The Vega was launched in 1971 as Chevy’s entry into the subcompact market. As luck would have it, there was a labor strike in the Fall of 1970 and the cars got a late start into the model year. They would eventually sell more than two million copies through 1977, although the car developed a reputation along the way. This 1973 edition, which looks to be in GT trim, has been upgraded with a V8 engine and a few performance goodies that should make an interesting candidate in the quarter-mile sprint. Stockton, California is where the car calls home and it’s available here on Facebook Marketplace for $7.000.
Chevrolet’s Vega benefitted from the OPEC oil embargo in 1973, which moved a lot of car buyers to smaller, more fuel-efficient transportation. That probably counteracted the Vega’s early problems in the areas of premature rusting and aluminum-block engines that would leak either coolant, oil, or both. Chevy would eventually get these problems resolved, but by then it was time to come up with another subcompact anyway.
This is not your usual Vega. Somewhere along the way, the troublesome I-4 was jettisoned and a 283 cubic inch small block V8 with a Powerglide transmission was dropped in, an interesting choice but not bad considering the weight of the little car. The engine has a hotter camshaft, headers attached, a rear-end from a Camaro, and torsion bars with wide rear tires. At 60,000 reported miles, I’d love to know how fast this car could do 0-60 or what it would turn in the quarter. The only flaw the seller points to is the paint job, but we’re wondering from the photos how well it would buff out. Since this is a 1 of 1 car, is it worth $7,000? Only the eventual buyer will know the answer to that as NADA says $2,725.
Even in this car a 283/powerglide combination isn’t likely to set the world in fire.
It’s been listed for 7 weeks, if it was a good value someone would have bought it by now.
Steve R
With a beefed up cam inside that small car.
Were is the car located
I don’t know man. I was thinking about reading the description above. Looks like it’s in a garage…
I still have a soft spot for Vegas, but not THAT soft.
GT dash, stripes, and the real spotting trick is that GT models have the translucent front turn signals, not amber like standard models.
Sagging driver door. Not unusual and a bushing kit is a common fix that is cheap and easy.
If this was under $4K, it would be pretty good but no engine or interior pictures make this one too risky for me at $7K. A 74 GT Kammback wagon and you have hit my weakness.
A man after my own heart!
i have a 74 kammback wagon with a 350 / 350 10 bolt with 4 wheel power disk brakes i might sell. dash is done but needs to finish interior. plus no rust and fresh paint job
I LOVE the wagon myself had a 77 wagon 383 stroker and of course beat automatic 273 gears in the back end at 1900 RPM I was doing 72 miles an hour in 4th gear that is a fun car
I had a V8 Vega . I loved it dearly it was fast also got me in a lot of trouble . My younger days , the V8 as a small block Chevy that fit real good .
I had a 71 with a 327, 2spd, narrowed 12 bolt posi.
12.5 sec.
daily driver … not at all good in the turns … intense under steer.
Fun car!!
Am I the only one old enough to remember this type of motor swap from the pages of Car Craft magazine, around 1980?
Back in about 1975 a local Chevy dealer had a bright green wagon in the showroom that I went to look at as our old Toyota needed replacement. The dealership owner basically refused to show it to me or let me drive it. Said ” you don’t want that car “. I walked out and bought another Toyota. About 30 years later I was back at that same dealership buying a used Chevrolet W/T pickup. Old owner walked past and I stopped him to thank him for that advice :)
the pictures are not good….
With a 283 and Powerglide, this is hardly a “baby Z/28”.
Yeah, prolly faster
Yeah, but drop in an up cammed 327 with headers and a 4 barrel and you would have a 360 horse Chevy bullet in the quarter mile.
Looks like the paint is still holding the rust together.
Why is everyone so down on the 283 one of Chevy’s best engines. Same with power glide tranny. Put on a set of vortec heads with whatever can it has and it would be quite potent in a little car like this. IMHO not every Chevy needs a 350 to be a runner. Look at Corvette in the 50’s with the 283 with twin 4’s or fuel injection. I suppose they all need a 350 NOT
Old adage: “No replacement for displacement”.
And you would prefer a 2-speed Powerglide over a TH-350, TH-400, or better still a 4-speed?
I had a Chevy Monza notchback back in the 80’s. It originally had a 4 cylinder, but was blown. It was dark blue with blue carpet and dash but white seats and door panels (!) I dropped in a 283 and a th350 my brother gave me using engine mounts from the local dealer. It still had the stock rear axle so i took it easy. It was a pretty quick little car. In regard to dropping a set of vortec heads (with its’ larger valves based on a 4” bore)on any sbc with less than a 4” bore (such as a 283) i had researched and found that two things come into play; the small bore shrouded the valves, negating much of the intent of installing larger valves. The other issue was if a cam with too much lift were installed, they could possibly come into contact with the block. These two issues are the reason behind Chevy’s creation of the 302. Large bore for maximum flow, short stroke for quicker revs.
The main reason for the 302 was to make a legal displacement for SCCA Trans-Am racing in the late 60’s. The maximum displacement was 305 CID. The engine was basically a 327 4 bolt main block with a 283 crank, making a displacement of 302 CID. The engine used the Duntov 30-30 camshaft with solid lifters, that could rev into the 7k RPM range reliably. A Holley 780 CFM carb on a high rise aluminum intake. Factory rating was 290 HP, but they actually produced around 375 HP.
Astre was the Pontiac equivalent. Yes the I-4 was extremely troublesome.
Knew of coworkers back in the ’80s with one. They had transplanted a 350 and welded the rear end.
Could hear it leaving town and pinned it on open roads.
They got in alot of trouble driving that beast.
A close friend back in the 70’s/80’s who would probably prefer to remain nameless; he built a similar Vega after trashing a second generation Camaro with 396. It was a mechanical marvel back in 1982.
Take the Z/28 emblem out of the f]grille, trim the number 8 into a 9 and you have a Z/29, which by the way was the RPO number for the GT option on the Vega. I always liked the 71-73 GT’s Now… how many of you know how the Z/28 got it’s name?
I have 2 1975 Chevy Vegas 1 Cosworth #642 all original with 80,000 miles 1 standard all original with 75,000 miles and a 1976 Chevy Monza 2+2 with a cammed up 355 against a turbo 350 with 2500 stall converter so I’m good on street rods. Love my toys
i had a 73 gt when i was a teen fell in love with them when i got a 76 cogsworth that i shouldn’t have sold but if the guy sends me the photos and info i asked for i’ll ask my buddy to go look at it for me he lives few miles away
Baby POS.
i would consider if under 4k
Vega-ly similar 🤔
Had a 71gt with 327/ 2spd/ 12 bolt narrowed …. ran in the 12’s
fun car till you got to a curve in the road. also NOT for highway use.
At the track, …. 3k rpm drop into D , front left off the ground … broke the windshield . car never meant for big HP
If I wanted to purchase the baby z28 ,how could I contact the seller