5k: Pro Street: 1971 Chevrolet Vega V8
A few weeks back, I published a story about a Vega that was modified in the vintage drag style and I said that I hated the wheels and suggested a set of Minilites and a thorough lowering job. A few commenters pointed out that this was a pro-stock nostalgia style drag car and the wheels were appropriate, but I still maintain that the wheels were hideous and needed to be thrown into a fire. This next feature, on the other hand, doesn’t need new wheels and looks much better. Find this 1971 Chevrolet Vega V8
currently bidding for $4,550 reserve-not-met on eBay with 1 day to go, located in Arlington, TX.
.jpg)
This Chevrolet Vega was a subcompact econobox sold from 1970 through 1977 with a variety of available inline-4 cylinder engines. For years Vegas have been available for next to nothing and many have been turned into V8 powered monsters.
Power up front comes from a healthy 283 cubic inch small block V8. The seller doesn’t specify the cams, heads or compression ratio that could help you determine power level, but something north of 300 horsepower should be easy to tease out of this V8.
The interior actually looks decent and features a simple set of slightly worn Recaro sport seats and a few extra gauges. It isn’t perfect, but it should get the job done.
See another example of the pro-street look that actually looks cool? tips@dailyturismo.com
Really needs the GT Dash so much nicer. Well they used the 140 ci vega motor pretty much thru out other then the Cosworth Vega same block cosworth head 122 ci. Then had the durabuilt not much better the Iron duke was used in the sister car Pontiac astre not sure if Vega got it in 76-77 or not way better motor. I put a Buick V-6 in mine but the 215 Aluminum Buick V-8 is the way to go only weighs 20lbs more then the stocker.
It fascinates me how hard it is to find a Vega that hasn't been V8ed.
I mean, sure, you've probably shaved with a thousand reprocessed Vegas over the past four decades, and most of the rest are at best lawn art, but it's still a little depressing to look at a dozen Vega listings and see ten V8 conversions, of which maybe one will be a nicely-done period piece and the rest will be butchery in some flavor of incompletion.
There's certainly no reason to leave one stock unless you have something akin to Bill Harrah's old PFE ice warehouse with room for one of every thing ever built (the early ones at least were beautiful cars sitting still, then you started up that rough raspy 2.3 and started asking why it was you traded your 510…) but us non-straightline types would much rather see a baby Trans-Am Camaro look.
But not as cool as a vega wagon with an olds toronado engine in the back
This car looks better but aren't the wheels the same as the orange car?
I was the 3rd owner of this car. Contact rick.weixelbaum[at]gmail.com for all the details.