Throughout automotive history, there have been numerous cars that got an initial bad rap that didn’t entirely deserve it, with the Corvair and Edsel being a couple that immediately come to mind. But one that seemed to earn its negative reception was the Chevrolet Vega, and while GM did later sort out some of the quality problems that began with the early models, these cars just don’t garner a whole lot of fanfare unless maybe you’ve got a Cosworth tucked away somewhere. But there’s still something kind of special about locating a fifty-year-old example that’s still intact, such as this one here on eBay. The little wagon is in El Paso, Texas, with the no-reserve auction only up to $2,850, so if you’re looking for an affordable project or just some cheap transportation it might be worth checking out.
The seller describes his Vega as a truly classic car, and while that may be upselling things a bit it is kind of cool being a Kammback wagon and all plus sporting the GT package. The small Chevy is said to have only had three previous owners and is stated as remaining extremely original, and while the rust wasn’t a standard feature from the factory, it didn’t take long to develop once your Vega was in use but to now be at the Golden Anniversary mark there’s probably less of it present here than in most of these cars still on the road, although there’s plenty to be dealt with if you’ve got a restoration in mind plus a pretty good sized dent in each of the front fenders.
The interior appears complete and does seem to reflect the highly original claim made by the seller, with the front buckets a major eyesore but also an easy repair, or just throw a couple of seat covers over them and call it a day. The dashpad has suffered a similar fate, but from what I can tell the cluster still looks OK with the odometer showing 5,529 miles plus a hundred thousand I’m assuming, a lifespan beyond where many of these cars got to. But the metal surrounding the speedometer is showing lots of corrosion, which makes me fear that there may be even more areas where the tin worm has been nibbling that we can’t easily see.
Under the hood resides a 140 cubic-inch inline 4-cylinder powerplant connected to a 4-speed manual transmission, so at least there’s some fun to be had going through the gears. Things in the engine bay look to be in reasonably good order, but the seller doesn’t provide much information about the car’s overall mechanical condition so there’s the possibility that some drivetrain work could be in your future. I don’t think this one’s for me, but if the price stays about where it is perhaps this Vega GT Kammback might be worth owning for some nostalgic value. What do you think?
Any throw-away car, especially the much-unloved Vega, which has survived 50 years is okay with me. Even when it has painted-over rust, shredded seats, and a Goodyear white letter A70-13 spare tire well past its prime. Like Mike suggests, make sure it is running, throw in a seat cover, and call it good. Just have fun putzing around town with it. It wouldn’t even matter if you used it for a Home Depot run and you got the bag of mulch that had a hole in it.
How many of these wagons can still be above ground, and in running condition? And, if the cheesy 4 banger is toast? There’s always the SBC swap.
Had two and loved the car
Had one of these and loved it . Was building a Chevy v6 for it and left the car at a friend’s salvage yard for storage in his Garage and some clown pulled it out and it was accidentally taking to the crusher.He did take care of the mistake with a S 10 truck that needed a engine. I would like to do another Vega but got another project going, good luck to the seller
Guys these were one of the worst cars ever produced. I know it was the worst I ever owned. I had a 1971 sedan delivery. It came with only one low back seat. The passenger seat was optional. They were that cheap. I loved the look of the car but what a terrible vehicle.The tops of the front fenders and cowl rusted through by mid 1973 at around 25K miles and the engine was toast about 6 months later at 30K. I sunk way too much money into the car but it just kept breaking anyway. When it did run it was a pig. I’m into 4cyl cars and this was just a bad design. The aluminum block should have had sleeved cylinders. And yes, I made sure the head was always properly torqued. Best of luck to whoever purchases this one.
Sadly Frank, I’d have to agree with you. Rust, sagging doors w/ broken handles, loose latches, rust, oil leaks, rust…… it would have been nice if that 4cyl. was at least “spunky” but it just wasn’t. Felt like it had in the neighborhood of 36hp at Denver’s altitude. My Corvair would run circles around it. Still would be neat to find a rust free low mileage gem Vega put a proper modern 4cyl. In it. Purchase a ‘restoreable’ Vega(?) No, you don’t restore a Vega……….
We had the same 71 panel delivery for a part’s delivery truck. When you accelerated in first it would leave a nice line of exhaust smoke. Push in the clutch a blank area then accelerate and there is the line of smoke again…and so on through the gears. One thing it would chirp the tires in 2nd and 3rd. Fill it up with 10 gallons of gas and add 3 quarts of oil.
It’s pretty much agreed that the Vega was an unreliable car. If the only the corners weren’t cut in the engine the rest of the car may have redeemed itself. But to buy a sedan delivery a complaint that it only has a driver seat. Seriously?
Other than the lack of a passenger front seat and presumably a back seat, the only difference between the “Kammback” wagon and the sedan delivery was that the wagon had glass rear side windows, but the sedan delivery replaced the glass rear side windows with sheet metal painted to match the rest of the car, much like the Pinto “Cruisin’ Wagon” that was its main competitor. The Pinto did add round porthole windows in the side sheet metal and rainbow “hockey stick” stripes, like a customized full-size van, while the Chevy panels were completely devoid of any windows or other adornment whatsoever.
Right you are, Robert. Ford didn’t offer a commercial version of the Pinto. The Cruising wagon was a response to the van craze of the time. The full interior remained in tact with the windows blanked out save for the port hole.
I can remember looking through the Vega sale
display booklet, viewing the panel wagon and comparing it to the Ford Pinto panel wagon in the Ford display book.Had the cash burning a hole in my pocket for either, I had the girl, and I had the dream of heading to the West Coast. Both the Vega and the Pinto panel were about
the same cost. It was the 70’s. Dreams were big and hair was long. As it worked out, I lost the girl, didn’t buy the Pinto or the Vega. I bought a well used ‘68 Dodge A100 van. I made three problem free trips to the West Coast, then drove it 4 more years packed full of band equipment. When I spent that $650 on the A 100 I had no idea that was going to be a better alternative then the the “flaming” Pinto or the “oil-sucking, rusty..”Vega. And the girl ran off with a friend of mine. Their marriage is lasting way longer than any of the 3 vehicles. Bottom Line: always check out the alternatives.
You’ll probably find just what you wanted.
A little bit of work, and an engine swap to make a sleeper.
I was not aware that GM used sheet metal/paint with special properties where any rust thru that may occur would be color matching to each vehicle. lol.
An El Paso car sitting in the sun with dash rust that looks wet?
Ya, looks like it was sprayed with Plasti-dip.
Only car ever that rusted in the showroom. Here in the rust belt,Vegas have been extinct for 45 years
The wagon was the best looking model. My girlfriend back then had a hatchback with an automatic. What a POJ! Those motors were so crappy that they made a cylinder resleeve kit for them. Most hot rodders I knew used to tub them and then turn them into drag cars with big block Chevy motors (drag racing, that is, not the other drag!). I did like the 13″ stock mag types wheels with trim rings with a the 4×4 hub diameter which fit many other cars I had. (BMW 2002, MG midget, small Toyotas etc. I still have a set with original trim rings and Chevy center caps. Anyone want them?
As a kid, I remember my mom used to pop the hood every morning and reach in with a screwdriver, shocking herself each time, to get our orange Vega started. I don’t know what she did, but I remember hearing her yell each time. I didn’t know they were renowned for their POS status though.
She was bypassing the starter solenoid relay to apply battery power directly to the solenoid. Either the solenoid, starter or ignition switch (or some combination of all three) was bad. GM starters mounted the relay directly on the starter, but Fords used to mount the starter relay on the passenger (right) side wheel well under the hood, so you could do the same thing with a pair of pliers that had bare metal handles. If there was an issue with the relay or the solenoid, you could sometimes get the car to start with this trick, but eventually, you had to replace the relay or the solenoid when it failed completely.
After having foolishly bought a new 75 Torino Elite during the gas crisis of that era, I soon turned it back in to the dealer due to horrific mpg and replaced it with a new leftover 74 Vega Hatchback with the GT (LOL!) pkg. I drove it trouble free for over 2 yrs, BUT good thing the paint was rust colored!!
Jerry Roth dealer tag indicates it was initially sold in Lakewood, CO (Denver suburb). Denver uses salt sparingly and the dry climate helped to keep rust at bay, but anything from the seventies would start showing rust holes after 5-10 years.
A true piece of poo poo. Hard pass. Life is too short to waste it on this.
I had a 72 run of the mill hatchback that was sooo rusty when you opened the floor vents, you could view the road. But this 16 yr old had the world at my end of the hood. Bought in 1980 and drove it for a year and a half until I joined the USMC 2 years later, and while I was gone, Dad junked it out.
🤮
Look at all the comments this car brings…it certainly brings much attention…not good attention, just attention! It’s a fun post remember the days of a piece of junk in the car market. My family back then had a bar/restaurant and one of our everyday customers was a Chevy dealer. He was a hard driving, 275 lb, 4-a-day Martini drinker at lunch! He bragged how the Vega would give the Japanese cars a run for their money. Yeah, right!! Those martinis certainly affected his judgment! At least, he was a good customer and helped to feed my family!!
I salute the indestructable springs(instead of stupid expensive doom to fail gas struts) holding up the rear hatch! …
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/pRAAAOSw0htlibK7/s-l1600.png
I certainly wouldn’t want to daily-drive it but any surviving Vega with the aluminum block, especially an early small-bumper/pre-“Dura-Built” example like this one, is worthy of preservation as a car built and sold in the millions that’s almost totally extinct.