1972 Chevrolet Vega GT review from North America
"An Oddity"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
This early model Vega utilized an aluminum Opel transmission notorious for failure. This was eventually replace with a Borg Warner transmission after the second OEM replacement.
The motor was designed with an aluminum block and cast iron head. The block was of high silica content aluminum. It was intended to provide a surface hard enough for the rings to seal against without the added cost of steel sleeves. This design proved to be the little motors downfall. The cylinder rings quickly failed resulting in lowered compression and oil consumption. General Motors provided installation of steel sleeves for those seeking repair to avoid a complete recall. The motors also failed to maintain proper head gasket seal beyond 80,000 miles due to the dissimilar expansion and contraction rates of iron and aluminum. After 250,000 miles and two head gaskets the motor was finally scrapped for metal salvage. The aluminum was corroding away due to electrolysis caused by the dissimilar metals.
General comments?
The motor performed well with a standard engine rebuild and the addition of performance camshaft.
The car is extremely light and handling very neutral without excessive under or over steer.
Recommended reviews
| Worst car I have ever owned |
|
| My mistake.. never again |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1972 |
| First year of ownership | 1993 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 140cid 4 cylinder Manual |
| Performance marks | 10 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 5 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 140000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 250000 miles |
| Previous car | Volkswagen Beetle |
| Date of Entry | 27th March, 2003 |