New Ride - '73 Chevy Vega Station Wagon.... yes, a wagon!
Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 3:00 pm
Been a while since I posted.... or even raced a Vega(I think it was Meca driving school a couple years back). I haven't raced with you guys since 2009 or 2010 when I ran the old '79 T/A... completely stock!
Anyway, I've always had a Vega of some sort since the early '90s but never got them into any motorsports. Buick V6 power, Buick V8 power(all aluminum) and even stock 4-popper power. Of course, there have been dreams of building one for fun but it just never materialized.
Well, I have a buddy building an AMC Matador for the American Streetcar Series with the Pro-Touring guys........ YES, an AMC Matador!!!!
That got me thinking about finally doing something with one of my Vegas. I don't want to touch my mostly original '73 Hatchback GT, so I went out and bought a '73 Wagon with no drivetrain. Perfect!!!
I've always wanted an Vega wagon but never owned one before. This one is a bit rusty as the pics will show in the link at the bottom.... so I don't have too many reservations about modding this thing up a bit.
OK..... so I love the all-aluminum Buick 215 V8 from '61-'63 Skylark/Specials and have a "few" of them lying in the basement that I've collected over the years. So...... ta-daa. A new toy in the making. Hope to see you guys this year (maybe later in the season) when I get things going on this project.
Planned mods:
-215 aluminum V8 (current version is only 150 hp /200 ft-lbs torque )
-Non-world class Camaro T-5 5-speed with 0.63 Overdrive ratio
-Aftermarket front control arms with anti-swaybar mounts (rubber bushings)
-1.125" front anti-sway bar, 7/8" rear anti-sway bar (poly bushings)
-2nd generation Vega 3-link rear with torque arm and panhard bar (currently 2.93 ratio... open diff )
-S-10 spindles/rear axle shafts for 5-lug conversion (hoping to fit 17s under there)
-S-10 dual piston front brakes, S-10 rear disc brakes
-200 treadwear rating tires (comply with American Streetcar Series requirements)
Yeah, these mods will put me in a class that won't even make me competitive, but that's not what I'm building it for. My initial planned build budget won't allow any "pretty" work... so the car will be multi-colored (as parts are gathered) and I've planned most mods to be bolt-ons with some slight mounting bracket fabrication and a driveshaft shortening ...... so this one should come in real cheap. Hey, it's a Vega!
See pics of the build here: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3940238/1 ... 9402384004
Yeah, it's a Station Wagon!!!!!
Anyway, I've always had a Vega of some sort since the early '90s but never got them into any motorsports. Buick V6 power, Buick V8 power(all aluminum) and even stock 4-popper power. Of course, there have been dreams of building one for fun but it just never materialized.
Well, I have a buddy building an AMC Matador for the American Streetcar Series with the Pro-Touring guys........ YES, an AMC Matador!!!!
That got me thinking about finally doing something with one of my Vegas. I don't want to touch my mostly original '73 Hatchback GT, so I went out and bought a '73 Wagon with no drivetrain. Perfect!!!
I've always wanted an Vega wagon but never owned one before. This one is a bit rusty as the pics will show in the link at the bottom.... so I don't have too many reservations about modding this thing up a bit.
OK..... so I love the all-aluminum Buick 215 V8 from '61-'63 Skylark/Specials and have a "few" of them lying in the basement that I've collected over the years. So...... ta-daa. A new toy in the making. Hope to see you guys this year (maybe later in the season) when I get things going on this project.
Planned mods:
-215 aluminum V8 (current version is only 150 hp /200 ft-lbs torque )
-Non-world class Camaro T-5 5-speed with 0.63 Overdrive ratio
-Aftermarket front control arms with anti-swaybar mounts (rubber bushings)
-1.125" front anti-sway bar, 7/8" rear anti-sway bar (poly bushings)
-2nd generation Vega 3-link rear with torque arm and panhard bar (currently 2.93 ratio... open diff )
-S-10 spindles/rear axle shafts for 5-lug conversion (hoping to fit 17s under there)
-S-10 dual piston front brakes, S-10 rear disc brakes
-200 treadwear rating tires (comply with American Streetcar Series requirements)
Yeah, these mods will put me in a class that won't even make me competitive, but that's not what I'm building it for. My initial planned build budget won't allow any "pretty" work... so the car will be multi-colored (as parts are gathered) and I've planned most mods to be bolt-ons with some slight mounting bracket fabrication and a driveshaft shortening ...... so this one should come in real cheap. Hey, it's a Vega!
See pics of the build here: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3940238/1 ... 9402384004
Yeah, it's a Station Wagon!!!!!