A Vega, really? You bet! Generally one of the General’s bigger mistakes wouldn’t garner a lot of interest but, today’s example is in amazing original condition and has just crossed the half-century mark. That being the case, let’s take a trip, back in time, to a long-ago era, when domestic auto manufacturers started to take compact cars, and their resulting foreign competition, seriously. This Darby, Montana domiciled 1972 Chevrolet Vega is being sold by the grandchild of the original owner and is available, here on eBay for a current bid of $6,600, reserve not yet met.
In spite of the Vega’s notoriety, we have covered them many times before so there’s no reason to recount its origin and history. It is safe to say that they sold well (’71-’77) but didn’t do a lot to burnish GM’s reputation. The wayward little car actually worked contrary to that direction. What’s notable in this case, is the survivor nature of this Vega. While perhaps not a survivor in a collector car sense of the word, this Vega has made it 50 years, experienced almost 50K miles, and appears to still have its original problem-prone engine as well as a body that isn’t riddled with the typically found rust.
Advertised in ’72 by Chevrolet as, “The Little Car That Does Everything Well“, the Vega came equipped with an 80 net HP, 2.3-liter in-line four-cylinder engine though a 90 HP option was available. And based on the seller’s comments about the “Original 2 barrel carb.“, I would suggest that’s what powers this Vega. The seller claims that it, “runs and drives great“. Unfortunately, the lone gear change is handled by a two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission. For the record, I’m not a Powerglide hater, they worked well enough and were fairly durable but a two-speed was long in the tooth by ’65 and inexcusable by ’72. I have driven many Powerglide-equipped Vega’s and it’s a wet blanket experience. For ’73, the PG was history, finally, having been replaced by the three-speed Turbo-Hydramatic.
Simply known by Chevrolet as “Dark Yellow”, the finish, and the body of this little Chevy, has held up well – probably due to its garaged life. As previously mentioned, these early Vegas had a nasty tendency to sprout rust across the top of the front fenders but there’s no sign of that foible in this case. The seller adds, “Some rust starting in fender below the battery, it possibly was a used fender from a higher mileage car“. OK, but still, the entire presentation is pretty solid.
Same deal inside, the original standard tan vinyl upholstery shows well – no indication of rips or split seams and that includes the dash pad. The seller adds, “Everything works, lights, horn, heater, wipers gauges, odometer“.
OK, as a 1972 Vega goes, this example is pretty notable for the fact that it still exists and is in its present state. These weren’t particularly well-designed cars and general use and the test of time was enough to go lights out. The question today is, will anybody really want one of these, and why? Seven bidders are interested so yes, it’s wanted but that still doesn’t answer the question of why?
One of the nicer survivors I have seen for what it is.
Had a ’73 with the optional motor. it was a great driver albeit a little rough in the engine department. Ran it 45,000 miles and by then it was using a quart of oil every 800 miles. No other problems though.
My best friend owned one. Bought motor oil for it by the case and kept it in the trunk. That was before the floor boards rusted out but at 16 years old, we didn’t care.
Those floor boards probably only made it that far because of oil spraying back from where it leaked out of the engine forming a constantly-refreshed coating.
This VEGA was rarely, if ever, driven in bad weather, else it would have rust spots all over the body – even where unexpected. The way floors more likely rusted out on the old cars was that water got INTO the cars & went under the carpet (or trunk mat) & never dried out! The best thing to have done back then if driving cars OTHER than the Vega(never drive the latter in bad weather – period!) would have been to pull the trunk mat, all the carpet, floor insulation, & the back seat OUT of the car permanently – & keep an eye out for water leaks. Old newspaper under the front floor mats & in key areas in the trunk absorb water well, tho if you had a leak you would either have to fix it(may be difficult, if not impossible) – or just change the newspaper regularly like you would for a untrainable puppy. lol
The floors/trunk then would not rust out – i know someone who always keeps big tubs in the trunk where it leaks A LOT & just dumps them out after a big rain. & changes any damp newspaper. It’s one PITA over & over in the wet states. lol
Everything bone stock and present. Carb appears to be the Rochester and not the 2 barrel Holley on GT models. It even still has the air hose and snorkel! Those mounting tabs broke off easily and the tube never reinstalled.
Fun fact, before the 4 speed Saginaw manual transmission came along late 1973, the manuals had a 3 speed Trans borrowed from the Opel line.
I prefer the GT for the added features, but this is impressive as a rental car of 70’s grade can be.
I would have thought the carpet & even dash would be tan too.
An alternative to gas struts holding up the rear hatch that never wear out!
Is that the kind of air cleaner that doesn’t open up – like on ’76 chevette?
I wonder if anyone ever tried to put the good pinto engine in 1 of these. lol
I had a ’71 Vega Hatchback with 2300 cc engine, 4-speed manual transmission with 98K miles on it with no exhaust smoke. I sold it to someone and they had a shop install the steel sleeves in the cylinders. Their roommate wreck that vehicle during a Christmas vacation trip. I don’t know which junk yard it ended up going to. This was before cell phones or the internet, so I didn’t have a way to contact them, not knowing a phone number. Wish I had, because I would’ve at the very least, have bought the engine if it was still OK. 🤔
Air cleaners were a sealed dealer replaceable unit that nobody ever replaced because of cost.
All Vega dashboards were black with the exception of red interiors after about 75. Dashpad and surrounds started coming in colors if matching blue, black, tan, green and red. Instrument panel plastics were always black.
Early Chevettes had a sealed air cleaner as well but they went to a replaceable-element one for ’79.
I distinctly remember my Vega having a matte bile green dash cover, accenting the black plastic dash and amplifying every creak and squeak in the assembly
This is a great looking car. The Maverick 2 door and Vega hatchback from this era are just great looking cars. For that alone, they should be honored.
🎺 🎵 ….
Bright light city gonna set my soul
Gonna set my soul on fire
Got a whole lot of money that’s ready to burn
So get those stakes up higher
There’s a thousand pretty women waitin’ out there
And they’re all livin’ the devil may care
And I’m just the devil with love to spare, so
Viva Las Vegas, Viva Las Vegas 🎶 🎤
You’d practically have 1 of 1 but with the automatic, this would not be an exciting drive. The automatic was a 2-speed and added over 3 seconds to the 0 to 60 time compared to the 4 speed.
I can see this ending up a Baldwin Motion clone .
I want it…and I don’t know why lol!
I think I’d rather go for the 75 GT Vega Surf Wagon in Pensacola, FL, Craigslist. Hop in it, and cruise it to the beach towns!
These make very good street and drag cars, don’t butcher it do it right this will be nice ride.
Barring anyone telling me how wrong I am, I’m one of the people that thought the Vega was an okay car. I certainly don’t think it was one of GM’s biggest mistakes. I tire of defending the cars of this era, it was a changing time, and that never sits well with car makers. Look at Chryslers offerings, and the Pinto was no engineering marvel either, the only small car that really had it together( thanks to 25 year old components), was the Gremlin. Asian cars were still in their infancy, and these fit the bill. I knew lots of people that had great luck with Vegas. Strict oil changes were the rule, and you dasn’t overheat a Vega, 2 things Americans just weren’t used to. That and coming from a Buick Electra, where the owner never changed the oil or checked the coolant, people drove these too hard, and THAT, I think, is what killed most. I give GM a lot of credit for the Vega, for a country caught with their pants down, I thought the Vega was a nice car.
So I’m assuming that you never owned one? I had a 1971 wagon with the two speed automatic. It was a very attractive car, but a slug
Every single car component was cost cut to the point of dysfunction. Even the oil filler cap was a cheap piece of rubber it was difficult to remove, a big problem that required a quart of oil with every fill up. The body was made with trash steel already rusting in the showroom, the engines problems are legendary. The cooling system was inadequate. The carpet was trash, the vinyl upholstery flaked and felt apart within a couple of years.
Go on and defend the car. It’s like defending a turd as being “perfectly formed”
And it wasn’t just the crummy components. The design was awful. Although very attractive, they knew when they built it that the firewall area could not be rust-proofed and northern cars, bathed in salt, dissolved within a couple of years.
The Vega is probably the worst automotive consumer product ever released.
I had a friend with who bought a new one with the two speed, beat the crap out of it for two years and it held up fine.
Until the altercation with the 10 point buck.
The yellow Vega does look nice. I took a spin around the block in one back in the day courtesy of the proud new car owner. The power steering was better than any American car I had driven to date. Coupled with its small size, the Vega was a delight to drive. The bucket seats and automatic floor shift were shared with only expensive pony and muscle cars in that Era. Now I knew even that it had a small engine in a V-8 world and the car was rushed into production without fixing all the bugs because GM needed an import sized domestic vehicle yesterday and Ford had the similar econocar Pinto ready. So, I can’t say the mechanically plagued and rustprone but Vega was a good car but it was innovative and a historic milestone in American automotive history. It proved its worth during the oil embargos and gas shortages and sold well until it began to self destruct. I hope someone saves it; would enjoy seeing one at a car show.
Back in the mid-70’s my yet-to-be wife had a Vega (before her Monto Carlo mentioned in another article). That thing was reliable. It had the automatic but it went anywhere and never broke down, just like her 1978 Monte Carlo. Maybe she was just lucky in finding good autos.
Picture of the engine tells the story. Aluminum engine prone to overheating and being ruined. Picture shows dinky radiator taking up only half the space allowable. Typical GM beancounter move.
And it wasn’t just that the radiator was small. It also only allowed two passes of water coolant, entirely inadequate for the engine. The aluminum alloy actually worked OK, Porsche used it with some success in the 928, but it was temperature critical. So yeah, an inadequate radiator was really a problem, guaranteeing the engines with self-destruct by 30,000 miles if the head gaskets didn’t blow first. Mine went at 15,000 miles or so. Yes, I am still in therapy from the traumatic experience
Exactly like my 72 Vega, I owned while I was in the Navy as a kid. I received 4 recalls, but the same dealer that sold me the car in Reno, stated that the parts for the recall would never be available. One related to the ignition system, that would continue to run after being shut off. Another related to the steering, which would somehow lock when driving. An additional recall was that a part would drop down and jam the throttle wide open while driving and the last recall was related to defective brakes. So I tried to trade it in to the same salesman. He stated that the manager did not want the car and asked if I would please park it off of their lot, because it was an embarrassment. The same salesman that touted the fact that the style would not change for the next 4 years. I vowed never to buy another Chevrolet again and never have. I gave it to my abusive grandfather as a present! Good Luck! He was driving to Paradise California to retire.
I had a ’73 4-speed that was green. Bought it for $400 and rebuilt the engine with steel cylinder sleeves. That fixed the oil consumption problem with the unlined aluminum block and compression was great. It was good on torque with the 2.4 L, fun to drive and I always liked the lines and the hatchback. The front shares a lot of design elements of the Camaro. Loved that car. Unfortunately it was totalled when a neighbor, driving into the early AM sun, plowed into the back of it. It’s surprising to see the bidding up to nearly $11K, but at the same time, glad another appreciates this piece of automotive history!
The first brand-new car I ever bought was a silver/black 1972 Vega GT. I got just a little over 30K miles out of it before the motor went. I’m impressed that this one has over 49K. I’d say it’s on borrowed time.
Given the choice between this and that green 74 pinto also in this email I would take this because I just think it looks better. Funny thing these cars were shipped across the country on trains and the cars were standing on their nose to fit more into the rail car that’s why there is that strange baffle in the oil pan to prevent the oil from leaking during shipping.
Here you go!
JO
I love this picture. Such unorthodox thinking, for good or bad.
I bought one in ’72 when I was in the air force. 3 speed manual, Absolutely hated it. It was good on gas. I drove it from Louisiana to Vermont on about $40 worth of gas. When i got back from Thailand I sold it and bought a “64 corvette. A noticeable difference in power and gas consumption
Why?
Great concept on paper. Still looks good. Economical as a hobby car with gas prices rising. Notorious reputation gets people talking.
Plus it’s an emblem of a very dark period in automotive history and GM’s as well.
The back story alone is enough explanation as to “why?”.
Similar answers as to “why an X-Body” or a Cimarron or …. well so many choices among GM’s Deadly Sins actually.
Unfortunately, the Vega was not “rushed into production.”
They had plenty plenty of time but simply had a deeply flawed development process, with GM management’s pet project inflicted on Chevrolet like a venereal disease.
Prototypes collapsed and broke in two during road testing. It was a harbinger of GM’s inability to develop a working automobile.
Bought a new 72 GT Kammback wagon 4-spd. Orange with black interior. Put 42k carefree miles on it before selling it in 75. Loved the look of the Kammback tail and 2-door wagon. Only recall I remember was to install a radiator overflow bottle.
We all know that these little cars were built as disposable !
But they looked good and still do
The smaller bumper are obviouythe attention getters
The mostaza outside color is acceptable
But
The interior is horrendous
I could never drive /enjoy one in stock form
This one needs a newer injected engine
A moder trans of the builders choice
Wheels , brakes , interior work
But would it be a money pit or can you recover a bit when you sell it later ?
Yolo
My first new car was a ‘71 fastback. I didn’t know better at the time, but agree with those who think the Vega was a POS. Besides the infamous engine problems (I blew a head gasket, but fortunately the engine was still intact when I traded it in at 31,000 miles), there were numerous other issues with the car. My favorite was the time the driver’s seat vinyl cracked when I sat down one winter morning. And, this was in St. Louis, not some below zero northern city. On the other climate end, my car also had the tan interior, which extended all the way to the back of the hatch in ‘71. The vinyl hatchback trim buckled on a hot day and had to be replaced while still under warranty (and remember: warranties were only 12 months back then). The dealer told me that the tan trim was no longer available and they had to put in a black piece which they painted tan. Guess how well that worked out?
Still, I shouldn’t complain too much. I bought it for $2,100 and sold it 3 years and 31,000 miles later for $1,500. That was literally just a few weeks before the engine blocks started cracking; you couldn’t give them away after that!
I was working at a Chevrolet dealer in the ‘70’s. Chevrolet was replacing engines because of overhead blowing head gaskets. Aluminum block, steel heads not good. We had 16 sitting in our service department lot and quite taking anymore! Couldn’t get replacement motors fast enough.
good to see pinto v vega on front page today.
Japan roared past ‘merica @ this point to rule
(some say now as well) for may B 30 yrs.
I’ll take the Lima & weber progressive in a pinto
wagon over the looks of the vega. Uped to the
cosworth I’d hafta “sleep on it”.
Why I’d want this car would be to drop in a stroker motor and tube out the rear but I don’t want it. Its a nice car, shows well. I had a loaner from a dealer, a 1972 Vega like these pics only it was Blue and, was driving down the highway when a car came across the road and we meet. Was not a head on. I hit him broad side.D.W.I. back then was not like it is today.The guy was plastered. I had my license a whole 3 weeks. Scared the you know what out of me. I then became a professional driver with over 35 yrs safe driving..
I had a 73’ GT manual. Bought for $75 from coworker it used more oil than gas. But I liked it for what it was
Paul C., you remind me of a guy from my high school days. Mark had a ‘52 Chevy and the joke was Mark would pull into a filling station and say, “Fill it up with oil and check the gas!” R.I.P., Mark.
I’ll tell you true story we went out of town and I bought refined oil from a pump it was 10 cents a quart so we fill up 3 gallons of oil and head out. We went through the oil but it was late and stores were closed and there was this hill we had to climb but low compression car would peter out we were lucky it didn’t seize up. We made a funny memory.
I had one with a 400cu small block and turbo 350. Was a fun car
I remember when Motion Industries was building and selling Vega’s with a 350 or 427 in them. I think they only sold two colors Red or Blue. both with white side stripes.
I remember when these cars first came out. My brother and I thought they were pretty cool. But we were also little kids. GM certainly dropped the ball on these cars, and certainly could have made them a lot better. But when you think about it, that holds true for just about everything the Big Three auto makers made well into the nineties. They learned a hard lesson from getting their butts kicked by the Japanese for so many years. The biggest problem is that it took them WAY too long to learn it, almost as if they were fighting the need to focus more on quality.
The Arab oil embargo of 1973-’74 was the best thing that could have happened to the Japanese auto makers. When gas prices skyrocketed, people started trading in their big Chevys and Fords for the fuel-sipping Toyotas, Datsuns, Mazdas, etc., and a year later, they found that their new Japanese cars were not just more fuel efficient, but they were far better cars. The American Big Three knew it, but made little effort to address their quality-control issues. Small wonder Toyota has been the number-one car maker in the world for the last dozen years or so.
I would have to disagree somewhat. 70s japanese cars weren’t that great. They did have mechanical reliability but they also rusted horribly and the fabrics and plastics would disintegrate in a few years. My 79 datsun 210 looked like swiss cheese. I wondered how the suspension could stay part of the car as there was more rust than intact steel.
My 76 Lincoln on the other hand is a heck of a car. Well built, solid with great quality. Just tough on gas but that was to be expected
SOLD for $11,501.