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1976 Cosworth Vega For A Block-Splitting $3,000!
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Six Flags Over Tomsk
07/21/09

In reply to 1976 Cosworth Vega For A Block-Splitting $3,000!
Yes, it's a Vega, but it's powered by Cosworth. Plus, it was available with a tent for the rear hatch, just like that other GM smash hit, the Aztek. Nice price.
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Edited by Six Flags Over Tomsk at 07/21/09 1:21 PM

KillerBRacer
07/21/09

In reply to 1976 Cosworth Vega For A Block-Splitting $3,000!
Nice! I regret not snatching up a local one for 3 grand when I had the chance about 10 years ago. A buddy had one in HS (mid 80's) and used to walk away from us and everything else (Gremlins, Pintos and 260Zs) while canyon racing Hwy 49. If you like crappy cars, this is a neat one!
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Tanshanomi
07/21/09

In reply to 1976 Cosworth Vega For A Block-Splitting $3,000!
I voted nice price because it was only available in "black with gold trim." That's always a win.
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Edited by Tanshanomi at 07/21/09 10:59 AM Tanshanomi was starred Tanshanomi was unstarred

Tanshanomi
07/21/09

@Tanshanomi:
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Tanshanomi
07/21/09

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Tanshanomi
07/21/09

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Tanshanomi
07/21/09

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Tanshanomi
07/21/09

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Tanshanomi
07/21/09

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Tanshanomi
07/21/09

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that ain't the way to have fun, son
07/21/09

In reply to 1976 Cosworth Vega For A Block-Splitting $3,000!
My mother had a Vega for a couple of years...I think it was a'72...and it was replaced by another heap-o-shit, a Datsun Bluebird (B210) in '77.

The Datsun was light-years better. Even with a supercharged 350 and a 3 ounce bar of 24k gold in the back seat...pipe.
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goatrope
07/21/09

In reply to 1976 Cosworth Vega For A Block-Splitting $3,000!
The bragging rights to "The Nicest Vega in the Tri-County Area" is not worth $3K.

Hold out for the Tata Nano.
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CptSevere
07/21/09

In reply to 1976 Cosworth Vega For A Block-Splitting $3,000!
I voted Nice Price, but just barely. These are rare as hen's teeth these days. I can't remember the last time I saw a normal Vega, which isn't surprising because they're junk. The Cosworth was pretty much approved by the car mags in the day, wasn't all that bad. However, the rad thing to do in this car's day was to cram a 350 into these things, making a V8 Vega, which was a sick little bastard. Meatheads would do this with no regard for strenghtening anything. I remember hearing stories of windshields popping out of the frame when the hammer was dropped.
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smalleyxb122
07/21/09

In reply to 1976 Cosworth Vega For A Block-Splitting $3,000!
$3k is about right for a running Cosworth in this condition. Oddly, due to their rarity when new, they were taken better care of than the base Vegas, and that means that they are actually easier to find unmolested than the non-Cossie Vegas.

I'd rather have the prettier '73 or earlier Vega, but I'd be all over a $3k Cosworth if it were closer and I had any money.
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therealmusashi
07/21/09

In reply to 1976 Cosworth Vega For A Block-Splitting $3,000!

Very interesting Jalop, I hadn't thought of this car in quite some time. Growing up, one of my neighbors had one, in some kind of drab metallic green. I never saw it move though, and didn't think much of it at the time. However, digging up some random photos, it's quite a neat, distinctive little design in most respects.

Also, the Wikipedia entry is a great read, especially the last entry, titled "Car and Driver's Showroom Stock #0."
quote:

"The lone Vega outran every single Opel, Colt, Pinto, Datsun, Toyota and Subaru on the starting grid. A 25 lap sprint into racing's hall of fame."

I never knew it actually had potential. Neat. Have to vote Nice Price, for a pretty cool, cheap project (those exist, right?)
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Maymar
07/21/09

In reply to 1976 Cosworth Vega For A Block-Splitting $3,000!
Because I'm of an age where I have little experience with malaise-era crapmobiles, I love the Vega - it's an attractive RWD hatchback, and the Cosworth is the cool(ish) obscure sport model. Granted, that might all change if I were to even stand within 10 feet of one, but I like my theoretical illusion enough to say nice price.
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mytdawg
07/21/09

In reply to 1976 Cosworth Vega For A Block-Splitting $3,000!
You could get a salvage title Vette for about that much. But you'd have to be on crack for that too. Wassamattaoffica?

There was a pretty nice one around here a few years ago for somewhere around $5K. I'd drive one but that looks pretty rough to me. It's on the line for me. I vote Nice Crack...

I had a 73 Vega which was about the worst of the worst and I liked it. I have fond memories of many ill-advised stunts and life threatening maneuvers with the thing. I left a trail of parts all the way to the junkyard at a high (relatively) rate of speed.

Then again, I'd drive a lot of things that normal people wouldn't be caught dead in.
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beercheck
07/21/09

@mytdawg: Oh, they'd be caught dead in them, alright.
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TurboBrick [LIGIER]
07/21/09

In reply to 1976 Cosworth Vega For A Block-Splitting $3,000!
It's like a fine pebble on a beach - After all of these years, all the "bad" ones have been sent to the crusher, so this lonely survivor MUST be one of the few that was actually assembled while majority of the assembly line was below the legal limit for DUI. Which was what, 0.15% back then? (note for Euros, US measures BAV per cent, not per mille so move the decimal point accordinly).
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Uncle Bo
07/21/09

In reply to 1976 Cosworth Vega For A Block-Splitting $3,000!
I voted CP but after doing a little research at Barrett-Jackson.com, maybe $3k isn't so bad.

The really nice, low mile Cosworth Vegas are doing $7000-10000 at auction. A 223 mile '75 Cossie sold for $14300 in 2007.

I'm not saying this one will be worth that much but if you have access to restoration parts and can do most of the work yourself, it may not be quite the PCH candidate as once thought.
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CulleyCTS
07/21/09

In reply to 1976 Cosworth Vega For A Block-Splitting $3,000!
I actually had one of these...in 1980. I could watch the rust eat it while it sat in the driveway, but it was a blast to drive and handled well.
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CrazyVega
07/21/09

In reply to 1976 Cosworth Vega For A Block-Splitting $3,000!
As one who owns a Cosworth Vega as their daily summer driver and takes it autocrossing, I say it's worth it. Body looks to be rust free, though faded. EFI is still intact and everything looks to be mostly original.

And the '76 came in eight more colors added to the black.
http://cosworthvega.com/exterior_colors_1976.html
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Buzzboy7
07/21/09

In reply to 1976 Cosworth Vega For A Block-Splitting $3,000!
Oh, the horor stories from my mother's vega. Fail, fail, fail. Expanding foam mushrooms and a defroster that sprayed you with water when it rained. Leaks so bad she drilled holes in the floor. An ignition that ate points at oil changes.

And all this from new car.
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