A weird nickname, bright colors, big n’ littles, a nasty mailbox hood scoop, and a big engine in compact car originally built to be a fuel sipper. Yep, it must be a mid-1970s drag racing machine. This 1974 Chevrolet Vega was built do do one thing, and that was rip up the quarter mile with a gigantic engine under its tiny little hood. It doesn’t have a V8 in it right now, but you can fix that by buying it and building whatever you want to power it. Then you and the Predator can go hunting.
While cruising through Craigslist this afternoon with the key word “Project” in the search bar, I stumbled upon this delightful four-wheeled masterpiece from forty plus years ago. The most powerful Vega to leave the factory when this one was built had a massive 80 horsepower and 122 stonking foot lubs of torque. Those 140 cubic inch inline fours were poorly engineered and had myriad problems. It’s for the best that it was chucked aside in favor of an alcohol-burning big block Chebby pushing out 700 horses. That’s a pretty big difference.
The engine, of course, is not included in this car’s $10,000 price tag, but considering it’s got an NHRA-style roll cage, a tube frame front end, and all kinds of other trick bits, it’s probably worth at least that without a drivetrain at all.
Here’s what Bobby had to say about The Predator II in the for sale listing:
74 Nestalgic Super Stock Vega!!!! drag roller project pro street,has Funny Car like resemblance!! Car has special DMV build tag on frame, Can be registered for street!!!Have clean DMV title in hand.Tig welded tube chassis,cage ( should cert 8.50 no problem), (7.50 if you add a few bars.) Front suspension is strut, Angela spindle,Wilwood discbreaks. Heavy duty 1/4" T 6061 alumimum front and mid plate for Small Block Chevy .Rearend is a narrowed Dana 60 with Wilwood discbrakes , Mark Williams 35 spline axles, ring and pinion and spool. Fiberglass front clip, fiberglass hood and fiberglass rear deck lid, fiberglass dash, alumimum tin work done( seat not included).Car has MSD powergrid system( new)with power switch panel (new) aluminum radiator with electric fan. Wheels are Cragar Super Tricks( rare two peace wheels) 15"x 3.5" up front, 15"x 14.50" in rear, tire size 32x14.50 ,ladder bar suspension. Car has beautiful pearl yellow paint with hand painted graphics on doors. (Late 70s early 80s time capsule) Don’t miss out!! $10,000.00 OBO
Also !!! have 383 ci. Stroker 15-1 compression ,naturally aspirated on alcohol making roughly 700 horsepower!!!,come hear it run, I can also send video of it running. (not included)Can be sold separately or with car ask for more imfo $$$.....
My personal preference? Well of course I’m going to shove the biggest electric motor I can under that hood and pack the rear of the car full of batteries to see if I can’t take that allegedly 8.5 certifiable roll cage as a challenge instead of a guideline. Big fat EV burnouts in a car that was built to help GM survive the oil crisis. What could be more fitting?
If you want to bet it all on Vega(s), baby, go ahead and check out the Craigslist post for more photos (mostly of stuff you don’t get with the car) and contact info.