My Story

My Vega Story...
My Vega Story... I would like to thank all of the visitors to the site, and I hope that to meet some of you at a future Vega Gathering soon. I know many of you wonder about my Vega. Well, it is far from ready. It needs lots of money and time put into it, but it is coming together. I bought my first Vega in 1981 when I was 15 years old. I had saved all my money from a job I had from that summer and was actually planning on blowing the money to buy new clothes for school year. Then that summer, the local Rapid transit (Bus system) went on strike and I was riding my sister's bike ten miles a day to get to work. I figured, "hey I'm getting old enough, it is time to buy a car" and besides my sister's girlie bike was not my taste. I decided it was time to get a car. I was looking at a lot of cars; from Chevelle to Corvair. Looking around, I didn't find what I wanted after searching for what seemed like forever. Then one day a guy I worked with, named Paul also, said "hey man, I have this little car that I have not driven in 2 years that you might like." I asked him what it was and he said a Chevy Vega. I was like cool, my brother had one of those brand new in 1974, (me thinking back Orange GT, Band Aid color seats and a sweet 8 track to boot) but he trashed it. I asked him "if I could see the car," and he replied "yeah sure after work." We cruised to his house in his AMC Gremlin later that day, listening to John Cougar Mellancamp's 'Jack and Diane' song. I don't like Rock, but it was cool that day. We got to his house and his dad had the car all cleaned up in the front yard and I was in love. All I saw was this Yellow Vega GT with black interior with a little rust on the driver's door but that did not matter. It also had the black GT stripes on the side. I bought it a month later for 500 dollars and I could not wait to get it home. I did everything to that car from new interior, to repaint, and much more. A year after I got it all fixed up, some creep driving a 1969 Bonneville, was not paying attention and rear ended me and destroyed my car. I balled like a baby that day. And that day, I vowed to get another Vega someday. I bought another one when I was 21. It was a 1975 hatch, red, and in bad shape. I worked on it for a few years, but never got it finished. My daughter was born and my priorities changes. So I sold it. Almost 13 years later, I bought my third Vega off the internet site "Chevy Zone dot com" from a guy in Kansas (I paid too much for it, but I didn't care). It is a 1972 hatchback, and this time I have the resources to start and finish the project . This one came equipped with a 305 SBC, B&M shift kit with a turbo 350 transmission underneath. Sweet, but not clean so I ripped it all out. Now I am building a 350 SBC using the same transmission and working the suspension, body and complete interior work. I plan on getting the 5 lug kit from Bob Gumm. As of today (01/20/02), I have ripped the dash completely out to replace it with a nicer one I found in a yard here locally, gotten a new grille (E-BAY), hood (Yard), front upper valance, front lower valance, bumper (E-bay), the front round parking light lenses (E-BAY) and all the emblems (YARD). I'm working on getting the rear valance from Dave's Vega village once I get ready for paint. My engine will be a complete rebuild from the ground up. I'm just waiting on Uncle Sam to show up with my refund check. I bought the engine four years ago to put in my Chevy S-10 that I had at the time, but gave up because I wanted a VEGA . I am going to put a new wiring harness in it from "Crazy Wiring dot com" and I'm going to paint it red with black interior. So there it is, the Vega World man’s car. I hope you enjoyed my story and I would like to hear your Vega story, send it via email and I will post them on the site.

Thank you,
Paul
Vega World
 
 

New update on my project vega

Just received The new forged pistons for my Vega
Also Bought the S10 Spindles from a local salvage yard
Just got a new camcorder oh how sweet it is
 

The front spindle and springs have been removed for the five lug upgrade

Today i am taking the pistons and rods to be mated  Mar  03 2002

Im expecting the New wiring harness today

More updates 05 Mar 2002

Today I received the wiring harness i needed from EZ wiring and it looks good. Can't beat  a $215.00 deal for a complete 21 circuit wiring harness complete with instructions and color coded so you know exactly where you need to put things.
 
 

You should check them out  www.ezwiring.com

Keep Checking back for more updates!!!!!!!

3/09/02 Check it out. Went to the yard today and snatched a complete dash out of a 77 vega kamback wagon for 50.00 What a deal all in good shape. i
 

Running out of time

3/13/02 Next week i will be going full blast to get the car ready for the gathering. As you can see it is getting warm outside and the garage is starting to get toasty. So it is time to work the car for the Next Three months. I should have it running,  but it will not be completely finished for the Gathering. Only thing im missing is the rear Valance if you know someone who has one just e-mail me and i will buy it from them. I guess i better get under way with the project.
 

Keep Checking back for more updates!!!!!!!
 
 

3/29/02  Here are my 2 future Vega Runners............................ already preparing for the camera and  the winner circle
 

	All of these goodies

Well just another update........................This weekend i will be getting the Front end ready with new rotors, calipers and those adapters that Bob Gumm @V8Monza.com    have.  They are great, all of the instructions i need and the support from his web site. Looks pretty easy....................  I put my dash in and it is looking good. Looks like i will have to adjust it a little but that should not be a problem. Above i placed a Vega spindle next to my new 86 S10 spindles and they ar e looking Great.

If you search on the internet and just got this page click here
 

New updates 04/04/02
 

Just finish the five lug upgrade in the front here are some photos of the job. Im a little messy so bare with me.
 
 

	Here is the other fast car in the family...... the wife's car

4/15/02
 

	It is great to have friends. My buddy went on a trip to Omaha Nebraska last week, and was picking up some stuff for his 60s Chevrolet truck. While he was there he picked me up this positrack rear from a S10 just for 20 Dollars and all i had to do was watch his fish and feed the cat while he was gone.................................... what a pal
I had to slow down on the car this past week to get my yard in shape you know how that goes