1973 Vega Kammback V8 conversion.

I really like the stance.  I'd almost go back to the taller front springs for that "Baby Gasser" look.

  Great project!

     I wonder, was the front end sitting on the bump stops?   When it is back on the ground, you might check the gap to the bump stop, it should keep the shock from bottoming out, but it shouldn't keep things from moving.  Looks like you could trim the bump stop a little if needed, just make sure the shock won't bottom out.

     Also if the original springs were cut, that is a cheap trick to lower the car, but cutting a coil spring will make it stiffer.  Cutting a spring increases the spring rate. 

     TED

This brings back memories, I had a 73' Hatch about 20 years ago with an LQ4 in it, methanol carbed, 90% fiberglass car etc.  Its was an absolute handful even on 33x15 slicks.  This is definitely more my speed.

notsafeforwork said:

What the heck is that vehicle in the background, behind the person in the green T-shirt?  

In reply to Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) :

"What a nice looking car! I'm really enjoying this. What engine and transmission are going in?"

Bruce's dream car, since he was a kid, has been a Vega Kammback with a 327 installed. He found a stock 1967 Corvette 300 hp 327 with a Saginaw four speed trans. The idea for the car has evolved into building something that GM might have built in a "Skunk-Works" style operation. Sort of a what-if kind of thing where a small group of GM engineers used parts on hand to create a car that should have been/would have been if the gas crisis hadn't come about. Like something that would have occurred on an Alternate Earth, I guess. Honestly, buying into this scenario has made the build a LOT more fun ! ! ! 

In reply to brad131a4 (Forum Supporter) :

"Now if you remove, what I venture are spacers in the rear it might actually look outstanding."

That's MY plan once the engine is installed. The front is going to settle with the heavier V8, the rear will lower a bit as well, but the spacers might still be too much for sure. Probably go with half the spacer height. This will still allow for the larger rear tires, but kill off that silly 70's look. Just gotta talk Bruce in to it, he's a fool for the 70's ! !

In reply to stuart in mn :

"What the heck is that vehicle in the background, behind the person in the green T-shirt? " 

Some sort of three wheel vehicle. They're pretty popular around here, registered as a motorcycle, CRAZY fast but you have to wear a helmet. Since they have a windshield, I would imagine that a full helmet AND a windshield would cause the driver to get REALLY hot with an open cockpit, especially in traffic and such. 

In reply to TED_fiestaHP :

The front suspension isn't anywhere near bottomed out, if anything I think that it's still too high. Prior to the spring swap it was a ridged as can be, no travel at all ! Never checked, but the old shocks might well have been locked up. The old front springs were too tall, hadn't been cut or heated at all, the new springs are total stock GM items and seem to be working perfectly. Of COURSE, everything is still depending on what happens when the V8 is installed, that may well put the front end down on the stops with the extra weight. Two steps forward, one step back with this project . . . 

Pulling the original Vega Dura-Built; wish that everything on this project was this easy. Room to spare, no problems with the nuts and bolts, out in just a bit more than an hour or so.

And now time for the dirty work ! Total scrub down, degrease, scuff, sand, prime, and paint the engine bay ! ! ! 

In reply to SkinnyG (Forum Supporter) :

"I'd almost go back to the taller front springs for that "Baby Gasser" look."

We're currently looking around for a Vega Notchback to do just that with !

In the endless search for parts and pieces for this build, we've had a bit of an over-lap of extra stuff. A pair of stock V8 Monza engine mounts, those too tall springs, another pair of S10 spindles, a Dana 44 rear end, Spal fan, about six more Cragars, and almost every after-market piece needed to build a gasser plus all of the knowledge about these little cars gained so far. Missing is the necessary SBC, but those seem to turn up everywhere around here. Once this ride is done, a more serious search for a Notch will begin for sure.

I built a V8 Vega back in the 80's. Stock 350 2bbl form a nova and a powerglide. Left the stock rear end and front springs. Made my own motor mounts to the stock SBC mounts on the engine. It had 2 problems, first it would blow u joints easily had to use a light foot to keep from blowing a set. Second at anything less than 1/4 tank (used stock gas tank and pump) full throttle acceleration from a standing start it would starve for gas after about 200 ft. Fun car to drive though.

In reply to zordak :

A bit of research on the fuel delivery seems to indicate that using the stock electric pump to bring the fuel up to a stock V8 mechanical pumps solves that problem pretty well. Since we're going to have a drive shaft made up, it would probably be the right to factor in some heavy duty U-joints. Good call, I've never heard of that problem with a V8 conversion before. The rear end will most likely be a weak point for sure although common knowledge says that it'll hold up under average use. It's a 7.5, same as the S10 ran, has the stronger axles, but still, a light touch wouldn't hurt one little bit ! I think that, once assembled, there's going to be some teething problems to sort through for sure. We did the very best that we could, used the best stock parts available for the suspension and brakes, hopefully things will continue like this. We want to build a fully sorted viable car, not cutting corners or building a "rat."

In reply to zordak :

"I built a V8 Vega back in the 80's. Stock 350 2bbl form a nova and a powerglide. Left the stock rear end and front springs."

I think that, if we find a decent Notchback shell, that project will get a stock 350 with a Powerglide or 350 Turbo transmission. We've just had SUCH a runaround with the 327/Saginaw combination that I don't want to go through it again. In order to fit the engine/trans into the stock four cylinder position and use the stock clutch set-up we had to use a V8 Monza bell housing. This meant using a random combination of Monza and 327 parts and we still haven't sorted out the starter issues. The 327 starter fouls the Monza bell, the Monza starter won't mate up correctly to the 327 block. The solution is an after market hi-torque mini starter which is a pretty high priced item and, unfortunately, NOT a GM piece like we'd been hoping to stay with throughout this conversion.

This car takes me way back to my misspent youth in the late 70s early 80's where every week-end was spent at the dragstrip breaking stuff on my buddies Nova. V8 Vegas ( and Pintos) were a dime a dozen, especially since the original engines has the life expectancy of a snowball in July.

In reply to NOHOME :

WHOA ! That's one sweet looking Nova ! ! ! ! !  I (miss) spent my youth in Chevy SS convertibles. One '62 with a 409, the other a '64 with a 409. I wrecked the trans in the '64 and threw in a junk yard three speed. Not QUITE the same car after that ! Of COURSE I wish that I still had both of them now . . . 

I never REALLY liked the Vegas/Pintos/Gremlins at all back then, but these days—I'd take a Vega Notchback or Gremlin in a minute and make a mini-gasser out of either.

A little clean up in the engine bay, degrease, scrub, scuff, sand, and a coat of rusty metal primer. Still wet . . . 

In reply to stuart in mn :

Polaris Slingshot