Vega "Snowbird" wagon

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Vega "Snowbird" wagon

Postby autohistoryman » Tue Feb 01, 2011 4:52 am

Thought I would start a thread on this supposed show/engineering vehicle to see if anyone has any real information about it. When I was researching the "Cosworth Twin Cam Vega" history I ran across references to a "Snowbird" wagon. From what I can piece together from limited hard data (a few references in project status reports from 1973) and some heresay from GM retirees of the time was this vehicle was a white 1972 or 1973 Vega Wagon which was equipped with prototype four wheel drive using hydraulic powered " at the wheel" drive mechanisms. Supposedly it was shown at some auto shows and then disappeared from sight. One story was it was stolen from Chevrolet and later recovered and then scrapped. Anyone heard anything about this vehicle or the drive mechanism? Paul
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Re: Vega "Snowbird" wagon

Postby cammerjeff » Tue Feb 01, 2011 7:49 am

Paul,

I asked a current GM Mechanical Engineer I know that still works at the engineering center if he knows anything. I will let you know if he comes up with anything. He has only worked there sense the late 70's so its alittle before his time, but his father worked there for 35 years before that so you never know what he has in his files.
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Re: Vega "Snowbird" wagon

Postby nice77mirage » Sat Dec 10, 2011 8:25 pm

In Road & Track's full road test of the new Chevy Volt, they mention the Snowbird Vega in the article sidebar:

"Think what you might of the suits who led GM to bankruptcy, its engineering departments have long been a source of experimentation and innovation. Consider GM’s 1969 steam-powered Pontiac Grand Prix. The Chevy Vega Snowbird with its hydraulically driven radial front hub motors that gave it all-wheel drive. Or the 1979 Cadillac Eldorado with a coal-fired turbine engine. And, now, the Volt."

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