been done before the Vega was introduced back in 1971.
I don't know about you, but I wouldn't have been one of the drivers
@@theemulsionalchemist5688 I'm with you.Looked like cruel and unusual punishment.One boring loop day after day
76 and 77 were good years for the Vega. They could have done these engineering fixes earlier if gm wasn’t so dysfunctional.
optional engines made the difference
Yeah 76 & 77 Vegas may have had some engineering enhancements but it was too late in the game for Vega & Astre These morphed into Monza & Sunbird Vega from 74 back to the 70 in the beginning could not have gone. 180 / 200 miles on that Death Valley run
Too much, too late. Yes, GM engineers fixed the Vega, but after its ill fame had already been carved in stone. The film was ineffective, sales did not rebound but continued their downward trend, and the Vega was discontinued the following year.
if they had come with a good engine from the start, we would still see them on the road
I worked at a Chevrolet dealership in 1976. GM finally got the engine right, but it was too late
the 151 should have been in the Vega from the start, or a 6 cylinder. if engines went such a problem, we would still see them on the road today
Forgot to mention the 5/50 engine warranty.a warranty that could cover until 1982..
Typical gm, bring out a new model and it's a failure, then wait to make the car great, and it's too late, the car has a bad image!
I wonder if any of those three cars are still around
Thanks for this great video!!
Glad you liked it!
I wish they'd showed some rear turn-signal action. There's an urban legend that the amber strips in the taillights were non-functional but I think maybe someone saw one once that had a replacement flasher unit meant for an earlier Vega or a wagon.
Mine are not functional. I have a video on my account of my Vega. 100% survivor car with no amber lights :(
@@scottinbr Indeed, not long ago Jason Torchinsky wrote about them, there's not even a space for a bulb behind the amber section.
There’s actually a space but it’s not cut out. If you got another set of twist in bulb sockets and spliced into the blinking wires it could easily be retrofitted. I thought about doing it. I believe the housing were molded that way for the British market since they have to have Amber turn signals
So good it was renamed monza.
Six years late!
It’s too bad that GM didn’t do enough research and development before this car was released to the public. GM literally handed the small car market to the Japanese after people bought Vega’s and they fell apart in two years. In my opinion GM is still paying the price today.
America had its best designers working on the military, Japan had its best designers working on cars and electronics
Hmmm, so by that data sampling, one might expect that 33% of Vegas will require a new timing belt within 60k miles. I don't know the service intervals they specified for the timing belts, but it seems odd that they mentioned it as if it were impressive.
i dont think most people knew what a timing belt was back then
This looks good.
Too bad they didn’t fix the engine problems right away, their reputation had long been in the toilet by ‘76. Could’ve been a great car from day one if they hadn’t screwed up the engine!
if I had a dime every time I heard that, I would be rich
GM should put a V6 in the Vega in 1971 and forgot about that junk 4 banger that motor was junk
they were using the buyers as gunnie pigs
Running an engine non stop doesnt wear an engine anywhere near hot and cold cycles do. Ford did the same non stop thing with their turbo V6.
3 or 4 years consumer use in the midwest where temps range from below 0 to over 100 in stop and go traffic will beat down any engine in a hurry.
I would rather buy a one-year-old car with 100k miles over a 10-year-old car with 10k miles any day.
Despite all the puffery in this video, these cars were total pieces of shit!
Chevrolet called it customer enthusiasm
2:34 - what is he trying to achieve?
i would say trying to get in every drop possible, or he really enjoys his job
اللهم صل وسلم وبارك على عبدك ورسولك محمدﷺ
Pontiac did the right thing in 77 their astre used the new 2.5 iron duke instead.
the 151 was a solid engine, if smog hadn't restricted so badly
People talk way to much shit on VEGAS. Most never had one .Group think.
I never had one, but a friend had the Pontiac version
Those 140 engines were garbage. Iron head on aluminum block. Stupid design.
1913 before climate change. Let's go BRANDON.
Vegas were junk along with the rest of GM /CHEVY builds .....2021 is even worse Silverados are junk.