Putting a Little English on a Chevy

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Chevrolet Cosworth-Vega

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During the year, one of several changes made was the color combination. Originally intended to be a silver car with black trim, John DeLorean changed his mind and production cars were black with gold trim. From the first car out of the Lordstown, Ohio, plant until the last scheduled 1975 model, all Cosworth Vegas were black and gold. Black was unavailable on any other Vega that year.

The Cosworth package made the Vega the second most expensive car in the Chevy line, at $5,916. This was nearly twice the price of a standard Vega, a fact that Chevy's ad agency used in several ads for the car when it finally hit the street.

What a Cosworth buyer got for the money was more than just a fancy cylinder head with electronic fuel injection on a stock aluminum engine block in a black and gold package. The car also featured a four-speed manual transmission, firmer springs, sway bars front and rear, unique alloy wheels shod with radial tires, full instrumentation with a gold-toned, engine-turned dashboard, and a dash plaque with a series number on it.

NOT JUST BLACK IN '76

For 1976, the overall Vega line saw a couple of cosmetic changes, mostly characterized by the parking/turn signal lamps hiding behind a three-slat grille (like an early Fedders air conditioner) that extended entirely between the headlights, plus larger taillights.

These changes spilled over to the Cosworths, which were now offered in seven additional paint colors (Antique White, Dark Blue Metallic, Firethorn Metallic, Mahogany Metallic, Dark Green Metallic, Buckskin, Medium Orange, and Medium Saddle Metallic) with additional interior color and material combinations. Also, the brakes were improved slightly and a 5-speed manual transmission was made optional.

The $6,000 price tag and less than spectacular power output guaranteed that Chevy was not going to exceed the forecast limited production of 5,000 units. In fact, 2,061 cars built in 1975 and another 1,447 the following year meant there were some left-over engines. Most sources estimate that 5,000 engines were hand-assembled. While a few engines were used for warranty replacement, none were actively marketed for off-highway performance, so they stayed in inventory until the early 1980s, when around 500 were disassembled for parts and the remainder scrapped for a tax write-off.

For the final year of the Vega in 1977, the Cosworth was gone, but one could get close with a Pontiac "Iron Duke" steel-block four-banger, the five-speed tranny, the Cosworth's F41 suspension package, and it even came in black.

Today, it is not at all difficult to find a well-cared-for, low-mileage Cos-Veg, as they were something of an "instant collectible" in their day. They also attracted an immediate cult following of an ardent (albeit small in number) cadre of enthusiasts. The best example to buy would be from one of these club members.

As good quality examples are still generally available (including the occasional minimal mileage new examples at a dealer), don't buy a restoration project. The hopeless rust-out issues and problematic engine block owned by someone who didn't religiously maintain it make the restoration of any Vega just silly. The unique twin-cam pieces are just icing on the cake.

ONE FOR THE PRICE OF TEN

Rough cars are best used as powertrain donors for others. Although the Bendix fuel injection was a compromise, and tuned so closely that all components were numbered as a set, it is generally best to leave it as stock. However, if you enjoy turning up your nose at 1975 EPA regulations and don't live in California, ditch an uncooperative setup and go with a pair of Weber DCOEs, as Cosworth had intended.

Examples in worthwhile condition have generally stayed within $2,000 of their original MSRP for over the last decade. However, better examples are starting to get noticed and there have been some slight market adjustments upward. The Cosworth-Vega might have been a Vega for the price of two when it was new--now it's about the price of ten.

Years Produced: 1975-76

Number Produced: 3,508

SCM Valuation: $5,000-$7,500 (at time of print)

Tune-up Cost: $400

Distributor Caps: $10

Chassis # Location: Driver's side of the dashboard, driver's side cowl near the plenum chamber, the engine bell housing flange adjacent to starter

Engine # Location: Engine bell housing flange adjacent to starter

Club Info: Cosworth Vega Owner's Association (COVA), P.O. Box 5864 Pittsburgh, PA 15209

Web Site: http://www.cosworthvega.com

Alternatives: 1974–76 BMW 2002tii, Alfa Romeo GTV, 1970–77 Mercury Capri

Investment Grade: C-

Provided by Sports Car Market—The Insider's Guide to Collecting, Investing, Values and Trends