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All Stock 4 Speed: 1975 Chevrolet Cosworth Vega

This 1975 Chevrolet Cosworth Vega is number 1,715 for the production run. A lot of the Cosworth Vegas that we see here on Barn Finds are in poor condition or have been modified. This one is all stock and looks like a great example to drive and maintain. This example is located in Redmond, Oregon. The car is listed for auction here on eBay. With 2 days remaining in the auction, the Vega is currently bid to $6,100. The reserve is not met and there have been 16 bids. I imagine the bids are going to need to go a lot higher to take this Cosworth Vega home to a new garage.

The Cosworth Vega came with a special 2.0 liter (122 cubic inches) aluminum, dual overhead cam inline four cylinder engine. Chevrolet introduced an early prototype of the Cosworth Vega and the press got really excited. It was report that the new 2.0 liter engine produced 170 horsepower and was fed through dual Weber carburetors. The power to weight ratio (170 hp for a 2,800 lb) would have been excellent. Unfortunately, by the time the car made it to the market, the fuel-injected Cosworth was rated at 110 horsepower from the factory.  It had great looks but once again, GM did not deliver on expectations.

The interior looks very nice on this example. The Cosworth Vega was produced in 1975 and 1976. Chevrolet produced 3,508 examples of the Cosworth Vega over those two years. In 1975, all 2,061 Cosworth Vegas were produced in black with gold pin striping. In 1976, Chevrolet provided more variety and offered eight additional colors including Antique White, Dark Blue Metallic, Firethorn Metallic, Mahogany Metallic, Dark Green Metallic, Buckskin, Medium Saddle Metallic, and Medium Orange. In addition to black interiors, a red and tan vinyl interior colors were added in 1976. Chevrolet built 1,447 of the total 3,508 production run in 1976.

One of the problems with the car was the price. It cost almost twice the cost of a base Vega and was almost as much as a new Corvette. The seller says that this example stars and runs great. It has new tires and rebuilt brakes. I will be interested to see what this classic finally sells for. It is a nice example of a unique car.

Comments

  1. Avatar angliagt Member

    I was once told that these had the build sheet inside of the
    rear bumper.Not sure if that’s true.Maybe an owner could confirm
    or deny that.

    Like 5
  2. Avatar Michael Kraus

    How is the parts availability for Cosworth specific mechanical parts?

    Like 1
    • Avatar Terry

      Not good and the special engine tools are non existent. We never sold one and all the special tools we were forced to buy for engine work never got unwrapped. They got thrown in the dumpster in 1987ish. I know a guy that had one of every color at one time but haven’t seen him in years. He about crapped when I told him what we did with the special tools.

      Like 2
  3. Avatar Motorcityman

    Always liked the Vegas shape, kinda’ sporty looking similar “swooping” shape as the 75 Ford Maverick I had.

    Like 4
  4. Avatar Motorcityman

    Almost as much as a Vette???
    How did Chevy justify THAT!!?? 😆

    Like 2
    • Avatar Lynn Dockey Member

      The ads said one Vega for the price of two

      Like 2
  5. Avatar Jay McCarthy

    Yet again GM and the bean counters ruined another great idea

    Like 2
  6. Avatar Dude

    Sorry, but that is NOT stock. I can’t even tell what kind of engine that is, but it’s not a Vega engine.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Dude

    HEY! :) You posted a pic of an engine bay from another car. That is not a Vega in the engine bay pic. So, to correct my previous comment: ignore it.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Doug

    The pic of the engine area is NOT a Cosworth engine bay…you could not get AC in a Cosworth, the air filter was mounted in a side mounted canister.

    Like 5
    • Avatar freeman Member

      Write o Doug has the standard vega engine i know because i have one, pulled engine and a put Toyota Century 4.0 ltr Hemi V8 in it in Australia.

      Like 1
      • Avatar Lynn Dockey Member

        What part broke first after the engine swap? I’ll bet it was the rear spider gears.

        Like 2
  9. Avatar Doug

    Oops, and I forgot the most glaring give away…the hood on a Cosworth hinges from the front of the car, not from the fuel panel.

    Like 2
  10. Avatar Gatormario

    Definitely not a Cosworth engine in the pic.

    https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/1975-76-cosworth-vega-2

    Like 1
  11. Avatar Bud Lee

    That engine bay pic is from an S10 . Scam Alert !

    Like 7
  12. Avatar Darrel Huckabay

    There are two different photos of an engine bay in the eBay listing. One definitely shows a Cosworth engine. The other is the one shown by Barnfinds.

    Like 0
  13. Avatar GTiDave

    The engine bay pic is from the S10 in the background, must be selling that too and got the pics mixed up. The add has the Cosworth bay too and it has all it’s original components

    Like 2
  14. Avatar AndyinMA

    Maybe it’s the s10 in the background! Or is that actually a t15? Memory fails…

    Like 1
  15. Avatar Howie

    The seller got their engine pics mixed up with their 85 GMC, they have two vehicles listed, there is a double overhead cam photo in the Vega listing.

    Like 5
  16. Avatar joenywf64

    That motor pic above(of what kind of GM car?!) must have accidentally gotten into the ad – it even has a late 70s only smaller a/c compressor.
    There is another pic in the ad of the correct motor
    https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/yL8AAOSwbYxiw49z/s-l500.jpg
    I see a new mast cylinder & that the air tubes are intact on top of motor – may need polishing.
    I bet corvette owners were not happy that even the base vega(& chevette) had a proper glove compartment/door AND additional storage high up on the dash on the driver’s side.
    I wonder if that 170 hp cosworth vega press car(or at least motor) still exists.

    Like 2
  17. Avatar Wellington

    Built in 1974, black on black only. I had one and still have the factory tech manual with the 1974 date on the photo.

    Like 1
  18. Avatar Bruce Ironmonger

    The Cosworth motor is probably worth more than the entire car to someone.

    Like 1
  19. Avatar Lemansguy1968

    And employee from the Tonawanda engine plant told me they made the engines for the Cosworth. He said you wouldn’t believe how many we threw away because the car didn’t sell.

    Like 1
  20. Avatar djkenny

    Not valuable. Not great. To a Chevy Collector, one real nice under $5500 might make sense. I knew a guy with an earlier Vega GT. I prefer the early body style, but it’s likely even less Reliable.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Terry

      I like the earlier grille also, they looked kind of like a baby Camaro from the front.

      Like 0
  21. Avatar jwaltb

    34,000 miles if that’s actually the Cosworth odometer. Engine should be just about ready to blow out. They were disposable, with faulty technology ensuring the cylinder walls wore out quickly. Don’t walk away from any Vega, RUN!

    Like 0
  22. Avatar Howie

    Went to $8,500, reserve not met.

    Like 1
    • Avatar djkenny

      They should hop on THAT.

      Like 0

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