'71 Vega Panel Express - Dolfn

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'71 Vega Panel Express - Dolfn

Postby HenryJ » Sat Feb 06, 2016 1:10 am

Started this long ago and now back on the stages of finishing it. Last registered in 1999 it has been parked in the garage for over 15 years. It got its Dolphin nickname from the light blue body and white belly.
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I picked up the car with no engine. It had been punched out (firewalled) for a Big block chevy engine. Lots of parts loaded inside. Much of it junk or sold off. I put the car back to stock for a few years with a nice low mile four cylinder. I drove it like that for a few years in the late eighties.
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On a whim we installed the engine and transmission into a hatchback for my sister and the delivery went back the way of a V-8. I had a leftover steel cranked 283 out of an old vette. Having never played with the spray I put together a nice little Nitrous oxide motor for it.
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I put it together using parts I had on hand with the intent to put together a nice driver and weekend drag car for my wife.
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It has a narrowed 9" Ford big bearing rear axle. 3.92 ratio on a detroit locker. Rear tires are 295x50-15. Rear suspension is stock four link boxed and narrowed. Front received Moroso trick front springs. The car has just over 71k on the clock so everything is still tight and drives very nice.
I added a passenger seat and hid the "bottle" under the front storage compartment. The rear compartment houses the battery.
The interior was cleaned up and not in bad shape.
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New carpet and seats reupholstered. Still need to paint it and I thought that was what I would work on this winter. Looking closer at it I did have some loose ends to finish first.
Years and ethanol did no favors to the fuel lines. All the rubber hoses now replaced. Brakes system fluid neglected. Flushed and refilled fixed that.
Now having driven it a little more I remember the cooling issues.
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I am running a stock Monza V-8 radiator. it is just not enough even with a crank driven flex fan and a 12" electric pusher. Finally ordered a new aluminum replacement. I know a shroud would help, but have yet to figure one out that will work. I may have to do that if the new radiator doesn't do the job :)
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I added an air dam underneath to enhance the low pressure zone behind the radiator. The cowl hood helps vent heat at low speed usually, however mine is sealed to the intake for cooler air induction.
Back when I started this project there are several things I wish I had gathered. The front and rear valances. Mine are cracked and as I see now...impossible to find. So repair those I must. The radiator...OMG price has quadrupled on that Griffin radiator.

Off and running... back in the chase for parts :)

( BTW- I might have a good stock 1976 Monza radiator for sale soon ;) if anyone is looking? )
Last edited by HenryJ on Mon Oct 07, 2019 11:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Speed doesn't kill, suddenly becoming stationary does." - Richard Hammond
"Speed is just a matter of Money - How fast do YOU want to go?"-Mechanic from Mad Max-
If at first you don't succeed - Don't take up Skydiving!
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Re: '71 Vega Delivery - Dolphin

Postby bugdewde » Sat Feb 06, 2016 9:00 am

Cool car/story. Watch that Detroit locker on the street. They can be a real pain on the street.
Chris Weaton (Vegamods) has fiberglass replacement valance panels for these cars...... as well as spoilers.
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Re: '71 Vega Delivery - Dolphin

Postby HenryJ » Sat Feb 06, 2016 10:30 am

bugdewde wrote:Cool car/story. Watch that Detroit locker on the street. They can be a real pain on the street.
Thanks. I have had good luck with this one. Seems to be less harsh and pretty tame compared to stories that I have heard. I run a TracLoc in the HenryJ and everybody said that would be bad too. 1100 hp and 25 years later it is doing fine :)
Chris Weaton (Vegamods) has fiberglass replacement valance panels for these cars...... as well as spoilers.
This isn't the guy from Canada is it?
EDIT: Is this the guy- cswrth1 , vegamods@aol.com
cswrth1 Sat Oct 08, 2011 wrote:Here is a list of the fiberglass parts that I still have available.
71-77 Vega Hatchback rear spoiler
71-73 Vega front spoiler
74-77 Vega front lower valance panel
74-77 Vega front lower air deflector
74-77 Vega lower rear valance
74-77 Vega 3 piece front spoiler
75-76 Cosworth Vega timing cover

I still have all the molds for these items and they were all made out of epoxy resin to minimize shrinkage and keep the parts fitting right. There is a fellow H body enthusiast that comes in and lays up some parts as needed but I have some of all those items above in stock. I am somewhat new to this site so I am not sure if it is OK to list pricing on here but those are the parts that are still available. The carbon kevlar colors that I was doing are pretty much gone and the carbon fiber I might still be able to do but it has been pretty much discontinued.
As for the 71-73 front and rear lower valances, I have NOS parts that I have saved if I ever wanted to do the molds but out of respect for Dave Quarterman I never made molds because he made a good quality part that fit and I didn't want to compete with him. Last time I talked to him he was working for the guy that made his parts but couldn't get any of his own parts made. Not sure what the latest is.
I hope that helps clarify things.

Thanks, Chris Wheaton
That post is pretty old, it does look like he is making at least the '71 front valance. He is listed as being in CA. That is good :)
Thanks! For the lead. I have his facebook page "liked" already. Never put the two together I guess. I left a PM here and sent an email. Hopefully I will hear back from him :)
"Speed doesn't kill, suddenly becoming stationary does." - Richard Hammond
"Speed is just a matter of Money - How fast do YOU want to go?"-Mechanic from Mad Max-
If at first you don't succeed - Don't take up Skydiving!
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Re: '71 Vega Delivery - Dolphin

Postby HenryJ » Sat Feb 06, 2016 4:26 pm

So Vegamods on Facebook was the way to go. He responded pretty quickly.
The front valance is in stock and the rear is on the way to production. I am in for one of each once the rear is available.

Thank you so much for the information. Those pieces are really going to move things along nicely!
"Speed doesn't kill, suddenly becoming stationary does." - Richard Hammond
"Speed is just a matter of Money - How fast do YOU want to go?"-Mechanic from Mad Max-
If at first you don't succeed - Don't take up Skydiving!
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Re: '71 Vega Delivery - Dolphin

Postby cammerjeff » Sat Feb 06, 2016 6:01 pm

Good looking car,

I saw this radiator option on EBAY I have no experience with them so I don't know anything about fit or quality

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-ROWS-1971-197 ... 5r&vxp=mtr
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Re: '71 Vega Delivery - Dolphin

Postby HenryJ » Sat Feb 06, 2016 6:12 pm

Thanks, I saw that one too, however if you look closer it is listed for the L4. The core dimensions 12"x20" make it pretty small. That passengerside up swept lower hose is kind of a giveaway. That would not work with a smallblock chevy install as far as I could tell.
I dug through many others at prices much more reasonable, but none were correct. I have to have the Monza V8 style radiator. That driver's side hose has to clear the alternator. The core support has already been modified to fit the Monza radiator. I have no idea what radiator was used when it was fitted with a big block? It might never had made it to the point of running, or maybe was just a drag car where a smaller radiator would do for the 1/4 mile?
"Speed doesn't kill, suddenly becoming stationary does." - Richard Hammond
"Speed is just a matter of Money - How fast do YOU want to go?"-Mechanic from Mad Max-
If at first you don't succeed - Don't take up Skydiving!
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Re: '71 Vega Delivery - Dolphin

Postby HenryJ » Sat Feb 13, 2016 10:43 am

The Griffin radiator showed up. It is nice. They really do quality work.

Image

Ordered an upper radiator hose, but it must have been incorrectly tagged as it is nothing like what I need. Hopefully the correct one shows up today.
With the relocated upper hose, my hope is that I might also be able to get a shroud to work with this one.
With the Valentine's - Present's Day long weekend I hope to get it installed :)
"Speed doesn't kill, suddenly becoming stationary does." - Richard Hammond
"Speed is just a matter of Money - How fast do YOU want to go?"-Mechanic from Mad Max-
If at first you don't succeed - Don't take up Skydiving!
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Re: '71 Vega Delivery - Dolphin

Postby HenryJ » Sun Feb 14, 2016 7:11 pm

No room for the engine driven fan. Looks Like i will go all electric :)
Image

If the singe doesn't do the job I'll need to order a pair of smaller fans.

Image
"Speed doesn't kill, suddenly becoming stationary does." - Richard Hammond
"Speed is just a matter of Money - How fast do YOU want to go?"-Mechanic from Mad Max-
If at first you don't succeed - Don't take up Skydiving!
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Re: '71 Vega Delivery - Dolphin

Postby waybad » Mon Feb 15, 2016 10:19 am

Image

I added an air dam underneath to enhance the low pressure zone behind the radiator. The cowl hood helps vent heat at low speed usually, however mine is sealed to the intake for cooler air induction.



what type of air dam is this and what did it come off of? looks perfect!!
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Re: '71 Vega Delivery - Dolphin

Postby HenryJ » Mon Feb 15, 2016 11:01 am

waybad wrote:...what type of air dam is this and what did it come off of? looks perfect!!
Thank you :) It is off a late model Silverado. Trimmed the ends to fit. I am pleased that it worked as well as it does. :th:
"Speed doesn't kill, suddenly becoming stationary does." - Richard Hammond
"Speed is just a matter of Money - How fast do YOU want to go?"-Mechanic from Mad Max-
If at first you don't succeed - Don't take up Skydiving!
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Re: '71 Vega Delivery - Dolphin

Postby waybad » Mon Feb 15, 2016 5:17 pm

excellent find right there!! Thanks
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Re: '71 Vega Delivery - Dolphin

Postby HenryJ » Sun Mar 20, 2016 6:29 pm

Messaged Vegamods about the wagon rear valance: "The molds are done and I got one set of Parts out of the mold but I haven't tested on a car yet"

Setting aside some "mad money" :)
"Speed doesn't kill, suddenly becoming stationary does." - Richard Hammond
"Speed is just a matter of Money - How fast do YOU want to go?"-Mechanic from Mad Max-
If at first you don't succeed - Don't take up Skydiving!
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Re: '71 Vega Delivery - Dolphin

Postby HenryJ » Thu May 12, 2016 9:33 pm

New front and rear valance...shipped Image
"Speed doesn't kill, suddenly becoming stationary does." - Richard Hammond
"Speed is just a matter of Money - How fast do YOU want to go?"-Mechanic from Mad Max-
If at first you don't succeed - Don't take up Skydiving!
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Re: '71 Vega Delivery - Dolphin

Postby HenryJ » Sat May 28, 2016 4:05 pm

Image
Last edited by HenryJ on Tue Sep 06, 2016 9:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Speed doesn't kill, suddenly becoming stationary does." - Richard Hammond
"Speed is just a matter of Money - How fast do YOU want to go?"-Mechanic from Mad Max-
If at first you don't succeed - Don't take up Skydiving!
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Re: '71 Vega Delivery - Dolphin

Postby spencerforhire » Sun May 29, 2016 7:55 am

How's the cooling situation with just a pusher?
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.....

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