I’m thinking of creating an “LS” equipped series as those engines, and your oft proclamation of “Put an LS in it” are reaching critical mass. Today’s recipient and I mean lucky recipient, is a 1976 Chevrolet Vega Kammback wagon, a car that in its own right is an uninspired dog cart powered by an unreliable bleedin’ garden tractor engine. The LS V8 transformation, however, greatly elevates this shooting-brake body-style automobile to a much more serious station in life. Found in Chatsworth, California, this metamorphosed Chevy wagon is available, here on eBay for a BIN price of $12,900 with a make-an-offer option too.
Besides the mechanical transformation, this Vega’s rather boring outward presentation, battleship gray and stock painted white steel wheels, is rather remarkable – who’d a thunk it? Of course other than the non-disguisable engine sound, it’s a perfect sleeper, one of those types of cars where you think, “I can’t believe that thing still runs”. The body appears to be in great shape and shows no sign of rust that so often plagued the Vega’s horizontal fender surfaces. Yup, it’s plain, boring, and perfect looking!
Considering this car’s transformation, the seller’s listing description is laconic. We’re told that the LS in question is a cammed-up 5.3-liter edition fueled by a Holley Terminator X that is controlled by an interior touch screen. It is suggested that this Vega is, “a blast to drive” – yeah, I bet! Surprisingly, it’s geared with a Powerglide two-speed automatic transmission. I know that a seriously modified PG, with a manual valve body, is the stuff of hairy 1320 timeslips but I doubt that’s the case here. Even with the PG, I’d be concerned if the rear axle is still the original Vega piece – they’re not known for strength.
Mundaness continues inside where we find, ta-da! a stock-looking Vega interior. It appears to be completely unaltered and is in excellent condition – even the original PG gear selector is still in place. The fine condition extends into the cargo area too where there is nary a scratch.
Verdict? I love it! I have to take my hat off to the seller, I really appreciate individuals who can figure out how to pull off a swap like this and then actually do it – that’s what hot-rodding is all about. If this were to be my car, I might consider swapping out that Powerglide gearbox for something more sporting and robust, but that would be it. I’m not surprised by his asking price, how about you?
Odd, the eBay ad says that it is sold. But it has been listed for a month on Craigslist.
https://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/cto/d/chatsworth-1976-chevy-vega-kammback-ls/7708883507.html
I see that but it wasn’t two hours ago when I wrote the post.
JO
Motor is stuffed in there like sardines..no fans rads.up next to belt lines on pulley…it’s stuffed..what about the rearend sets….I guess it works.
Could have pullers in front of the radiator?
Over heating…motor damage down the line.. rear end differential and drive shaft gonna hold up?
Somebody getting rid of a headache and giving up before it breaks again?
California price?
Be swell somebody customize that to look super nice inside and out..actually get it mechanically correct n good without taking a nose dive into a money pit for some…
Be a real blast to see and drive… original rear end would twist those tires off into pretzel or driveshaft fly first if it was really layed into?
That is not a Chevy-style shift lever, but rather Ford-style with a T-handle.
I agree, that is not the “original PG gear selector”.
I had a couple friends that did the 350 in a Vega swap back in the 80’s, and even one who dropped a Buick 3800 V6 in one. They were fun little cars, but with all that extra weight up front they did have a tendency toward scarry understeer when pushed hard.
I have to admit I do like the build, but personally I’m tired of the call to “put an LS in” everything that has four wheels under it.
I feel you on the ‘scary understeer’, these little cars with the monster mills up front do have the tendency to scare the crap outta you if you try to road handle at speed in them. I had a buddy called ‘Hogbear’ who had a Mustang II with a seriously built 302 up front, and when Hogbear tried to throw it thru a curve on a twisty road after smoking the place out, we nearly went out thru the trees cuz the front wheels just kinda scooted forward, not even thinking about changing the cars’ direction. A quick downshift and another romp on the go-pedal sent us sideways, and we drifted thru the curve, smoke just a-rolling. A near miss, I call that one… But I’d give anything to take this beauty for a spin, I also had a buddy in highschool who had one of these, jet black, drag slicks out back, and a built 351 Cleveland under the hood. That thing was a beast! He used to hop Coke bottles on takeoff, and it was great in a straight line, but he didn’t dare try to take curves at speed, no sir! I’m sure it steered like a 1500’s galleon loaded with Spanish gold..
In the mid 1970’s these were so cheap some junkyards refused to take them. When making payments on junk people did what they had to do to keep a car.
Had a friend whos parents had one. Engine went bad in short order after they bought it. They put in a V8 because it was their only option. His sister was driving while going to work her part time job after school and was killed in it.
Exactly what I was thinking. Understeer right off the road in the first bend you take a bit too fast.
And the morons who post “LS” about everything are too stupid to realize they’re not knowledgeable or funny.
I really hate when someone takes one of the few solid samples left of a given model and bastardizes it by swapping engines, etc. Looks like it WAS a really sharp little wagon.
Very clean installation. The choice of a powerglide seems a bit odd though.
I’ve always liked the Vega Kamback and later H-body wagons. This is a good looking base car. I’d prefer the wheels to be argent or black. All together pretty cool.
The car is in great condition, but without fans in front of the radiator, I’d be very concerned in stop & go traffic. Without enough speed to push air through the radiator, the omnipresent specter of overheating the engine, with all of the damage that can cause, is omnipresent.
A hot modern V6 might have been a better choice, by allowing enough room to fit cooling fans, among other things. Either that, or I’d rebuild the stock block with iron sleeves, and see if Cosworth might have few leftover cylinder heads lying around for one of these. Then I’d have something Chevy never thought of: a Cosworth Vega Kammback Wagon, LOL! If fitted with a modern EFI setup. to replace the factory Cosworth setup, 200 hp might be within reach! Borla makes a nice set of throttle-body injectors that mimic Weber carbs, that bolt onto a number of engines, you might have to build a manifold for them, but they sure would look good on an overhauled Vega four-cylinder mill that’s been upgraded with the 16V heads and an iron-sleeved block!
Good idea. Spend $20,000 and get a $6,000 car.
No way to the no on the powerglide. I’d much rather a T400, or a 700-R4.
Geez, press and go is becoming the transmission of hot rodding choice.
I like it! I wish there was more info
about the rear end / suspension
and brakes. Can’t be 4 lug, or could it?? 🙂
Nicely done.
Owned a ’72 Vega with a small block 400, 4 speed and a 411 posi rear out of a Nova…used to keep a bunch of junk yard lower control arms in the hatch because it would break them like they were free! Talk about wheel hop! The novelty wore off quickly and I moved on to Novas that were built for V8s, hooked up much better and were a hell of a lot more friendly to work on!
Spoken like a someone who’s been there! I salute you, sir!
I took one for a ride with used car sales man, with a four speed, I power shifted 2nd gear and all he could scream was “slow down”
And what happened to the roof rack?
Another Rotary project!
I like the build a lot and the look of the car works for me but I might have gone a different way on the wheels and tires. Here in MN Vega’s are almost non-existent now UNLESS they were converted to street machine or drag race status. Rust of course and quite honestly, they just weren’t a good car worth saving.
Even though the Vega’s were what they were my Dad came home with a new 1973 Vega GT “Millionth Edition” back in 73 and for nostalgic reasons I would love to find one of them but just never see one for sale. They were orange.
How about dropping a newer turbo 4 with 300 hp into it. I had a GT version back in the day. Traded it on a new Mustang and I think it must have blown a head gasket when I was driving my already appraised trade in to the dealer. Literally coasted into the lot (avoiding the giant clouds of white smoke} and quickly took possession off the stang.
I don’t understand why there are so many resto-mods and like this Vega, hot rods, are built with press and go transmissions. Why not just just put a custom air cleaner on the family grocery getter. That would give the same driving experience.
John Thawley wrote the book on installing the 3.8 V-6 in a Vega or Astre or other related models. I had the book for years but never found a car (or the money) to do the swap. The factory did install v-8 265s but there was that problem you had to cut a hole in the fenderwell to change plugs unless you wanted to lift the engine up to do it. If I was to find a Vega worth swapping in a different engine, it would be either a 3.8 or possibly an Olds Quad-4. The V-8 and powerglide smells like the owner had dragstrip ambitions.
That 265 was never in the Vega from the factory, but in the Chevy Monza, and its corporate cousins, the Buick Skyhawk, Pontiac Sunbird and Olds Starfire. The H-Bodies, as these were known, were designed to receive GM’s stillborn Wankel engine, but when the Wankel was cancelled, GM needed a plan B, and plan B was the 265 V8 as the top engine choice, with the Iron Duke 2.5L four as the base engine, and two (2) V6’s in the middle, the 196 (3.2L) and the 231 (3.8L) motors. Source: Wikipedia. Here’s a link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_H_platform_(RWD)
It was actually a 262 CI, not a 265. The bore and stroke are completely different between the two.
JO
Needs to become all out drag car or change trans. And install a high gear rear end so it will travel. Not much use for any thing as it stands.
I built a 74 Vega with a Built 283 & Turbo 400 in the late 70’s. Was a blast, looked all Stock. Think I still have the Engine somewhere,
Will CARB/inspectors pass this car in Calif?