LS1 Restomod: 1971 Chevrolet Vega
Chevrolet joined the subcompact car movement in 1971 with the all-new Vega. A lot of planning went into the development of the automobile, but some glitches in execution prevented it from being one of General Motors’ biggest success stories. Their aluminum engines tended to overheat and warp, and premature corrosion limited their longevity. The seller’s first-year Vega has managed to escape those issues, thanks in part to an upgrade to an LS1 V8 engine. This beauty is in Perrysburg, Ohio, and is available here on eBay, where $11,700 is not enough to crack the seller’s reserve.
Between 1971 and 1977, Chevrolet built more than two million Vega automobiles, which would later spawn the Monza, a sportier subcompact. The hatchback would be its biggest seller, accounting for 60% of deliveries over the duration. The rest comprised the notchback coupe, the Kammback wagon, a panel delivery (based on the Kammback), and the limited-edition Cosworth. Chevrolet would eventually right the wrongs from the early years and the later Vegas were better cars, but by then Chevy was ready to move on to the more conventional (and boring) Chevette.
The seller’s 1971 Vega only has 26,000 miles and has been well cared for. The body looks rock solid, and the black paint is likely a more recent respray that presents well. The interior has been updated with newer upholstery and the addition of a console from a ‘67 Chevelle, which we’re told fits like a glove. A set of speakers resides in the rear, no doubt providing tunes from a stereo system rather than an old AM radio. The wheels have been converted from four to five lug nuts and other rims added.
When you open the hood, you’ll find an LS1 engine (in tight quarters), offered in the Corvette from 1997 to 2004. It’s been rebuilt, as has the 4L60E automatic transmission with which it’s been paired. The rear end was sourced from a Chevy Monza Spider and has 3:42 gears, and the brakes and tires are new (no mention is made if the brakes were all converted to discs). A tubular K-member was recently welded into the sub-frame (for greater stability?), and a new rack and pinion steering set goes with the car for the seller to install.
This Vega is far better than what Chevrolet would have built five decades ago. And no longer an econobox. The seller has owned it for about three years, and it’s been turning up at various car shows. There’s no mention as to why it’s on the auction block, but if you’ve been wanting a Vega, this might be the one to have (except maybe for a genuine Cosworth). Yes, I said, wanting to own a Vega.
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Comments
Some people just insist on keeping the holocaust of the automotive world alive
Have you owned one?
This is about as good as it gets from a Vega. I’d rather have this than a Cosworth
I considered a V8 swap in my ’71 notchback (first car), but was talked out of it by my best friend’s Dad, who was on Junior Johnson’s crew in his early days… he said I’d have a car that went ‘real fast in a straight line,’ but wouldn’t handle well. I ended up doing a 3.8l Buick even-fire, which was only 40lb. heaver than the stock engine – went like stink and still handled well, too.
For a few years before I retired, I owned Cosworth Vega #2196, which had been set up by the PO for autocross. He’d rebuilt the engine with dual Webers, and it was probably making around 150HP. It rode harshly due to lowered racing springs, but handled like it was on rails and easily steered with the throttle on the track. Fun car!
I’d be hard-pressed to pick my favorite of the two – they each had unique qualities that were fun in their own way.
Oh, I ended up putting the ~300HP SBC originally intended for the notchback in my ’66 Tempest. That was another fun ride.
Vega was originally intended to be offered with a V8 (early units had dual exhaust reliefs in the transmission crossmember), but that plan was scrapped in lieu of both the Cosworth project and the ultimately-stillborn GM rotary engine.
The offered car would certainly be fun, and I wouldn’t say “no,” were I in the market! GLWS!
The LS engines are a different breed. They’re all aluminum and 100 lbs lighter than your old SBC. This LS1 is only 60 lbs heavier than your iron block 3.8 but has 350 HP which is probably double that of a NA 3.8. And you could get this car to handle if you wanted to.
A V8 back in the day was a big brick laying out front and did nothing for performance in corners with a little car like this. Today’s LS motors aren’t the lead weights and might be a few pounds heavier but not much.
I’ll take the HP and tiny weight gain
A Cosworth would cost more moneyy though, if you could find one!!
Cosworths show up here all the time
I’d rather have a root canal
I have had a few root canals, they are worse than driving a 71 Pinto Wagon full of 8 year olds.
But still better than driving a Vega
That’s quite the analogy!!!
In the past, I owned a 71 Pinto wagon. With it, I have hauled my rather large bass amp to many gigs, various kegs, drunken college girls and friends, but never 8 year olds. Great car.
They’re better than driving anything full of 8 yr olds.
This is probably the best ride in the amusement park with the LS up front. As terror inducing as my friend’s built 351 in his 78 Mach 1 back in the 80’s.
Back in late 73, I was chasing my brother in his 240 Z, I, in a 66 Mustang with a 351 Cleveland. We were going well over the posted speed, when we were passed by a Vega, we caught up at close to 120. The Vega pulled away, like we were at a stop light. Do not know if it was a 327 or 350 or something larger. never got close enough. Pretty impressive at the time.
I love Vega’s. I have had 2. Both were hatch backs and 4 spd. My first one, I had the carb changed to a 2 barrels. I miss both those cars. My younger sister had 2 different Vegas. The one she owned in Calif was a 2 dr wagon, it had a V8 under the hood.
I wish there was more info on the drive line. I know that the monza rear end
Has a torque tube/channel, , I’d like to see pictures of the chassis. I think its sick! I love it.
What’s not to like here and no doubt worth more so I’m thinking a good deal could be had! This is a muscle car in my book that provides daily driving excitement with a bullet proof package.
The Vega was a truly awful car, especially the pre-1976 ones. The early ones started rusting before they were even sold, and many of the engines failed by the time they had 50K miles on them.
This one is interesting, though. It would have a power-to-weight ratio similar to an ICBM.
A guy named Justin Kill sells prefabed tubular K members , rack and pinion, A arms for these cars. All bolt in.
No doubt the car had reliability issues but my experience was entirely different. Two of my close high school buddies each had a 1975 Vega, one a deep blue wagon, the other a red hatchback. Both were GTs. Great looking cars for the time. Those lunatics both drove the stink out of them without major problems. They were also pretty quick compared to most cars on the road and were sprightly handlers. I was in a ’69 Camaro SS in HS and look back fondly at all these era cars.
Good swap wrong car, seen one cruising Des Moines Iowa loop 1 night Popping wheelies like nothing, driver laughing like a maniac.
Their death traps thru & thru, that thin sheet metal barely holds together.
Massive understeer from frt heavy geometry.
A drag strip only ride w/proper cage.
Back in the late 70’s a friend from high school built a small block Vega 4 speed he keep twisting the body and cracking the windshield he went through a couple of bodies before putting a full chassis under it.
My Vega is for straight line racing. A 400 small block slightly built. Tubbed full frame. A 5.38 Dana 60, turbo 400 with a 3500 stahl. Full cage (street friendly) and with slicks can run 7.0. in the eighth. A full steel body (solid) the only fiberglass on this car is the old school hood with snorkel scope. Wheelie bars are on board as well. And the car will ride them when the slicks are on. This is a street and strip car that is super fun cruising or in competition. I have a 71 Corvette as well. Slightly built. And with a rack conversion. Handles like a dream and performs really well.
I believe I saw a picture of a bunch of these standing veritically waiting to be loaded onto a ship.
Given how similar the front is to a 2nd gen Cumarrow, a set of split bumpers would look pretty sharp.
I seem to remember it was how they were shipped by railcar when they were brand new.
Yeah, I think you’re correct now that you say that.
and a new rack and pinion steering set goes with the car for the seller to install.
– yeah, good luck with that! That motor is packed there pretty tightly, hopefully you have some room for that mod – but the motor is going to have to come out and some creative engineering will be required…
I had 2, both were gt’s. One street with 400sbc/350 auto and one strip 454/Glide. Strip car ran 9.35’s in 1983 citris nationals. Never took my street car to the track but should have been in the high 10’s. No rust on either car
“Some glitches”
because the baby was aborted, it didn’t get into Harvard
that is really minimizing the worst executed product in US industrial history
The body, made of recycled steel that was already resting at fabrication, could not be rustproof
The engine is a lesson, and how cost-cutting destroyed general motors
and every other component was made so cheaply that it was repellent to consumers.
Ever driven a Renault Encore? Now that’s repellent.
The worst thing about the Vega, excepting the horrible engine, was the lack of structural integrity. I couldn’t believe how bad they were until I went on a road test in one and went over some railroad crossing and the driver’s door flew open. This was a new car. Loved the looks of the fastback. Maybe with a lot of mig welding on all the seams and some frame connectors, you might get it stiff enough to get the job done? Nice conversion with an excellent engine choice…
I had a 1972 Brown hatchback with white stripe down the center of the car front thru top & back, -auto, air bought it for $2250.00 1 year old with 22 k, miles, my buddy and I were in Denver Colorado and he broke down in his Chevy truck! I came over to where he was and pulled this truck home with my Vega with a four cylinder and no special equipment to drive home with just a pulley to connect the truck to the car 🚗 to! 35 minutes later and 22 miles we were home!! Great power & fun car! Lots of power and fun to drive! Ran for another year someone hit it on the street at night smatched the right side, only had liability insurance so junked it for 599.00. O well. Was a great fun car.
A guy named Justin Kill sells prefabed tubular K members , rack and pinion, A arms for these cars. All bolt in.