1977 Vega Kammback

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Re: 1977 Vega Kammback

Postby CaptainPainn » Tue Apr 29, 2014 12:41 am

I'm looking at one from a 70' Skylark if its still up for sale. It should just barley fit. If i lose out, then ill end up making one.
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1977 Chevrolet Vega


Re: 1977 Vega Kammback

Postby CaptainPainn » Tue Jul 08, 2014 8:31 pm

Bought some parts for the car. I'm happy with the way the gas tank fits, i just really wish it was deeper. Decided to go 700r4. I'm told i will need some kind of lock up switch, otherwise it will burn up torque converters. Anyone know about that? Just about have the wire harness sorted out, thanks to everyone who has been helping with that in my other thread. I'm concerned that the mechanical fuel pump is too close to the frame plate. I would prefer not to go electric. Is there mini fuel pumps out there, like the mini starter?
700r4.jpg
gas tank.jpg
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1977 Chevrolet Vega

Re: 1977 Vega Kammback

Postby mahoy78spyder » Tue Jul 08, 2014 9:05 pm

Most people have had to grind away on the frame mount for more clearance for manual fuel pumps. I'm not certain if there are smaller versions though.
Ken Mahoy
'78 C06 Monza Spyder
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Re: 1977 Vega Kammback

Postby CaptainPainn » Wed Jul 09, 2014 10:20 pm

Shifter mocked up in final position.
shifter - Copy.jpg
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1977 Chevrolet Vega

Re: 1977 Vega Kammback

Postby spencerforhire » Thu Jul 10, 2014 6:39 pm

I can help when it's time to do the lock-up on the 700R4; there are various solutions from cheap to big $$$. I've done a bunch of them.
The "fleet"-
72 Vega HB Drag Car -383/'Glide/9"(9.35@146.19)(5.94@117.28 1/8th)
77 Vega Estate wagon- project(someday)will have TPI305/T-5, S-10 spindles/axles
76 Vega GT- 400/4spd/9" retired from active duty(rusty)
06 Silverado 2WD ex.cab daily
03 Silverado 2WD ex.cab (retired)
06 Haulin' 20ft enclosed car transporter
06 GMC Canyon Shop truck
07 Colorado project( 5.3 4L60e swap)
99 Saturn SL1- wife's car
01 Saturn SC2- son's project
07 Saturn Ion Redline project
and 4 more Saturn "parts cars"
Note- the very act of listing all of these has made me realize I have some kind of problem.....

Visit http://www.spencerforhire.ca
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1972 Chevrolet Vega Hatchback

Re: 1977 Vega Kammback

Postby CaptainPainn » Sun Jul 13, 2014 3:54 pm

spencerforhire wrote:I can help when it's time to do the lock-up on the 700R4; there are various solutions from cheap to big $$$. I've done a bunch of them.

Cool, cause i don't know anything about it. I don't wanna spend more than $100 on the lock up if i can help it. My uncle was over the other day and he pointed out that the engine looks rolled towards the driver side. I assumed it was from drilling out the bolt holes in the motor mounts at different levels. I took the mock up engine out today and got to looking at the mounts. Turns out the frame plates aren't level. Do the Buick engines have the mounts at different levels on either side of the block? Or perhaps one of the frame plates is bent? I got a 1/2" difference, and another 1/8" with the motor mounts on the frame plates.
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1977 Chevrolet Vega

Re: 1977 Vega Kammback

Postby CaptainPainn » Sun Aug 17, 2014 1:53 am

Engine and trans in for final mock up. Rear patch coming along. K member cleaned, boxed, and painted.
305 mock up.jpg
insde quarter patch.jpg
k member.jpg
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Re: 1977 Vega Kammback

Postby CaptainPainn » Wed Oct 15, 2014 7:32 pm

Haven't updated in a couple months, but have been hard at work! Engine mounts finished. Trans mount is done besides boxing and paint. I have at least a hundred hours in design and fabrication for that thing, but damn if it didn't turn out great. Engine is running in the car with the key. Started on redoing the trans tunnel and firewall. Beginning to think about moving the radiator to outside the core support. Bolted on the dash pad and instrument bezel. Found someone to repair the seats, and trying to kill the mice that made a home in the car! Ill post pictures and a video this weekend when i get around to it.
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1977 Chevrolet Vega

Re: 1977 Vega Kammback

Postby CaptainPainn » Wed Oct 22, 2014 8:15 pm

cm1.jpeg
cm2.jpeg
cm3.jpeg

Here is a facebook video of the car running
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=71 ... =2&theater
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Last edited by CaptainPainn on Wed Oct 22, 2014 8:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 1977 Vega Kammback

Postby CaptainPainn » Wed Oct 22, 2014 8:17 pm

cm4.jpeg
cm5.jpeg
cm6.jpeg

I'm considering welding the brackets to the floor, but not so sure yet. Input?
Decided to keep the radiator in the stock location, but use a pusher electric fan.
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Last edited by CaptainPainn on Wed Oct 22, 2014 8:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 1977 Vega Kammback

Postby CaptainPainn » Wed Oct 22, 2014 8:28 pm

The crate 350 in my daily driver started knocking on Monday, so i had to swap the Vega's 305 in. That'l get me through the winter and then ill find a big block for it. Plan now is to rebuild the 350 from my truck for the Vega with some 492 angle plug heads i have and a tunnel ram. Don't know if i wanna go single or dual carb yet.
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Re: 1977 Vega Kammback

Postby CaptainPainn » Wed Jan 07, 2015 1:08 am

Got quite a bit done over christmas vacation. Took the front springs out. Pulled a 5 lug swap off an s-10. Ordered ball joint adapters. Have new shocks. Still need to get ball joints and control arm bushings. Anyone have suggestions on where to get those at? Going to add a front swaybar. Bought a dash metal section from Ed Ryan's Cosworth. This past weekend i starting mounting the radiator and fan.
8.jpg
9.jpg
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Last edited by CaptainPainn on Wed Jan 07, 2015 1:26 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: 1977 Vega Kammback

Postby CaptainPainn » Wed Jan 07, 2015 1:19 am

Finally got around to redoing the rear floor. It is fully welded all the way around top and bottom. Still need to tie in the center cross member as can be seen, but other than that its all done. Welding on your back for hours sucks! Very uncomfortable so i use a pillow of old grease rags. Then the rags catch fire... And then there's the welding burns.
1.jpg
2.jpg
3.jpg
4.jpg
5.jpg
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Re: 1977 Vega Kammback

Postby CaptainPainn » Wed Jan 07, 2015 1:22 am

6.jpg
7.jpg

Other than all that, i've been looking at an El Camino i'm seriously thinking about buying.
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Re: 1977 Vega Kammback

Postby CaptainPainn » Sun Feb 22, 2015 11:10 pm

New ball joints, control arm bushings, V8 springs, and S10 spindles installed. Swapped to lower control arms with say bar mounts.
springs (1).jpg
springs (2).jpg
springs (3).jpg
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