Chevrolet’s entry into the sub-compact field was a troubled one over the car’s seven-year run. The Vega sold well, at least through the period following the 1973 OPEC oil embargo, but the car would be beset with well-publicized quality and reliability issues. The seller bought this 1974 Vega for the purpose of converting it to a V-8/4-speed set-up, but the project was never completed. This car is being sold without a motor so that perhaps someone else with the same vision can pick it up. The Vega is located in Edgewood, Washington (near Seattle) and available here on craigslist for $1,200. Once again, Pat L. comes through with a top for us!
Three of the U.S. automakers got into the sub-compact market for 1970-71: Ford with the Pinto, AMC with the Gremlin and Chevy with the Vega. Of the three, the AMC would have the fewest problems in the public eye. So, what went wrong with the Vega? First, there was premature rusting, likely due to sections of the body not being sufficiently coated to protect from corrosion. Second, the Vega was found to be prone to overheating and the aluminum block would sometimes warp. And third, the engine was known for an excessive use of oil which would sometimes leak into the cylinders.
As this 1974 was intended to be the recipient of a 350 V-8 with a 4-speed, the seller says it comes with the complete “kit” needed for this to happen. That includes a cast iron bell housing and a Saginaw 4-speed tranny. The seller also has a 10-bolt rear-end that was intended for the car that he will sell separately for $75. Remember that the car currently has no motor and one will not be provided.
As there are no photos provided of the complete car, we can only comment about parts of the body. The grey/green/tan paint job is pretty faded and rust is apparent around both the rear hatchback glass and windshield. That suggests more could be elsewhere, but we just don’t know. The seller says the interior is in good shape and the plastic aftermarket seat covers probably helped with that, although the driver’s seat bottom is going to need recovering.
Chevy managed to sell two million Vegas despite their growing negative reputation at the time. 1974 would be the car’s best year at some 460,000 units. The seller’s hatchback is one of about 275,000. You seldom see these on the road anymore and I think we know why. You’d be hard-pressed to top $3,000 for one of these cars now unless it was the limited run Cosworth Vega. With this one, you’ll have to source an engine (V-8 or otherwise) and fix the body issues to end up with a presentable car. But this begs addressing the elephant in the room: why?
Swap a 5.3 LS with a 700R4 or a TKO 600 in, add a small turbo or ProCharger, Skip the 10-Bolt and snatch up a Ford 8.8-inch, fix the rust and the seat bottom, leave the exterior as-is save the rust, and do long, smoky burnouts
I would be different and swap in a 2.2 liter turbo Ecotec out of a Pontiac Solstice GXP or Saturn Sky Red Line. 260 horses, 260 lbs/ft torque. This thing would fly.
Great idea
Its a 2.0 ltr Turbo…..I had the 2.4 in a Solstice I just sold.
A definite light weight positive swap, what nobody remembers the supercharged ecotec? 300hp with racing spring set, m90 throtle body and maybe dry nitrous could make the fenders & hatchback fly off rusty vega not worth the shipping unless you have a trailer
My first car was a ’74 Vega, a hand-me-down from my sister. It was problematic and temperamental, but it taught me so much about vehicle maintenance.
When the engine, which had already been sleeved, finally gave up the ghost, my dad’s mechanic offered to V8-swap it for free if Dad just bought the parts.
Ever a practical man, my dad sold him the car.
I’d rather have a Monza notchback with the 262 V8 and manual 4-speed that came installed at the factory, if I needed to get that mid-70’s GM vibe, for about the same price.
Better yet, I’d like that red Covair ragtop in the background even more.
Actually, quite a few interesting cars in the background of the pictures — MR2, XKE, Fiero, Karmenn Ghia, etc..
I don’t see a Fiero. I think that’s a later-model MR2 parked next to a first-gen MR2.
Yeah, I’m with ya on that one!
I’d also rather have the corvair..better looking car.
You could do a lot better in a Monza than a 262 V8. Chevrolet also had a 305 V8 and a 350 V8 in California.
Mine had “Las Vegas” painted on the quarter panels, but it was anything but good fortune. I needed a jackpot and an oil well to keep it on the road.
Back around 2010, I looked at a Vega hatchback. I don’t recall the year. The engine looked interesting. The seller said if he didn’t sell it, he would put it back in his barn. I took it for a test drive around his neighborhood. The brakes barely stopped the car. I decided to pass on it which led me to buying my 76 Chevette that I owned and drove for about 5 years. I even drove it out of state and back about 350 miles each way with that little 1.4/1.6 L engine.
My sister in law had a Orange 74, with black/white houndstooth looking interior, was like a go kart w a/c and automatic, had am/fm, installed glove box 8 track tape deck and cruised around NY with it, I was 14. Best days best music, bad car, I mean bad like junk bad but hey, it was a car
Its got that clear “bubble wrap” looking seat cover in the back, so the original owner must have been at least 70 !
Really, even back then, no one that was of this world felt preserving a Vega was worthwhile
Back in high school a good friend of mine had this same year vega with a 350 4 speed..I had a 72 pinto with a 289 and a c4. Wanna talk bout good times we had em
A rusty, beat up Vega without an engine for $1200. I guess dreams do come true!
I,ve got a 73 Vega here in Australia, nearly finished putting a Toyota Century 4 ltr Hemi in it. I think it will be the only one on this planet.
pictures please, when you are done!
…rust is apparent around both the rear hatchback glass and windshield. That suggests more could be elsewhere, but we just don’t know…
Yes, we do. It’s a Vega. I made the mistake of buying one, a two-year-old. ’72 GT wagon, that looked good and actually ran well, for about 40,000 miles. Then I accepted one for free from my uncle and fixed it enough to provide cheap transportation for about half a year before the engine grenaded. The same uncle also gave me a ’72 Pinto after he got into a fender bender and decided to stop driving. What can I say, I was young and a glutton for punishment!
I agree with the why. The Vega was a horrible car. Nothing has changed. They sold a million and that says what power GM had over the public. Starts with families. Ones grand parents drove Chevrolet, Their parents. Monkey see monkey do. They made absolute sh-t in a pretty (on the showroom floor until it rusted away a short time later) package and sold it. They advertised everywhere and even paid off magazines for a favorable review. People bought them
They were attractive as used cars only because they took such a hit. They were cheap. Poor people who’s next choice for transportation was a bicycle would buy one and be paying on something that they could not drive in short order.
Making an inferior product has a huge trickle down impact on everyone. GM has always had a history of being short sided by putting profit front and center over quality safety and security. In my vocation I see it. My company has fresh out of college engineers making changes trying to get somewhere and only care about today. Forget history. Most engineers are not car people and not mechanically inclined. It’s true. It has cost them as company who has all their eggs in one basket focusing on building trucks and SUV’s now.
Thank god there is still the Camry and Accord.
Only thing you said wrong, was they started to rust soon after, legend has it that they were decomposing on the showroom floor, GM screwed all its loyalists, I myself bought 3 New GM cars between 1979 and 1983, 79 Grand Prix, 80 Grand Prix, and a 83 Rivera, between the 80 and the 83, 2 worst cars I’ve ever owned, and these weren’t bare bones cars, but motors, transmission, interior fitment, paint quality horrible, I’ve owned probably 15 more new cars since then, never GM again
great post!
Vega’s are awesome. I’d buy another one if I saw the right. In a hot second!
Jeeze Louise, no one has mentioned the speedo being wound back, so mileage is questionable. Thought that was the end-all for deciding whether or not to buy. Why the heck would someone wind back the mileage on a car of such little value? Just asking.