Photo: ebay User: cshmmy123
We need not bore you with another diatribe about how the Chevy Vega was an unmitigated disaster vehicle for General Motors. But long story short, it's hard to market your cheap subcompact as a true car of the people when it's had more recalls than a Tesla autopilot system during a manic episode. The fact the rear axle had a habit of snapping off did little to help affairs. Who better to take a GM gilded turd and make it marginally acceptable than the American aftermarket?
Such is the case with this heavily modified 1971 Chevy Vega for sale out of Perrysburg, Ohio. On your first look around, there might not be too many clues to anything abnormal about the mechanical makeup of this old Vega. In its day, Vegas hit showroom floors sporting one of three different anemic four-cylinder engines, one of which was at least built and supplied by Cosworth. Never mind the Cossie engine ate through aluminum engine blocks like discount fast food ordered through a mobile app.
But we have better solutions these days to crank big power numbers out of a reasonably-sized engine. Say what you will about LS Swaps, but there's something about a thumping great American V8 that can legitimately fit in the engine bay that was never designed to accept an engine with six cylinders, let alone eight. Such is why LS engines are the eternal darling child of DIY engine swap gurus who want to make big power with an absolute bare minimum of fuss or hassle. To this effect, the 5.7-liter LS1 V8, out of a non-ZO6 C5 Corvette, is just about the perfect engine to turn this old Vega into a true-to-form restomod.
Using a set of custom-fabricated engine mounts, it's actually not all that difficult for LS to swap Chevrolet's most unfortunate attempt at an economy car in their century-plus on American roads. Other new items include a professionally rebuilt 4L60e transmission and a rear end borrowed from a similarly-aged Chevy Monza Spider. Additionally, the current owner states they have a brand new rack and pinion steering rack ready to install into the car as soon as a deal to buy it is cut. Add on a four-lug wheel to five-lug conversion with new disk brakes and a fresh tubular K member, and chances are good that this Vega is pretty fantastic to drive how it sits now.
Elsewhere, we find this old Vega's faired a bit better than most of its two million or so brethren that left the automotive zeitgeist as quickly as it appeared. With decent-looking paint, shiny chrome wheels, and a more-or-less complete interior, this is the kind of restomod you could buy and take on a road trip today if you chose.
Such is the case with this heavily modified 1971 Chevy Vega for sale out of Perrysburg, Ohio. On your first look around, there might not be too many clues to anything abnormal about the mechanical makeup of this old Vega. In its day, Vegas hit showroom floors sporting one of three different anemic four-cylinder engines, one of which was at least built and supplied by Cosworth. Never mind the Cossie engine ate through aluminum engine blocks like discount fast food ordered through a mobile app.
But we have better solutions these days to crank big power numbers out of a reasonably-sized engine. Say what you will about LS Swaps, but there's something about a thumping great American V8 that can legitimately fit in the engine bay that was never designed to accept an engine with six cylinders, let alone eight. Such is why LS engines are the eternal darling child of DIY engine swap gurus who want to make big power with an absolute bare minimum of fuss or hassle. To this effect, the 5.7-liter LS1 V8, out of a non-ZO6 C5 Corvette, is just about the perfect engine to turn this old Vega into a true-to-form restomod.
Using a set of custom-fabricated engine mounts, it's actually not all that difficult for LS to swap Chevrolet's most unfortunate attempt at an economy car in their century-plus on American roads. Other new items include a professionally rebuilt 4L60e transmission and a rear end borrowed from a similarly-aged Chevy Monza Spider. Additionally, the current owner states they have a brand new rack and pinion steering rack ready to install into the car as soon as a deal to buy it is cut. Add on a four-lug wheel to five-lug conversion with new disk brakes and a fresh tubular K member, and chances are good that this Vega is pretty fantastic to drive how it sits now.
Elsewhere, we find this old Vega's faired a bit better than most of its two million or so brethren that left the automotive zeitgeist as quickly as it appeared. With decent-looking paint, shiny chrome wheels, and a more-or-less complete interior, this is the kind of restomod you could buy and take on a road trip today if you chose.
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