With the number of outstanding autos that cross our desks here at Barn Finds, it’s not uncommon for something to occasionally capture my attention to the point where I have to fight the urge to envision my garage as its next home, then call on my wife to talk me off the acquisition cliff.  This 1976 Chevrolet Vega station wagon is the latest example, and I’m finding everything about this one tempting, including the $20,000 price tag.  Reader Tony Primo also liked this cool Chevy build, and we want to thank him for sending in the great tip here!  This street-legal Vega mini wagon is in Pueblo, Colorado, and can be found here on Craigslist.

Outside, this one’s a beauty, and it’s easy to fathom that the seller is accurate in stating that this was a nice and rust-free car to begin with.  The exterior is described as being laser straight, and I’m not spotting a panel anywhere that appears to deviate from this standard.  Except for the hood, the body is said to be all steel, and that Viper Blue paint has a depth that is pleasing to behold.  I’m especially digging how the big and little wheels and tires are placed, with the tubs and narrowed rear end allowing those meaty Hoosiers to reside inside the quarters.

Providing the base power is a 406 SBC engine, with the objective here being to get fast quickly.  The innards feature 12.0 compression pistons, racing heads, and a cam that’s described as nasty!  A rugged Powerglide transmission is in place, which includes a shift kit and stall converter that prevents the automatic from engaging until 4,000 RPM is reached, finally sending all that power to a 9-inch Ford differential with 4.56 gears inside.  While that’s probably not a very practical ratio for prolonged street use, it’s great for the drag strip.

I’m sure the stock speedometer reaches its 80 MPH limit in no time, and there have been some aftermarket gauges added to help keep an eye on what’s going on inside that small block.  Hopefully, the roll bar will never be put to the test, but it’s comforting to know it’s there just in case.  The seller says lots of cash has been invested, with a thick binder of receipts provided for everything included in this build.  I’m finding this 1976 Chevrolet station wagon quite impressive, and feeling that the visionary hit their mark here.  What do you think?