Video 1 of 2: 1976 Chevy Vega RARE Garage Find with 2,078 Original Miles. Will be for sale on eBay.

[@boataxe4605]

The one car where you don’t have to worry if the odometer turned over and it’s really 102,078 miles, as no Vega ever went over 100K!

[@GSGS-1950]

Hahaha, my 1972 made it to 130,000 miles... 2 engines, 2 transmissions, 3 sets of front fenders, and more.

[@boataxe4605]

GS1950 GS Sounds like you were chasing good money after bad.

[@stephenandloriyoung5716]

2,000 miles? Great - another 30,000 or so available before the engine starts burning oil big time. Or, get the cylinders sleeved now.

[@jamesmoore3346]

@@GSGS-1950 I once owned a total of four. Vegas, one for a daily driver and three to have a parts supply. Back then nobody wanted them and you could buy them running for 100 dollars. I really liked mine, a 75 Kammback,(wagon). I got a job at an auto repair shop in san antonie in 78 by showing the owner how to do a timing belt. He was putting a short block in one and was waiting on someone from the supply house to come time the motor. Those engines were so easy to work on if you knew all their little secrets. Ended up borin mine and putting steal sleeves in it, best thing I ever did.....

[@williamegler8771]

My parents owned a 1975 wagon. It was a 4-speed with A/C. Ziebarted the day it was purchased and they keep up with the inspection for years. Maintained is meticulously and lasted 10 years and 169k miles on the original engine with minimal issues.

[@americanrambler4972]

What makes this car even more interesting is it has the standard equipment 3 speed manual, instead of the more popular 4 speed or automatic which were options. As a side note, one of the reasons these cars had some of the rust issues they were famous for was the speed they were building the cars. The story goes that to primer coat the cars, they were dipped vertically in the primer tank and fully immersed. But they did not leave them in the tank long enough for the paint to reach all the areas inside the structure before they pulled them out, so some areas were left untreated, and water was able to reach those areas and since they did not dry out properly, they had accelerated rusting issues. I read that somewhere where they were interviewing ex GM management and engineers about haw the car was designed and built along with the problems encountered. For the time, the Vega, especially the Vega GT, had excellent handling properties. This one is the Vega Coupe. It’s the least common body style, was the lightest weight one of them all and had the stiffest body structure due to the extra support the rear sedan body structure design had over the hatchbacks and wagons. It’s been a long time since I have seen one of these. These cars had a front upper and lower unequal length wishbone suspension in the front and a 4 splayed link trailing arm suspension in the rear which was later updated to the 2 lower trailing arm links with a torque arm attached to the transmission with a pan hard rod for lateral support. It also sported an almost 50/50 weight distribution with the 4 cylinder. Good stuff for an early 70’s economy car. The biggest thing that hurt this car was the Vega 2300 cc overhead cam aluminum block with iron head engine which was rough running, noisy and unreliable. This car pioneered a lot of new technology and design features that later became standards throughout the industry, but in true GM fashion, they messed up the execution of the details and the management screwups on purpose defeated the engineering efforts to make it better and it resulted in a less than positive reputation for the cars.

[@bbblehead1]

I worked at and retired from the Lordstown Ohio assembly plant from 1967 to 2000 and was obviously working there when we were building the Vega. We built 105 per hour on 2, 10 hour shifts 5-6 days a week. The car bodies were completely submerged in an elpo tank for the primer. It was a very long tank and the bodies were coated very well. We made a ton of these. If memory serves me correctly we made 450,000 one year. Try working an assembly line at that rate. Many people could not do it.

[@RocknTorb]

An all original survivor.... I love it..... that's the highest class for classic cars!!

[@scootergreen3]

Unbelievable! Amazing shape like showroom condition and little miles!

[@boataxe4605]

It’s not showroom condition, it has no rust and Vega’s were known to rust on the showroom floor.

[@jettrink7510]

Just like Burt Reynolds said... That Chevy Vega that's the car of the future.

[@suespony]

Wow, what a gem, I had a 75 Vega, 3 speed, wish I could have had a chance to buy this one.

[@matthays716]

Should be in a museum

[@oliverrojas3185]

Thanks for sharing that Chevrolet Vegas were in production until 1976. This is a beautiful example.

[@unitedcity_mc4421]

Actually, they were production until '77. Beautiful cars.

[@drfalcon4102]

that Vega, had the Durabuilt engine,, much advanced from the all aluninum one,, I had a 76, drove it 140K,, was really a good car

[@thespeez]

Did your car have A/C?

[@sweetness00734]

When I was a kid we had a 1976 Vega estate wagon with the fake wood grain down the side. We were about 70 miles from home and the fuel pump went out. Well the hoods on these things open up like Corvette hoods so my dad gets a gas can rigs up a hose on the end of it hooks it up to the carburetor and we drove all the way home with the hood resting on the gas can

[@tbone9869]

Never seen a red interior on a Vega! Wow what a find!

[@Xixu.co.6]

Very cool. A lot of people don't realize how advanced these cars were for their time. Not even just the car itself, the manufacturing process too. The vega factory was the most automated factory in the world as well as the fastest. Peak production reached 2,400 cars per day, which even by todays stardards is insane. To put this into perspective, the vega factory in the 70s could produce almost twice as many cars as the 2018 marysville honda accord plant can. Unfortunately this led to quite a few problems with the cars, earning them a bad reputation.

[@KingCast65]

The original fell apart on the damn test track 13km into the test. And yes first front disc brakes for GM sedans I think. But Alloy block and iron head WTF were they THINKING???

[@ez0526]

These cars were junk. The tailpipe fell off on the way home from the dealership dad upgraded it later with a chevy love LOL upgrade.

[@Xixu.co.6]

EZ05 Did I say otherwise?

[@maureenogorman8740]

My first car was my late grandfather's 76 maroon Chevy Vega. Memories.

[@42luke93]

10,000 dollars it was sold for. One lucky person, you’re never gonna find one like this again. I would daily drive a car like this because it’s like having a brand new (old) car

[@68air]

Hard to believe they made these for 7 years because they are rare as hen's teeth now. Basically a disposable car. Even the air cleaner assembly was disposable.

[@brucemcpherran592]

There was an aftermarket company that sold a plastic air cleaner housing that would hold an off the shelf filter.

[@TheLucidLuxray]

That interior looks a lot better than I thought it would.

[@michaeltipton5500]

This was the first relatively cool looking small car that came along.

[@ShelbyBikeBoy]

Mini Camaro

[@philipbeasley72]

Dude that engine looks clean!!!!

[@colibri1]

Man, what a find. I hope whoever ended up with this car doesn't turn it into a muscle car but just leaves it as is. It would be great to use this for street scenes in films set in the seventies.

[@militarymom6690]

My oldest sister bought a Vega after she graduated college and got her first job. It was a green (pretty sure it was a 4 speed manual) and she was SO proud of that thing! Little did she know.....🤣😆!!

[@grumpyguy2877]

Wow 😮😲 🤯 that has to be the best Vega still around

[@randyscott3386]

My sister had one and it was a total lemon . It had all the common Vega problems with oil fouling the spark plugs and it would never go faster than 50 miles an hour . You didn't need a key to start it , just turn the tabs and if you were lucky it would start . We sold it at the garage sale for something like a hundred dollars .

[@ironcast]

I disagree with other commenters here. I think that if it were bought now and only driven in a snow and salt free climate the car would last a good long time. The fact that it was undercoated would help greatly. Plus, the later ones were incredibly better at resisting rust out as were the earlier ones. Also, the oils of today are far superior to what they were back then. I think with a good modern oil the engine would last a respectable length of time. Mobil 1 would be a great choice for it.

[@verlaryder]

Both Amsoil and Mobil 1 were available in 1975 and neither prevented the 1971-75 Vega engines from becoming oil burners by 30,000 miles.

[@ronaldprice8008]

I had a 71 and 75 and loved them

[@michaelmace924]

I would love that car, built the year I was born

[@duayneveer8229]

i bet you wont find another one in this condition or lower miles on earth i wasnt a pinto or vega fan but this is amazing especially when they were all used up and thrown away so quickly!

[@ohhhsnap17]

I got one. With like 2k miles on it. Doesn't have the factory stickers or stuff like this one.

[@jasonbitzer7068]

yes buddy 1 of the cleanest vega i have c n my life

[@STho205]

Jason Bitzer. Yep looks just like Dad's Vega except the tail lights changed that year. It was the first car he bought brand new, and it drove him crazy to watch it eat itself. Drive it 18,000 more miles and the cylinders will chew themselves up, compression will drop to nothing and the valves will start to wobble and then lock up.

[@tomoday4450]

Incredible find 👍🏻🇺🇸

[@cashbrown8876]

Nice find,,

[@swabby429]

I bought a 1973 Kammback with the custom interior brand new. It was a nice car except for the engine. I ended up buying a used 1971 notchback sedan as a parts car. I loved driving the little wagon until the engine blew on the highway. I drove the parts car for another few months then bought a Honda Civic. It would be fun to drive a stock Vega again but with a better engine.

[@slyphoxj]

The first car I remember "driving" (sitting in my mom's lap and steering it) and looking at under the hood (remembering the backward opening hood), or just remember well, was my mom's 76 Vega. Saddle metallic brown with a tan interior, 2 door with a trunk (not the hatchback). The only options were an AM radio (lots of great memories, back when they actually played music on AM) and a 3 speed auto transmission. Power nothing. My mom got it for $2400 with approx. 11k miles back in the fall of 1980 after passing on a big Buick at the car lot. It got us through the first half of the 80's. She sold it to a relative for $900 (I think it was) back in the summer of '85 when we got an 81 Regal. The Vega had ~46-47k miles when she sold it. I remember it being a decent car overall, the only major issue was a broken timing belt at 30-something thousand miles that caused it to quit at a light.

[@woody95124]

awesome condition

[@hughbryson1372]

I like it but im much more of a fan of the hatchback. But , yes! nice catch for someone.

[@pfweeks]

Original tires were not radials, they were A78-13 Bias ply

[@grumpyguy2877]

😮😮😮 looks like it was in a time warp

[@philipbeasley72]

The thing about these is the radiator is too small. That's the overheating problem not the iron over the cast aluminium

[@napoliansolo7865]

Yeah, it's too bad that General Motors didn't correct this issue and the cars got a bad name.

[@mattfarahsmillionmilelexus]

Of all the 1976 cars he could have saved, it had to be that?

[@mattfarahsmillionmilelexus]

I could tell you about our experience with a brand new 1973 Vega, and how utterly awful it was in so many different areas, all in 16 months, but the tone of your question makes me want to tell you to F off instead.

Nobody gives a shit about your experience. This is about the guy in the video, not you... Feel free to "F" off...

[@mattfarahsmillionmilelexus]

You're a salty little bitch, aren't you?

[@mattfarahsmillionmilelexus]

You're quite the accomplished sleuth. Correct on all counts, absolutely incredible. Whatever your current occupation, you simply must proffer your two week notice and move forward into the burgeoning private investigator business for yourself. Big money and beautiful women await.

[@Xixu.co.6]

These cars were extremely advanced for their time. They were just plagued with manufacturing flaws. It's a cool piece of history.

[@Thundarr995]

It's been about 2yrs since this was posted. I wonder if the engine blew up yet? I had a 75 hatchback back in the 90's. The guy I bought it from replaced the engine with a V8. Man that was a fun car to drive. I miss it.... Kind of.

[@sammy2840]

Don’t slam the door too hard!!! It will explode in a mist of pure rust! Nice car! Mileage is for real! Numbers line up on the odometer!

[@leftofcentermo]

I caught what looked like a rust bubble at beginning of video when he opens the door in the upper right corner of the door insert.

[@stevewalton4986]

I am so surprised about the seats didn't have butts marks in the driving seats

[@dowen1511]

Just curious how much did you get out of this gem if I may ask.

[@LordOfSlaughter]

Really showroom condition

[@Coupydog]

PLEASE use the outside door handles to close doors. Anywhere U contact paint is a bad habit. Without realizing it, people leave scratches & finger oils on the finish, which dulls those spots. ONLY the door handles, it's a good habit 😎

[@markj2838]

Exactly. My wife has rules when she enters or uses my car, kids too, its only a Camry but i take care of it...

[@AlexEssex8]

Real time warp! Amazing that even in 1976, American cars had only 3 speed manual gearboxes!

[@kevinputthoff2033]

Up to 1981, the Camaro was available with a 3 speed manual with the v6 option

[@timothykeith1367]

Through '73 Vegas also had the 2 speed Powerglide auto

[@ShowMeTheMoneyGuy]

If you plan to drive that lemon, I would advise you to change those tires. If they are the original tires from 1976, driving on them would be hazardous, as tires that old will be dried out.

[@barrypfost2963]

Nice car! Like the older cars, b4 the goverment made all car makers put giant bumpers on there cars

[@caroltaylor1030]

Wrong. This car has those kind of 5 mph no damage at all bumpers. If a "modern" car rear ends this Vega at 5 mph, the vega will get a small nick on the bumper or nothing at all , the modern car will get 2,000 plus dollars in damages. My husband is a Master Mechanic.

[@michaelmace924]

They made those changes in like 73, look at Camaros

[@TheVAMPIREMARIUS69]

Time capsule! Wow!

[@mikeatv]

they should go back to color interiors in cars that red is amazing

[@tonyfriend7413]

WHY on Earth would wanted to have sold it anyways instead of keeping it as a classic car/Summer time driver taken to the local car shows! It is truly a collectors car!! January 2nd. 2020..

[@gerardolsen7580]

Did you sell it? How much?

[@SchofieldRacing]

Yes, I out it on eBay. It sold for $10,600

[@scootergreen3]

Wow!

[@NMAMxRE]

Sir are you still selling this?

[@melrose9252]

Great survivor. Those engines were not real good so be careful because it may not make 5000k. I think by ‘76 they had fixed some of the oil burning issues. Check the oil before each trip. I am not putting your ride down but I had a 72 Kamback and it went through a couple of engines by 40k. They would suck oil. You have a nice one and probably better than the ‘72.

[@johnskogman5623]

I had a 1974 spirit of america Vega hatchback. The engine basically melted (seized up) at around 12K miles.

[@jamesveach6918]

that car worth 20k now day in that shape

[@StevesCarnivoreDiet]

how much did it sell for on ebay?

[@SchofieldRacing]

$10,600 👍

[@marknathanks7592]

I would have paid that for it.

[@jvolstad]

Chevy should build the Vega again. Make a four speed manual standard as well as AC, price it at $10,000, and you will have a great car to drive to work each day. $50,000+ pickup trucks? Give me a break.

[@jimd2101]

Dont forget iron engine block and bigger radiator, (they were known for overheating ) now you got something, lol

[@jvolstad]

@@jimd2101 I think they fixed engine block issue in their last year of production. BTW, I almost bought a Cosworth Vega in 1976, after coming back from Germany. It had no AC however, so I got a new 1976 Toyota Corolla SR5. www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15142751/1976-toyota-corolla-liftback-archived-instrumented-test/

[@jimd2101]

@@jvolstad you would have been better off buy a v 8 chevy ,gas wasn't that much back then , even people on welfare could drive a used Buick electra or chevy impala , why go for these little cars ?

[@KingCast65]

The original fell apart on the damn test track 13km into the test. And yes first front disc brakes for GM sedans I think. But Alloy block and iron head WTF were they THINKING???

[@thespeez]

I'm assuming no A/C.

[@chief1972]

I'd keep it!

[@garbage854]

Nice 😀

[@sweetness00734]

You could also take the head off of these cars and have them shaved and it gave them a lot more power

[@hasbeengood]

Amazing these things still exist! Get it rust proofed... in a hurry!

[@MrTheHillfolk]

Lol this thing is so mint, get it out of the sun quickly it’s degrading it!! haha my crazy brain sees the degradation happening at the molecular level.

[@jameskrys5286]

I'm looking for a used Yugo, LOL

[@johnskogman5623]

Hey Boat, make that 50K

[@victorialouden1912]

with the stick it may last 70,000

[@dougn2350]

By 1976 the Vega had the "Iron Duke" engine because the previous all aluminum engjnes had massive failures. The Iron Duke had a cast iron block which vastly improved durability

[@thespeez]

GM didn't introduce the Iron Duke until 1977 in the Astre and perhaps Sunbird and 1978 in the other H-Bodies.

[@flytechbass1979]

You will have a hard time finding an air filter for it, it is all one piece. Start looking now

[@MrSFSTUDIOS]

That's a bizarre find! I true time-capsule plain Jane Vega. Not a GT, Not a Cosworth. It is unique.

[@danielmesery2904]

That has iron block

[@johnskogman5623]

Aluminum blocks. LOL.

[@gertraba4484]

Needs. Some. Gt rims

[@davehibbs9111]

Sold for $32000 😲

[@SchofieldRacing]

I sold it for $10,600. Did it run through Mecum or something?

[@davehibbs9111]

@@SchofieldRacing must have been another one that sold for that price! Said something called cosworth vega at $32000 dollars,sounded like alot for a vega, my father bought a 76 hatchback orange in 76, I was like 4 at the time. Had it till it fell apart mid 80's

[@jlaudiofan1984]

20 bucks?

[@JavMacHer]

SOLD!

[@enzoperruccio]

Quick, take some shots of it before it rusts away!

[@victorialouden1912]

those are the factory tires

[@ronaldhuff635]

extermely rare car by todays standards, we killed most of em in high school years

[@user-nj2wk2ec2b]

Amazing originality. Problem is it's only worth $8k. $10k max.

[@SchofieldRacing]

J , it sold for $10,600 on eBay a few weeks ago. Thanks for the opinion. 🙂

[@NVRAMboi]

Definitely worth saving - monetary value or not. Genuine time capsule. I don't recall seeing many of the hardtop/notchbacks when the Vega was introduced. Incredible condition. The 3-speed just adds to the cool novelty of it.

[@user-nj2wk2ec2b]

Glad to hear you got all the money. Very surprising survivor.

[@caroltaylor1030]

They are 5 speed manual.

[@tombstone5860]

I know that this has the original paint, but he should definitely repaint it because these Vegas are extremely prone to rusting.

[@SchofieldRacing]

They are only prone to rusting when introduced to rain/elements. This car set inside a garage for over 40 years. Repainting the ORIGINAL paint would be extremely stupid!

[@tombstone5860]

@@SchofieldRacing the purpose of paint is to protect the body from the elements. When the car was built, the process of painting it in the factory was faulty which is why they were prone to rusting to begin with. Besides it's not like Vegas are particularly popular with collectors to begin with.

[@SchofieldRacing]

@@tombstone5860 Negative, the rust was from underneath the fenders due to them not having inner fenders from the factory. The rust started on the inside and rotted to the outside. Yes, Vega's are not collector cars by any means... this one however only has 2,000 ORIGINAL MILES and completely unrestored. That makes it collectible... 😎

[@tombstone5860]

@@SchofieldRacing Actually, Fisher Body Division who were responsible for rust proofing failed to penetrate a gap between the front fenders and the cowl.

[@SchofieldRacing]

@@tombstone5860 Yes, which caused it to rust even worse with no inner fenders. All of which, would not be fixed by painting the car like you stated in your original post... Good job on proving yourself wrong in the first place.

[@user-gw7sh6mn5h]

Stop slamming the seat back 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@brspeedysgarage]

2000 miles, still ain’t worth crap. 😀

[@magafreedom6637]

Son of a Gun is Better than armoral..Doesn;'t collect Dust

[@martinkobert4321]

Rare doesn't mean valuable !!!

[@SchofieldRacing]

Sold on eBay for $10,600, to each his own... 😎

[@martinkobert4321]

@@SchofieldRacing let you tell it.

[@SchofieldRacing]

@@martinkobert4321 I'm not even sure what your response means... ?

[@ShowMeTheMoneyGuy]

An almost "brand new" LMAO! 1976 Chevy Vega. LOL,LOL,LOL!!! I believe the word is MINT CONDITION.

[@johnskogman5623]

Bad cars.

[@victorialouden1912]

lords town junk!!

[@joecap2919]

Why do you keep commenting?

[@victorialouden1912]

pos at 35000 it will start falling apart.

[@victorialouden1912]

its a nice pile of junk.