Need Some More Info on a 1976 Vega

Hello all. New here as you can probably tell already. Right now looking to get some information on a vehicle and you guys seem like the perfect people to ask! A guy near me posted that he has a 1976 Vega Cosworth for sale and I am pretty interested. I have done some reading and whatnot and it seems that in early production of these cars they had quite a few issues which lead to their downfall, sadly. With that being said I am still interested in the car he is selling. Below I will post a link to the actual posting that he made and I have been talking with him for a bit now about it. The only issues (so he says) is the interior. I haven't seen the car in person yet but from the pictures the outside does look pretty good. He tells me that the car is very solid and runs great, frame is very solid as well.

With all of that said, do you think that $4,000 for the car is a good deal? I can't link any pictures of the interior because the ones that he has sent me aren't of the greatest quality. HOWEVER, I can tell you that the seats need to be completely redone. The driver seat is torn pretty bad and the passenger seat has a nice gash in it as well. The back seat also has a tear in it. So, is the $4,000 price tag still worth it? This is of course assuming I meet up with him and test drive it and everything is smooth and solid. Link to the actual post is below....

https://flint.craigslist.org/cto/4804051704.html

Note: In that post he says $5000 but in a more local post has stated $4000 OBO. So, what do you guys think? Is there anything else I should know? Deal, or no?

Thank you guys!!

Being in Flint, the number one item is rust. Vegas were known to rust as you looked at them. Also I seem to remember that all of the Cosworth Vegas that I have seen were black?? Maybe?? Look closely and take a magnet to see if there is a any bondo in the fenders, etc. Just my thoughts.

Do not know value, but here is one in in Clearwater FL.

http://www.autotraderclassics.com/classic-car/1976-Chevrolet-Vega-1934065.xhtml?conversationId=2172891

Being in Flint, the number one item is rust. Vegas were known to rust as you looked at them. Also I seem to remember that all of the Cosworth Vegas that I have seen were black?? Maybe?? Look closely and take a magnet to see if there is a any bondo in the fenders, etc. Just my thoughts.

Do not know value, but here is one in in Clearwater FL.

http://www.autotraderclassics.com/classic-car/1976-Chevrolet-Vega-1934065.xhtml?conversationId=2172891

Sorry. It would have been worth noting that he did state everything on it is original except for the newer paint job and a posy end....which I am unsure of what that is but I am sure someone can fill me in lol

Anymore input from anyone?

I think the posy end is a positraction (posi trac) rear end.

I think the posy end is a positraction (posi trac) rear end.

I see. So now I am left wondering, with the interior seat damage is it worth it?

With $4k obo on the 2nd ad, maybe you can get him down around $3.2k.... even at $3.5 it wouldn't be a horrible deal for a runner. What's it worth today? It's worth what someone will pay for it and if the body is decent it's probably not out of line. As noted the Cosworth Vega had a lot of issues. They rusted, the motors burned oil at low mileages and like a lot of small cars of the time, just weren't exceptionally well built. If this one is running good, it was probably sleeved years ago. They were also very popular with street racers and drag racers for V-8 conversions which is another reason any good bodies are getting cut up. I would hesitate to call this car rare today because there was many built, but in a few years they very well could be if they keep getting cut up and crushed. If the upholstery work has you worried, take it to an upholstery shop before you buy it and get a quote for the work. Then ask yourself if that is what you are prepared to put into it. If you think it's an investment that's going to make you money, very few old cars actually do. If you are looking for a low cost 70's car that is very recognizable to the era, this one isn't bad. Pony cars are hotter commodities, but you won't buy a running muscle car for under $4k, not around here anyway.

Good article on the Cosworth Vega in Hemmings last year. Make sure you read the comments.

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2014/09/02/driving-impression-1976-cosworth-vega/

I am surprised that is all he is asking, although I am not a muscle car value person. It looks like regular restored Vegas go for more than that. It does look like the original Cosworth engine. It did have fuel injection. I think it was GM's first fuel injected production car.

There were only 3,508 Cosworth Vegas built compared with 190,321 (regular) Vega hatchback coupes were produced in the same period ('75 & '76). Total Vega production was 2,006,661. Colors other than black were not available on Cosworth until '76.

You will attract a lot of attention at the car shows!

Cosworth sold on ebay a few months ago for $6,000:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Cosworth-Vega-1975-1001-Origanal-Car-Vary-Nice-Mini-Muscle-Car-/271661147114?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&forcerrptr=true&hash=item3f404423ea&item=271661147114&nma=true&si=Rx%252FI3yhhh4gtQD6j2bMavbfOaiw%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

I owned a regular 1972 Vega hatchback from '73-76. fun car to drive. I bought the tent conversion for the hatchback and had alot of fun camping with it too.

I remember my local dealership having one Cosworth for sale, ever. I bet those 3,508 cars Dwight mentioned were barely enough for one per Chevrolet dealer, so they're rare in that sense. If you're a Vega fan and people try giving you grief, you can always ask them if they know the best price fetched at auction for one. Was watching the Barrett-Jackson deal once and a guy bid $500,000 for a Vega. I about fell off my chair! It wasn't a Cosworth Vega, but it was one modified by the late drag-racing legend Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins, explaining the price. (one of Grumpy's Vegas did the 1/4-mile in 8.74 sec./154 mph)

Man, I thought you must have missed a decimal with that Grumpy Bill Jenkins car, so I Googled it. $577,500 in 2007. Ouch. Looks like $3500 to $5000 is the norm for the rest though. http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/default.aspx?carID=10222&i=8

The 1975 s were all black with gold stripes and wheels the. 76s came in a limited colors. the engines were dual overhead cams electronic ign. 4 cyl. made in England. I have a 75 in excellent cond. with 42000 mi. They also have a serial no. on the dash you may be able to carfax I have all the books and manuals on this car. If I can be of any help let me know. Bill

When the Cosworth Vegas came out, there were exceptionally "high tech" for their time, especially a USA-brand vehicle. I'm not sure of the operational issues mentioned, but I do remember a few articles on them, when they were new.

The engine size meant that it would be a little down on low-end torque, so it was a compromise in header (yes, real tubular exhaust header) in order to get decent lower-rpm torque and still not harm upper-rpm power (and horsepower figures). No factory a/c, which would make a difference down here in TX.

When we did a GM parts return in the later '70s, I purchased a NOS wheel (in the box) from our parts inventory. There is, or was, a national club for the Cosworth Vegas.

In many respects, they were pretty neat cars, but probably could have benefited from a little higher degree of execution in several operation/design areas. Possibly, too, an a/c cut-out related to throttle position? The car we had in the shop, back then, had an add-on a/c system. Probably the spiritual relative to the later Citation X-11?

The car definitely is rare, but possibly a little too rare to escape being a "Vega Chevy's Little Star".

Enjoy!

NTX5467