1976 Chevrolet.... Vega

[great white]

I like it.

But then again, I've always liked the lunchboxes that could take a v8 like vegas, monzas, pintos, chevettes, mustang II's etc.

They look like nothing, but can really haul the mail when built right. Well, in a straight line that is.

Unfortunately, finding a 70's-80's econobox in Canada that isn't a useless rusted mess below the belt line is like finding a 4 leaf clover.



Seems pointless to load up the trailer and drive far south to pick up something like a monza or pinto. Just doesn't seem worth it when I can tube frame a decent front driver body and go faster in a straight line or around corners.

Still, like them overpowered 70's econoboxes. Makes me feel nostalgic.....

 

[BoxerPitMix]

Love this build been watching for updates since it was started!

I noticed you said the original steering wheel was sticky.. I've ran into that a few times. On my 79 Chevy pickup it was gooey and sticky... IIRC it was on a yota forum I found the idea of using 3M Prep Solvent-70 on it. After that, it was good as new!

 

[IOWNJUNK]

Wouldn't mind seeing pics of the headers before you throw paint at them.

 

[shortchevy]

Wouldn't mind seeing pics of the headers before you throw paint at them.

I will snap one for you, they are not the prettiest, thats why I am wrapping them. I am just mig welding them, I would tig them but since I made them out of old headers that I cut up there are lots of gaps and uneven joints that wouldnt agree with tig welding.

Love this build been watching for updates since it was started!

I noticed you said the original steering wheel was sticky.. I've ran into that a few times. On my 79 Chevy pickup it was gooey and sticky... IIRC it was on a yota forum I found the idea of using 3M Prep Solvent-70 on it. After that, it was good as new!

Thanks for the tip! I will give that a try for sure! We do spray-in bed liners at my shop so im sure there is something similar.

 

[IOWNJUNK]

I will snap one for you, they are not the prettiest, thats why I am wrapping them. I am just mig welding them, I would tig them but since I made them out of old headers that I cut up there are lots of gaps and uneven joints that wouldnt agree with tig welding.

No factory headers can match the looks of a set that have been welded together. They go nicely with a set of fabricated valve covers

 

[thz71]

I would like to build somthin like this some day ultimate sleeper!

 

[shortchevy]

Update for the weekend.

I painted 2 of my wheels and mounted up some really nice 13" tires I picked up at my favorite junkyard for $20. Then I went to my favorite junkyard and found a pair of these

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they are really pristine seats, especially considering they came out of a 246,000 mile saturn. When I owned my 2001 saturn sc1 I learned that the seats are almost identical in size to the factory vega seats. I will have to make a plate to adapt the old tracks to the new seats but thats not a problem at all.

Here is the picture of one of the wheels all painted up with the classy baby moon cap.

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I didnt work on the header at all since the last time I posted. I ran out of gas in the welder and have been to busy to get it refilled because the welders supply shop has bankers hours. I am hoping to get it filled tomorrow.

 

[shortchevy]

Its been a busy last couple of weeks around here. Work has been really busy and the weather has finally gotten nice enough so I have been doing alot of yard work in my free time. I even cut down my first tree on Thursday, that was pretty dang fun. but some work has gotten done on the V-Wagon, the seats are mounted. The drivers seat is mint! all the functions work flawlessly. I broke the little wire connecting the 2 rails on the passenger side, once that is replaced it should be top notch as well. There was a big swap meet this weekend and I made an awesome find. I found a 4 speed shifter with the correct shift rods. I found out the hard way that the shifter I had was a 4cyl 4speed shifter with rods and the rods are 2" longer than v6/v8 4speed rods. I even borrowed another 4speed shifter with rods from the PO but they were also 4cyl 4speed ones. I pulled the front clip off last weekend, pulled the motor and started cleaning everything up for paint. Header progress is slow, partially because im rethinking my motor mounts and have put the headers on hold until I get them situated. pics and updates to come!

 

[shortchevy]

Finally updating this thread. Ive been very busy working on the car and other junk around here. The good news is that the Vega runs, drives, stops and does awesome one wheel burnouts! The headers didnt end up going in because I wanted to get the car running and driving, I didnt want to just work on it all summer. I'll play with the headers when winter rolls around. The starter was a fiasco, I have a 153 tooth flywheel because a 168 wont fit in the bellhousing but I had bought a mini-starter for a 168 that didnt work. I had 2 other starters laying around, they didnt work either so I had to buy a 153 tooth starter. I ended up putting manifolds on the car, I had to notch the drivers side oner so it would clear the steering shaft but no big deal. I made an exhaust out of scrap tubing and a couple cherry bombs. I had to pull off my $25 Q-jet and took it apart for cleaning, when I did that I found out it had a cracked base plate.... JUNK. so I stopped by the ole J-Yard and grabbed another one. works flawlessly.

 

[shortchevy]

Well Im sick of typing and we all know everyone just looks at the pictures anyways so here ya go!

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