IMSA inspired Vega

[bbcowboy]

Chevy Vega has Hooker Header IMSA Wide Body Kit with an Art Morrison 3-Link Rear Clip. The front suspension is all custom built tubular control arms with Chevy S-10 2 inch drop spindles and a power rack & pinion for steering. For braking installed Wilwood 13” diameter disc with 6 piston (light weight) calibers front and 4 piston in the back.
A Griffin Aluminum radiator with dual fans to cool the Chevy LS 3 motor with a Tremec TKO 500 (5 speed) transmission which has been set back 3 inches from the stock location, moved over ¾ inches to the right and lowered approximately 2 inches. Custom build 1 ¾ inch equal length headers into the exhaust pipes that go into one muffler existing out the right side of the car.

[rchaskin]

Glad you started a build thread here.

You should also post a link to the H-Body site build.

This is awesome!!!!!

[cornfedbill]

I Love It!

[snopro]

Interesting build, looking forward to watching the progress on this.

[Supra510]

Nice.

[feeble]

Very nice! I really enjoy your thread on the H-body forum.

[overZealous1]

going to be pretty wicked!

[67 ls1 vert]

Looks like the car that was in Richards shop.

[bbcowboy]

Randy
Here is the link to H body Forum...
http://forums.h-body.org/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=34417
Thanks Shawn...boy I haven't seen a Cobra II Monroe Handler in a long time.. nice build and yes Jinx this is the car over at Richards...Richard has been giving me many tips on doing the body work..and I didn't want to do the body work at my house because it is messy...

[instro84]

nice cant wait to see it completed.

[bbcowboy]

Well, I got a little bit done on the back bumper still not finished but I was able to raise it and move it in closer to the body. I need to fill in the open space on the top of the bumper and blend it into the body. The belly pan it pretty much done for now. Will be taking out the center section to sand blast and paint the frame after that is done then finish welding the belly pan.
The one thing I regret theat I should of gotten the underneath and interior sandblasted before I started doing the belly pan and front fenders....

[Zspoiler]

It looks like a fun project. That was a interesting era of car racing and some wild looking cars.Compared to the cookie cutter cars of today. That what inspired me to build my 1979 Z-28 Pro-touring Camaro.95202952039520495205

[bbcowboy]

Hey, I have one of those air dams...I was going to modify it to fit my car but I needed up making.
Nice Camaro.

[Zspoiler]

It a Fibermotive IMSA/IROC nose the company doesn`t make them any more.I was going to ad the IMSA flairs and the wing but I couldn`t afford it at the time. And by the time I could they discontinued them. I like your design for you front end.I`d like the later model Vega nose better than the earlier one.

[bbcowboy]

Well, if you ever need the air dam in the future I will have it...to tell you the truth I like both front ends but for this project I prefer the the later style.....

[Rocket 442]

Looks like an awesome start. Are those the Team 3 LT-III Wheels?

[bbcowboy]

Yes they are..17x9.5 in the front and 17x11 in the rear

[bbcowboy]

Brought my car home from my buddy's body shop, I wan't getting enough done on the car. I also got the new custom hood.

[bbcowboy]

Now that i got the air dam where i want it now I can do the fender flare on the right side..then do everything on the left side.

[Gil]

Vey nice !
96929
Rendering is awesome !
Keep plugging away !
Gil

[bbcowboy]

Thanks Gil...

[72BBSwinger]

Love this kind of build, should be crazy. Looking at the patina of the under carriage really has me saying, just satin clear all of that! May not follow the theme but I can't help it.

[bbcowboy]

I don't know if you want to call that surface rust "patina". My plans are to paint the frame rails, under coat the floor boards (sound barrier and cooling) and powder coat all the suspension pieces. By clear coating the underneath it would save me time....

[bbcowboy]

I was debating on posting any more photos of the construction of the front end until I was finished with it but, since the body work is taking a long time to finsih I thought I will go ahead show some progress of the body work...I was able to get the fender flair in rough stage, still need to work on the inside of the fender flair to round it out (clean it up) and make the connect between the fender flair and the air dam.

[bbcowboy]

100266I thought I would post a photo of the completed right side...

[87camaroZ28]

I love this build! It's going to be awesome!

[linkstar69]

Love it!

[NOT A TA]

Dunno how I missed this but it's a great build! Saw the car in the PT garage section and went looking for a build thread.

[bbcowboy]

Had to roll the car out of the garage so it could get some sun, (actually I had to clean the garage) getting ready to do final skim coat of filler to finish of the body work then comes apart to get primed.

[BMR Sales]

I don't know how I missed this either, but now I'm in!

I remember the Chevy Monzas from IMSA, but not the Vega. I like where you are going with this one.

I have a early 70's IMSA Porsche GTU Car that I hope to finish this year

[BirdsThaWord]

Surprised Vengeance has not replied yet. He loves those wide body cars! Looking killer so far!!!

[bbcowboy]

Thank you, the rear portion and some of the front fenders are from the Hooker Header Body kit and the forward portion of the front fenders and the air dam are hand fabricated by me.

[Boatmark]

Love it! Can't believe I missed it so far. I just ran across a magazine article last night about the Schwartz Vega, and was thinking how much fun an LS Vega would be - this is even better. I remember the Monza's, but have never seen a Vega done IMSA style.

[feeble]

Looking very nice!

Where did you get the hood and is it steel or fiberglass?

[bbcowboy]

The hood is fiberglass, a friend mine who owns an orginal Hooker Header body made the a mold from it and made a few. This one was the first one out of the mold.

[chevymike]

Oh hell ya!!!! I am seriously digging this car. GREAT work and love to see this on the road here in town one of these days!

[driveit]

Nice work.

[LS7 Z/28]

This is an awesome build dude and I really like the direction you're going. All that work will be worth it, great job.

[bbcowboy]

I guess it is time to post new progress photos. There is still some minor work needs to be done on the front end, but it is getting close.

[cornfedbill]

I really like this. I had several Vegas and really wish I did not sell my last one. I would be building it in IMSA style too.

Keep up the good work.

[TimMC]

That is awesome. Always wanted a vega.

[bbcowboy]

Thanks guys...it has been long coming. I know there are a few issues with the front panels but for now I am going to leave them alone and do something else then come back to them. I am doing the fit and finish of the back end. Vegas didn't have perfect jams.

[jetsetw31]

Wow, a ISMA Vega! I saw one in the 80s and it was the same hooker kit. You have improved on the original front. Great job. The original for your year was closer to this...https://www.pro-touring.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=107464&stc=1
I'm also loving the front suspension. Very cool project.

[bbcowboy]

I actually started out with that kit but it was broken in the front plus I am using bigger tires, that is why I did what I did on the front end. That front end has been redesigned twice know due to upgrades.

[Wraith]

Love this build!

[bbcowboy]

On my back this past weekend working on the rear belly pan.

[no go nova]

Nice work gonna be cutting thru the wind with this?

[bbcowboy]

I hope I will be cutting thru the wind, with the front splitter covering the front end, I may not need to do anything in the center of the car..

[bbcowboy]

Update: I finally got the car in full primer stage (except the cowl area). Going to let the body sit for awhile and work on the cowl and engine compartment. The rear bumper needs some attention still but it is pretty much fitted to the body.

[Gil]

Very nice work !
Gil

[bbcowboy]

Thanks Gil

[Motown 454]

nice work!

[Dave Pratt]

I've had a thing for Vegas since I was a teenager...this is such a kool build! Can't wait to see it once you have color on it.By the way what color are you thinking ?

Dave

[bbcowboy]

Thanks Dave and Wayne.
Colors...Gun Metal Gray on the passenagers side and white on the drivers side with an red and black strip...there is a rendering on this thread.

[LS7 Z/28]

It looks awesome. I think adding side skirts would look even cooler. Make them as wide as the flared out area at the back of the fenders and the front of the rear quarters and as low as the front splitter/valance. It will turn out great either way. I'm looking forward to seeing paint, great work.

[bbcowboy]

I have been thinking about running side pipes like the Dekon Monzas did back in the day and that way I can run a belly pan pretty much under the whole car...

[Justin@EntropyRad]

Pretty darn sweet

[bbcowboy]

Now that the body is pretty much completed and its time for the engine compartment to get some loving care..

[JHunter]

Nice job - some great fab going on. Can you share the back spacing of the front and rear wheels?
Thanks!

[Supra510]

Nice work

[mmosley]

Whoa! It is like a Kart with an LS... cool build. Seriously though, this needs a dog ring box with straight cut gears...

[bbcowboy]

Ok, now I am lost "needs a dog ring box with straight cut gears"????
Thank you Michael

[BanditDarble]

A crashbox.

Manual trans you shift without the clutch like a Jericho or Liberty. Was common to make Muncie's and ST-10's into crashbox's by grind off alternating synchro tangs.

Sweet ride and nice craftsmanship. Love the Vega's and Monza's.

[mmosley]

Ok, now I am lost "needs a dog ring box with straight cut gears"????
Thank you Michael

A dog ring box - no synchros - for road racing. You only use the clutch to launch the car. Straight cut gears are common in race only cars, the gears are stronger but noisy as hell. It would just match the rest of the car in the sense that this very much looks the part of a track car, no need to worry about making it all quiet and civilized!

Give you an idea of the sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSYh0cIzc7Y

[bbcowboy]

Thank you for the meaning of that statement Michael. I have heard of those transmissions I think I will stick with my Tremec for now, it's still a street car...

[jlcustomz]

Pretty cool. Doing something like that these days, you can improve on the looks & function of the old kits .

Had the Cadillac of Vegas as my first car, a 77' Monza factory v-8 coupe. My first dual exhaust was used sidepipes, looked pretty cool on it, hint hint.

[Widetrax]

I really like the old IMSA race cars too. They are my inspiration for my 68 firebird build. The back of it will be 6" wider than stock when I am done. Also mini tubed for 18" wheel wells. Lots of work to do it though. It's all steel.
Great job on your Vega! Really dig it!

[twistedstang]

Cool build! I'm becoming a big fan of the imsa widebody cars of the late 70s and early 80s

[bbcowboy]

I gave up on the engine bay this weekend to do something else, I modified the custom hood with heat extractors...

[1968CamaroSS_Sam]

I like the extractors on the hood. Looks good.

[NOT A TA]

I have been thinking about running side pipes like the Dekon Monzas did back in the day and that way I can run a belly pan pretty much under the whole car...

This is exactly what I'm doing with my Firebird.

Nice build you've got going. Always wanted a Dekon Monza but it'll never happen so the red #20 car is my screen saver and will have to do. I keep looking for a late Spyder or a Mirage. Missed out on a Mirage in Ocala just recently.

[Martin71RS]

Very cool build!!

[Buryingthesun]

Everything about this build is perfect!

what did you use for those hood extractors?

[bbcowboy]

Thank you guys....
The Dekon Monza #20 is my favorite also, John
The vents came from 2014-2015 Ford Mustang

[1968CamaroSS_Sam]

Nice work. The wheels totally complement this look.

[bbcowboy]

Thanks Sam, the idea of the project is to be somewhat retro to that time of the wide body in IMSA

[feeble]

Very nice hood! I wanted to do something similar to my hood, right down the same source for the vents but the contour of the Mustang II hood doesn't work with the vents. Nice to see it here.

[bbcowboy]

Thanks Shawn,
I had to work with them to fit the contour of the hood, glad they were made in fiberglass....

[cornfedbill]

The hood looks really good. This will be a nice ride...

[87camaroZ28]

This is an awesome build! I like everything about it! Keep the updates coming.



Greg

[bbcowboy]

Thanks Bill and Greg...I will keep the updates coming they might be slow but I will keep you posted...

[bbcowboy]

I thought I would post a comparsion picture of a stock Cosworth Vega and a highly modified Cosworth Vega..

[bbcowboy]

I thought it was about time for some updates on the project...I got to a point where I was not able to finish on my own...ended up I sending to a professional to be finished...the shop found some errors in my work and so they went in a fixed it...in some way it was a major set back but it is being done right...

[feeble]

They'll do a great job for you.

Since the firewall is gone, have you thought about doing 180 headers? They sound awesome!

[64G-lark]

Like your build. I always thought a LS powered Vega would be a beast.

[bbcowboy]

Not exactly 180 headers but redesigned raised up to get more ground clearance and ease of transmission removal

[Bob in St. Louis]

OH wow. That's going to be mean. Neat choice in cars, I've wondered why the smaller cars weren't more popular (Vegas, Monzas, etc..etc...)

[xsboost90]

my dad started building a wide body vega when i was a kid. Custom quarters and a small block. Had a maserati bumper on it? Eventually it got scrapped but would have been badass. Keep up the good work!

[bbcowboy]

Thanks guys...
some more work was done the floor going back in, new pedals and new dash

[avewhtboy]

that looks really nice, look like you have more foot room around the pedals, shifter console looks nice too, all business!

[Zanie]

Nice work!!

[bbcowboy]

there is a whole lot more space at the pedals for sure...

[bbcowboy]

This is were the car stands at this time...the whole front end was redone in metal....plus they found that the front end was not correct, so they realigned the front fender wells and built a new radiator support..

[avewhtboy]

Looks great the stance looks almost perfect a little high in the rear but looks like you have plenty of tire clearance to lower it. Getting closer all the time.

Rick

[BigRedCamaro]

Nice project! The exhaust routing is really cool. Great way to address the ground clearance. How much ground clearance do you have on the front spoiler?

Keep it up!

[bbcowboy]

ground clearance should be between 4 to 5 inches...the stance will change due to the new 3 way adjustable coil overs...the back will go down and the front should go up a little
Thanks guys...(Big Red Camaro and Rick)

[medici78]

Wow, wow, wow. This is one of my favorite projects here. Keep it up!

[bbcowboy]

A custom air cleaner was made in which will seal against the hood.... and extra bracing

[bugdewde]

oooooooh....... I think I just pee'd a little.

There's a fella on Tampa (FLA) craigslist offering a Vega IMSA body kit for $2500. I wonder how well it would fit on one of my Wagons? Crazy talk.
You sir, are awesome!!!!

[bbcowboy]

Thanks...That kit would fit the front but the rear fenders would need mayor work to fit to the station wagon...

[BMR Sales]

oooooooh....... I think I just pee'd a little.

There's a fella on Tampa (FLA) craigslist offering a Vega IMSA body kit for $2500. I wonder how well it would fit on one of my Wagons? Crazy talk.
You sir, are awesome!!!!

https://tampa.craigslist.org/hdo/pts/5367091779.html

[bbcowboy]

I think you would be doing some major modifications on the rear fenders....

[bbcowboy]

I haven't posted anything lately.... Some work has been done...the rear belly pan is finished out and now work has begun on finishing out the front end

[Buryingthesun]

Great build man

[Bob in St. Louis]

Yea, I'm diggin' that.

[Bugzilla]

I was hunting for a Vega before I got the Bug. Couldn't find any so Bug it was. Love what you have done so far. Should be a blast!

Straight trade, Vega for Bug? Haha

[bbcowboy]

Thanks guys...mmmm straight trade for a Bug? ......mmmmm No I don't think so....

[avewhtboy]

Looking good man in the final stretch !

[SRD art]

Any progress??

[Boosted Falcon]

Great build, a buddy of mine had a IMSA inspired Monza that I lusted over years ago.

[bbcowboy]

Body work is coming along real nicely...some changes has been in the works145322145321145320145319145318145317145316

[avewhtboy]

Those guys are really doing a nice job on your car. Is it still making it to SEMA ? If so they better get moving!

[bbcowboy]

Nope, not going to make it to SEMA this year, it will be at the Detroit Autorama in March.

[cornfedbill]

Looking good. It is a bit more edgy and aggressive than the cars of the IMSA Vegas and Monzas of the 70' and 80's. I like it.

I will have to be sure and look for it at Autorama. I am eager to see the finished product.

[bbcowboy]

Ok, a lot has happened with the car...more body modifications

[bbcowboy]

Paint being applied

[bbcowboy]

Engine installed and wired

[bbcowboy]

The underneath looks as good as the top side

[bbcowboy]

pretty much completed minus the interior (carpeting needs to installed)

[68EFIvert]

That turned out great! Nice job.

[Bob in St. Louis]

Outrageously cool!

[Zspoiler]

That turned out very nice ,I like that era of race cars, Have you taken it out to the track yet?

[cornfedbill]

That turned out really nice. I am eager to hear about the performance.

[Protour_Pinto]

I like the plate.

[cornfedbill]

I am very impressed. I love the fuel injection system too. It is very correct for a classic IMSA styled car. You're making me want to by another Vega...

[bbcowboy]

Zspoiler

No I haven't yet...will be breaking it on the NCM for the USCA event.

[Boosted Falcon]

Looking forward to seeing the car at NCM USCA event, nice build.

[Ron Sutton]

Car turned out nice Byron !

Let me know if you need any help, tuning or whatever. Especially first time out with our shocks.

[NOT A TA]

That turned out great! Nice work!