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RexSeven
RexSeven SuperDork
8/29/12 9:13 p.m.

No, I'm not kidding- it has only 291 miles TOTAL. Everything about it screams GRM... except the $34.9K asking price.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/291-Actual-Mile-1975-Cosworth-Vega-Twin-Cam-4-Speed-/280941400438?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item4169699176

ronholm
ronholm Reader
8/29/12 9:47 p.m.

oh my

novaderrik
novaderrik SuperDork
8/29/12 9:59 p.m.
the article said: With 110 horsepower and a 6,500 RPM redline, the Cosworth Vega was one of the hottest performing cars available in 1975

ooohh.. excitement..

that would be the perfect car for an LS swap- it's probably the only Vega in existence that doesn't have the rear suspension mounting points rotting off.

carguy123
carguy123 PowerDork
8/29/12 10:03 p.m.
novaderrik wrote:
the article said: With 110 horsepower and a 6,500 RPM redline, the Cosworth Vega was one of the hottest performing cars available in 1975
ooohh.. excitement.. that would be the perfect car for an LS swap- it's probably the only Vega in existence that doesn't have the rear suspension mounting points rotting off.

Well it also was very light by present day standards.

Argo1
Argo1 GRM+ Memberand Reader
8/29/12 10:58 p.m.

Drove one of those when they were new. Smoother than the usual coffee can full of rocks Vega engine. AC was not available so I bought the regular GT.

The Vega is generally regarded as one of the 50 worst cars ever made... and I actually bought two of them new. Doesn't say much for my judgement.

SlickDizzy
SlickDizzy GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
8/29/12 11:40 p.m.
Argo1 wrote: Drove one of those when they were new. Smoother than the usual coffee can full of rocks Vega engine. AC was not available so I bought the regular GT.

More than your judgement, this says EVERYTHING about the American car buying public, and our patterns in history.

"It runs like absolute piss, but it has cold A/C! I'm not buying a car for its ability to get me places, I'm buying for its ability to function as a second living room!"

To be fair, in Alabama, A/C is probably a necessity. Here in WI though, the logic you yourself described has always baffled me...

HiTempguy
HiTempguy SuperDork
8/30/12 12:57 a.m.

Hnnghhhhgghghgh...

BRB, changing pants

novaderrik
novaderrik SuperDork
8/30/12 2:22 a.m.
carguy123 wrote:
novaderrik wrote:
the article said: With 110 horsepower and a 6,500 RPM redline, the Cosworth Vega was one of the hottest performing cars available in 1975
ooohh.. excitement.. that would be the perfect car for an LS swap- it's probably the only Vega in existence that doesn't have the rear suspension mounting points rotting off.
Well it also was very light by present day standards.

i had a 76 Vega GT wagon that i swapped a very mild 350 into.. that car was fun- it was also probably faster than the Cosworth, but without the MPFI setup that made the Cosworth so unique at the time.

JohnRW1621
JohnRW1621 PowerDork
8/30/12 6:00 a.m.

In Vega concourse judging, there are points deducted if the car does not have some "showroom rust"

petegossett
petegossett GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
8/30/12 6:05 a.m.

Those were really great looking cars. I'm glad there were at least a few that survived.

I wonder if modern technology has caught up with the aftermarket for these cars(if there is one?), to allow them to become somewhat more reliable classic drivers?

noddaz
noddaz GRM+ Memberand Reader
8/30/12 6:22 a.m.

The Cosworth engine should have been the standard engine...

And I don't think any Vega is worth that...

Gearheadotaku
Gearheadotaku GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
8/30/12 6:53 a.m.

I always thought those were cool, but not at that price.

From what I've heard, that Cosworth motor could put out way more power with better cams and tossing the emission stuff out.

4cylndrfury
4cylndrfury UltimaDork
8/30/12 7:27 a.m.

engine bay is teh SekC

once more for good measure

slantvaliant
slantvaliant SuperDork
8/30/12 7:32 a.m.

I had a Vega in the early 80's, and daydreamed about building a Cosworth Kammback. Still do.

Klayfish
Klayfish Dork
8/30/12 8:46 a.m.
novaderrik wrote: it's probably the only Vega in existence that doesn't have the rear suspension mounting points rotting off.

That's quite an assumption to make....we are talking Vega here.

PHeller
PHeller SuperDork
8/30/12 8:51 a.m.

Cosworth was always really good at cleaning up engine bays.

m4ff3w
m4ff3w GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
8/30/12 9:25 a.m.
SlickDizzy wrote: More than your judgement, this says EVERYTHING about the American car buying public, and our patterns in history. "It runs like absolute piss, but it has cold A/C! I'm not buying a car for its ability to get me places, I'm buying for its ability to function as a second living room!" To be fair, in Alabama, A/C is probably a necessity. Here in WI though, the logic you yourself described has always baffled me...

Slick, I was going to bust your chops until I got to the last paragraph. While I've done no-a/c, it isn't something that is good.

Arriving at work at 8:00 with a wet shirt because of sweat isn't good.

93EXCivic
93EXCivic UltimaDork
8/30/12 9:27 a.m.

I DD a car with no A/C.

Argo1
Argo1 GRM+ Memberand Reader
8/30/12 10:02 a.m.
93EXCivic wrote: I DD a car with no A/C.

Me too... when it's broken.

Argo1
Argo1 GRM+ Memberand Reader
8/30/12 11:24 a.m.

In reply to mguar: I remember how impressive that Monza looked when it first came out... and the impressive IMSA race version. The only Monzas that I have owned said "Corvair" on them.. I have owned 9 of those and am currently drooling over a local 180hp turbo.

RexSeven
RexSeven SuperDork
8/30/12 5:16 p.m.

I found a more affordable Cossie Vega on evilBay. Only 10% of the price of the mint one gets you a concours (d'LeMons) ready '76. Non-original, though:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1976-Chevrolet-Cosworth-Vega-/251138575517?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item3a79068c9d

Woody
Woody GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
8/30/12 5:20 p.m.

If I win Powerball, I'll buy the black one and swap in a small block Chevy...

Curmudgeon
Curmudgeon MegaDork
8/30/12 5:20 p.m.

The Cosworth is a pretty neat motor. The cam timing was overlapped like crazy for emissions reasons and is why they have to idle so high. If the cams are degreed away from each 8 degrees total (retard the exhaust, advance the intake) it runs a HELLUVA lot better. There's a guy out there on rthe CVOA list who mills the cam gears to do that.

Strizzo
Strizzo UberDork
8/30/12 5:25 p.m.

someone used to autox one of those with austin SPOKES, no idea if they still do. always made a suprisingly good noise

vern2point3
vern2point3 New Reader
8/30/12 7:07 p.m.

The ideas about doing motor work for additional power overlood the basic deadly flaw of the Cossie Vega; the Vega's engine block. Unless you sleeve the block any performance upgrades are wasted on that block.

As the Vega aluminum block got hot the cylinder bores would soften up enough that the rings would lose sealing ability. Chevy's big block Can Am engines had the same problem and would be seen blowing oil before a Can Am race was half over.

And heaven help you if you ever turbocharged a Cosworth Vega. As soon as a warmed up engine had boost was applied the block would "inflate".

I only ever heard of one "sucessful" turbo Cossie Vega and I don't really consider an engine limited to 5psi of boost to be a successful project. I think I've seen Ford 2.3s that run that much boost at idle and five times that much at full throttle.

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