1976 Chevrolet Cosworth Vega Sells For $48,000: Video
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Produced for just two years between 1975 and 1976, the Chevrolet Cosworth Vega took Chevy’s plucky subcompact nameplate to all-new heights thanks to a number of motorsport-inspired upgrades. Just over 3,500 units were produced, one of which recently sold on Bring A Trailer for $48,000.
This particular Chevrolet Cosworth Vega hails from the 1976 model year, specially number 3,037 of 3,508 built. Originally delivered new to Al Lincoln Buick-Chevrolet in North Carolina, this two-door stayed with the dealer until it was sold in 1982 to a collector in Ohio. At the time, the vehicle had just 38 miles on the clock. Later, in the ‘90s, it was moved to Pennsylvania.
Interestingly, this 1976 Chevrolet Cosworth Vega now shows a mere 39 miles on the clock, ticking over just a single mile since it was originally sold in 1982. This thing is highly original, and singes the eyeballs with Medium Orange paint paired with gold pinstripes. The seller notes some orange peel to the finish, as well as some cracks in the paint in the engine bay.
This Chevrolet Cosworth Vega also rides on the factory 13-inch cast aluminum wheels, which are fitted with period-correct Goodyear BR70-13 tires.
The cabin is covered in Buckskin Sport Cloth, with tan vinyl for the door trim, and plaid inserts for the bucket seats. The dash comes with a turned face, and houses instrumentation that includes a speedometer, tachometer, voltage, fuel level, and coolant temperature.
Anyone strapped into the hot seat will get to grips with a four-spoke Cosworth steering wheel, while an AM/FM radio with the optional rear-seat speaker is also on board. The matching spare is found in the trunk.
The most enticing bit can be found under the hood, where the Chevrolet Cosworth Vega mounts a race-inspired 2.0L inline four-cylinder, with a Cosworth-developed twin-cam head, electronic fuel injection, and tubular exhaust headers. Sending the output rearwards is a four-speed manual transmission.
This highly original Chevrolet Cosworth Vega was recently serviced with a cooling system flush, fuel system service, and oil change, with the sale including the original manufacturer’s literature, copies of the MSO, purchase paperwork, window sticker, and a letter from the Cosworth Vega Owners Association. The final winning bid came in at $48,000.
What would you pay for this original 1976 Chevrolet Cosworth Vega? Let us know in the comments, and make sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more Chevrolet Vega news, Chevrolet news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Source: Bring A Trailer
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A curious 2 year GM wonder that fell far flat of what it was supposed to be power wise and was another in a long line of much hype and ballyhoo that didn’t amount to much of anything. Made for two model years only with the first year only in black paint this car sold only 2061 cars for 1975 then declining to 1447 the following year leaving 1492 surplus engines that ended up being scrapped for parts and a tax write off.
The rarity of this car has made it pretty collectable in these times but rust could be a chronic issue so some examples were probably parted out at some point in their life. HP initially was supposed to be in the 170 ball park but finally settled at only 110 due to much tighter emission regulations and a lower 8.5:1 compression ratio. That was a hard pill for a buyer in 1975 to swallow considering what these costs. The base price for a 1975 Cosworth was $5916 which was more than double that of a base version and made these the second most expensive Chevy that year behind the Corvette.
Still this car shows that GM engineering could, if they put their minds to it, make some of the most advanced set of wheels from an American manufacturer. You can’t fault DeLorean for trying. He was daring and willing to push the envelope. Too bad GM bean counters, technology and quality control were nowhere ready for these en-devours during this time era.
It’s still a Vega…… I guess if that’s what you like, more power to you. I guess at least it’s not a Cossie Ford Escort, But, there are a lot of other cars out there (30’s through the 80’s) for that money that I would rather own.
DID I COME WITH A SPARE SET OF FRONT FENDERS (RUST) OTHER THAN THIS ENGINE WHICH WAS FEW, THIS CAR WAS A JOKE .
Overpriced by about $47,000. Did the floors rust out at 38 miles? Vega, worst car I ever owned.
I’d say nothing. Owned one, had the engine rebuilt 3 times in the first 10000 miles. The fourth time they couldn’t get parts. Had to sue the dealer to get them to take it back.
Worst part was my other choice was a ’75 Celica GT
Bought one of these new ( non Cosworth ) in 75, drove it for 10 years and 232,000 miles. Never had an engine problem, rust had me driving it to the salvage yard. Saw it in the high school parking lot several weeks later. Hopefully they did something to reinforce the frame.
I almost bought one of these about 25 years ago in the black with gold pinstripe “Bandit Trans-Am” paint scheme. I still kinda wish I had, although reviews back in the day said the gutless 2 liter was made even worse by the normally aspirated DOHC head. I always thought the 4 big tubes crossing over the head were some cool performance part, until I sadly discovered they were just air injection tubes. (Emission controls)
So instead, in 1995 I bought a 1990 Chevy Beretta GTZ with the 180HP, 2.3 liter “High Output Quad-4” engine. Still a little gutless at low RPM, but high revving and fun to drive.
Didn’t those engines have a significant flaw due to being all aluminium and not sorted out?
I seem to recall reading some article about Cosworth wanting to do a complete engine, but in their negotiations with GM, settled for just doing the aluminum DOHC head that bolted on GM’s aluminum 2.0 liter block. Pretty cool in theory & looks, but a real disappointment in function.
2 fatal flaws of the Vega: No steel sleeves in the aluminum block and very poor rust protection in the body . It was otherwise a fun car to drive for the 1970’s, especially with the 4 Speed Manual.
I owned from new the Pontiac Astre wagon version of the Vega with 4 cylinder 4 speed manual. Living at the time in the greater Milwaukee, WI area winter driving on salt covered freeways (Like driving on gravel) accelerated rusting. I periodically patched the body with aluminum beer cans and bondo. My brother-in-law called it the beer wagon. It was a blast to drive. I once drove up to Winnipeg, Manatoba in December. Overnight temps of -36F. With block heater and battery charger morning startup was a snap with only exception being the need to put my bare hand on the ignition key to warm switch so I could turn it (I was not a smoker so no lighter). Then as soon as the engine started I had to force rotate the ignation key back to the run position, again due to the cold. At 160,000 miles rust finally did the front suspension A-Frame in. I hated to part with the vehicle as the engine never needed anything other than normal scheduled maintenance. The vehicle was my daily drive and I definitley was not easy on it for sure. Every summer Saturday evening I watched winged sprint car racing at a nearby dirt track. Winter driving with snow tires and a little extra weight in the back was FUN, if you know what I mean.
I had a 75 Cosworth Vega – what a pile of crap it was. It looked cool, but that was it.
Just goes to show you should never underestimate the power of nostalgia! We all know this car sold for well over what it is really worth, but people buy on emotion. On top of that, with only 39 miles AND it’s not black (almost all seem to be black) makes this one quite different. Not a car for me, but congrats to the buyer!
I was crazy enough to own two regular Vegas. One blue and one Orange GT with black striping. They did what they were supposed to do at the time. Just get us around.
I worked at a Chevy dealership in the parts department when the Cosworth was introduced. The dealership had on on spec and we all ogled the engine. No one in the dealer would buy it as one of the service departments major revenue stream was replacing short block in Vegas. The cylinder walls would wore and leaked coolant into the cylinders. I had a Vega GT wagon at that time so, being in the parts department, I ordered a dash facia from the Cos for for my Vega. Gold engine turned, and pretty cool.
I had a 73 gt.vega..it drove good as a new car..body solid…but block was crap..2 engines.in 4 years..all same prob…ran hot.throw a head gasket..back.to gm.dealer..if they put the iron.engine.in it..it would solve it..ed Cole and his cheap ass.71.engineers..all.you needs to say..they junked it.with flawed.engine block.
Wasn’t the Vega originally designed for the Wankle rotary engine then when that deal fell through they just threw the cheapest engine in it they could throw together ?
Yes, although I think they really envisioned it for the Monza, which of course was nearly identical.
Also, think of the Vega line-up: all two-doors! Outside of the Camaro, Mustang, Challenger, and sports cars, who would do that now?
Best thing about the Vega was that it was pretty easy to swap that piece of junk motor for 350 small block and as light as it was then you had a real fun car.
You can say what you like about the Vega. But even with its faults it still was a decent car.
Yes it rusted, it burned oil but for most of us in the 80’s wanting a cheap beater car that always ran and was cheap to operate the Vega was the go to car.
I know one that went to the junk yard twice and came back to the roads again.
Those of us in Auto shop saved used motor oil and just kept it topped off and it kept running.
I always wondered where GM would have been only if this car had iron cylinder sleeves and some rust proofing. This really could have been the car of the 70’s but cost cutting in two areas not only hurt the Vega but damaged GM as a whole.
Iron sleeves were added in 75.
But never to the Cosworth???
My friends sister had a green one saved money to put craiger mags and white letter fat tires
I worked at chevy garage and did a front end alignment on a Vega . Had to put a come along on the frame and pull it back together to set camber, not impressive, and I like chevy cars.
The Vega and the Pinto are excellent examples of some of the cars that destroyed the reputation of US car companies, opening the door wide open for the Japanese to take over their market share, in the US and around the world. US car companies will never get that market share back.
The Japanese cars of the day really demonstrated how those Pintos and Vegas were rolling pieces of junk. The guy who paid 48K for that car must have been completely mad.
Good buy!! That car is still brand new. My dad had two one was a wagon. But my dad sold to my cousin and he had it for years after that. My favorite car growing up im almost 50