80s paint jobs and body kits will always catch my attention, and this 1972 Chevy Vega GT checks a lot of boxes. The seller claims it was put into storage shortly after it received this wicked paint job in 1986 and just recently emerged, with a similarly enhanced powerplant under the hood. The Vega is far from stock but a survivor of the era in which it was built. Find it here on craigslist for $7,500 in Spokane, Washington.
Thanks to Barn Finds reader Pat L. for the find. In an extreme twist of irony, I saw my first road-going Vega in years in Port Angeles, Washington, where it was dutifully serving as a daily driver for someone who hopefully reads this website. The Vega seen here is certainly far from stock condition but it also hasn’t been tweaked ever since the original modifications took place, with some serious upgrades under the hood in addition to the custom front end.
The seller calls the nose a “…a rare front end clip,” which I can only assume means it wasn’t necessarily custom but rather a period upgrade that has long since been pulled from the aftermarket catalogs. Despite the extensive modifications, the interior remains pleasingly stock, which I think makes for a more enjoyable hot rod. The wood trim veneer on the door panels shows no obvious signs of wear and the original bucket seats appear to remain in excellent condition.
The seller says the engine is a custom built “…small block, 4 bolt main bored .010 over. 350/370 HP.” The recent removal from storage hasn’t prevented the seller from tackling some deferred maintenance, noting the Vega will come with “…new tires, carburetor, intake, exhaust system and lots more under the hood.” The seller says the paint job was performed by a modest celebrity in the business, so if you follow the work of Daryl Green of Spokane, this may be just the collector piece you’re looking for.
Coolest Vega I’ve seen on Craigslist in awhile! At least it has the mandatory v8!
Reminds me of all the vega’s that we’re around when I was a kid.
My buddy had one with a 283 4Spd that thing was a blast!
Ditto from me. I remember my Porsche-powered VW getting seriously dusted off by a stock-looking Vega that ran a warmed-over LT-1 under the hood, back in ’72.
It impressed the heck out of me, anyway…
Helped a buddy build one after the stock
4-banger took a crap. Just the presence
of a bone stock (200 HP) 350 made that
car a blast to drive, but a real handful at
the same time. We found that just mashing down on the gas would send
you sideways in a hurry! It was a very
touchy and twitchy beast that demanded
your absolute attention while driving it.
He wound up selling it after it scared the
daylights out of him when he nearly shook hands with a very large oak tree.
Have seen that front clip before but don’t
recall just where. Wait…what? No chromies out back? What a gyp!
Sadly, it’s not a true GT model. The dash board is similar to a GT model, but it’s bits and pieces from a GT dash and the standard. A proper true GT will have all the small gauges stock, and the blanked out panel with the Vega name would be a small cubby hole. The blank plate is cast into the original stock dash.
Wheels are not ‘4 mag wheels’ as listed in the ad. It’s a pair of normal GT rims up front repainted white and a pair of stock OEM wheels on the back painted black.
Front nose clip is one of many different fiberglass front ends available in the late 70’s / early 80’s. The front turn signals are from commercial trucks. The original round deep set lights would have been a nicer choice I think.
The front seats are not stock for this car. Black fabric on Black vinyl wasn’t a common choice and not a GT option. These are torn and split and will need help. Thankfully the same seats were in Camaros and Firebirds. They are still affordable and available.
Being an early model, it has the more desirable tail lights and the open egg crate grill up front.
I still prefer a 74 GT Kammback wagon, but I’m just that way.
Has the GT Dash with a couple aftermarket gauges stuck in the original holes. Probably installed the aftermarket tach so it would read right with the V8. Has the GT steering wheel, upgrade wood trim door panels so I wouldn’t say the cloth seats. Ouldnt be original. Has the GT only rocker chrome and has the GT (blacked out), grille. Sure looks like a factory GT to me.
VegaMan? Looks like a GT to me. Has the GT dash with a couple of aftermarket gauges in the stock GT holes. Looks like they used the aftermarket tach so it would read correctly with the v8. Could have changed a resistor on the original tach to get the correct reading from it as well. Has the upgraded door panels do whose to say fabric seat inserts weren’t available?, or the seat inserts were changed after the fact? GT steering wheel. Has the GT only lower rocker trim and GT emblems on fenders. Black GT grill is there as well. Yes all of this can be added to a non GT for sure, but unlikely, especially the dash and lower rocker trim.
Why’s it NOT a GT? Looks all there to me.
Very cool. Looks like something you would see in the street freaks edition of Car Craft magazine back in the day. You could probably not build one today for the asking price.
This is an interesting car in so as it is similar in concept to a car that was being developed in Australia. At around the same time that this car rolled off the production line, (General Motors) Holden here in Australia were in the throes of preparing to release a V8 version of the locally built Torana XU1 (as pictured). The Torana was originally developed from the English Vauxhall Viva, but underwent massive change and re-engineering for Australian conditions. The V8 version would have come from the factory fitted with a locally developed 308ci engine, and would have been capable of topping 160mph in standard trim. It was designed specifically for homologation for the 500 miles race at Bathurst.
Unfortunately, with the car only weeks from release we also suffered an incident known as the Supercar Scare. It came to light via a newspaper article that this model, along with similarly developed cars from Ford and Chrysler, were going to be available for purchase by the public. All three manufacturers had strict criteria for eligibility for buyers, but unfortunately our government could see nothing but the old “blood on the bitumen” headlines, so brought enormous pressure to bare on the manufacturers. All three scrapped their plans, and Australia lost the chance to lay claim to an incredible muscle car.
I really like what’s under the hood of this Vega. Not over the top like so many magazine grade show cars were, but more purpose built. And with a paint job like that you’re going to need every bit of that 350 as the challenges will come like flies to dog 💩.
A polished 6-71 blower sticking out of the hood would finish off this car nicely.
The nose looks likes its from jungle jims funny car…but i do like this car…
Ive owned a v8 Vega, and hope to own another. Couple problems with this car. 4 lugs in back means stock ear end, and if stock rear, I’m sure no subframe connectors. 370hp…….You would disintegrate the pinion on the first launch, and if by a miracle that did not happen and it hooked up, it would twist.
Makes me yearn for the early days of a Traco Corvair a friend had as a senior in high school. The roar of a built small block Chevy right next to my left ear while having the crap scared out of me by a teenager driving it!
A friend of mine built a small block 4-speed Vega in the late 70’s keep cracking windshields till he had a professional chassis built for it.
Should be gone at close to the price….hard to find a nice one and duplicate a V/8 early Vega…..
Local yard has a few past gone along with a rusted out Consworth Vega.
Anybody notice the Pinto/Mustang II auto gear shifter? So it appears to me…..
A friend of mine ( a cop no less ) did a change over to a V-8 but, otherwise left it looking stock that car even had quiet mufflers, it looked like a rather stock Vega till he got on the gas and boy did that sucker fly. He made a few muscle car owners take a second look.
I remember those style of paint jobs fondly,,, 1970s and 1980s had some interesting ideas for cars. That multi colored stripe was used in a LOT of period graphics to logos for PIR: Portland International Raceway, to Fast food shops, and of course a LOT of cars and motorcycles. I was cleaning out my body shop and paint supplys and found some body styling tape with similar Red, orange,yellow
Yeah, the old TRIMLINE franchises used those colors primarily, and they alienated dealers in Portland Oregon in the late 70s by doing so. I saw an opportunity to offer better-looking work and created a business that lasted well over 30 years.
This Vega looks better than 90% of the cars treated to the ‘angular color swatch’ but it’s still… a Vega, and rust is probably napping nearby.
For those not talented enough to do hand pinstriping, or dealers or shops too lazy to hire quality work, the add on graphics and styling stuff was a pioneering business. I didnt realize the connection with the name Trimline until you mentioned it, but now that you did, I recall that name was very common and some of the style kits had that product name. I use modern blue painters tape to lay out graphics and even pinstripes for 2 tones and then paint with a gun the line, But when I need it done by hand hire a pro. But googling TRIMLINE brings up a website about their religious connection which until now I was not aware of.
But I still have the old race programs for PIR from the 1970s and the use of that Red-Orange-Yellow was very commonplace, both on race cars and brand logos.
See: https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/221968/how-many-you-worked-trim-line-auto-trim-design.
I would love to hear more about the old days in the paint & body trade.