Hi salsaman06, Happy to read you appreciate the rarity of finding this car in this condition :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
It has to be over a decade since I last saw a stock running Vega (or sibling) in the Chicago area. The last two I saw in wild I think were actually the Pontiac version, the Astre.
This car is awesome! I bought it from Jeff and drive it quite a bit.... I've actually put over 1000 miles on it. The attention this car gets is unreal. I have no intention of changing anything on it. Thanks for the car Jeff! Ken
With such a sentimental story to the car, I'd keep it 100% as is! And to show people too young to know what a chevy vega looked and sounded like in the 70s!
Wonderful. As soon as I got my driver's license, I walked into a Chevrolet dealership (with my dad, as I couldn't yet sign for a car) and paid $2130 for a brand new 1971Vega with zero.... zero... options: no radio, no carpeting, 3 speed on the floor. That car performed so well that I bought another one a few years later. I was fortunate to have a family mechanic who warned me not to upshift the transmission too quickly; he explained the overheating issue of the engine, and to circulate that fan and water pump at higher RPM 's to keep the engine cool. I had zero problems with either Vega. Thank you for this great trip down memory lane
Hi Stephen, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I had a 73 Vega GT when I was in college and loved it. I’ve been looking for one for several years. I know they were terrible cars but I really loved it
Hi Robert, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
What's a shame is , these were great looking cars . GM cheaped out and dropped the ball . I know it's an economy car but , they could have spent a few more dollars on quality and reliability . Nice car . Thanks for posting .
The more I know about these cars, the more I understand that you are right! IF GM had addressed the rusting issues and didn't both skimp on the cooling or build quality of the motors and offered a mass-produced, high performance (100-110 net HP) engine, the car would have been tough to beat!
I never thought I would still see an original Chevy Vega! These cars rusted out before their owners made their last payments on them. If you see a Vega today, chances are it's on a trailer being taken to the local drag strip, and it has a huge mailbox-sized hood scoop, painted sickly purple or something like that, and huge 2-foot-wide rear slicks. I remember lots of these cars were won by contestants on "The Price Is Right" - back when Bob Barker was the host! I would not be surprised to see a Pinto on your channel! (6/25/2020)
Hi Geminisixtyfour, Well you're right on both accounts, I did not expect to find a original Vega like this, and I'll keep on the search for the original Pinto too :-) Lou
One more thing about the Vegas: Those cars were loaded on specially-designed rail cars called "Vert-A-Pac.". They were loaded vertically onto the cars, front ends down.
What a legacy indeed! One of the biggest pieces of crap built in the last 60 years along with the Ford Pinto! Prime examples of cutting costs over everything else to compete in the marketplace.
@@sachemrock one Pinto, Vega and Mustang Ii need to be kept around. To serve as a warning. And once we dictate which one is kept, then we can scrap every one of the pieces of h$it.
Amazing! Keep it as is! You will never find another. Amazing how much rust on a car with 5400 miles. Vegas were such pieces of crap. I would have to say the Vega single handedly gave Toyota/Honda/Datsun the American economy car market.
@@boataxe4605 The Pinto didn't have the styling and got also got caught up in that fuel tank fiasco, but I don't they had the reputation of engine failures and rusting, like the Vega did. The Vega was such a lost opportunity. It really had style unlike the Pinto or imports of the time. How hard would it have been to spend a few more bucks and design an engine that wouldn't fail? Had they done that, there would have been no reason for the people that got burned buying one of these as well as the next generation to switch over to imports. The
Lou. This Vega video brought back so many memories. In fact, my wife and I owned 2 Vegas as 20 somethings, a 73 hatchback with 4 speed manual and a 74 2 door sedan with 3 speed manual. I drove the automatic early on, because the manuals did not rob 140 cu engine. My 2 Vegas did not overheat either (no AC helped). I gave the 73 to my mother who drove it a few years more with no problems. The 74 sedan was traded in for a 78 Ford Fairmont (not a great car). They got around 26-28 mpg at the time.
Hi Joe, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your cars :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Takes me back to the days when I worked on those bombs, just keep adding 30 w oil and 2 steps hotter spark plugs and they keep rolling along. Stay safe every one.
Hi chris jeffries, Happy to read this car brings back memories of these bombs :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I'm probably one of the few who enjoyed his Vegas. Yes, I owned two. My 1973 Kammback wagon was a real cherry. I special ordered it from the factory equipped with custom interior which was similar to a Camaro's, also custom instrumentation with tach and clock. It had the standard three-speed transmission and pre-equipped with the larger radiator. The car was a joy to drive if you didn't have to climb hills. I had to squash the pedal to the floor to maintain speed on regular hills, I had to downshift to second in the mountains. Otherwise, the car gave me 90,000 + miles of service. After about 40,000, I had to start carrying a spare can of motor oil, though. The second Vega was a low mileage 1971 notchback, similar to the one in this video, but it was equipped with a two-speed Powerglide transmission. I bought it as a parts car in case the Kammback might have needed a major part. The kid who sold me the sedan had equipped it with slotted mag wheels and white letter tires, so the car made a nice in-town cruiser. Unfortunately that engine had a leaky head gasket, so the car was unsuitable for rural driving. But, yes, the Vegas were both very well handling cars, I just wish the engines would have been better. This video made me feel very nostalgic for my 73 Kammback.
Hi J Johnson, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Nice, I had a 74 AMC that wouldn't start unless the seat belts were fastened. This drove the car washes crazy. I used to reach in and start it before getting in to fool the seat sensors. Later we disconnected the seat sensors. I would drive that car today.. Thanks Lou..
@@rudolphguarnacci197 Yes a Hornet hatchback with a 258. I had to get a car during the Arab Embargo and the hatch worked well. It was one of my better cars.
That was called the starter interlock. It was placed in all 1974 model cars. (A cousin of mine purchased a Mercury Montego new that year; that was how I found out.). And I have an alert for longtime Ohio residents: Remember your plates had the slogan "SEAT BELTS FASTENED?" from 1973 to 1975?
Hi Jason, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Lou, what a cute little car! I remember that the assembly line for these at Lordstown was designed to produce 100 units per hour, and they got it up to 85 without much trouble. Above that, they had problems in the paint shop, they couldn't spray them fast enough and still meet QC. DuPont (now Axalta) reformulated the paint over a weekend, and got the throughput up to 106 per hour. It's a shame that so many of these ended as rust spots on folk's driveways. Thanks Lou!
My grandfather bought one brand new in 1975, he lived out in the country pretty far from town and he thought that it would be good on gas to make trips to town and back. Needless to say he started having problems with it overheating and he got mad and went to town and traded it in on a 1983 Ford station wagon. He always acted like he regretted trading his 1970 Ford Maverick for that Vega. Great video Lou love watching your channel.
Always liked the Vega with its mini Camaro style. This example is sweet - I too would drive it as-is. I don't recall the trunk lid louvers back in the day but a cool retro feature nonetheless. Good on Jeff for not restomodding. Great job Lou and thanks.
Nice Video. I come from a family that had a Chevy dealership from 1948 to 1985. When I returned from the Army in '74. I purchased a new 74 GT wagon (blue with wood grain sides). At 12,000 miles the engine went; GM put another engine in it, and I put a new owner in the seat, who turned out to be my boss 48 years later.
Hi wwonka52, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your 74 GT Wagon :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hi Joe, Not the best design :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
That sort of thing is not driven by engineering. It is driven by cost targets, internal standards and procedures, and UAW contracts. That complete assembly I am sure saved GM money on every car because it could be made completely at an outside supplier and required less labor to put on the car at the GM plant. And since it was a purchased sealed sub assembly it likely got past some clause in a union contract. As an engineer when I see something like that it just screams working through loopholes, internal standards, and so on. So that's my guess.
Chevettes used those too for the first few years, and after they moved away from it they listed "replaceable-element air filter" as a feature for several more years.
Thanks for the memory- bought one brand new in oct.'74 , same yellow- slightly nicer interior , hatch with black side stripes and full GT instrumentation- 4 spd manual.
Hi Steve, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hi Cmdr Darwin, Thank you for viewing and sharing you learned something. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Boy, would I love to have this Vega! I had a '72 brown bronze Notchback coupe, years and years ago. My '72 had the Powerglide 2 speed automatic, was very rusty, but trusty! It was 5 years old when I bought it, and I had to add oil, a quart or so, every week! Thank you for keeping this one with the original engine and drivetrain, it is way too nice to ruin it.
Hi Adam, Thank you for viewing and sharing your thoughts. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hi Jfieri, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Fun little car. I helped restore a 73 gt around 2001 and drove it to high school as a daily, and to college for a year. My family still has it and it hasn't rusted away completely, thankfully.
Jeff is correct about the radiator. I had a '73 Kammback GT wagon back in the 80's. Originally, it was an A/C car, but by the time I got it, the A/C had been ripped out. My radiator was full width. No block off plate for the grille opening. Also, A/C cars got a bigger heater core. I also had a '75 Vega hatchback that some lady plowed into in '84 (why I got the wagon) and the heater core on the '73 ruptued a couple of years after I got it, so I tried to install the one off the '75 and it wouldn't fit because it was not an A/C car. SO, if you get a Vega, make sure it is or was an A/C car and you should benefit from a bigger heater core (piece of mind if the thermostat ever sticks shut). I've still got the cam removal tool that holds all the valves down and a home-made timing belt adjuster my dad had made back when we rebuilt the engine in the '75 (which ended up going into the '73). Great cars. Lots of fun and the wagon can hold a lot of stuff. According to Motor Trend, it had 50 cubic feet of space with the rear seat folded down.
Hi DeanMk1, Thank you for viewing and sharing your 1st hand knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
While Vegas were never my favorite, I certainly can’t stand in judgement. I owned a 1973 Ford Pinto wagon. Wasn’t much better, I promise you! While Vegas had aluminum block issues and rusted out, the Pinto had a nasty habit of bursting into flames when tapped in the back in a fender-bender. Thanks Lou & Jeff for a wonderful viewing!
My high school friend was hit head on by a drunk driver in his 1972 Pinto, by a bigger car. The Police said that he lived because he was wearing his seat belt! My acronym for PINTO, that I coined in the mid 1970's is "P.urposely I.ntegrated N.ot T.o O.perate."
Hey Lou! It’s really nice to see some of these old cars. Very few of these left as originals. These cars were nice looking as far as the exterior goes. They were cheap good looking cars and never built with longevity in mind. Good find!
My dad had a Pinto for work and it was a more reliable car than the Vega in my opinion. It had a standard transmission and was dog slow. VW Beetles used to outrun that Pinto.
@@picklerix6162 My dad bought a new 1977 Pinto, white with red interior and 4 on the floor. Decent car, but we only had it 1 year. It had a recall, something to do with an engine flaw, and the dealer garages were backed up. Dad traded it in for a new 1978 Fairmont Futura, with the Six and automatic. That would pretty much become my car after I got my license.
73 GT Wagon with a transplanted steel sleeved motor was my first car. Watching this brings back such memories. I learned how to work on cars with that one...
Hi Gary, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I first bought a '73 camback GT. wagon. Beautiful dark green . Air conditioned, clock automatic. Loved this car, bought a set of sears arimid belted tires. Superb handeling car. Put 119,000 miles on it. Later bought a 73 fastback, i put loads of miles on it 120,000 . Oil burners but economical. The fiber carburator floats were a big flaw. I bought aftermarket carbs. Mine were two stage two barrels. I want another, please. P.s. i put an opal kadette manual trans in the second car, what a great experience to drive!
Hi Mark Na, Thanks, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hi Hans Gruber, Your Father might have known you might not be writing this comment today if you had the 69 428 Cobra Jet :-) Lou P.S. If I had one, I'm sure I would not be sharing the stories with you :-)
Newly-Weds, we bought a new 1974 completely basic VEGA with 3 speed stick... AM Radio... Period.. It was a joy to own, a new car, and it was trouble free. We felt like a "Million-Dollars" driving this NEW CAR. Totally appreciated, loved, made us a BRAND Patriot for Chevrolet/GM. Have sent purchased 29 new GM/Chevy/1 Pontiac. Rush forward to 2024.. Bought a 2025 Cadillac Escalade, and GMC Denali P/U Brand loyalty
Hi Fred, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Wow ! What a gem, I loved Vegas so much. I owned 2 of them in my early car years. My first was a ‘72 hatchback with a 2 speed powerglide in the Pumkin color. I drove it back & forth from my duty station in Maryland to my parents house in NJ every two weeks for a year back in 1976. My second was a Gray ‘73 GT w/a 4 speed that my wife & I bought in ‘83. She blew that one up on our move from Colorado to Michigan in the winter of ~85 in Adair, Iowa when she pushed in the clutch with the throttle frozen stuck open in -60 degree weather. Boy-oh-boy do I miss that car.... Thanx for showing it off & the great vid...
Hi privateer177666, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your cars :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hi Dave, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hi be kind, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your 1st car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
My first car and I loved it, especially after adding spark plug oil foulers. Fresh air vents were the best I've ever seen. You should have shown the resemblance of a cupholder stamped into the glovebox door, after you open it.
Hi Ian, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your 1st car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Nice Video Lou. Brings back memories when my Uncle had the audacity to trade in his red 1969 Chevelle SS 396/375 Muncie 4-speed for a 1972 bronze Chevy Vega during the early 70’s oil crisis !!! 😰
To operate the windshield washer squirter you have a little foot pedal to manually pump the fluid. It looked like a bright light on off foot switch pedal. Another way they saved money on the build 😳
I think those cars had the shortest life span of any car ever manufactured. So it's no wonder why you ain't never had one on your Channel. Cuz there ain't hardly any in existence. I bet that's the only one in existence that's in that good of condition.
@@loucostabile :gr8 find Lou. You just don't see these anymore, can't tell when last I've seen one especially in such gr8 shape. I remember these being introduced in '71. The engines in these weren't very good;they suffered with high oil consumption and overheating issues. The body also had a lot rust/corrosion issues mostly due to the "Elpo dip" corrosion treatment which unfortunately wasn't very effective. But I suppose the car was just basic transportation as Jeff the owner said. I hope I've spelled his name correctly. I really hope the young lady who owned this car originally found rest in her soul before she died. I hope she R.I.P which you can only do if you've found and accepted Jesus as Lord and saviour. Have a blessed day.
My best friend bought a new Vega and I bought a new Pinto in 1973. I might add that I liked the look of the Vega better than my Pinto but that was the only thing in Vega's favor. The engine and body of the Vega was shot at 35,000 miles. The Vega rusted out and the engine burned oil like no other. I traded my Pinto in at 140,000 miles and never had a problem.
Hi James Richardson, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Best Friends car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
A bit of a time capsule, but I'm pretty sure that any car built today would not have any rust on it if it sat more or less idle for 47 years. Car looks more like it has 105,400 miles on it. As always, great presentation and a good story.
Haven't heard the purr of a vega in decades! My first car was a 1971 mustard colored vega with the sem-automatic transmission. You had two gears, high and low, had to shift but there was no clutch. Mechanically it was actually quite reliable and had just under 100,000 miles on it when the rusty frame finally gave way on my commute to college. Your car is a real survivor, I wouldnt change a thing.
Hi B C, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your 1st car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I had a 73 Vega also ,bought it for 300 dollars and was ever so happy with this car ! Only 23K miles and it out ran new cars easy , best car I ever owned !
I'm so sorry for the loss of their daughter, just wish they could have bought her a Monte Carlo or Caprice convertible, and preserved that for all these years. Wonder why chevy just didn't add bigger radiators to help with these engines. The big iron head looks larger and heavier than the little aluminum block! My buddy had a Vega, I remember that it ran pretty good also..
I perfectly understand why he wants to keep it original, just for historicity's sake! I was with my mom, as a teenager in 1973 when she test drove a new Vega. She was unimpressed with the car, and the salesman remarked, words to the effect of, "You live and work in America, you should by an American car." My mom's response to the salesman's comment was, "I'm going to buy what's best for me." We went to several other new car dealerships for her to test drive cars. We ended up at a Honda dealership in North Hollywood. Ca. last. My mom was so impressed with this new car in how it handled, and drove, that she bought it. That was a first year, 1973 Honda Civic. She traded in a 1966 VW Bug, and remarked regarding the Civic, "this car is going to put an end to the Volkswagen" (bug). Her words back then seemed eerily prophetic! Thank you for the interview with the owner, really liked this!! Lou, if you remember in 1974, it was the only year of the ignition interlock system---you could not start the car, unless you buckled the driver's seat belt, so people would buckle the belt and sit on it! 1974 , on Jan. 1st. is also when Nixon enacted the national 55 m.p.h. speed limit, as well.
Hi Carlos, Great story with your Mom :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
@@loucostabile Oh, I subscribed a while ago! I appreciate you highlighting the varied cars, and their proud owners. I just saw today, one guys 1955 Buick Century that he just bought. What a beautiful car. I will recommend your channel to him. Keep on looking for the unusual cars, and thanks for the kind words!!
Hi B. Allen, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car....although, maybe not the best memories if it was junk :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
Hi Richard Hudak, Sorry to read this car brings back memories of your car :-( Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
@@loucostabile imo, GM could’ve had a really great car here and beat the competition. It’s just too bad that the bean counters couldn’t look past things like the $2.50 inner liners. The other part about your story is that of the owner. How cool that her memory is preserved. I’m a softie! We bought a 1978 Thundered Diamond Jubilee (if you are familiar with these, they were the top shelf T-Bird) that was a one owner. He bought it for his wife on Valentine’s Day of 1978! This was not known to us when I then bought it for my wife on Christmas 2020 for a husband and wife project! See, I’m a softie!!
The Smithsonian will probably hide it, very deep away, like they have done to all of those "giant human bones", out of embarrassment, because it doesn't fit their narrative!
My buddy and I used to drive around in his mom's red Vega HB when we were teens in the late 70's. Car was actually pretty good in the snow with those little pie cutters. It looked kinda cool too (compared to my beige 4 dr 63 Valiant anyway). The engine in the Vega died with under 30K miles on it and his mom replaced the Vega with a Dodge Omni which was almost as bad quality as the Vega. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
Hi basshnter1997, Happy to read you appreciate this car in the condition it's in :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
My grandparents owned a Vega back before my time. I've been told it had a notorious reputation for rusting while it was still in the showroom. But they were cheap and my family didn't have much money at the time, so it worked well for them.
A friend of mine bought one of these new. Drove the hell out of it, 85 mile day commute, unti the engine failed. We replaced it with sleeved block. That version lasted a couple more years until the car got salted and dissolved into rust. IMHO - This was a GM cluge created by an aversion to small cars and a fight between the aluminium and iron casting groups. A restrictive cast iron head on an aluminium block is an absurdity. They could have put a pushrod aluminium hemi head on that thing without any great increase in cost. Add a couple of sway bars and it would been a gem. Please keep this away from the salt. Neat little car.
Hi Greg, Glad to read this car brings back memories of your Friends car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing your thoughts. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
@9:33 of video. .. you gave me a flashback. The key buzz !!!! My 77 was the same noise. Lol. Loved my 77 they did handle great! I made it in my schools paper and in the year book ... the writer put " Jeff B thinks his Vega is a porche " there was a sharp corner that I use to take at 50 mph without a tire slip. Lol. That was going downhill of course .. great little car. Under hood was a compartment just big enough to hide a 12 pack of beer. ..
Never knew about the undersize radiator. I do remember people who had them and they held together if fanatically maintained, and in California where rust is not a problem.
Hi Robin, Happy to read you learned something today, and I'm learning all the time from the Care Takers and I find that to be so much fun :-) Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hi Mike, Happy to read this car reminds you of the 1976 you're familiar with :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Dear Lou, First time viewer, want a wonderful vintage car, I can remember installing after market air conditioning in these Vega's. What wonderful memories of these cars, thank you for sharing these great cars with us.....):
Dear Mark, Happy to read this car brings back memories :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I had a 1971 vega when I was stationed at Ft Ord California I drove it every where mine had ac and was an automatic I put a bigger radiator in it and never had any problems with it I drove it to Santa Cruz and all around mine was Tahiti blue same body as yours i got mine for 250.00 in 1977.
Hi Ray, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I had a ‘73 Vega hatchback in the same Yellow color..did actually get 100,000 miles out of it...The sound of that clattering 4 cylinder brought back memories.
Hi Z06rcr, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I had a 1977 Vega and man does this make me miss that car! I had a good old “Iron Duke” swapped into mine because the original motor had no compression. But I so loved that front engine back wheel drive with manual shift sound and feel it gave me. So missed!
Hi scottls, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I had a 72 notchback back in 77 and put a 283 ci using doug thorley kit with the headers you had to weld together . originally it was a 3 spd and the 4 banger got a rislone honey treatment weekly as the valvetrain sang loudly.
Hi Joe, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
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.
Hi Jim, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Family's four cars :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
The Vega in its later years actually improved in quality but this car was a GIFT to Honda, Datsun, and Toyota in the 1970s. The biggest mistake that GM made was in engineering and manufacturing the expensive and unique aluminum block engine rather than sourcing an Opel engine..thus the relentless cost cutting in quality in the rest of the car.
Hi Cesar, Happy to read you appreciate the rarity of seeing this car in the wild :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hi Steve, Happy to read this car brings back memories...even the buzzer! :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I had a 1973 Vega, same model. Mine was blue (sometimes looked violet), my brother gave it to me, he picked it up from an impound lot minis an engine. He had Porsche engine installed into it, fun!
Hi Janice, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I owned several of these cars mostly in the 80s.The last one I replaced the 140 cid with a chevy 350 and turbo 350.The mounts were by Trans Dapt the radiator had to have 2 more cores added to it.I remember the heater core had to rotated 180 degrees and 2 holes punched in the cover to the inlet and outlet tubes.We ran Monza front suspension springs.Drive shaft had to shortened and Turbo 350 slip yoke installed.Nice little get away machine!Used to drive around Halloween with a friend and fill the back seat with pumpkins.Never did much damage though! Nice find! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Toby Sirus, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Lou what a find, it is in amazing condition it looks great and still gets down the road good. Just think how some of these survivor cars are far more valued now than when it was new. I bet you he treats that like a new Cadillac, and I'm sure he doesn't take that to Walmart and just park it in any old space because he doesn't want that beautiful survivor damaged or scratched. Nice!
Hi Dex M, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
These cars were “rolling smoke” long before the term was applied to turbo-diesels ... We used to call them mosquito-foggers. Shame was, before they commenced to falling to pieces, they drove well. That’s why initially, they sold well.
I can't believe you held up the start of the film on this Vega just to show us a 900 hp, Big Block Chevy, Mr. Lou! I'm funnin' you, My Friend! Keep up the great work.
Had exact car, we called it the Duck, cause of the color. Cute. Sad story of folks loss. Peace to them and the memory of their little girl, I love the 70’s eco sticker, had one of those too. Thanks for sharing
Hi Billy Shields, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hi Sean Sullivan, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Sisters Friends car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hi Matt W, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
HOLY MOLY!!!! That has got to be the only running Vega left on the planet!
Hi salsaman06, Happy to read you appreciate the rarity of finding this car in this condition :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
It has to be over a decade since I last saw a stock running Vega (or sibling) in the Chicago area. The last two I saw in wild I think were actually the Pontiac version, the Astre.
I'm amazed that Vega hasn't turned to rust. They claimed they rusted on the assembly line.
Is that rust, or an engine ???.
Bryan Eberle That doesn’t count as any muppet can swap an engine. How many original, STOCK vegas are still running out there?
This car is awesome! I bought it from Jeff and drive it quite a bit.... I've actually put over 1000 miles on it. The attention this car gets is unreal. I have no intention of changing anything on it.
Thanks for the car Jeff!
Ken
Hi Ken, Congratulations on your car :-) Thanks for viewing and sharing, Lou
You’d best fix the overheating engine…! I’m thinking of writing a pamphlet outlining the two different fixes.
With such a sentimental story to the car, I'd keep it 100% as is! And to show people too young to know what a chevy vega looked and sounded like in the 70s!
Hi ThatOneVideo, Happy to read you enjoy the story of this car :-) I like this one as is too, Lou
Wonderful. As soon as I got my driver's license, I walked into a Chevrolet dealership (with my dad, as I couldn't yet sign for a car) and paid $2130 for a brand new 1971Vega with zero.... zero... options: no radio, no carpeting, 3 speed on the floor. That car performed so well that I bought another one a few years later. I was fortunate to have a family mechanic who warned me not to upshift the transmission too quickly; he explained the overheating issue of the engine, and to circulate that fan and water pump at higher RPM 's to keep the engine cool. I had zero problems with either Vega. Thank you for this great trip down memory lane
Hi Stephen, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I had a 73 Vega GT when I was in college and loved it. I’ve been looking for one for several years. I know they were terrible cars but I really loved it
Hi Robert, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
What's a shame is , these were great looking cars . GM cheaped out and dropped the ball . I know it's an economy car but , they could have spent a few more dollars on quality and reliability . Nice car . Thanks for posting .
Hi Bud, Thank you for viewing, sharing, and you're welcome, Lou
The more I know about these cars, the more I understand that you are right! IF GM had addressed the rusting issues and didn't both skimp on the cooling or build quality of the motors and offered a mass-produced, high performance (100-110 net HP) engine, the car would have been tough to beat!
@@thespeez This is what happens when you have bean counters involved in auto engineering & production.
Yep, bean counters again…
When I married my wife in 1976 she had a 1973 Vega GT. This car sure reminded me of the one we had. Thank you for the video!
Hi JON, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Wife's car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
I never thought I would still see an original Chevy Vega! These cars rusted out before their owners made their last payments on them. If you see a Vega today, chances are it's on a trailer being taken to the local drag strip, and it has a huge mailbox-sized hood scoop, painted sickly purple or something like that, and huge 2-foot-wide rear slicks. I remember lots of these cars were won by contestants on "The Price Is Right" - back when Bob Barker was the host! I would not be surprised to see a Pinto on your channel! (6/25/2020)
Hi Geminisixtyfour, Well you're right on both accounts, I did not expect to find a original Vega like this, and I'll keep on the search for the original Pinto too :-) Lou
Lol!!! I'm with you, Lou, you have 2 requests for an a upcoming Pinto Vlog!
One more thing about the Vegas: Those cars were loaded on specially-designed rail cars called "Vert-A-Pac.". They were loaded vertically onto the cars, front ends down.
That Vega looks great! At first I thought it might be a fun "Schwartz Sleeper", but kudos to Jeff for keeping it 'as is' and respecting its legacy.
Hi TheGunfighter45acp, You are right, this is a "Schwartz Sleeper" :-) Lou
What a legacy indeed! One of the biggest pieces of crap built in the last 60 years along with the Ford Pinto! Prime examples of cutting costs over everything else to compete in the marketplace.
I remember that " Ecology" flag sticker that's on the window.
@@sachemrock one Pinto, Vega and Mustang Ii need to be kept around. To serve as a warning. And once we dictate which one is kept, then we can scrap every one of the pieces of h$it.
How about a turbo Vega sleeper?
This looks exactly like my very first car back in the early 80's. A pee yellow, 1973 4 cylinder Vega. Awesome find!!!
Hi James, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your 1st car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
Amazing! Keep it as is! You will never find another. Amazing how much rust on a car with 5400 miles. Vegas were such pieces of crap. I would have to say the Vega single handedly gave Toyota/Honda/Datsun the American economy car market.
Hi steve20118, Happy to read you find this one "Amazing!" :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
No, the Pinto helped.
@@boataxe4605 The Pinto didn't have the styling and got also got caught up in that fuel tank fiasco, but I don't they had the reputation of engine failures and rusting, like the Vega did.
The Vega was such a lost opportunity. It really had style unlike the Pinto or imports of the time. How hard would it have been to spend a few more bucks and design an engine that wouldn't fail? Had they done that, there would have been no reason for the people that got burned buying one of these as well as the next generation to switch over to imports.
The
The age of a vehicle is much more relevant than it's miles driven, when trying to predict it's rust condition.
Lou. This Vega video brought back so many memories. In fact, my wife and I owned 2 Vegas as 20 somethings, a 73 hatchback with 4 speed manual and a 74 2 door sedan with 3 speed manual. I drove the automatic early on, because the manuals did not rob 140 cu engine. My 2 Vegas did not overheat either (no AC helped). I gave the 73 to my mother who drove it a few years more with no problems. The 74 sedan was traded in for a 78 Ford Fairmont (not a great car). They got around 26-28 mpg at the time.
Hi Joe, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your cars :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
My father had a '75 Vega. He said I could have it once I got my license, but it completely rusted out before I even turned 14.
Hi David, That's a great story :-) Thank you for viewing & sharing, Lou
Takes me back to the days when I worked on those bombs, just keep adding 30 w oil and 2 steps hotter spark plugs and they keep rolling along. Stay safe every one.
Hi chris jeffries, Happy to read this car brings back memories of these bombs :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I'm probably one of the few who enjoyed his Vegas. Yes, I owned two. My 1973 Kammback wagon was a real cherry. I special ordered it from the factory equipped with custom interior which was similar to a Camaro's, also custom instrumentation with tach and clock. It had the standard three-speed transmission and pre-equipped with the larger radiator. The car was a joy to drive if you didn't have to climb hills. I had to squash the pedal to the floor to maintain speed on regular hills, I had to downshift to second in the mountains. Otherwise, the car gave me 90,000 + miles of service. After about 40,000, I had to start carrying a spare can of motor oil, though. The second Vega was a low mileage 1971 notchback, similar to the one in this video, but it was equipped with a two-speed Powerglide transmission. I bought it as a parts car in case the Kammback might have needed a major part. The kid who sold me the sedan had equipped it with slotted mag wheels and white letter tires, so the car made a nice in-town cruiser. Unfortunately that engine had a leaky head gasket, so the car was unsuitable for rural driving. But, yes, the Vegas were both very well handling cars, I just wish the engines would have been better. This video made me feel very nostalgic for my 73 Kammback.
Hi J Johnson, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Nice, I had a 74 AMC that wouldn't start unless the seat belts were fastened. This drove the car washes crazy. I used to reach in and start it before getting in to fool the seat sensors. Later we disconnected the seat sensors.
I would drive that car today..
Thanks Lou..
BartRicky I forgot about that we had a 73 Gremlin X and a 75 Hornet X brings back some fun memories.
Hi BartRicky, Thank you for viewing, sharing, and glad to read those crazy seat belt memories :-) You're welcome, Lou
AMC what? Hornet?
@@rudolphguarnacci197 Yes a Hornet hatchback with a 258. I had to get a car during the Arab Embargo and the hatch worked well. It was one of my better cars.
That was called the starter interlock. It was placed in all 1974 model cars. (A cousin of mine purchased a Mercury Montego new that year; that was how I found out.). And I have an alert for longtime Ohio residents: Remember your plates had the slogan "SEAT BELTS FASTENED?" from 1973 to 1975?
You mean the engine lasted 5000 miles? 😆
You're going to hell! 😂😂😂
So far, so good :-)
Ha!
Lou Costabile do you run things at the railroad club
The aluminum motor use to melt!
Mine was a 1974 VEGA great 1st car...
Hi Jason, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Lou, what a cute little car! I remember that the assembly line for these at Lordstown was designed to produce 100 units per hour, and they got it up to 85 without much trouble. Above that, they had problems in the paint shop, they couldn't spray them fast enough and still meet QC. DuPont (now Axalta) reformulated the paint over a weekend, and got the throughput up to 106 per hour. It's a shame that so many of these ended as rust spots on folk's driveways. Thanks Lou!
Hi Mark, Happy to read you enjoy this Cutie :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing, and you're welcome, Lou
My grandfather bought one brand new in 1975, he lived out in the country pretty far from town and he thought that it would be good on gas to make trips to town and back. Needless to say he started having problems with it overheating and he got mad and went to town and traded it in on a 1983 Ford station wagon. He always acted like he regretted trading his 1970 Ford Maverick for that Vega. Great video Lou love watching your channel.
Hi PlymouthDuster 225, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Grandfathers car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
@@loucostabile it's my pleasure Lou , I can't wait until things get better with the virus and I can get back out there going to car shows again.
Always liked the Vega with its mini Camaro style. This example is sweet - I too would drive it as-is. I don't recall the trunk lid louvers back in the day but a cool retro feature nonetheless. Good on Jeff for not restomodding. Great job Lou and thanks.
Hi Bruce H., Happy to read you enjoy this "survivor" :-) My pleasure sharing this one with you, and you're welcome, Lou
The louvers were part of a flow-through ventilation system. Only 1971-1973 Vegas had them.
Nice Video. I come from a family that had a Chevy dealership from 1948 to 1985. When I returned from the Army in '74. I purchased a new 74 GT wagon (blue with wood grain sides). At 12,000 miles the engine went; GM put another engine in it, and I put a new owner in the seat, who turned out to be my boss 48 years later.
Hi wwonka52, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your 74 GT Wagon :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Crazy how the engineers would think that it would make sense to make the air cleaner housing completely sealed and non-serviceable. What idiots lol!
Hi Joe, Not the best design :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
i suspect that was an attempt to bring money in at dealerships, as originally it was a dealer only item for the first couple of years.
That sort of thing is not driven by engineering. It is driven by cost targets, internal standards and procedures, and UAW contracts. That complete assembly I am sure saved GM money on every car because it could be made completely at an outside supplier and required less labor to put on the car at the GM plant. And since it was a purchased sealed sub assembly it likely got past some clause in a union contract. As an engineer when I see something like that it just screams working through loopholes, internal standards, and so on. So that's my guess.
Chevettes used those too for the first few years, and after they moved away from it they listed "replaceable-element air filter" as a feature for several more years.
@@nlpnt In '86 I could have bought a Chevette new for$4500. I bought a Sprint for $6000. It got twice the mpgs, and was a lot more fun to drive.
Thanks for the memory- bought one brand new in oct.'74 , same yellow- slightly nicer interior , hatch with black side stripes and full GT instrumentation- 4 spd manual.
Hi Steve, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I had no idea about the tiny cooling system - I completely understand why the engines were destroyed!
Hi Cmdr Darwin, Thank you for viewing and sharing you learned something. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Boy, would I love to have this Vega! I had a '72 brown bronze Notchback coupe, years and years ago. My '72 had the Powerglide 2 speed automatic, was very rusty, but trusty! It was 5 years old when I bought it, and I had to add oil, a quart or so, every week! Thank you for keeping this one with the original engine and drivetrain, it is way too nice to ruin it.
Hi Dave, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
A 70s time capsule, would be a terrible idea to customize it. Glad he's keeping it original.
Hi Adam, Thank you for viewing and sharing your thoughts. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
The first car I ever drove as a 13yo after we finished delivering papers on my paper route… same exact car.. thanks for the memories.
Hi John, Happy to read this car brings back memories of the 1st car you ever drove :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
When you wanted a Camaro,, but didnt have the credit for it.
That's accurate :-)
That's a sad story if there ever was one! 😭😭
Hahahahahaha
What most car guys did was trash the 4 banger and slap in a 327.
Then go out and embarrass the mustang guys.
@@donphillips5957 I think the first Vega model was beautiful.
I had this exact car at 16! The clock face with no hands rocked me back!
Hi Jfieri, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Great car! Nice to see one left original! Hopefully it stays preserved!
Hi Eric, Happy to share this unique treat with you :-) Lou
Fun little car. I helped restore a 73 gt around 2001 and drove it to high school as a daily, and to college for a year. My family still has it and it hasn't rusted away completely, thankfully.
Hi CoolFactory, Happy to read this car is like your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
i love Chevrolet Vegas all variations. years ago i knew someone had a Pontiac astre hatchback nice vehicles
Hi chris l, Happy to read you love the Vegas :-) Lou
@@loucostabile you realize hes smoking crack lol
Jeff is correct about the radiator.
I had a '73 Kammback GT wagon back in the 80's. Originally, it was an A/C car, but by the time I got it, the A/C had been ripped out.
My radiator was full width. No block off plate for the grille opening.
Also, A/C cars got a bigger heater core. I also had a '75 Vega hatchback that some lady plowed into in '84 (why I got the wagon) and the heater core on the '73 ruptued a couple of years after I got it, so I tried to install the one off the '75 and it wouldn't fit because it was not an A/C car.
SO, if you get a Vega, make sure it is or was an A/C car and you should benefit from a bigger heater core (piece of mind if the thermostat ever sticks shut).
I've still got the cam removal tool that holds all the valves down and a home-made timing belt adjuster my dad had made back when we rebuilt the engine in the '75 (which ended up going into the '73).
Great cars. Lots of fun and the wagon can hold a lot of stuff. According to Motor Trend, it had 50 cubic feet of space with the rear seat folded down.
Hi DeanMk1, Thank you for viewing and sharing your 1st hand knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
"Notch" one up for Lou! Thanks for another entertaining owner & car story!
Hi Brian B, Happy to read you enjoyed this episode :-) You're welcome, Lou
I am glad that you are keeping it as is in original condition
Hi Brian, Happy to read you enjoy this one just as it is :-) Lou
While Vegas were never my favorite, I certainly can’t stand in judgement. I owned a 1973 Ford Pinto wagon. Wasn’t much better, I promise you! While Vegas had aluminum block issues and rusted out, the Pinto had a nasty habit of bursting into flames when tapped in the back in a fender-bender. Thanks Lou & Jeff for a wonderful viewing!
Hi Rusty, Happy to read you had a Pinto Wagon. Our family did too :-) Lou
It's my understanding the Wagons didn't have the risk the sedans did.
Michael Bacon - You are absolutely correct on that! I’m surprised the Pinto run lasted as long as it did.
My high school friend was hit head on by a drunk driver in his 1972 Pinto, by a bigger car. The Police said that he lived because he was wearing his seat belt! My acronym for PINTO, that I coined in the mid 1970's is "P.urposely I.ntegrated N.ot T.o O.perate."
Remember the old 80's movie Top Secret?
Hey Lou! It’s really nice to see some of these old cars. Very few of these left as originals. These cars were nice looking as far as the exterior goes. They were cheap good looking cars and never built with longevity in mind. Good find!
Hey Brian! You're right, rare to see one like this today. Glad I was able to share the one with you, Lou
OK, Lou! To be fair, we need a Pinto profile now! 😄
Hi Michael, If I see / find a Pinto in this condition & original, you'll for sure see it too :-) Lou
Now we have at least 3 requests for a Pinto Vlog!
My dad had a Pinto for work and it was a more reliable car than the Vega in my opinion. It had a standard transmission and was dog slow. VW Beetles used to outrun that Pinto.
@@picklerix6162 My dad bought a new 1977 Pinto, white with red interior and 4 on the floor. Decent car, but we only had it 1 year. It had a recall, something to do with an engine flaw, and the dealer garages were backed up. Dad traded it in for a new 1978 Fairmont Futura, with the Six and automatic. That would pretty much become my car after I got my license.
Yessssssss!! Or a Pacer
73 GT Wagon with a transplanted steel sleeved motor was my first car. Watching this brings back such memories. I learned how to work on cars with that one...
Hi Gary, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I'd do the bigger radiator, slightly wider tires, put on a flowmaster and enjoy
Hi Chris, Thank you for viewing & sharing your upgrade tips, Lou
I first bought a '73 camback GT. wagon. Beautiful dark green . Air conditioned, clock automatic. Loved this car, bought a set of sears arimid belted tires. Superb handeling car. Put 119,000 miles on it. Later bought a 73 fastback, i put loads of miles on it 120,000 . Oil burners but economical. The fiber carburator floats were a big flaw. I bought aftermarket carbs. Mine were two stage two barrels. I want another, please. P.s. i put an opal kadette manual trans in the second car, what a great experience to drive!
Hi Mark Na, Thanks, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I had a 73 panel wagon after my father refused to co sign for a used 69 428 Cobra Jet Mustang, i got a headache thinking of it now.
Hi Hans Gruber, Your Father might have known you might not be writing this comment today if you had the 69 428 Cobra Jet :-) Lou P.S. If I had one, I'm sure I would not be sharing the stories with you :-)
@@loucostabile LOL!! I rebounded Lou in '75 when I bought a 63 Corvette 327/340 as my weekend warrior and went hog wild with many cars after that.
My dad wouldn't let me get a used 70 Roadrunner because the insurance was too high when I was 17.
And , it has not even burst into flames, yet !
yet....
That buckle buzzer reminds me of the door buzzer in Seinfeld's apartment. 😄
:-)
I remember my friend bought a new car with one of those buzzers. That was the first thing he ripped out.
Newly-Weds, we bought a new 1974 completely basic VEGA with 3 speed stick... AM Radio... Period.. It was a joy to own, a new car, and it was trouble free. We felt like a "Million-Dollars" driving this NEW CAR. Totally appreciated, loved, made us a BRAND Patriot for Chevrolet/GM. Have sent purchased 29 new GM/Chevy/1 Pontiac. Rush forward to 2024.. Bought a 2025 Cadillac Escalade, and GMC Denali P/U Brand loyalty
Hi Fred, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
From cook County Il I remembered they rusted to almost nothing in 5 years
Hi larry, You're right, these rusted away pretty quickly :-( Lou
Wow ! What a gem, I loved Vegas so much. I owned 2 of them in my early car years. My first was a ‘72 hatchback with a 2 speed powerglide in the Pumkin color. I drove it back & forth from my duty station in Maryland to my parents house in NJ every two weeks for a year back in 1976. My second was a Gray ‘73 GT w/a 4 speed that my wife & I bought in ‘83. She blew that one up on our move from Colorado to Michigan in the winter of ~85 in Adair, Iowa when she pushed in the clutch with the throttle frozen stuck open in -60 degree weather. Boy-oh-boy do I miss that car.... Thanx for showing it off & the great vid...
Hi privateer177666, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your cars :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
A perfect time capsule. Keep it original. Looks great.
Hi Joe Stalin, I think it looks good that way too. Lou
I had a 1972 Vega hatch back. Rust bucket but it got 41 mpg on a 4 cylinder. It couldn’t get out of its own way but I loved it and it was mine
Hi Dave, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
It's only original once. I wonder how many survivors are left.
Hi Frank MeKee, You're right. I don't see any Vega's in original condition at the car shows I've been too, Lou
My first car was a 1971 Vega hatchback. ❤ that car even with all her faults, many happy memories.
Hi be kind, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your 1st car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
When the FASTEN SEAT BELT light comes on the engine drops 200 RPM.....
:-)
Hahahahahaha
lol! Sounds about right. Got to love old school ECONO.
My first car and I loved it, especially after adding spark plug oil foulers. Fresh air vents were the best I've ever seen. You should have shown the resemblance of a cupholder stamped into the glovebox door, after you open it.
Hi Ian, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your 1st car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Great video! I have an 86 ford escort that's a true survivor, with the factory diesel engine. It would make for an excellent My car story. Lol!
I'd love to see a video on that from Lou!
Hi Kyle Irving, Based on where you're located, you can send me pictures and we can discuss. Here is my e-mail trupowr@yahoo.com Lou
I owened 4 Vega's when I was younger. Love these cars.
Hi Willie, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your four cars :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
Nice Video Lou. Brings back memories when my Uncle had the audacity to trade in his red 1969 Chevelle SS 396/375 Muncie 4-speed for a 1972 bronze Chevy Vega during the early 70’s oil crisis !!! 😰
Nice!
Hi Michael P, Whew. That was not your Uncles best trade. Lou
To operate the windshield washer squirter you have a little foot pedal to manually pump the fluid. It looked like a bright light on off foot switch pedal. Another way they saved money on the build 😳
Hi David Kastin, Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Lou
I think those cars had the shortest life span of any car ever manufactured. So it's no wonder why you ain't never had one on your Channel. Cuz there ain't hardly any in existence.
I bet that's the only one in existence that's in that good of condition.
Hi Bill, You're right, the Vega generally did not last very long. Fun find and glad to share this one with you, Lou
That's why it must be preserved, as "textbook documentation" as to how America lost a good chuck of the American auto market share, to the Japanese!
@@loucostabile :gr8 find Lou. You just don't see these anymore, can't tell when last I've seen one especially in such gr8 shape. I remember these being introduced in '71. The engines in these weren't very good;they suffered with high oil consumption and overheating issues. The body also had a lot rust/corrosion issues mostly due to the "Elpo dip" corrosion treatment which unfortunately wasn't very effective. But I suppose the car was just basic transportation as Jeff the owner said. I hope I've spelled his name correctly. I really hope the young lady who owned this car originally found rest in her soul before she died. I hope she R.I.P which you can only do if you've found and accepted Jesus as Lord and saviour. Have a blessed day.
The Vega was terrible, but the Yugo was even worse.
Many Yugos were junked at just three, four years old.
My best friend bought a new Vega and I bought a new Pinto in 1973. I might add that I liked the look of the Vega better than my Pinto but that was the only thing in Vega's favor. The engine and body of the Vega was shot at 35,000 miles. The Vega rusted out and the engine burned oil like no other. I traded my Pinto in at 140,000 miles and never had a problem.
Hi James Richardson, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Best Friends car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
A bit of a time capsule, but I'm pretty sure that any car built today would not have any rust on it if it sat more or less idle for 47 years.
Car looks more like it has 105,400 miles on it.
As always, great presentation and a good story.
Hi Martin, A Vega lasting to 105,400 miles would be more rare that this one :-) Lou
@@loucostabile good point.
Up here (north of the border) they were considered biodegradable because they rusted out so fast.:-)
Haven't heard the purr of a vega in decades! My first car was a 1971 mustard colored vega with the sem-automatic transmission. You had two gears, high and low, had to shift but there was no clutch. Mechanically it was actually quite reliable and had just under 100,000 miles on it when the rusty frame finally gave way on my commute to college. Your car is a real survivor, I wouldnt change a thing.
Hi B C, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your 1st car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
it was a fun car to drive 4 speed u had to pull up the t Handel on the stick to put in reverse
Hi robert, Thank you for viewing & sharing your memories :-) Lou
This particular one is a 3 speed, real bare bones car
I remember that shifter on the early SS Chevelle and all the 4 speed corvettes, the Vega not so much
I believe 73 was the first year that had the saginaw 4 speed with t handle shifter, before that they had the Opel 4 speed with a detent for reverse.
My dad's '73 had a 4-speed with the t-handle reverse lockout.
I had a 73 Vega also ,bought it for 300 dollars and was ever so happy with this car ! Only 23K miles and it out ran new cars easy , best car I ever owned !
Hi solebrth, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
VEGA, the cutest ugly car ever built. You can see the build quality as the front grill sag's on the passenger side. Love it🤗🤗
Hi Andy Danko, Easy to hate & hard not to love :-) Lou
I'm so sorry for the loss of their daughter, just wish they could have bought her a Monte Carlo or Caprice convertible, and preserved that for all these years. Wonder why chevy just didn't add bigger radiators to help with these engines. The big iron head looks larger and heavier than the little aluminum block! My buddy had a Vega, I remember that it ran pretty good also..
Hi Don K, Clearly unfortunate loss :-( Glad to read your Buddy's Vega ran good :-) Lou
The build quality reminds me of my work vehicle it's a 2006 Buick Lacrosse junk.
Hi Gary, You're right, not the highest build quality :-) Lou
I perfectly understand why he wants to keep it original, just for historicity's sake! I was with my mom, as a teenager in 1973 when she test drove a new Vega. She was unimpressed with the car, and the salesman remarked, words to the effect of, "You live and work in America, you should by an American car." My mom's response to the salesman's comment was, "I'm going to buy what's best for me." We went to several other new car dealerships for her to test drive cars. We ended up at a Honda dealership in North Hollywood. Ca. last. My mom was so impressed with this new car in how it handled, and drove, that she bought it. That was a first year, 1973 Honda Civic. She traded in a 1966 VW Bug, and remarked regarding the Civic, "this car is going to put an end to the Volkswagen" (bug). Her words back then seemed eerily prophetic!
Thank you for the interview with the owner, really liked this!! Lou, if you remember in 1974, it was the only year of the ignition interlock system---you could not start the car, unless you buckled the driver's seat belt, so people would buckle the belt and sit on it! 1974 , on Jan. 1st. is also when Nixon enacted the national 55 m.p.h. speed limit, as well.
Hi Carlos, Great story with your Mom :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
@@loucostabile Oh, I subscribed a while ago! I appreciate you highlighting the varied cars, and their proud owners. I just saw today, one guys 1955 Buick Century that he just bought. What a beautiful car. I will recommend your channel to him. Keep on looking for the unusual cars, and thanks for the kind words!!
Glad he saved it. I had a new '73 hatchback....junk.
Hi B. Allen, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car....although, maybe not the best memories if it was junk :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
Lou is a lucky man to have met Jeff. And we are lucky to have Lou's channel (to remind us how lucky we are). 😷😷
Hi StuckInMyGarage, Happy to read you enjoy this episode, and glad to share my luck with you :-) Lou
I had a 1972 biggest piece of junk I ever owned
Hi Richard Hudak, Sorry to read this car brings back memories of your car :-( Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
This is so cool. What a great story. So nice Jeff is keeping it original.
Hi rudy98, Happy to read you enjoy this story :-) Lou
@@loucostabile imo, GM could’ve had a really great car here and beat the competition. It’s just too bad that the bean counters couldn’t look past things like the $2.50 inner liners.
The other part about your story is that of the owner. How cool that her memory is preserved. I’m a softie! We bought a 1978 Thundered Diamond Jubilee (if you are familiar with these, they were the top shelf T-Bird) that was a one owner. He bought it for his wife on Valentine’s Day of 1978! This was not known to us when I then bought it for my wife on Christmas 2020 for a husband and wife project! See, I’m a softie!!
Chevrolet's Yugo. Smithsonian here it comes!!!
Well said !
The Smithsonian will probably hide it, very deep away, like they have done to all of those "giant human bones", out of embarrassment, because it doesn't fit their narrative!
My buddy and I used to drive around in his mom's red Vega HB when we were teens in the late 70's. Car was actually pretty good in the snow with those little pie cutters. It looked kinda cool too (compared to my beige 4 dr 63 Valiant anyway). The engine in the Vega died with under 30K miles on it and his mom replaced the Vega with a Dodge Omni which was almost as bad quality as the Vega. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
Hi Roy, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Buddy's Moms car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
I'll take a 4 door Valiant with 3 on the tree any day!
Great that he's keeping it original.
Hi basshnter1997, Happy to read you appreciate this car in the condition it's in :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
My grandparents owned a Vega back before my time. I've been told it had a notorious reputation for rusting while it was still in the showroom. But they were cheap and my family didn't have much money at the time, so it worked well for them.
Hi HotWax93, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Grandparents car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
My grandfather had a '73 Buick Apollo which had the same seat belt buzzer set up as this. He's just pulled over the belt to shut if off.
Hi James, Thanks for sharing this brings back memories of your Grandfathers car :-) Lou
A friend of mine bought one of these new. Drove the hell out of it, 85 mile day commute, unti the engine failed. We replaced it with sleeved block. That version lasted a couple more years until the car got salted and dissolved into rust.
IMHO - This was a GM cluge created by an aversion to small cars and a fight between the aluminium and iron casting groups. A restrictive cast iron head on an aluminium block is an absurdity. They could have put a pushrod aluminium hemi head on that thing without any great increase in cost. Add a couple of sway bars and it would been a gem.
Please keep this away from the salt. Neat little car.
Hi Greg, Glad to read this car brings back memories of your Friends car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing your thoughts. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Yes. It's called a cosworth.
I learned to drive in a 1972 Vega hatchback.
Thanks.
Hi C Smith, Happy to read this car brings back memories of the car you learned to drive on :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
@9:33 of video. .. you gave me a flashback. The key buzz !!!! My 77 was the same noise. Lol. Loved my 77 they did handle great! I made it in my schools paper and in the year book ... the writer put " Jeff B thinks his Vega is a porche " there was a sharp corner that I use to take at 50 mph without a tire slip. Lol. That was going downhill of course .. great little car. Under hood was a compartment just big enough to hide a 12 pack of beer. ..
Hi J-Styga, Ahhh that "key buzz" :-) Happy to read this video brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
Love it. I have a 72 Vega GT Kamback wagon. Steel sleeves in the original 4 cylinder 4 speed. I still miss it.
Hi Craig Pate, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
Never knew about the undersize radiator. I do remember people who had them and they held together if fanatically maintained, and in California where rust is not a problem.
Hi Robin, Happy to read you learned something today, and I'm learning all the time from the Care Takers and I find that to be so much fun :-) Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Someone near me has a 76 Vega Cosworth with a new 2.4 ecotec engine in it for sale. Pretty decently done from what I saw.
Hi Mike, Happy to read this car reminds you of the 1976 you're familiar with :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Dear Lou, First time viewer, want a wonderful vintage car, I can remember installing after market air conditioning in these Vega's. What wonderful memories of these cars, thank you for sharing these great cars with us.....):
Dear Mark, Happy to read this car brings back memories :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I had a 1971 vega when I was stationed at Ft Ord California I drove it every where mine had ac and was an automatic I put a bigger radiator in it and never had any problems with it I drove it to Santa Cruz and all around mine was Tahiti blue same body as yours i got mine for 250.00 in 1977.
Hi Ray, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I had a ‘73 Vega hatchback in the same
Yellow color..did actually get 100,000 miles out of it...The sound of that clattering 4 cylinder brought back memories.
Hi Z06rcr, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I had a 1977 Vega and man does this make me miss that car! I had a good old “Iron Duke” swapped into mine because the original motor had no compression. But I so loved that front engine back wheel drive with manual shift sound and feel it gave me. So missed!
Hi scottls, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
How well did your '77 handle? I was told the cars with the 140 handled a little better than the Iron Dukes; true or not?
@@thespeez Probably true, since the Vega engine had to be lighter than the Iron Duke.
I had a 72 notchback back in 77 and put a 283 ci using doug thorley kit with the headers you had to weld together . originally it was a 3 spd and the 4 banger got a rislone honey treatment weekly as the valvetrain sang loudly.
Hi Joe, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
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.
Hi Jim, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Family's four cars :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
The Vega in its later years actually improved in quality but this car was a GIFT to Honda, Datsun, and Toyota in the 1970s. The biggest mistake that GM made was in engineering and manufacturing the expensive and unique aluminum block engine rather than sourcing an Opel engine..thus the relentless cost cutting in quality in the rest of the car.
Hi Appleman1964, Thank you for viewing and sharing. Lou
I’ve lived in North America for over 20 years and I can say I have NEVER seen a Vega in the wild.
Hi Cesar, Happy to read you appreciate the rarity of seeing this car in the wild :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Great video guy's! Sure brings back a lot of memories... even the buzzer!
Hi Steve, Happy to read this car brings back memories...even the buzzer! :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I had a 1973 Vega, same model. Mine was blue (sometimes looked violet), my brother gave it to me, he picked it up from an impound lot minis an engine. He had Porsche engine installed into it, fun!
Hi Janice, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
@@loucostabile
Thank you, for bringing back those memories.
I owned several of these cars mostly in the 80s.The last one I replaced the 140 cid with a chevy 350 and turbo 350.The mounts were by Trans Dapt the radiator had to have 2 more cores added to it.I remember the heater core had to rotated 180 degrees and 2 holes punched in the cover to the inlet and outlet tubes.We ran Monza front suspension springs.Drive shaft had to shortened and Turbo 350 slip yoke installed.Nice little get away machine!Used to drive around Halloween with a friend and fill the back seat with pumpkins.Never did much damage though! Nice find! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Toby Sirus, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Lou what a find, it is in amazing condition it looks great and still gets down the road good. Just think how some of these survivor cars are far more valued now than when it was new. I bet you he treats that like a new Cadillac, and I'm sure he doesn't take that to Walmart and just park it in any old space because he doesn't want that beautiful survivor damaged or scratched. Nice!
Hi Dex M, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
These cars were “rolling smoke” long before the term was applied to turbo-diesels ...
We used to call them mosquito-foggers.
Shame was, before they commenced to falling to pieces, they drove well. That’s why initially, they sold well.
Hi S King, "rolling smoke" Good one :-) Thank you for viewing & sharing, Lou
I can't believe you held up the start of the film on this Vega just to show us a 900 hp, Big Block Chevy, Mr. Lou! I'm funnin' you, My Friend! Keep up the great work.
Hi Donald, Sharing both extremes at Schwartz Performance on this video :-) Lou
Lou Costabile “both extremes at Schwartz Performance”, that’s a great way to put it!
Had exact car, we called it the Duck, cause of the color. Cute. Sad story of folks loss. Peace to them and the memory of their little girl, I love the 70’s eco sticker, had one of those too. Thanks for sharing
Hi Billy Shields, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
My sister's friend had a red Vega GT. Good looking car and an automatic to boot.
Hi Sean Sullivan, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Sisters Friends car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
What a lovely car, great colour too. It bears a resemblance to a 1970s Opel Kadett coupe from the side.
Hi Matt W, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou