'72 Chevy Vega Kammback with nice V8 rumble | Newest addition to my stable of longroofs | Vega EP1
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ค. 2019
- Sit back and watch as we gloss over some of the best and worst parts of the car that almost destroyed GM.Then try to figure out why I bought one. . . Don't forget to hit the subscribe buttons!!
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burnoutsandrotorblades
burnoutsandrotorblades
Pontiac Astre, Chevrolet Monza, Pontiac Sunbird, Buick Skyhawk, Oldsmobile Starfire.
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In 1972 I was 10 yro. and my mom bought a new green kammback Vega. After watching her drive it for about a year, one day she told me to wait in the car for a few minutes while she went in to see a friend at their home. I decided to get in the drivers seat, start the car, and drive it about a quarter mile to the end of the street, going through ALL the gears. Pulled into a driveway, backed it up , turned around and drove back. My mom, as I could see half way back, was waiting in the street for me, madder than hell. She was hollering and yelling at me but smiled and said, "Yer 11 yro. and you can drive a stick-shift...? I can't believe you can drive a stick-shift!!". She was mad and laughing at the same time.
I was the kid with the 10.5 to 1 compression ratio sleeved block Vega, with an Edelbrock intake manifold, Holley 350 2bbl, Hooker (I think) header, and a custom ground Crower cam, all sitting on monstrously wide 175/70-13 Continental TS771 radials, wrapped around American Racing Vector rims, with Dobi sway bars and front/rear spoilers. That car was a blast😁!
A friend had a '73 Panel wagon. Blew the first engine at 21K a year after he bought it. Warrantee gave him a new motor and he drove it until '77 when the 2nd motor went south. He had paid off the car by then so he parked it and planned on making it into a project. In early '79 he came across a wrecked '78 Buick that had a turbo 231(3.8L) in it. Bought the whole Buick to get everything he needed for the swap. That Vega was a pure sleeper! Fun to drive as it would walk away from most "performance cars" of the day.
That engine (or a 3.8 supercharger to be more specific) in that car has been a dream build idea in my mind for a long time - √
In 1977 my parents bought a hatchback. My mom & I shared the use of it, I was 16. When I left the nest, I was allowed to make use of the car...and kept it...and kept it...and kept it... I'm currently in full tear-down status and am rebuilding it. In 1989 I swapped in a 283 but never completed that project, now I'm doing it.
He will never forget those moments. I was driving at 4 years old (my Dad doing the heavy work, of course) and now at 60 years I think of those moments often. Thank you! Good job!
I built one around 1987. It was a 1972 Vega panel, black, 350 engine,350 trans. Sat low with all the rubber I could stuff in the wheel wells without tubing it. Built a lot of cars and trucks since then.
I built my vega back in 81 and I was a Junior in High school. I bought it with no motor or trans. I had a LT 1 350 and a turbo 350 trans with shift kit. I was looking for a Dana 60 rear end or 12 bolt. My Pops did some research and told me the V8 Monza had the same unibody with is a H body. He said that I could order all that I needed to put my 350 and turbo 350 for the Vega and buy the rear end torque arm sway bars shocks springs from Courtesy Chevrolet in San Diego were he was the parts Manager. And I bought the trans mount engine mounts and headers from Hooker. He said the good thing about that is that it will bolt right up and I would not have to customize anything. I got so many complaments that I did a good job and didnt have to cut up anything. Its been a good car for me ever since. 42 yrs Ive had it and loving every minute of it. Specail thanks to Mongee and Nonnie, my Pops and mom and my best buddy back then Scott Manning.
When they were being sold new I thought they were ugly. But now I think it's a great looking car.
I'd love to have one.
My father in law used to own a Vega. Me, I never owned one but I think they are a good looking car just the same. I definitely like the earlier Vega body styles. They reminded me of the Chevy Camaro without the Camaro price tag. I really loved looking at them a few years later when people started putting in 350c.i. V-8 engines in them. Now you had the best of both worlds. A light compact car with V-8 power. A great combination in my book
I have had 9 vegas. All coupes & 1 wagon. Loved every single one.
I put V-8's in all of them.
I also had a '76 pontiac Astre that probably was my favorite.
Thank you for the video.
Keep-m-on the rd. ❤️
Didn't that Astro have a cast iron engine? Otherwise it had everything the Vega had
I'm selling my 1973 Vega GT. I'm going to post a video soon. I was building mine as a ProTouring car. I was going thru the parts I and a crap ;oad of rare parts.
@@edmiera3583 My 76 Pontiac Astre had the "Vega" engine in it. I had to put a steel sleeve in it before I could drive. After a year, I put in a V6 from a wrecked Chevy Monza Wagon. That was back in 1985-86.
I have a 72 Hatchback with the 140/4 speed. Always wanted a Kammback. These were very cool cars for their time and may have ahad thier issues, however I dont think they were as bad as people say. GM was responsive about the flaws and did fix the issues through the production run.
I had a 73 Vega. I steel sleeved it. Four speed. I absolutely loved that car. Yellow station wagon. Of course there was always something wrong with it. But it was easily fixable. I have a 2023 Prius now with all the bells and whistles but I still miss that Vega from way back in 1973. I'm so glad to see that you own one. I think if I found one, I might just pick it up myself just for the heck of it and fix it up! Thanks for a great video and it looked fantastic
At 16 years old and driving a 73 Vega, I was getting good at replacing the head gasket beside the road. 3 engines later and dead in the driveway, I went off to the military and dad sold it while I was gone. I had 5 of them during my younger years. And they all had GM small blocks. Oh what fun
When I was 16 in 1976, my dad bought a 1974 Vega GT hatchback. It had a 4 speed. It was low to the ground and good in the corners. It had the sporty dash with a tachometer, similar to Camaro. And yes, I thought it looked handsome. Problems: my older sister burned out the clutch going up a hill. Got that fixed and then I proceeded to experiment with burnouts!. 6,000 RPM and sidestep the clutch. Yes, it did burnouts (sort of). When you went back to look at the tire marks, it was like a dotted line. Ferocious wheel hop! Also, the back hatch had a serious rust problem that we fixed more than once. Also, as a result of the wheel hop, I had to twice replace the rear end. At one point the engine expired. I found an aftermarket supplier that specialized in Vegas (and Pinto's?) called EICO. They had an engine that was sleeved, had a special "quench" head for a little more power. Also I was able to find a Crower cam and a header. I ran a mid 16 second 1/4 mile time -- before I broke the fragile, itty bitty rear end again. It has mechanical (solid) lifters from the factory. So I had fun with it. My best friend was a little smarter. He had a 1971 base Vega he inherited from his gramps. He swapped in a Buick V6, which was cool. But it wasn't amazing so he swapped in a 350 V8. Lots of fun. Long post, I tried to put a lot in there so thanks for reading.
Having owned almost 50 Vegas I would still have to say it is my favorite car!! Mind you I put V8s in most from a 283 to a 482 big block. And you are so right about being a handsome car....i call cute. My favorite would be if I could find one would be a 73 Vega panelwagon. Thank you for the video and great memories
well done, my grandfather bought a wagon in the late 70''s, my dad got it by the early 80's, his mechanic recommended he get ride of it as soon as possible.
I bought my "First" 1972 Vega GT Kammback wagon, in October 1972. I drove it for 10 months, putting 21,000 miles on it. My second, 1972 Vega GT Hatchback was bought in 1975, with a blown engine. I put a steel sleeved block & new head in it and took it to Germany (I was in the Air Force) where I drove it all over Europe, until a friend drove it for over an hour @ 100 mph, and it caused the #3 cylinder sleeve to come loose. I bought my 3rd, 1975 Vega GT Hatchback (in 1977), in Germany, from another Airman and continued driving around Europe, until my wife's parents came over and it wasn't big enough for them and our two kids. In 1979 I bought a 1977 Chevy Monza Notchback, with a 305 V8. What a fun car, but kid #3 came along, so I had to get a bigger car. I hated selling that car!
Then in December 1985, I bought a Pontiac Astre (Kammback) Stationwagon. I had to put a new steel sleeved block in it, drove it for a year and the transmission went out. I found a wrecked 1979 Chevy Monza Stationwagon (same body style as the Vega and Astre) V6 that was wrecked and only had 33K miles. I took EVRYTHING out of it, and swap it all with my Astre. It needed some paint, but it did get for a number of years. I think I sold it back in 1992.
If I was to find another 1977 Chevy Monza, notchback with a 305 in it, I would be all over it...but probably wouldn't want to pay what they would want for it.
To me the Vega GTs were pretty good handling little cars. The suspension was a little beefer than the non GTs.
There was a book published on the Vegas sometime around the mid 70s. I have one some place, but it had a lot of information on them and modifications they did to them before many of them found V8s in them!
And BTW, the Vegas were introduced on the market in 1971. ;)
I am a proud owner of a yellow 1975 Vega Wagon. The previous owner swapped in a 350/350trans. No A/C, no power brakes, no power steering. I absolutely love it!! Thank you for the content, your videos are both informative and entertaining!! Definitely a great influence for future Vega upgrades and car culture overall!!
Yup, owned two of them. My wife had a 72 Vega that was yellow. Mine was an orange 71 Vega GT with built 327, turbo 350 2200 rpm converter, and a 10 bolt differential equipped with 4:11 posi. Would it do a burnout? YES! ;-) had both of those cars in around 79. Would love to have the GT back.
When I was younger I had 2 of them, 1 was a 71 hatch back with updated parts from 71 to 77 parts. the other one I put a 283 in it with a 350 trans it was very fun, I would like to build another one!
I bought a new '73 White Woody Kammback, tan interior, in the Fall of '73. I loved that car. It still had the same pop-can engine in it when I sold it 4-5 years later with 125k on it. I used it as my service vehicle when I worked for IBM, it was the perfect service vehicle back then. I retired it from active service after about 3 years. It used about a quart of oil every 1000 at that point. Then I repaired all the rust and painted it Black Diamond Iridescent in it's retirement. It was a good looking car once again. After about a year, I sold it for $1000... I miss that old girl.
I drove a 1971 hatchback Vega stock back in 1982 blew 4 engines and 3 transmission. Had a lot of fun.
I had a 72 vega gt in the late 70's it was a blast to drive while it lasted
My first car was a 1976 hatchback which I paid $1200 for in 1978. I owned it for 8 years and had few problems. It was a great car for me. I loved it. I especially liked the hatch and folding back seats. It made a ton of room to haul myself off to college every year.
I own a 77 kammback and it is honestly the most reliable car I've ever owned. I bought it for 1500 almost 6 years ago and I can go out and start it whenever and even after a couple months of winter storage.
Loved my Vega wagon, it was a great little car. The guy that I bought it from had the block sleeved, so there weren't any issues there.
I would like to get another one !
My first car in 1984 was a 1973 Vega notch back with the mighty Iron Duke 4cyl.with 2speed power glide. After that in 1995 I bought another 73 notch back lovely shade of brown that I dropped a 350 in got rear endd on the highway and insurance totaled it. Then in 2000 I bought my dream a 71 black fast back and dropped a stronger 350 in that loved that car but sold it to buy a 1969 charger that I just finished this past year and currently enjoying. But here I am looking up Vegas again lol you always love your first car even this one. Can't even find them now unless priced beyond my means
Gotta love the son on the lap while dad teaches him to drive!
Every time we get into our neighborhood, both kids ask, "Can I drive in the neighborhood?" I love it.
I love your video. My mom got the apple green two door hatchback in 1974. I thought it was cool. One of the first things I learned about cars was how to add a quart of oil. I was about 14. The car burned about a quart a week!! And you were really right about that aluminum block - luckily we never had any issues. Fast forward to 2021 Both Ford and GM have given up on passenger cars. My Flex has 251,000 and now I will be forced to get a corolla or Camry
My first car was a 77 Vega Hatchback I was 16 and just got my license. It had the 4 cylinder until I practically melted it down one very hot day. Little did I know my father had plans to drop a buick 231 v6 into it so we did such,it as just a little earlier than he had planned to do so. We went with a turbo 350 automatic transmission and after 4 tries finally found the right gearing in a rear end that satisfied him and off and running I was. Every bit of the swap was from various "junk yards" around town before they became known as pic&pull. That was one fun car Thanks dad!
Love this! Our family owned four, yes FOUR, Vegas when we were growing
up. A 1971 notchback coupe in baby blue, a 1973 Kammback GT in silver
with the black racing stripe, another 1973 kammback in British green,
and a fourth that we bought from a junk yard, I believe it was a 1973
hatchback coupe in brown.
My mother bought red Vega wagon with a white interior new in 1972. Cute as hell.
Sweet!! I have a white 1972 Vega panel wagon! My dad held onto it for 15+ years. We’re finally gonna restore it. 🤘🏽
I see kid on your lap, driving car.... Instant like :)
You're right, nice looking and fun to drive. I had that exact year and model with automatic. Too bad they had so many issues. A "V8 Vega" was a super cool thing to have when I was in high school in the late 70s.
I don't know if these comments are being read but I love the white Vega wagon you have built. Looks perfect to me and must be fun to dfrive. Thanks for your video too.
I have a 75 and 79 monza....4cly 4 speed 140 75 and a 305 auto in the 79. I am very familiar with the vega 4cly motor and it isn't very sophisticated but it is tough as nails. I drove the hell out of mine and I still got it, and I can do a burn out with the 140 and 4 speed. My 79 with 305 stock with a thm350 and a 229 rear gear is a blast to drive on the highway, it rolls with just 160 hp 305. I bracket race my 16.2. sec 79 in 07 and 08, it is a deadly consistent foot foot brake car, I had a ball with it, won some cash et racing it, and back to back Friday night street car championships with it and my 88 s-10 v8 blazer. All three will be back on the road in 2020 if things go halfway right all things considered. I love Vega's and Monza's.
I have a MONZA now but miss my 72 GT. pee..green with white stripes ...3:73 4. Speed ,140 2.b. no problems. 110. Top end. Need a 5 speed. OD. THE MONZA getting a 4.3 so as not to ruen. The great handling.
Thanks for showing that piece it was great I too really liked the Vega coupe and wagon the best short hopper around then and now. The boy looked very happy to be behind the wheel . Thanks Guys 👍
Wow, is that car right up my alley. My first car was a '75 Vega sedan. I beat the hell out of it and it never broke. Never used oil, never rusted, and by the standards of the day.....handled pretty well. Well fast forward to today and for some reason I love wagons. I run a lightly modded VW Sportwagon. But I'd love to have a V8 Vega wagon, especially with the early rectangular grill like yours. I am jealous sir!
I had a ‘77 Pontiac Astre (Vega cousin). It had the iron block motor. A very reliable car.
I loved my Vega and fixed the stock engine. The car transformed itself from a hot clattering mess running 210F water temp to a cool running engine pulling maybe 160F water temp. It was a long stroke engine with very good pull away torque and could run stock air conditioning on idle all day long in Tucson, Az. And I turbocharged it but that’s another story.
I never owned a vega, but I did have a monza notch back with a factory 262C.I. V-8 and a four speed. I absolutely loved that car even though I went through a LOT of rear tires!🤣🤣🤣
Had a 73 GT wagon as my first car back in 83. Installed a sleeved stock motor that came out of 72 fastback. Once you sleeved that motor, it was rock solid... that motor was in 3 cars before I got rid of it... over 200K miles.
I bought a new GT hatchback in 1974. The GT really meant something, as it had beefed up suspension and steering, a 4 sp manual, and wide tires. I thought it looked great and I loved driving it. Handling was great. At the time I bought it word was already getting out that they were oil burners, although the reason for it wasn't really out there yet. I figured I could beat it by changing my oil every 2,000 miles, which I did. So I was kind of ticked when it began to use a quart every 1,000 mi.
I finally got rid of it in '79, trading it in for a '78 Celica, which was what I really wanted anyway. But new ones were too pricey for me.
As to the oil burning, many years later I learned the story. GM wanted that aluminum block but tried to save money by not sleeving the cylinders. They impregnated the cylinder walls with silicon. Nice idea but the silicon proved to be much harder than the steel piston rings. The rings quickly wore to the point of letting oil into the cylinders. And there you are -- an oil burner.
I think Vegas would've been around longer if it weren't for that experimental aluminum engine. Great car otherwise.
72 yellow hatch back my first car , my father bought it brand new and blew the motor up in it around 1977 , I was 17 and he gave me the car , I worked with my brother in law doing drywall so I had some money and bought a buick 231 v6 with a 5 speed and a monza rear end and front coils. I loved that car and my first real trip was to vegas in 1981 just turned 21 again LOVED that car
Thank you for sharing!
I’ve always liked the Vega, I would get me one now if I could. Those cars are under appreciated
I had a 76 cosworth Vega... 7500 redline on the tach... seriously handled like a trans am! One of two domestic cars that year that came with fuel injection... if Chevrolet hadn't tried to make the cars so cheap...it would have dominated the small car market. IMHO...
Thank you for the Vega.video. it is my favorite car!!! I had almost 50 of them. I put V8s in 3 of them. And put V8s in many more. Thank you again
My dad had a white wagon. My brother overheated it and melted to two center cylinders. It got a rebuilt Buick V6 after that, and served well as a survey crew transport!
I was the proud owner of a brand new silver Vega GT in May 1971. No options, not even the stripe. Yes, the car was very crude but it was fun to drive. Kept it 4 years. Sticker price was around $2600 or $2700.
Every time I see a Vega wagon, I say I want that car!
I fell in love with one in the neighborhood growing up.. wonder if there is any for sale these days🤷🏼♂️
Bought my Vega in 73 loved that car great look I had the panel. Lived in Modesto California drove it to San Francisco twice a week for work. Nice sporty look.
A good buddy of mine bought a '75 Vega GT, orange and we took it on our first big road trip. PA to Mexico. It was one of the most memorable trips I ever went on.
I had a 72 Vega GT bought new summer of 72 costing 2700. Bought it when I was 18 and loved it. Put about 40k on it then started using oil, Took it to the dealer and they replaced the valve guides at no charge. Wound up keeping it for almost 4 years then traded it in on a new 76 Oldsmobile starfire GT with a V6... great car too. Wish I still had either of them. oh well.
Good job...
Buying an H-Body now some 40 years on takes a special person. Certainly from the looks of your introduction video you appreciate the history of the platform starting with the 72 Vega, actually 71 model year in Canada. The infamous past that the Vega carries with it has all but dissolved and mostly resides in myth today. That's not to say GM haters never pass up a chance to bad mouth the car even at this late date.
I owned a few over the years. 1978 Monza Wagon with a 350ci (.40) built ProStreet Aluminum Intake (Open Plenum), MSD 6AL (2 step), Lakewood Bell housing, Wolverine Blue Racer Cam Shaft 280/440 with the 4sp Saginaw using the Hurst Indy Quickstick shifter. She was a blast and great on gas even with the 4MV Quadrajet gulping down fuel. I left the 2.53 rear under her just for that lol. She was fun to drive. I could put the car in 4th gear from a stand still on level ground then feather the clutch and she would roll out. Looking to do an H-Body with an LS for my grand son when he gets older.
I’ll just let ya know, I’m about 55 yrs old now, and my father worked for the Corp of Engineers. Hs got an award for his driving record…. Even though one time he had gone to a job site and someone backed into his parked car…. He cleverly paid to have the damage repaired out of his own pocket rather than turn it in. Anyways, I digress…. The point of my comment is that he was issued a Vega coupe that was brand new…. He put over 100,000 miles on it through his job, and when they took the car back and issued him another (a Pinto, I might add)…. He actually considered buying the Vega when the Government put it up for auction. He really liked it that much. And for the record, he did end up buying a Pinto from a used car dealership later. I’d give an eye tooth to have that old Pinto today in the condition he bought it in…. But again, I digress.
3:20
And the steel head on an aluminum block wasn't designed strong enough for the differential expansion rates - GM bragged about their "50,000 mile engine" and quietly did NOT say that the head would CRACK highly repliably by the time the engine got to 50,000 miles or VERY shortly after - in a time frame when most other engines lasted more like 100,000 without major problems.
The Cosworth engine option was a MUCH better choice, but a V8 option (like the Pontiac Astra version of the car offered) would have been better yet.
Sadly, the PERFECT engine (the Buick and Olds 215 aluminum V8) was sold by GM to Rover a few years before that, and Rover refused to sell it back to GM.
*BUT*
Swap kits did exist to use that engine (or the Rover 3500/3900/etc versions) in a Vega - I had a 1973 GT set up with the Olds 215, and with handling upgrades, THAT was a very fun car in the 1980s.
I had a 1971 hatch back that I put a 262 in front of 4 spd and the car was a blast to drive. I would have fun with other drivers at the light and leave on them, witch would make them what to try and catch me. I have a bunch of stories with that car, it was fun to drive
Ford guy that loves Vegas! Had 3, one with 283 slush box! GT loved it!
Super cool letting your son drive in your lap my Dad use to do that when i was a kid.Teach em youg good job man i enjoy your videos
My 1st new car i bought when I came home from Vietnam was a 73 hatchback manual trans , one barrel carb , and it was red. The second one my future wife found used and it was 72 a wagon manual trans .
My first car was a 1971 Chevy Vega hatchback . Your video says it was officially launched in ‘72. Did they release a few into the wild before then? Kinda weird mine was a ‘71 .That car was a dog lol. Ended up blowing up the motor on a trip home from Lake Berryessa . About 2 months later, it had a Buick V6 and transmission in it. What a difference that made! Sold the car to a neighbor who ended up turning it into a pro streeter. He put it into the wall at what used to be Sears point about a year after finishing the build.
I grew up driving Vegas. It was a part of my growing up. Nobody has said they look just like a camaro.....a baby Camaro.
I had seven of them at once and used to keep one of them running perferct......Thank You Chevrolet for giving me the Vega!
@@BurnoutsAndRotorblades your a lucky guy.....
Ah, the memories. Yes I had two or three for spare parts. And they were dirt cheap too. $50 to $70 any time.
Vega's are little Camaro's, I have been saying that for over 40 years......I hear you.
The first car I purchased on my own is a 1975 Monza, 2+2 140 4 speed. Drove the hell out of it, and I still got it. My favorite car. Haven't driven it since 1979, but with a little luck 2020 will be the year.
Glad you like to Vegas here’s something you probably didn’t know. Vega was offered with Chevy V6, the Pontiac Astra was the same way. Pull the four-cylinder motor out of a Vega take a cold chisel and chisel out the motor mount brackets that hold the four-cylinder motor in. There you will find welded captive nuts in the frame. I built 13 V-8 Vegas. I simply went down to the dealership asked for the motor mount brackets for the V-6 And not once was I told they did not have them in stock. It seems that every dealership had these brackets. For the pair was $10. A slight adjustment to the firewall and a V-8 Chevrolet small block fit right into that little car. A little of adjustment and the right mounting bracket for the transmission, a trip down to the machine shop to have a 70s nova rear end fitted with the Vega rear end brackets. The nova rear end was only 1 3/4 inches longer than the Vega. Take a nova driveshaft shorten it down. Nova front springs shortened slightly fit right into the front end. As I said I built 13 of these things and it seemed that almost all the parts were available at the dealership. Talk about a little car that could haul ass oh my freaking God.
I had a dream 20 years ago that I came across a midnight blue Vega with white stripes, chrome reverse rims with baby moons and a V8.
I bought one V/8 Vega wagon and built two more. I also did one Town Coupe. Outstanding little performers with 325 to 340 hp.
First car was a '79 Monza wagon with the 3.8 V6. Yellow, like the ones in the ad! Bought it in '85. I had many ideas for performance improvement, but, as a college kid, I really didn't have the know-how or the means. But loved it as it was! The 4-speed had such low ratios that I just started in 2nd gear. 1st gear could pull a stump, but useless for street driving.
Nicely edited video, with all the ads put in. Don Yenko even did a turbo version of these cars, so there were plans for them. It's funny GM continued the 2 speed Powerglide--i know some companies rebuilt their small torque converters to offer as high performance parts. I just had to pass up a 1974 model in primer at a swap meet this weekend for only $2,200--no dry space to keep it :( but it did save me the $15 i would have had to spend at another vendor for his cal custom "barefoot shaped" clip on gas pedal had i bought the car.
My wife had two of them. A red hatchback and a tan station wagon with wood grain sides. Both were automatics.
Biggest problem was rust on lower doors.
When I was in high school I had a vega hatchback GT. Loved it... But my boyfriend then had a friend who was nuts about the wagons.. Had 3 or 4 and he'd drop big engines in them and drive them like an absolute maniac! Good times... Oh, and they definitely would do burnouts. A favorite pass time was leaving "J marks" on all the hills around our rinky-dink town. Apparently they're really easy to beef up, but might not have the same personality as how they rolled out. Like how part of the charm of old VWs is how they're kinda weaklings :)
nice. my 1st car in high school was a vega wagon GT. memories!!!
71 was first year i had one. Great video.
I loved my 72 GT hatchback with the stripe and Camaro-like front grill. They were known for having large engine bays which lent themselves to large transplants. Mine was just the stock and stick but still was fun to drive.
When I was 8 years old in 1976.. my mom and dad bought a brand new 1976 Pontiac Astre Wagon. Which was essentially a Chevy Kammback Vega with the Pontiac name badge. It had a 5 speed manual transmission with the 4 cylinder alumium block engine which was standard in the Vega & Astre.
I took my driving test in my dad’s GT 5 speed Vega, with manual steering and brakes. I passed the first time. I miss that car.
I have had *26* Vega's or their rebadged siblings in the 80's as I bought, fixed up and sold used ones. I know every single bolt on the vehicles and their failings. But once you knew their issues, they were very easy to fix and make into reliable vehicles. What I could once buy for $100-500 used in the 80's are now back up to and exceeding their original sticker price. I have been long since priced out of the market for these fun cars.
My ideal Vega: 74 GT Kammback wagon with a 4.3L V6. This would give you all the torque of the V block while keeping the weight down up front. Dropping a V8 in the car resulted in bad handling, but the Buick 3.8L 231 even fire V6 was ideal for what was available. Monza/Sunbirds/Skyhawks did get this engine in the late 70's proving it to be a stout combination. The more modern 4.3L V6 would be about the ideal mill for this unibody vehicle.
FUN FACT: Those Southern Pacific railroad VertaPac railroad cars were the cause of the rust for the Vega. Known as the only car to start rusting on the dealer room floor, having the vehicle standing on its nose allowed water to get into the vehicle in areas it was never designed to. Without full body dipping for treatment at that time, water would get in behind windshield trip, hatchbacks, and body seams and sat for several weeks in transport in those positions allowing time for rust to set in. Had they been transported normally, they wouldn't experience this problem. Once the VertaPac transport was stopped, so did those rust problems.
Maybe some day I'll find another GT Kammback. I would actually spend good money to find one.
Absolutely loved the video!
My first car was a 71 Vega GT, Dark Blue with a white stripe,Dark Blue Interior, 4 speed, Cragar mag wheels. I bought it used at an estate sale for 600 dollars, in 73. I drove it for 6 months and fried the engine, Fortunately I had only 23000 miles on it and the warranty went to 24000 miles so. I was 16 at the time and my Mom was giving me hell for burning up the motor in this car. When I towed it into the dealership there were 12 or so Chevy Vegas just like mine sitting there. I ask the service manager what was wrong with all these cars he told me the engines were fried do to a Defect in the motor. I went and told my mother. I got a new motor for free. I drove the car another 3 months or so then wrecked it I sold it (because of the new motor and anyone out of warranty was up the creek) for $1800. I then bought a 72 Full size Ford Truck with Air-conditioning, un- heard of back then. That was in 74. Just after that Trucks started getting popular. I had air-conditiong in my 71 Vega Factory and the 4 speed would do a burnout. Wish I still had it. I have not seen another one that color since. It was the best looking Vega of them all.
I owned a 1976 Vega wagon from 1981-1988. It got me from Illinois to Ohio for a full-time two-year job, then back across country to California for grad school. My now-wife and I went on dates in that car, perhaps most memorably out to the desert. One time, parked on a street in West L.A., it got rear ended by the car parked in back of it, which in turn had been hit by a driver who told the police (I am not making this up) that she saw a ghost. In 1988, I left for a year's work in the UK, and I sold the vega to two European guys who wanted only to drive it a few hundred miles on vacation up in the mountains. I think I got $350 for it. Well, it died on them, and their friend back in West L.A. called me to say they were all upset and disappointed. I refunded the money. These are only a few memories. I could go on.
I bougght a 72 Kammback in 78 it was totally bad ass< it had a 442 under the flip nose frront end.4 speed,think it was a 411 rear end,this car would spin the tires til you let off.wish I still had it but like most teens I sold it which was stupid but this brought back some fun memories
My Dad had a 77 Kamback wagon that he did a V8 conversion (262 and 4 speed from a Monza) eventually he hit a deer and bought my 80 4 cylinder Monza from me to put the drivetrain in. Fun cars to drive, although much more fun with the V8 power!
Yesssss my 5yr old loves loves loves driving with daddy too❤❤
i have a vega,but are missing some parts on it.I am living in norway,the are no parts to buy here,so its a rare car in norway,not so many of them here.hope you enjoy your ride sir.
I had that same one in a "Coral" color. I loved that car. Wish I could find a good resto mod! I'd buy it in a second. NOT with the original 4 but a small 283/289, YES OH YES!
Buddy I have owned 4 and wish I had one now. The last one I had was a V-6 LOVED IT
There are some really good motors that would be even better than the 283 in this car. The Ecotec comes to mind. I just love the sound of the V8.
Love the Vega in general but especially V8 applications. Bill " Grumpy" Jenkins sure liked it!
Available in slotcar and model car versions.
Don't tell the HEMI PEOPLE. LOL.
Loved my '72 put a 327 / powerglide in it and drove acrossed country. La to Indy. Fun.
I had a 77' Vega with an Iron Duke in it and yeah, I loved it! If I could find another one that wasn't all rusted out or cost too much, I'd get it.
I still have the '77 Formula wagon version...
The iron Duke is a good engine unlike the "aluminum block with iron head"??? 🤷🏼♂️
Like to have an all aluminum small block that looks period correct and make it look stock!
I got 2 . Iron dukes
Was the Iron Duke a factory build in the Vega? My sister had a 3rd gen Camaro with the Iron Duke four and it was terrible, but probably not the engine's fault. When you stepped on the gas, it just made more noise instead of going faster!
I had a 73 gt hatch back yellow with black striping. Loved it, it got killed by an oldsmobile wagon, I almost went with it but I'm still here. If they remade a retro model of it I'll be on line with bucks in fist 🤪
I had a dark green 71 vega station wagon..I was 15 it was my first car and it drunk oil lol..i could chirp the tires in all 4 gears my friend had a vega to but mine was faster lol i loved that little car..but one day while working on it my hand went through the inner fender..someone had made them out of cardboard and spread tar on them...as a kid i dident notice it when i got it...when that happened i lost interest in it and got read of it..i wish i had it now id fix it lol...you have a nice one..
I had a camback wagon. They had to replace the engine before I could trade it in. Came with a 3 speed transmission and city was only first and second, third was too high. Don't miss it.
72 Kammback wagon in baby blue was my first cat. 4 speed, no a/c and loved it's oil. Loved the car but it was a heap in reality. Traded it with 399 for my favoite ca I ever owned a 1970 Buick Wildcat with a 455 C.I. w/ 370 hp
I owned one of the first Kammback wagons in early '71 4spd, positraction, burned the first set of tires off in less than 8,000 miles street drag racing stop light to stop light. I loved that little car, but traded it back to my dealer even up for a 69 Caprice SS in 1973 before the massive problems surfaced about the motors. Wish I still had both of those cars.
I had a brand new 74 Vega notchback that was demolished with 1,893 miles on it. A drunk ran into me . His F150 and my Vega were totaled. I walked away he was hauled off in an ambulance. I then got a new 75 baby blue Vega with matching rally wheels. I traded the Bega on a 78 Ford Fairmont Futura turd. Whilst I had the Ford I bought a 73 Vega GT wagon with the intention of doing the V8 conversion. Unfortunately that never happened. The car was rustier than I thought. The engine was rebuilt when I bought it.
My first and second cars were both Kammbacks.
The first one(1980) was a '71(yes there's a difference in '71s and '72s) and my second one(1981) was a '74 with Factory A/C.
The 1st one was rear ended and the second one is what I bought with the insurance money.
In 1977 I was 17 and I had a '72 Vega Kammback. I liked that car but it didn't like me. It was always 'check the gas, fill the oil'. Had to carry a can of starter fluid all the time. And if you got up to 60 mph it felt like it was going to disintegrate. Other than that it was a great little car.
I brought a 74 Vega when I was in college. At around 25K miles, it consumed 1 quart of oil for every 100 miles. I sold the car in 1976 for $200. After that, I never owned any GM cars.
I had a '71 Kamback my Dad bought new. I called it the mini Camaro Wagon.
I had a copper colored 72 Kammback wagon. Bought it running on 2 cylinders, with the intention of running a 283. Bought a Milodon mount kit. Ran a V8 Monza oil pan and exhaust manifolds. I had a Turbo 400 , which was too much transmission for the engine. Ran the stock rear end. Had the car for about 10 years. Traded it for a 65 Corvair Spyder Turbo.
Loving me some Vegas!