U.S. Automotive History and the Chevy Vega 

My mom won a 1974 Vega in a little league baseball raffle. This gave her the freedom to get away from my father and complete her education.

I was one of the drivers in the 1975 60,000 miles in 60 day Vega endurance test. 3 shifts of drivers drove from Vegas to Beatty NV, into Death Valley, exited south of Furnace Creek and back again to Vegas, about 7.5 hours including a couple short breaks during the test...during the summer! The cars never cooled down for the 60 days. We were testing the endurance of the aluminum block engine. Even made a TV commercial during the test. Fun job!

I had a 72 Vega GT, 4 speed manual transmission that I loved. At 110k miles I replaced the short block with a factory steel sleaved short block. When I sold it, it had 230k miles and was still running strong.

In 1972 I bought a Vega. I changed the oil every 3,000 miles and when I got rid of it in 1975 because I got married and the wife wanted more room. I had NO problems or complaints. When I traded it in, I had 150,000 miles on it and burned 1/2 quart of oil between oil changes. I wish I could find such a vehicle today. The same year, my dad bought a 1972 Caprice and we got 5 miles from the dealer when the transmission fell out on the road. Give me a Vega any day!

"Check the gas, fill the oil" is what my Dad used to say about his Vega...

My father owned a 1976 Chevy Vega. The oil pan hung down below the skid plates. He put three oil pans in that car because the suspension was so terrible he kept bottoming it out on relatively well paved city streets.

I had a 76 Cosworth Vega. Really liked that car. But I knew going in the tendency to rust (think happy thoughts, a Vega will rust if you cry in it). I washed it weekly, even in winter (living in Atlanta helped). I took care it, and it never let me down. Sold it before I moved to Texas in 1978.

Still have my 72 Vega, gave $100 for it in 1992. Now has a 377 cid small block, th 350 trans, narrowed 9" with 4.86 gears. Body has all original sheet metal, no rust ever, only the windshield was replaced. 99 times out of a hundred, when I go to a car show or cruise night, I've got the only Vega there. Still see them on the drag strip a lot, very light car.

The Vega had the reputation of being the first car to rust on the showroom floor.

The Vega was the car where you said "Fillerup with oil and check the gas."

We bought one of the '76 models at a discount. It was actually a pretty good car for commuting. I took it over 100K miles with very few mechanical problems.

My father, an engineer, did all the research. Motor Trend Car of the Year, Consumer Reports Best Buy. He bought a ‘71 Vega. Damn that car. Passed on to me after college. I vowed I’d never again own an American made car. And I haven’t.

as a poor college student, it got me where i needed to go, saved me more money for uni living - cheers, my lil red vega)

In the beginning, 96% of the Vegas produced were still on the road, the rest made it home.

I'm 70 and have owned over 40 different vehicles. The used Vega I drove in 1981 was far and away the worst of them all. My kids probably have undiagnosed PTSD from all the breakdowns, the pulling over every 25 miles on long trips to put another quart of oil in and so on. Best day was when I sold it.

As a front suspension mechanic in the 70s, I became very familiar with the Vega, it had an issue with the chassis spreading at the point where the lower swing arm was adjusted, it would spread so much you couldn't adjust out the negative camber, thus causing tires to wear out faster than they should. There were a few aftermarket kits developed to try and resolve this but for the most part it only slowed the eventual failure. Moog even had special offset bushing to help reduce the problem. What is curious to me is the lack of coverage about this issue. Maybe eclipsed by all the others, but as a suspension mechanic it was often I had to tell the Vega owner the bad news.

In 1974 I was looking for a new car. I looked at the Chevy Vega because the price was $1,999. BUT(!), 2 speed wipers were optional, windows that rolled down were optional, high beams were optional, a cigarette lighter was optional, a glove box (iirc) was optional, a basic AM radio was optional. I passed on it then. 4 years later I was working in Waukegan, Illinois and needed a car while I was there. I was given a Checy Vega for free. It had 38K miles and had never been in an accident. The great thing about the Vega was that I could not lock my keys in the car. The *ENTIRE* outside skin of the doors, fenders and quarter-panels were rusted completely...GONE! To get into the car, you merely had to grab the rod and pull to gain access. I finally had to let it go when the floor pan was so rusted that the seat came loose and threatened to drop me onto the tollway. Also, the tires were flinging slush and road salt all over me through the non-existent fender well and my judge didn't like me covered in road %#&! while testifying in court every day. Not a good look!

Best looking small 70's car ever built....That was the dirty trick of it!

Well done! My first new car was a 1973 Chevy Vega. Within 5,000 miles, the engine burned a quart of oil per tank of gas. It (the entire engine) was replaced under warranty. I sold the car with only 30,000 miles on it. The person who purchased it worked at the same plant that I did and I occasionally saw the car coming in the main gate. Within a few years, the paint had worn off of the roof and there was rust all around the rear window. I would be very surprised it there were very many of these cars still in working order.

As a former Vega owner, I can attest to the great handling of the car. Vegas had interestingly wide tire rims that could accommodate 60 series in back and 70's in the front. It was amazingly stable at high speeds. One day I tested mine by putting my foot on the throttle and not letting up. The speedometer in the Vega only went up to 110 mph. However, not only did the needle get up to that, it passed it and vanished behind the dash! If only GM had used cast cylinder liners and done better rustproofing, as then it would have been a hit. By comparison, a later car I owned was a Pontiac Sunbird. It was really a twin to the Vega and had a Buick V-6 engine and was a road screamer. Alas, the same poor rustproofing plagued the Pontiac as well.

Chevy Vega: I was so bad some people think I nearly destroyed GM Cadillac Cimmaron: hold my beer

Mom and Dad bought one new. We attempted a family vacation to Disney World. Never made it back. Always wondered why we flew home. First plane trip ever thanks to that Vega.

I bought a well used '75 in '84 when I was in the Navy at NAS Miramar. We had a great auto hobby shop on base, and it lived there for a bit while I went through the engine, and shot a coat of Pennzoil yellow lacquer on it. Out of the Navy, back in IL/IA, took me back and forth to NAS Glenview for reserve duty. Loved that car!

My younger brother bought a Vega in1972 and babied it almost religiously and it actually never gave him any problems. It was yellow with a black interior and had a floor shift manual transmision.

I had a Vega, it taught me a lot about Bondo.

Ok, here is my absolutely honest experience with my 1975 Vega. 1st off, this is in Southern California, so rust was absolutely a non issue. I bought it in 1978 off a dealer lot for 1000 dollars, that included all fees. It had 40.000 miles on it, and an 8 track cheap stereo, and aluminum Mag wheels! It was my daily driver for 2 years, when in November of 1980 I bought my 1st brand new car a Toyota Celica. I was 21. I sold the Vega private party with just under 90.000 miles for 1500 dollars! And the guy I sold it was happy to get it. I put almost 50.000 miles on that car, and only repair was a busted clutch cable, and a new water pump. That was it. It was a 3 speed manual, and I drove it all over the place, including up into the mountains many times. I took good care of it, 3000 mile oil changes, a coolant flush once, tires, and 1 brake job. I kept it washed and waxed.. It never failed me, including a trip from home to visit family in Missouri. It didn't burn oil, got good MPG. It was light metallic green, and a beige interior. Now at 62, I've had many brand new cars, But when I think of that simple, no frills little Vega, it brings a smile to my face! 😊

I bought a 76 Vega with a 5 speed transmission and a slightly hopped up engine, had some Cosworth parts on it. The 5 speed needed rebuilding after about 10K miles but after that I put over 100K on the car and sold it for $600. It turned out to be a great car!

The family car of my childhood was the first 1971 Vega GT hatchback delivered to the Cincinnati market. The little car worked great for us. We even welded a hitch to the back to tow our 17' boat! I spent many happy hours playing in the hatchback on long family drives. The odometer broke at 180,000 miles, and we kept it another 3 years after that - until the thing finally rusted away in 1982.

The Vega was innovative, it was the first car made of compressed rust.

My dad had a '72 station wagon and in the early 80's I was told that would be mine. I didn't care, it was a car and freedom. I turned 16 in November and started driving to school, not caring what other people said. The day after Thanksgiving my dad told me we were going to find me a car. My grandfather was a retired mechanic and knew every used car dealer in Pensacola. He had found some to go look at. We wound up buying a 1970 Malibu, 307 V8 in mint condition. I asked my dad why he bought it. He told me "Because you never complained about driving that piece of shit Vega".

My auto shop teacher was able to get a brand new Vega from a local Chevrolet dealership that had the engine fail for nothing so that we could convert it to a V-8 powered car. We spent a couple of months doing the work. We were able to hone our skills and had a running car in around 4 months. It was a very fast car. Very reliable transportation.

I had a hatchback Vega in the 70’s as a work car for the steel mill in Gary, IN. It was a stick shift. One morning after working midnights a friend and myself were heading out of the mill. The viaduct tunnel under the railway was flooded with all of last night’s rain. Neither of us wanted to drive the two miles it would take to get around it. We drove that Vega with its RPM’s in the red and plunged in. Never stopping the forward roll water breached the windshield, the carpets started floating, that Vega was taking in water everywhere... we looked at each other in terror. As we started to ascend the tunnel we broke into laughter as all the water that entered the car seemed to have left. That was until we leveled out and all the water in the back of the hatchback came forward to awash us in a cold wave. That Vega was never any worse for the wear! True story out of the 70’s.

In 1984 a friend in high school had a 10 year old Vega GT wagon, we couldn’t drive home after school without adding oil to it, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Hadn’t thought of him or that car in years. Thanks History Guy for making me laugh with nostalgia.

“I was part of a GM experiment “ is the free T-shirt all of us unfortunate Vega owners should receive!

My mom had a '71 Vega Wagon and we loved this car!

I had always thought they looked kind of sporty, but I once read something to the effect that, "the Vega brought new meaning to the word 'depreciation' by rusting on the showroom floor."

It was my first car, I loved it. Two months later, I wasn't quite as happy about the blown head gasket or the transmission that was slipping. Yes, I raised such hell at the dealership that they gave a choice of a replacement vehicle... My new Plymouth Valiant Duster was awesome...

1973 Vega GT was my first car. It almost made me reconsider being a car owner.

I had a Vega way back when and got 120,000 miles on it. The car exceeded my expectations.

Vega Veteran, New Orleans chapter here. I had a '72 miniwagon, drove it to my commuter college from 1977 to about 1981. My dad worked on tugs & supply boats. The oil burning got so bad that he'd come home with gallons of waste oil from the shipyards in gallon jugs. I'd just pour some in every week. I had school friends who lived in New Orleans East. When I drove over what we call the Highrise, a plug would inevitably get fouled and I'd lose acceleration. Yes, I kept spare plugs and a wrench. This experience made me swear that my children would always have safe, reliable cars when the time came.

Back then all GM vehicles were rusting at the dealership...brand new. I know, I used to work there.

A friend of mine worked at the Lordstown plant and owned a Vega. A few years into his ownership, he was waxing it ,and his hand went partially through the body. He concluded that the Vega was bio-degradable.

U mean the same guy that does the best WW2 content also covers Auto history too? Where have I been? This is great!!

Vega was my first car. It had a maroon exterior and a tan interior. No AC ( and I live in the deep south) , AM Radio, 4 speed stick shift and I loved it! I am not sure of the year, but probably a 1975. I thought I had upgraded when I installed an 8 track player! Never had any trouble out of it . When I think about that car, it reminds me of simpler times in my life and oh how I wish I could go back!

Glad my first car was a Pinto. They just burst into flames when rear ended. My parents must've really loved me, sigh

My dad had a Vega in 1979 and when he would turn off the ignition, even with the key out the switch, the engine would keep running. We had time to walk in the house, and finally about 30 seconds later, the engine would stop. To this day, it’s one of my favorite “we had a crappy-car” stories. :)

I am an avid follower of your channel. I am only getting around to watching this video. Boy, I am glad i did! When I was a teenager my brother's first car was a brand new 1974 Vega. He spent 3 years cursing that car for the non-stop breakdowns and repairs. I never saw him as happy as the day he sold that rusted out shell of a car. His joy was short lived, however, as his next car was a Mustang II. The car that almost killed the Mustang.

I worked mainly on Vegas from 77 to 80 in a chevy dealership. Once you replaced the engine with the warranty chevy steel sleeved motor, there was no problem with them

I've often thought automotive 'journalists' were highly susceptible to the Long Liquid Lunch and 'entertainment'.

My dad had a Vega as a company car. Great mileage but I remember him remarking about his losing a few sales as clients got in it and remarked that the company must be having financial troubles. LOL! He shared that with his boss and they sold them all and went back to Chrysler New Yorkers.

My 1st new car was a '73 Vega Hatchback with a 4 speed manual transmission. I was in the Navy and stationed about 350 miles from home. My grandparents decided I needed a dependable new car for trips back and forth, and just generally getting around so they took me to the dealerships and my grandfather even cosigned the loan for me. Drove it for 5 years with no problems until a hose broke one day on a trip. Damn good gas mileage for the time (30-33 mpg on the highway, best trip was 38 mpg).

I bought my ’74 Vega in ’76 when I was home on leave from the Navy. I bought it used in Wisconsin and drove it to San Angelo, Texas for the next phase of my training. It was a great car to drive, but less than 15 miles from home, the chrome-colored plastic trim on the right-side rain gutter started flapping in the wind. Duct tape to the rescue, until I reached my destination and could epoxy it back in place. The rest of the trip, and time in Texas was great. A comfortable car to drive, and sporty enough looking for a 19-year-old. After Texas, another trip to Wisconsin, then to my permanent station in Homestead, Florida. Again, driving those distances was a dream. No engine issues driving from sun-up to well past sun-down. I arrived at my base in south Florida, less than mile from the ocean, and a couple months later, spent my first winter on temporary assignment down the road in Key West, literally feet from the ocean. Ocean, as in salt water, salt spray, and rusting Vega. Years later someone tried to tell me it was the 2 years up north that caused the rust, but road salt rust occurs in places like wheel wells, and the bottom of the car. My Vega rust (and it was very noticeable on a white car), was the air vent below the windshield, eventually causing rainwater to leak into the cabin by way of the radio. Rainwater running down the back hatch would drain down the back of the Vega above the brake lights, until the rust surrounded the lights. But the death knell came when my Navy work site put in speed bumps. The Vega engine sat so low that they put in steel X plate under it to protect it, but the constant banging on the speed bumps eventually messed up the transmission and I had to get rid of it… before I was even finished paying for it. But it was my first car so I do have fond feelings for it (and blame Florida for being near saltwater, and the Navy for concrete speed bumps). I found a die-cast version of the ’74 Vega on eBay so I’ll always have my first car with me.

When I was in high school, there was a guy that stuffed a small block V8 into one of these. It was crazy fast. One night he showed up at the local hangout and we saw that the firewall had become separated from the cowl. He literally twisted his car in half. Fun times.

I thought my dad was a gear head by choice but the ownership of his Chevy Vega now makes me think otherwise lol. Rip poppy

I had a brand new 1974 Vega GT. It really was a great car and it did have great handling. I loved it on the curves. It was a hatchback and I made great use of it. It wasn't until I'd owned it for about two years that it began to burn oil. That's when I found out that was a known problem with these cars. So I always carried extra oil with me and I kept that car for another three years before trading it in on a Celica GT, a car I'd actually wanted when I bought the Vega, but the Celicas were about a grand more at the time.

Dear History Guy, As a young man in 1973 I owned a Vega and traded it back to GM in less than a year. I did not experience the problems you mentioned but the one I experienced was what convinced me to get rid of the car. Some my say it was a small thing and it may have been but I hated it. The problem I had with the Vega was that after a rainfall the water on the highway would come up between the gaps on each of the hood and splatter onto the windshield right in your line of vision. So I traded it in so I missed all of those REAL problems that were coming. Boy, am I glad. Thanks for the video.

The 140 cu in aluminum in-line 4 was a POS. I used to go to K-mart to buy oil by the gallon to keep oil in it. Bright side is you never needed to change the oil because every 50-100 miles you needed to add a quart. We used to refer to them as 2-strokes.

In 79, my wife was talking to her sister on the phone. When asked "what are you two doing today?" she answered "We're sitting on the front porch and listening to our Vega rust."

I owned a 1971 Vega Hatchback, green in color with a 4-speed and 2-barrel carb. Bought it for $2400. Kept it till the water pump went out in 1975 while driving through the Portsmouth, VA tunnel to Norfolk. The mechanic said the aluminum engine warped and the piston rings couldn't keep the oil inside. I did fender work to cut out the rust and patch the fenders and LOVED the 4-speed and had fun with it when the muffler fell off from rust. That was a FUNNY final quote!!

I bought a Chevy Vega station wagon new in 1975. It came with a 5 year 60,000 mile warranty. I drove it many years and my daughter started driving it when it had about 80k miles on it. I never had any problems with it. I just put one battery, one set of brakes in it. My daughter drove it and then gave it back to me because her friends made fun of her car. It was running when I parked it with 172k miles on it. It never burned oil, and was great on gas and still was fast! The machining process of silicon impregnated cylinder walls was copied by Porsche. The only problem earlier Vegas had was if it lost just a small amount of radiator water, it would overheat. So in '75, they put a much bigger radiator in them and they never had that problem again. I still have it stored and is in great shape for never being in an accident.

I loved my Vega! It was my college car, dependable, economical and fun to drive, great on curvy roads though not much top end. I may have had the exception, but I remember it fondly :)

My sister had,a Vega , never a lick of trouble , bought new , drove it for more than 10 years , sold it to another college girl, last we heard was still going strong , so not all of them had problems,, thanks for memories , from history deserving of being remembered, this one was definitely in the “ 5 percent “ thank you History Guy

I'm too late for that era but i DO remember those cars being on the road and causing problems as a young child in the early 90s..... Just a memory I may not share with many, but just like the history guy says, its history that deserves to be remembered... Even IF not most remember it....

I had a 1974 Vega when I was in the Air Force. I loved that car. I went thru I290 at 115 mph and thru NYC at that speed too! The car had the most comfortable seats I ever sat in. I was sad to see that car go away!!

Best quote on the Vega, “customers lost confidence in a car that began to rust on the showroom floor.”

I joined the Air Force in September of 72'. When I finished with my school, my first base was in Austin, Texas. I wanted a Vega GT so bad, I could taste it. But thankfully I ended up buying a VW Super Beetle. And boy am I glad. The Vega was well known for the oil burning and oil dropping. And My VW was a dream to drive. They almost got me!!!

My wife and I bought a 1972 Vega GT in 1975. We enjoyed the car very much, no problems like you’re talking about, had to trade it in for a bigger car so babies would fit. The after market people were making kits to swap a small block Chevy V-8 into the Vega, which was great as long as you up graded the trans, brakes, suspension & reared. I got to drive one that a neighbor had, it was a blast to drive. Thanks for the history lesson

The first car owned by the girl to become my wife. Yes, her Vega caused lots of problems as she often drove the 200 or so mile one-way trip to college. However, given the fact that the dealer who sold it to her daddy was his first cousin, they were always repaired at no cost, regardless of where she broke down.

When it was turned into a hot rod after the production died, it became an icon for drag racing and high school hot rods

The Vega has a great frontal crash rating… The tow truck usually absorbs most of the impact.

In 1971 I bought a brand new Pinto. My friend bought a brand new 1971 Vega, which I told him NOT to buy because of the aluminum cast engine...he said, "That's the latest technology. It will be great." Thankfully I was never rear-ended in the Pinto, otherwise I wouldn't be here to write this...anyway...My pinto lasted 4 years (then I traded it in for another car) without one problem. I changed the oil every 3,000 miles, checked the spark plugs and distributor cap every 10,000 miles. Changed the spark plug wires and distributor cap every 20,000. Plus I kept the carburetor very clean. With 55,000 miles on it, I traded it for a new car in 1975. My friend's Vega was not so lucky. He, like me, took care of his car...but after only about 6,000 miles the engine started over heating. We both lived in San Diego so winter wasn't an issue. At 13,000, the Vega engine seized; overheated and locked right up...it was 1,000 miles out of warranty. Fortunately he had taken the Vega into the dealership and had a long record of engine over heating problems. And much to his surprise (GM would never do this today) GM sent the dealership a new engine and paid for the installation. But, it was another aluminum cast engine. So my friend, since the car looked brand new, worked a deal with the dealership (the owner of the dealership was good friends with my friend's father) and did an even trade for a used '67 Impala SS. He drove that '67 (it had 23,000 miles on it when he got it) for years and years. Of course he meticulously took care of it, nevertheless, engines in the 60s, if you took care of them, lasted a long time...not so with the Vega engines.

My girlfriend now wife bought one at a auto auction in 1978, it was a 1975 maroon Hatchback. It looked good and it also ran well. She got it for around $700. My brothers gave me crap about it but like I said it rain well till she was hit and it was totaled a few years later. She received over a grand for it. Win Win on that Vega!

My family had one of these. A yellow two door. It was a heap of junk. I remember whenever mom would hit the brakes, you would hear water whooshing forward inside the chassis. This was Louisiana, rarely a week passes without rain, so the car never fully dried out. It was always a little waterlogged like an old galleon. This car was purchased new by the way. Yes I am from teh 70's. My mom was pretty proud when she drove it home. Her first new car! It eventually blew up on us in third grade. A Sister at the Catholic school was talking to my mom after school. Telling her how I was a trouble maker and never paid attention, probably headed straight to hell... then Boom! Someone had crashed into our Vega going about 20 miles an hour and the gas tank blew up like WW II. I thought it was cool because of giant explosions well known appeal to 9 year old boys. But also because I knew this erased my horrible scholastic behavior from my mom's mind. We actually went out for dinner. The next day the sister was very nice to me. Moral of the story, The Vega is a bad car for everyone except 9 years olds.

This video is incredibly accurate about the Vega and the corporate thinking that was going on at the time at GM. I lived through the Vega fiasco. It spread to all the GM brands. Chrysler made the best engineered and reliable cars of all. Then 1957 came and Chrysler was no longer run by engineers. They retired. The accounting department ran the company until their 1980 bankruptcy. Their cars were the worst . Every corner was cut to save a dime at the expense of quality. What was missing in your Vega story the great engineer and chairman of the board ED Cole retired in 1970. The company like Chrysler was now being run by accountants. Roger Smith who by 1976 had had the company under is total control was an accountant who knew nothing about manufacturing, design or engineering. He single handedly destroyed the car giant.

In 1976 I owned a '73 Impala 4dr; came down on orders to Europe so I traded it in for a '75 Vega GT 4spd thinking it would be better for secondary roads in Europe. Loved that Vega; it took me all over Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and The Netherlands never letting me down-wish I had it today!

The Corvair or Monza, of the 1960’s was one of the best cars ever built by Chevrolet.

One of my friends in college had one of these. He did not change the oil because it burned it so fast. He just added more.

my dad and I restored a 1973 Vega we put in a Buick v6. Once you fix all the issues its a very nice car with allot of power.

I had several Vegas. I actually enjoyed driving them, my last one was a 1976 Pontiac Astre stationwagon. I bought it with a bad engine, replaced that, then a year later, the transmission went out. I came across a 1979 Chevy Monza stationwagon with a V6 that had been wrecked. It only had 33K miles on it, I removed EVERYTHING from the Monza and put it into my Astre. So, for several years I had a 76 Pontiac Astre station wagon with a V6. It ran great.

A little late viewing this video. Having grown up during that era, everyone knew someone that had a Vega abandoned in their driveway. The engine issues were infamous. Never-the-less, I always thought, for a compact, that the Vega was a stylish car. It's no wonder that so many were converted into small block Chevy powered cars. Where I grew up, engine life took out these cars before rust ever did. Fifty years on, though, and rusted hulks are what you'll find today. Thanks for the video...well done!

I had some of my best walks when I had one of these cars.

Thanks for the blast from the past. As a teenager, the Vega was my first car, and it was brand new at that, because of its affordability. Most kids had their dad's old cast-off clunker. I had that brand new car the same month that I got my driver's licence. I saved money for two years at odd jobs. Of course, I took a lot of ribbing because it was a small car and those were the days when your manhood was judged by the horsepower of your muscle car. The car lasted almost eight years, requiring only one engine transplant because of warping of the aluminum block, but GM paid for that. It was zippy (had a manual transmission) and luckily mine didn't have a lot of other quality issues. The most notable was that it couldn't take cold weather and regularly needed to be towed to a heated garage to get it to start. I had the clutch cable snap as well, and that was a bummer. I started the car, and went to put it in gear, and the clutch went to the floor and stayed there. As it got older, you pulled into a full service gas station and said "Fill up the oil and check the gas". I loved the car. It gave me freedom as a teenager when many of my friends and peers didn't have transportation. I was quite popular because of my Vega. My girlfriend destroyed it in a collision. Thanks for this trip down memory lane. I still have the owners manual, and it is one of the most treasured books in my library.

Dear Mr. History Guy: this is a comment on subjects you might be interested in doing: I think the European and American graffiti along the railroads that were left behind during the Great Depression and have been kept clean and bright that are easily seen passing as a cab view train ride video goes along, is a history that deserves to be remembered.

Laugh if you want to -- I still have mine, after 50 years and I love her as much as I did back then. 2 BBL Holley, 4 Speed Saginaw transmission, Positraction, Koni Shocks, Sway Bars front and rear, Red Line (woohoo!!) tires, I changed the oil every 2K miles, took her halfway apart every 4 years and derusted, Fiberglassed if needed, painted inside the fenders and door panels, rocker panels, and other interior body parts with Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer, and waxed her body to a beautiful shine - I loved and still love that car. I put 99K miles on her - at 45K I had her engine sleeved (gained 5 hp, needed hotter wires and hotter spark plugs plus a 40K Accel coil.), I did most of the maintenance work on her including adding instrumentation - and WOW -- she was and still is my love.

Car and Driver: "The Chevy Vega is the best economy sedan for three years running!" Chevy: "To be clear, we never actually said a Vega would run for three years."

My first car was an 18 year old 76 Vega. I loved it, even though it was a bit of a junket. Thanks for the walk down memory lane!

My parents bought a new 1974 Vega Estate wagon (artificial wood paneling and all) for my mom to drive. She loved it because it was easy to drive. When the engine was cold, it needed two attempts to start it but it always started on the second try. They ended up selling it after a few years. By strange happenstance the buyer’s daughter had occasion to drive it to our house one evening. By the time she left the engine was cold. It made my dad giggle when it took two attempts to get it started 😉

Had a 71 Vega. Great at high speeds and almost impossible to get stuck in the snow. Really loved it. Fantastic handling. Did my own repairs at the time and only gave up on it when I pulled the head and saw cylinder scorch marks. Got well over 100k miles on ti.

I had a '74 Vega GT. I was popular at outdoor parties, as I could let it run for about 15 minutes after I got there, and the clouds of burning oil fumes would keep mosquitoes away for hours.

40 mpg on the highway, they must have been talking about the oil consumption.

Really need a History Guy Ford pinto... this is used in law school as an case study and deserves to be remembered. You Rock!

The coolest thing about the Vega was that JC Whitney sold a motor mount conversion kit to mount a 350 GM engine in it.:-)

Had a 72 Vega in the family for several years. Never an issue. Was absolutely great! Slow, but great!

Vegas were already showing rust new on the dealer lots. The siliconized cylinder walls provided the hand grenade engine!

In the early to mid 80s I owned two used Vegas. The first was a 72 that I paid $400 for. After un-repairable body damage due to an accident I bought the 74 for $600. I lived in Southern California, so rust was not a problem. Both cars served me well and were reliable. Pretty good on gas, too. Owning these cars was a good experience and saved me money while I attended trade school. The 74 was still running good when I sold it.

My first car was a 1975 Monza hatchback . It was a manual 4 speed. No ac, no power steering. The engine was a very under powered 4 cyl. The doors were so heavy they would drop and inch when you open the doors and you had to slam them to get them shut (a common problem with Monza's). It got me through my last 2 years of High School and 4 years of college. I sold it after I got my first job out of college and bought a 1987 Celica GT.

I worked as an apprentice mechanic in a local Chevy dealership from 1972-1975. I quickly became the Vega Man because older, wiser mechanics realized quickly what a loser it was. I could spend hours telling you how bad it was but just believe me there is a reason that you do not see any engines today with aluminum cylinder blocks and cast iron heads. IF they had reversed that it MIGHT have worked but IF that engine got anywhere near hot ONE TIME it was done. The top of the cylinders were not tied together with anything, the four cylinders are standing alone. It COULD have been a great design but it was an absolute disaster and it hurt GM more than the ill fated corvair ever did

I used to work in a machine shop rebuilding engines. I remember these engines coming in. We actually sleeved them with sleeves for 9n ford tractors. Most customers that had a vega would have a 350 chevy built to install for racing

I had a 1973 GT hatchback, 4-sp manual. Loved it. Drove it from MI to FL non-stop in July. Lots of cars stopped along the expressway from overheating, but mine went on without issue. I didn't have A/C, which surely helped the car, even if I was sweating. For its day, it handled better than almost anything on the roads - far better than any Pinto, Gremlin, Corolla or Beetle. I think it would do 103 mph flat out, given enough road, which was fast in those days. Yes, the engine was loud and rough - a 2.4 4-cyl, with no balance shafts. But it ran well.

My dad bought a 73 from his company with a blown motor. He had a 76 motor instslled. It ran trouble free for years and ended up being my first car in 1985. The later steel sleeved motor was a vast improvement. I sold it in 1987 and I saw it on the road 5 years after that.