If The Chevrolet Vega Could Talk - "People remember me either with love or hate but I'm remembered!"
Vložit
- čas přidán 21. 07. 2021
- Although it's been over half a century that the Chevrolet Vega was first introduced, there were over 2 million cars produced in it's 7 year run! Today enthusiasts are smitten with nostalgia and a Vega is again a very popular car, especially with hotrodders and drag racers! Listen as Tom gives you a brief history of these sub-compact cars.
✨ If you like this Video, consider subscribing to If This Car Could Talk this Link! ⤵️
czcams.com/users/IfThisCarCouldTalk?sub_...
(or subscribe directly on the Channel Page! 😉 )
********************
🎬 Welcome to If This Car Could Talk! 🚙
This Channel is to feature cars/trucks of all makes and models - they just have to have an interesting, emotional, quirky, or just plain cool story.
👉🏻 Whether you enjoy classic cars, concourse restorations, commercial & professional vehicles, customs, drag cars, exotics, historic, hot rods, legendary autos, modern, modified, muscle cars, nostalgia, orphan makes, performance cars, project, race cars, restored vehicles, street rods, traditional or trucks, we know that each and every car or truck has its own unique and interesting story to tell!
Each week, we'll find a new vehicle to feature that we're sure you'll agree has a fascinating and compelling story to tell 🚗
We hope you'll join us on this journey of covering over a century of the internal combustion engine in its many forms.
➡️ So, if you are interested in more from If This Car Could Talk, don’t forget to subscribe and click the Bell Button to never miss a Video! 🛎
********************
🌟 Follow If This Car Could Talk on Social Media:
🏎 Our Facebook Page: / if-this-car-could-talk...
Follow us on Instagram: / ifthiscarcouldtalk
********************
IfThisCarCouldTalk
#chevrolet #vega #cosworth
Thanks for watching the video If The Chevrolet Vega Could Talk - Auta a dopravní prostředky
If the Chevy Vega could talk it would say,"Tell GM to put four steel sleeves in my engine."
Then the entire history of the Vega would have been different.
LOL! You're probably right, Phil! Thanks for watching and for the great comment!
I had a stock Vega engine Sleeved and got 100k miles out of it.
@@IfThisCarCouldTalk It was definitely an engineering experiment to go with the etched high silicon aluminum block, but an experiment that did not pan out well. I'm not even sure how that was supposed to work in principle, let alone practice, for bits of silicon would be bound to come loose with aging, wear and thermal cycling, and loose grit in a cylinder isn't fun.
Had mine sleeved after 45K -- gave me more HP -- I had to add hotter spark plugs and wires, 40K volt Coil. Already had the 2 BBL Holley - would beat out Porsches in the corners -- drivers were NOT happy
I had a '76 which had the steel sleeves. Car was still junk, alway broken and still rusted, just not as bad as the early years, Workmanship was horrible. It was "Vega by GM" not Chevrolet.
Vega is a good looking car. Too bad they weren't built better.
Yep! Thanks for the comment, David! Welcome to our ITCCT family.
IN 1977 my father bought a 1973 Vega with the 4 speed manual for $75.00 in a auction. He gave it to me a young airman in the Air Force. It made it ten miles for me and the shift linkage bound up. I get under the car and free up the shift linkage and return the car to my father and went to the local Plymouth dealer and bought a used 1974 Plymouth Duster.
I then repaired the Vega and it was used by father for the next 3 years as a bomb around car. You never followed that car very close as it would literally drop bits and pieces of rust decayed parts on the road behind. After about three years the car started to be a automatic mosquito fogger as it was going through a quart of oil every 50 miles and my father took the car to junkyard.
LOL ! Well, heard those stories before so you were not alone. Hope the Duster worked out well. Thanks for sharing your great memory!
It sounds like the exact same car my father bought brand new in 1973.
My reverse linkage rod got stuck. Went out and installed a case hardened Hurst Linkage -- great replacement.-
yes a duster was a better car, the old 4 speed GM transmissions were not bad, but if the linkage had any slop you had to make sure you took it out of the gear you were in before picking a new one, or it would lock up, not hard when you got used to it
I had a green 72 Kammback. I loved that car. Always started after sitting a week in sub zero weather in Burlinton VT. UVM student. I drove it straight through to Ft. Lauderdale FL and back. It ran fine, but...19 quarts of oil used. Every 150 miles it needed a quart. It got 28 mpg. I never had an issue with the stick shift.
GM fixed it on warranty, and then 1,000 miles/quart. Acceptable.
That's hilarious! It's great how all you have is great and fond memories of that car though! Thanks for watching and for the great comment!
I loved my first little car, A second hand 1972 Vega hatchback! I was in high school and worked part time. What made it even better was a small block Buick (232, 238?) 6 cylinder dropped in and boy did it scream! I could finally start from a stop without turning the air conditioning off.💖
LOL! That is a great memory!! Thanks for watching and sharing! Hope you subscribe and enjoy all the cool car stories you can!
My best friend bought a 72 Vega in 75. He then dropped a Chevy 283 in it, added a Holley and a bigger rad, and kept it as a sleeper. The only way you could tell it wasn't stock was the dual exhausts. There were a lot of shocked Mustang and Camaro drivers when that little Vega blew their doors off.
LOL - Would have loved to see the look an their faces!
In my case the 283 added to the 4 speed made short work of the diff .
I purchased a 74 hatchback in June of 74. It had A/C and a 4 speed. The A/c worked great at night but couldn't keep up with the glass area and sun. I had the car for 18 months and traded it for a special order 76 Nova SS. The main reason for getting rid of it was it was like a 2 cycle outboard. Every time you filled the gas you had to add oil!
Interesting info about the a/c. Fun memories! Still have the Nova? Thanks for sharing!
@@IfThisCarCouldTalk The Nova I sold in November 1985 for $200 less than I paid for it. It would be nice if I still had it but you can't hold on to everything.
ya any car with massive amounts glass can severely curtail your A/C, moon roofs are notorious for that, on a hot day you would be amazed the difference a covered and uncovered moon roof makes. and leaks dont get me started, not much but two tiny holes keeping the wet out of your vehicle, sounds like a warped head Americans could not make an aluminum engine at that time
My Grandma drove a 1973 Vega hatchback. I remember the road trips in that car going to visit her mother for long weekends. I miss the 70's.
Another awesome memory of those fun little cars. I feel you my friend - I really miss the 70's too! Thanks!
I miss the 70s to
My uncle, a GM employee and super long GM car owner , had a wagon that was using a quart of oil in under 100 miles. He asked me what my thoughts were. I said a Pinto - which he then bought. The Vega was one of the few quick rust out cars where engine failure happened earlier.
My grandfather had a wagon in the late 70's, he gave it to my father in the early 80's. His mechanic suggested he get ride of it.
Years back a friend and I spent three months in a Vega going across country. We started in LA up the coast to San Francisco then to the Redwood Forest to Oregon Caves. Then thru Spokane WA to Idaho then north thru Eastport to Canada. East along Tran-Can to Maine, south thru Salem--Bosten--NYC--Phila--Washington--Skyline Dr to Blue Ridge Route--Alanta GA "Stone Mountain"--Jackson and St Augustine Fl. Then to Disneyworld to Miami and Key-West. Back north to Tallahassee "Florida Caves" to Mobile AL "USS Alamba"--New Orleans--to Houston then San Antonio. Then on to Carlsbad Caverns "great place"--El Paso--Grand Canyon--Hoover Dam--Vegas then HOME. All in a Vega with no problems... Amazing
Wow, Mike! That is, not only one of the best Vega stories ever, but one of the best travel stories ever! Thanks for watching and sharing your awesome memories with us! Hope you are a now a subscriber and check out more of our features!
@@IfThisCarCouldTalk Just subscribed. Sorry about the long comment... The Vega was a wagon so we slept in the car at truck stops, police parking lots or drove off the road and hid in the trees---but in DC we snuck in the underground parking of the Howard Johnson's hotel for a few days and even used the pool. Most of our fine dining was right from a can, my favorite was Chef Boyardee spaghettiO's . Have a great day....
Wow again....thanks for sharing and subscribing!
So sad, cuz the intial Vega was one of the best looking economy cars ever built!!!
Agreed. Thanks for the comment!
Much better looking than the Monza.
I had two. A 71 & 74. I wrecked the first one and bought a 74GT version. That car had engine trouble at about 60k miles, loosing compression and requiring a rebuild using steel sleeves. Basically a good car by 1970's standards.
My parents bought a 76 GT wagon.
It was a 4 spd with A/C and it was in the family for 22 years and 170k miles.
When it was new it was Ziebarted and my parents kept up with inspections and touched up paint chips and scratches.
They were meticulous about mechanical maintenance.
When the car was finally totaled after it was rear ended it the only rust was a quarter sized spot in the doglegs and the engine only used a 1/4 between changes.
Well said! Proper routine maintenance wins! Thanks for sharing the great memory!
I used to be a Chevrolet salesman in the 70s. I can tell you that the 76 models were vastly improved in durability, both in rust resistance and in the cooling system. The 76 & 77 Vegas were longer lived than a great many small cars of that time. -and they always got outstanding fuel economy. The car magazines used to note that in their big econo-comparisons, with 5 or 6 competing cars.
My dad had a Vega wagon with V8 power back in the day. I was just a wee lad, but recall he really liked that car. The red Vega wagon you featured is a badass ride!
Thanks for watching and sharing your memory! Glad you liked the wagon, too! Keep watching.
Always liked the style of the Kammback, what a great idea at the right time. Too bad the early engines were so problematic, if only they could have straightened them out sooner. “Fill it with oil and check the gas” was kind of like our running joke about them back then.
Agreed! I especially like the kammbacks. Thanks for watching and for the fun comment!
I had one back then, never any issues or whatsoever! Sure wish they made cars like them now! Sure wish that I still had it! Was a great car!!!
Right on! Thanks for watching and sharing your memory! Hope you are a subscriber. Keep watching!
I drove a white '74 Chevy Vega Kammback for 13 years. Went thru 3 engines.
The title of your video gave me a chill because in 1982 I composed "Old Vega Talk":
LYRICS:
I've got this feeling that you don't even care
You've got this notion that I'm not even there
Is it the mileage that has got you down
Or that knockin' in the engine that is makin' that sound?
I wash your windows and I shine up your hood
I change your spark plugs like a good driver should
I check your brakes and take care of your clutch
Just get me to work, is that asking too much?
CHORUS:
Can my Old Vega Talk?
Or will I have to walk?
Before my fender gets crushed.
The radiator needs to be flushed.
Don't laugh it's paid for and my other car's a Porche
I don't need a taxi, bus, or a fast racing horse.
But if there is one thing that just makes me grieve
It's Chevy's worst engine with the aluminum sleeve.
I still got to say that my car is still loyal
Even though I know it eats and burns the Penzoil
I thank the Lord it has got me this far
But I'll thank Him just the same for a brand new car.
Repeat Chorus.
That is very possibly the best comment on our Vega story! Is it cool with you if I share it? It amazes me that the Vega can evoke such strong emotions in so many people for so many different reasons! Thanks for watching and sharing your story through your song!
@@IfThisCarCouldTalk Thank you, and of course you may share it.
I'll keep looking for the 40-year old master tape in the basement.
This car, unlike my Saturn, Civic or Dodge Dart, was worthy of a song.
Old Vega Talk has now been posted thanks to your video: czcams.com/video/kAS78cZI8cw/video.html
Had a 72 Vega, got rear ended once by a little foreign sports car. That car’s front end was accordioned so bad the fenders locked the front wheels and we couldn’t push it off the road. My Vega? Dented the rear bumper so mildly I didn’t even accept his insurance’s offer to repair it.
HA! Thanks for sharing such a great, and thankfully, happy memory!
Had 2 '73 GT'S . 1 hatchback, 1 wagon. They were so easy to care for and fun to drive. Bith were 4 speeds. I also owned, and still have a '73 Camaro Z-28. The interiors of the fastback and the Z-28 were identical rught down to the instrument cluster! I believe someone at Chevrolet even called them "narrow Camaros". I loved those cars si much. I cannot relate to all the negative remarks and press. They were masterfully styled and beautiful. I wish I could own another one. A friend of mine put an Olds aluminum v8 in one! Fantastic conversion. Sounded like and ran like a Ferrarri! I miss mine so much.
Thanks for watching and for the great comment, Jim! It's nice to hear such a happy memory with these cars. Hope you are now a subscriber for more fun! Hey, I'll bet you can pick up another one to play with!
The best thing about Vegas is how they shipped them in their own special railroad cars designed just for them.
That's a cool fact! Thanks for watching! Keep it up!
I had a 74 Vega as my first car in 1977..I loved it! I put GT wheels on it and my CB antenna and I thought I was cool 😎🤣 Couldn't get out of my own way in that car but it beat walking😉😆Kinda wish I had it still! I forgot about the Spirit of America edition..wanted that one too🤗
You were cool - just didn't know it at the time! Thanks for watching and for the fun comment!
My favorite Vega memory is this video
Thanks for watching Steve and for leaving such a great comment! We really appreciate it and are so glad you enjoyed the video.
A very close friend of mine today had a Vega in high school. He and I spent many hours bombing around town. Great memories! Great feature guys!
Thanks so much for sharing that memory Terry! We appreciate your continued support!
In 1974, I bought a 73 Vega for $2300.00 It got 35MPG and I had it up to 137MPH drafting an International TravelAll. It lasted two years and 50K miles. The rear hatch flipped over the roof when the hinges rusted out. Driving in the rain, I'd get a shower from water coming in under the windshield. A love bug would rot a hole through the hood in a week. I burned a quart of oil between fill-ups. It was a good-driving car, and my 5-speed was very peppy and responsive when I first got it. Had GM used cylinder sleeves and a different primer, there would still be Vegas on the street. I had a bronze paint job with a wide stripe down the sides and across the hatch and the car was very good looking.
Wow, thanks for sharing such a fun memory of your Vega!
Owned a '73 Estate wagon. At precisely 35K miles, the rings failed, resulting in 1 qt per thousand miles in oil consumption. As it was "out of warranty", Chevrolet was not interested in assisting with the problem.
That's a bummer of a story, Jim but thanks for sharing.
My dad was a mechanic. Your 1 qt/thousand miles was lucky. Many consumed much more than that. The failure rate of the pre 1976 engines was very high. They’d overheat, blow head gaskets, score the aluminum cylinder walls, and drink oil. The solution was to rebuild them by having a machine shop install steel cylinder sleeves. I think the 1976 engines came like that from the factory. That’s why they lasted longer. But the fragility of the early engines ruined the reputation. They actually handled pretty well… until the front springs started to sag (another common issue).
Took my drivers test in a kammback Owned a 71 Vega had no issues, later upgraded it with a V8
Yep, bet it was pretty cool with that V8 upgrade and even more fun to drive! Thanks for the great memory and comment!
I am 43 now, but as a child growing up in the ealy 80's I remember my father turning his vega into a dragster. He finished it.. and it was cherry.. then sold it for an 1986 ford aero star.. haha! Family life.
LOL! I hope you he took the family drag racing in the mini van! Bet that Vega made a great dragster! Thanks for watching and for sharing your great memory!
1977 - I saw my first drag race between a Vega 'Desperado' and a Maverick - Outlander ....
I was hooked after that. While everyone went to big pony cars - I went small.
I had an Opel Manta sleeper that would light up the bigger cars (Chevy 350 Small Block)
too much fun, I wish I still had that car.
The Desperado and Outlander duking it out would have been a blast to see! Thanks for sharing your memory! Hope you subscribed!
I remember that I was ecstatic that my 74 Vega made it to 44,000 miles before it blew up and died.
HAHA! Great memory! Thanks for watching and sharing!
@@IfThisCarCouldTalk My last memory of that rusty clunker was showing it to the Toyota dealer when I was trading it in for a new Corolla. As we stood there looking at it and talking, the driver's side rear tire flattened. We both had a good laugh, and I've driven Toyotas for the rest of my life. The '78 I bought lasted 359,000 miles, and could have gone more if it wasn't totaled by a Suburban.
Great video brings back memories in the 70's piling in my friend's dad's Vega to go to the beach.
Glad you enjoyed it What a great memory and thanks for sharing it!
I was born in '76. I had a toy of the wagon, it was one of my favorites. I remember seeing and loving Vegas as a little boy. Still do!
Right on! Love those memories!
I had 2 Vegas while working as a young school teacher with 2 young kids. The 73 had a 4 speed manual and the 74 notchback had the 3 speed manual (trying to get a bit more mileage with manual trans). As I remember, both were about $2300ish. Both engines were ok about oil consumption and neither engine failed due to overheating. They were within our meager budget and returned high 20's mpg. They both were traded after roughly five years with little rust and we moved on. In 2022, we drive a Corolla which has been almost bullet proof with almost a quarter million miles and always give me and my wife 34 odd mpg.
Thanks for watching Joe! That is a great memory to share about your history with the Vega! Can't beat those Toyotas for sure!
My first car was a green 73 panel wagon, and then later I had a 74 copper colored wagon. For the most part, the biggest problem I noticed with these cars was the engine. They burned a lot of oil, and when they got hot, they would throw a rod. The engine really needed to have a steel sleeve in the cylinder walls. Other than that, they were great cars. Living on the west coast, we don't really have a problem with rust, but I have read in different threads that they also had a bad problem with rusting out. I never had a problem with this.
Thanks for sharing your memories with us! Glad you had good experiences and we appreciate the comment! Hope you subscribed and are now part of the ITCCT family!
Rust was a peoblem -- I would take my car apart as much as I could, every 4 years and derust-/ patch with fiberglas. Then I'd open up the seals inside the fender wells and spray deruster in that too.
I had a 74 and a 76 and wish I still had them to this day. The 74 would do upwards of 40 MPG on a long trip, their isnt much of anything today that can do that.
Great mileage! Nice to hear a happy memory. Thanks for sharing!
They always had outstanding fuel economy. The car magazines used to remark about that.
To this day, my mother’s favorite car she’s ever owned was our 73 Estate Wagon. Tan over faux wood. She claims that it was the best handling, especially in adverse conditions, car she’s driven.
Momma knows best! Thanks for sharing your fun memory!
I still have my 1977 Vega wagon with a 350 V8 under the hood and a more modern 4 speed automatic overdrive transmission. I stay on top of it's tendency to rust. It does have new twin Cherry Bomb mufflers. Weighs in at 1900 pounds and will FLY down the road.Getting those 13 inch tires is a chore, very hard to find decent tires. I have installed LED lights to replace every light in and on the car. Kept my old in dash Pioneer cassette deck after installed new belts. Very comfortable for this 1 legged hillbilly to drive and gets damned good mileage. A real Sleeper car. It's parked in the garage next to a 1961 Dodge Dart Police cruiser.(My late father's car that I restored.)
That is so cool! Thanks for sharing your memories and it is awesome that you still have the wagon and the Dart! We would love to do a feature on those two rides! Thanks for watching!
@@IfThisCarCouldTalk I won this car in a poker game with my now ex brother in law. Drove it until that god awful 4 banger gave out, then dropped a 350 into it from a junked out 71 Chevy pickup. The transmission got changed in 2010, again from another junked out total wreck.
My daily driver, a 1999 Ford Ranger XLT, was built from wrecks and cost a grand total of $500. It's has the 2.5 4 cylinder, modified to run on gasoline or hydrogen(or both). Runs like a scalded dog. I can't afford $50,000 + for a decent pickup. I live on Social Security since I lost my right leg in 2015. I make do with what is available.
Just in case you are wondering, I spend these winter months repairing computers. Been doing that for over 40 years.
I had a 1973 Vega notch back. With three speed manual transmission. I never had a problem with it.
Thanks for watching one of our older historical features. Tons of people loved the Vega. Thanks for sharing your memory.
Love the history!!
Thanks, so do we! Appreciate the comment!
I I LOVED all my VEGAS. Had good luck with them .f. the hatters.
LOL! Love this comment, Chris! Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching! Hope you subscribed!
Me too!
When I was a teenager, I bought my first 1972 Chevy Vega GT hatch back. The handling was awesome. I loved the cars so much that before I was through I had owned 3...
The only thing I didn't like was the stock 2.3 engine. It only took one incident of over heating to ruin those engines.
I bought my first 72 Vega in 1980. At that time you could get a good running Vega for under $1000. I got mine for $600. And later bought one with a warped head for $100... I built a V6 I pulled from a wrecking yard and I put it in that one. Then I sold my first Vega for $800...
That V6 Vega was so much fun that several years later I built a V8 Vega...
Now days those cars are very hard to find though.
BTW... The Vega never came with the rear suspension you showed earlier in this video...
12
Reply
5 replies
Sounds like you sure had a lot of fun with your Vega cars! Hope you're still cruising in one today! Thanks for watching and for sharing your fun memories! Hope you're a subscriber!
I rebuilt a vega in the mid 80s, a 4 speed manual got it for 200 bucks, it was burning oil but had no rust, I pulled the engine got the block sleeved milled and ported the head, not cost much back then, got the paint in good shape and a good detail , it was a great carhad a lot of power handled well, if only GM would have made them that way
Very true. Thanks for watching and sharing your memories! Please keep watching!
My first car was a 1972 Vega. The previous owner had put a competition clutch and hurst shifter on it ..he raced it. It was yellow with a black stripe. I had a super great fun with the car until than darn aluminum block engine caught fire on my way home from my freshmen year in college. It couldn’t be salvaged and was totaled with only 50 K miles….
Wow....what a mixture of memories for you with your Vega! Glad you mostly had fun with it! Thanks for watching and for the fun comment! Hope you subscribed!
I had a brand new Vega in 1974, It was a very reliable car, never gave me any problems whatsoever, although I’m sure it’s In Chevy heaven now , by some miracle it’s still out there I would love to have it back
Thanks for watching and commenting David! We appreciate you sharing your fond memory and we'll keep our fingers crossed that you find your old Chevy alive and well someday!
Best hotrod ever
I remember in junior high, back in the late 70's, after school on a snowy day "Bumper Sliding" (look it up!...it was a thing back them in the midwest in the winter). At the nearby intersection, a bright yellow Vega pulled up and stopped. I snuck down behind it and grabbed the lower bumper. When the Vega took off, I was left crouched down holding part of the car in my hands! Needless to say the car was NOT made very well!
I can just picture that adventure! LOL! thanks for watching and sharing your memory!
Got one in Dec 71 when it first came out. My 1st car ! Fastback, 3 speed & pretty green. Totaled it almost exactly a year later before it started using oil. Went to college with the money. Couldn't downshift from 2nd to 1st without coming to a stop. Made cornering in small town interesting! Other than being underpowered I loved it. Did what I needed it to do.
Thanks Dennis! So glad you watched and shared your fun memory with us! Keep watching and you'll find other features you'll enjoy!
I remember the Chevrolet Vega too when growing up
Hopefully good memories! Thanks for the comment! Hope you subscribed for more fun!
The Vega was never sold in England but I like the proportions of the estate (“Kammback”); it reminds me of the Volvo P1800ES…
That's a good point. Thanks for watching and for the comment! Oh, and welcome to our ITCCT family from across the pond!
had a Vega gt hatchback. British racing green with a tan interior. stick shift. loved it! JDR
Very nice! These little cars really had a lot of people who loved them! Thanks for watching and sharing your memory Jim!
I have a 1976 Kammback with wood panels. Runs beautifully. Rested for 36 years in a barn. All original. When I drive it around I get the same comments as these comments.
Good for you! So glad to hear you are enjoying your Kammback. Keep ignoring all the negative and having fun with your very unique ride! Thanks for watching and commenting!
My friend and landlord had vega's both had to have engine work before warranty expired,Chevys lemon of the 70's.
A common experience, for sure. At least it was before the warranty expired! Thanks for sharing your memory!
I had a couple of 1972 Vega GTs, a 1975 Vega GT, a 1977 Monza (305 V8) and a Astre that I put the 1980 Monza V6 drivetrain in.
Alright! Love a Vega man! Thanks!
The 1974 kamback wagon with the woodgrain panels was given to me on my 16th birthday in 1976. The wagon was good for camping and carrying my stuff back and forth from home to college. I added gold tinted windows which made it cooler in the summer and private for making out in the back with my girlfriend. I added a 115v inverter and a pioneer home stereo in the back with 8" bookshelf speakers that sounded fantastic! My girlfriend also had a 1971 hatch back. It was cool cruising around together in our little Vegas. Mine had a bad cylinder that burned oil and required a valve job at 60000 miles. The original hone marks were still visible so the most likely problems was the rings were wearing down before the cylinder. The alunimum cylinders were imbeded with a hard diamond like compound. I did use Arco graphite in the engine which let me get around 93000 miles before the rear axle strut broke loose. Fortunately I was able to drive to the repair shop to have it rewelded. Never felt confident to drive on the highway after that and sold it in 1984 to a college couple who was happy to have a car around the campus for $400.
I recollection, I had lots of fun doing donuts in the snow,going on double dates,camping,skiing,looking at the stars in remote areas with my celestron c8 telescope,going to the beach and getting me to college and work. In retrospect, my little vega wagon was a pretty reliable first car.
Awesome memories with your little Vega wagons! Thanks for watching and sharing with us! So many people have great memories and stories to go with their Vega! Certainly, for whatever reason, good or bad, they invoke more stories than most cars. Thanks!
My first car I paid for was a 77 kamp back. It had a custom paint job. Dark brown, metal flake. Cosworth engine. Manual. It looked brand new when I drove it home!!!!! 4 years later, the timing belt broke.....locked the block up!!!! Young man who couldn't afford to fix he's own car !!!! Sad loss.
Thanks for watching and sharing your great memory! Did you see our feature on the Little Red Wagon Vega right before this one? Your car sounds like a really fun ride. Maybe you can get another one? Appreciate the comment!
Good article. My first car was a Vega.
Very cool! Thanks for watching and commenting!
One virtue was that it was easy to work under the hood, which was good because (used '75 wagon) it was always having things to work on. But it was practice for mechanical stuff and hacking around.
Agreed! Thanks for pointing out that positive!
great video, you have given so much info on this.
That is so nice to hear...thankyou! We just wanted to share the info. The Vega is one of those cars that has an interesting history whether folks had a good experience with one or not. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I git a 75 vega for my graduation gift it was used from my older cousin she got a newer car lol 😆 I loved it
Nice to hear a happy story this morning! Thanks for watching and hope you are now a subscriber!
@@IfThisCarCouldTalk yes sir thanks man look forward to good truth my uncle Earl worked in lordstown Ohio plant and lived in Atwater Ohio he got a new gm every 2 yrs lol 😆
I owned three Vegas. My main car was a '74 Spirit of America. I had a '76 GT that was rusted out. and a '73 with the original aluminum bore block and an Opel 4 speed. The Spirit had a backfire without the air cleaner assembly and the resulting fire wrecked most of the wiring and plastic in the engine compartment. The Rusted 76 had a rear swing arm pivot rust out and I had to use it as a parts car. The 73' needed a front end clip and engine and the '74 got all of the GT parts such as the dash, manifold & carb, Plastic, Air cleaner and A/c. I drove the 74' for eight years on the steel sleeved engine and never needed to open it up. The '73 drove for many years without issue. I sold both of them running at some point. The best part of the '73 was that front grille (which was wrecked when I bought it) . The Opel gearbox had a reverse gate shaft break on the spline(I had to weld it). The '74 post-fire was a fantastic car. I loved that ugly little white car with the blue vinyl roof.
Thanks for watching Guy and for leaving a comment about your Vega memories! It's sure nice to hear what great times (mostly) you had with yours and would have loved to see that '74! Hope you are now a subscriber!
Have a memory of a fellow worker stationed at Nellis AFB , LAS VEGAS. Owned a Vegw wagon and the cable that moves the clutch had broke and the only gear he had was 2nd. Watched him driving slow , in a circle, in a 7 11 parking lot while his wife was getting milk. The wife came out and timed getting back into tue car was perfect. A few days later the car was gone and was driving a 3/4 quarter ton pickup GMC. Stick shift. He owned land in Idaho and was planning a trip to his land. Decided to change the oil and drained the oil. He pulled two drain plugs......Filled the engine with oil and went on his trip. He made up and back to Vegas when his " tranny" siezed up. He had drained the tranny, not thinking..
Oops....what a great and "funny" memory Robert! Thanks for watching and sharing!
I loved the Vega!! It was my first car. I of course put a V8 in it. And many others. They are such a cute little car and the panel wagon was my favorite with the hatchback next. I hope I can find part one. I ended up having almost 50 Vegas. From 283sb up to 482bbc. Sure do like um even though they rust and the stock engine was not that good. Oh I did also put a Buick V6 in one also. Wow what memories!!! Thank you and God bless
Right on! Thanks for watching and sharing your Vega memories!
That millionth Vega wound up in my home town of Palmerton Pa
Have you seen it? It would be so cool to know it has been preserved. Thanks Harry!
I took my driver's test in my aunt's Vega, because it was small compared to my parent's Impalas
I was fortunate and blessed. My first car was a brand new '75 Vega. Subsequently, I had six more. None had engine issues. I did make sure fluids were topped off and changed earlier than scheduled. No rust and no engine issues. Great styling and it was pleasing to look at. I miss that car.
Thanks for sharing your very happy Vega memories! We appreciate you and hope you are a subscriber for more fun content! Share with everyone, too! Thanks so much for watching!
If they could talk, Vega, Pacer, and Gremlin would be singing 🎶”Scrap Me Now”🎶 in three part harmony.
LOL! But - don't scrap just rebuild better as a cool ride!
If the 75 Vega was finally reliable it would have been a success, if that had been the first model introduced, but five years of models before cemented its reputation.
Good point, Steve! Thanks for watching and commenting!
cool little cars
Thanks James! Appreciate all your comments!
vegas are so cool i think they are what they are
Thanks James. We agree and appreciate you watching and commenting!
In the early 80s I owned a Spirit of America Vega I bought it for 5o dollars it was totally rusted out and the motor was frozen .I took the complete white interior out and put it into my 1975 Vega the interior was spotless I droe that car until the late 80s until the car was totaled in an accident
I don't recall ever seeing one of those Spirit of America Vegas! Bet it looked cool, except for the rust, haha. Thanks for watching and for the fun comment!
Was getting them on the cheap, or free with like 70k. Change the head gasket and put another 70k on them.
Had my favorite parts I would keep like the power steering box, it was less than one full turn from full left to full right. And a small grant GT steering wheel.
I considered them like bic disposable lighters at the time, now want another but the price has gone up.
Also saw one of those millionth orange ones at pick and pull, and it was in better shape than mine. Dented front fender.
They handle great, I guess because of the weight distribution.
Good video, I now know they made 6500 of the one millionth one.
Great comment! Thanks for watching!
@@IfThisCarCouldTalk I remember now, I took the clock adjustment knob off of the orange one, great car. Thanx.
I saw for the first time the Vega in Havana, Cuba. It was a light blue model, hatchback three doors. The car showed up every morning to my high school to drop the owner’s daughter. If I recall well, it was the original model, probably a couple of years old. The owner was an American man who worked at the special interest US office in Havana at the time. That car was seen every day for three years, always running well. I got to school early just to see the car pull in the school’s parking lot, what a window into my horizon that was. Six years later I escaped Cuba in a boat, settled in Iowa City and shortly after I married a read hair woman (just like the girl dropped off at school in the blue Vega). I could not find a Vega in Iowa that was rust free, instead, I bought a Nova. My wife and I are celebrating our 40th anniversary this year, I thing we should go to Vegas for some fun.
Hello Jorge! Thanks for such a great comment and congratulations on your anniversary! Cars bring back so many memories and we here at ITCCT think yours is one of the best we've heard. Keep enjoying your Nova and maybe someday you'll find that blue Vega. Hope you are a subscriber and thanks for watching!
I took the turbocharged Vega to the drop strip and was able to pull off a 17 second quarter mile.
Very cool!
My dad had a 74 with a 305 in it. Scary fast but I loved it. Good times. I was àbout 8 or 9.
Thanks for sharing your fun memory with us Randy! We appreciate you watching and hope you subscribed for more fun!
At least most people have fond memories of the Vega while it ran, including me! I bought a kamback with a blown engine with less than 40k for $200.00, still in great shape. Dropped in a motor I traded for, and had a great time in in for a few years. But yeah, the guy I sold it to ended up having to add a quart every 100 miles.
LOL! Thanks for watching and for the great comment!
I bought a kammback gt in 71. It had larger tires and a 4 speed. I really liked it. I got about 60k miles and rather quickly went fill the oil, check the gas. Also by then the metal under the windshield had rotted out.
Thanks for watching Rich! We appreciate you sharing your Vega memories!
Back in 79 there was a blizzard that rolled through Illinois my Dad decided for some reason to turn his 74 Vega around in the front lawn and got it stuck and it's that there till the snow thawed
Well, hopefully it started right up and off the lawn then! Thanks for sharing such a fun family Vega memory!
My parents bought a new 74 Vega Gt orange w/black stripe black vinyl interior ordered with full gauge package A/C am/fm radio sport mirrors bumper impact strips automatic transmission They bought it from Sondag Chevrolet in DesPlaines Illinois a northwest suburb of Chicago they did their best to maintain that car but it was high maintenance by the fifth year it was a rust bucket even with the Ziebart rust treatment and it took a lot of oil to keep it going I think they actually squeezed 92 thousand miles out of that little car many many tuneups & brake jobs & batteries & exhausts & tires and patched up body work god only knows how much oil & gas & light bulbs & fuses & altrernators and A/C compressors and a gas tank & hoses & belts & spark plugs for what they spent on a cheap little economy car they could have had a new Lincoln or Cadillac maybe twice for crying out loud
Like many a story from other owners. People have had both good and bad experiences with this little Chevy. Thanks for sharing your memories with us!
5:10 Please correct me if I'm wrong, but this illustration looks more like the torque-arm suspension that was introduced with the Cosworth Vega for the 1976 model year, and was carried over into the Monza and the 1982 Camaro. It has 4 links if you count the torque-arm, but I believe the original 1971 suspension had 2 parallel lower links and 2 angled upper links.
I had a 74 Vega with a Turbo Hydra 250 automatic transmission. Rust everywhere. Replaced starter two dozen times. Overheated constantly. Replaced fuel pump four times (inside the gas tank). It was down six months out of the year. Weber carburetor leaked gasoline. Sharp metal in the seats burrowing into the lower back. Replaced the engine but it seized a year later. This is the stuff that comes to mind, but I still love that car! Put in a 5 speed transmission and a small block V-6, and I would drive it today!!
That's great and we really appreciate you sharing your memories with us! Thanks for watching!
My '71 wagon was perfect for me. Mustard colored, 2-speed automatic, I bought it for $700, drove it all the way to my marriage, sold it for $900. I used to take it deer hunting, laid the back seats down for the perfect sleeper in a perfect snowstorm.
Wow, that is a very cool memory! Thanks for watching and sharing. Haven't heard about anyone going hunting with one!
I remember seeing Vega after Vega with huge rust holes in the body. Aled to the rust was the pall of oil burning smoke many trailed behind them. The Vega was nicer looking than the Ointo but neither car was worth a fig.
Loved my 1974 Vega. Rear main oil seal was my only problem.easily fixed..
Great comment Steve! Thanks for watching. We appreciate you sharing your fun memories with your Vega! Hope you subscribed for more fun!
Yes, I remember my Vega. I loved the way it looked. The thing I hated about it was the two speed automatic. The brakes were mushy and the steering was vague.
So many people loved their Vega even with the downsides they experienced, just like you. Thanks Gerald for watching and commenting! Hope you find more cool stories you'll love!
My uncle had a black Vega wagon he put a 350 V8 in- it was the thing to do. 😊
That's right, Norm. That was a great car to have some fun with! Thanks for sharing your memory and for the great comment!
I had a 74 hatch with a gt package, it was ok , top speed was 70 ,needed a lot of fixing. rebuilt my AC electric fuel pump on the side of the road one Saturday, fun times.
Funny how it's not so much fun at the time but years go by and it becomes fun to reminisce. Thanks for the comment!!
I had a 73 vega wagon 4 speed from 75 to 77 . I liked it's looks and practicality . It was noisy and slow and very poorly made . It's fuel milage was ok for the time , but not great . The engine quit at 46000 miles , it was also rusting . Later on I had a 76 Datsun 710 , full of rust but much more dependable, and considerably more power .
Thanks for watching and sharing your memories! SO many people had a Vega and you rarely see them as survivors due to all the issues!
IT WOULD SAY, "I SHOULD HAVE HAD A V-8"❣️😜
Ahhh, imagine a 2023 Chevrolet Vega II. 😆
Hopefully they would put a little more effort into it - ;-) Thanks for watching and for the comment!
I had a new '71 & '74 hatchbacks. Both became oil burners at only 30,000 miles despite 3,000 mile oil changes, including Mobil 1 synthetic in the '74. I was too dumb at the time to know that Toyota was already building 400,000 mile capable engines & transmissions which the company continued to improve to the 600,000 mile level of durability by 1975.
Vega was clearly superior to the Toyotas, however, in four important other ways: 1) outstanding directional stability at highways speeds including during crosswinds. 2) superior seat comfort and the richness of interior furnishings. 3) superior ride comfort, 4) a quieter, lower rpm engine at highway speeds. Thus the Vega was a much more pleasant car to drive long distances.
Those are some great points and we really appreciate your info! Thanks for watching and for the great comment! Hope you are a subscriber now!
I always wanted a vega my mom had a 76 yellow with black interior miss that car
It's never too late, Dee! Thanks for watching and sharing your memory!
@If This Car Could Talk I appreciate that and youre welcome
My experience with the Vega was my crazy stepfather screaming like a lunatic because us kids got mud on his Presious Vega back seat. this guy was insane in so many other ways not just in his classic Vega obsession, he had reupholstered the entire interior in white leather go figure three kindergarten children might mess it up going to baseball practice, what was the freak thinking? He wasn't, he was a moron obsessed with holding onto his failed youth. even his biological children thought he was an idiot caring more for that damned car than getting off his ass and being a part of his family's life. so, as you can see, I don't have many loving memories of this car, don't get me wrong as an adult I think now that the Vega was one of the better cars American Auto industries put out in that sucky era.
On my, Jason...so sorry to hear about your youngster experiences with a Vega but very glad you watched this feature anyway. It sometimes amazes me how our memories from long ago can come flooding back when we see or hear something today. Best wishes to you and hope you find another feature video on here that will bring back wonderful memories for you!
Miss my astre woody wagon with black corduroy interior and roo l11 engine
Sounds like a cool wagon John! Thanks for watching and leaving a comment! Keep watching for more cool stuff!
I had a 1973 Kamback GT...Dunno if the 'likes' outweigh the 'dislikes'.
Today we think the "likes" have an advantage just due to the many ways of customizing that are possible. Thanks for watching Jerry!
I worked for an independent security company in Flint Michigan. We watched over the new cars driven from the factory about 1.5 miles away ready for transport. I worked 3 shift and had a 1973 Vega. in the winter I let it run all night. It would start missing on a cylinder and I would get out and change the # 3 plug in about 1 min! They must have known that the engine was going to use oil because they had an electric fuel pump that would shut off when it lost oil pressure.
That's a great and interesting memory! Must have been a lot of fun, especially through a Michigan winter! Thanks for sharing and please subscribe for more videos!
Had a '72 Vega hatchback. Suffered overheating coming back from the beach which led to engine failure. The block got sleeved and was a decent car until I slid into an intersection in the rain and got hit from the left. That car got totaled. Found a same year Vega with a blown engine but also had a 4-speed. Swapped the motor out of the wrecked one into the newish Vega, Now, that car was fun to drive...until I popped the clutch too hard and took out the tranny and the rear end. Eventually, the overheating problem returned and it was sold for scrap. Definitely a love/hate thing for the Vega.
Wow...thanks for sharing such an awesome memory of your two Vegas! The 4spd version must have been a blast! So many people have that love/hate relationship with them! Thanks for watching and hope you are now a subscriber to watch even more fun!
It’s nice to see an objective, factual report. I had a ‘72 hatchback and for it’s time I’d say the good far outweighed the bad. There were 4 of ‘em in our family over the years and yes, after 5 or 6 years they were ‘throwaway’ cars. But rust especially was common in cars of that era and true for the cheap Japanese cars as well as Vega/Pinto/Gremlin. Weakest feature was the engine, followed by the rust-prone body. But mine was fun to drive, handled great, and did everything I asked of it.
Thanks for watching Bill and thank you for the nice compliment on our feature! We try very hard to do accurate research and provide correct information! Even with the "haters" these cars have a strong following of folks like you who really appreciated them for what they were.
I remember how badly I wanted a Vega in high school.
Oh ya! I remember how badly I wanted an AMC Pacer! Memories of the old days. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Bought new a '73 Wagon with the "deluxe" vinyl wood grain. The vehicle ran great and was fun to drive.......until about 30k miles and the engine started using oil an blowing blue smoke. Oh well....live and learn.
Thanks for watching and sharing your great memory!
What about it's sister car, the Pontiac Astre? I have a '75 Astre with the usual mods, small block V-8, 700R4 trans and posi!
Thanks for watching George! Your Astre sounds very cool! Can't be very many of those around? Appreciate your comment!