Vega Time,AGAIN!!! Now going twin turbo...

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Vega Time,AGAIN!!! Now going twin turbo...

Postby Rickracer » Wed Dec 02, 2009 5:08 pm

I bought a 73 Vega for my first car, kept it over 25 years, put something like 26 different motors in it, but the last two were in it for over 20 years between the two, a 327, then a 427. I street raced A LOT. Street racing got to be no joke, they were cracking down bigtime, my kids were getting older and I couldn't really take them to a street race, so I sold the Vega and got into boating. Now, a partner and I have gotten another Vega, lots of decent parts and a pretty good start, but a lot of stuff needed to be redone. Rather than post a lot of pics here, I'll just post a link to my Photobucket album, http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i4/Rickracer/Vega/ . Here it is bringing it to the shop for the first time:

Image
Last edited by Rickracer on Fri Jan 04, 2013 7:26 am, edited 6 times in total.
Rickracer
ASE Master Auto Technician, 36+ years
'76 Vega Notchback, Twin Turbo 355/TH350 (soon to be a Powerglide w/Brake), 4 link, Koni Coilovers, 3.50 geared 9" w/Spool & Moser Axles, drag only, best all motor 1/8 mile pass to date, 6.90@99mph, 6.57@107.0 on a 60 shot, Best 1/4, 9.66@139.78, still tuning...
Project Album: http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i4/Ri ... 20Begins/'
93 S10 RCSB, Hyd. Roller Vortec head 363 ci SBC, 2800stall lockup 700R4, LS Front Brakes, Narrowed F*rd Exploder 8.8 disc brake 3.73 posi rear, 8.0s@89 mph, (all motor, haven't sprayed it yet...)and tows the Vega to the track too
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1976 Chevrolet Vega


Re: Vega Time....AGAIN!!!

Postby 72 SS PNL » Wed Dec 02, 2009 6:39 pm

sweet , its always good to be back in a vega !!!!!!

looks to be a serious FUN toy , good luck and enjoy
first and best car owned 72 GT(changed to SS) panel wagon

pictures of the car from 86 - http://www.myrideisme.com/Garage/06_IBM_GOAT/955
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1973 Chevrolet Vega Kammback GT

Re: Vega Time....AGAIN!!!

Postby res0o7eb » Wed Dec 02, 2009 8:39 pm

Welcome to the site, Rick.
Looks like you're making a new race car from someone's old race car - a novel concept :thumb:

If my eyes aren't deceiving me, that appears to be a Vega Notchback. I have been known to be wrong, though. :D
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Re: Vega Time....AGAIN!!!

Postby Rickracer » Wed Dec 02, 2009 9:52 pm

res0o7eb wrote:If my eyes aren't deceiving me, that appears to be a Vega Notchback....

Yep, sho 'nuff, :mrgreen:

res0o7eb wrote:Welcome to the site, Rick.
Looks like you're making a new race car from someone's old race car - a novel concept :thumb:

Calling what we got to start with a... "race car" ...would be more than generous, :lol: , some have called it an abortion, :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
There is a fair amount of decent parts to work with though, and a body that isn't a rust bucket to begin with, basically, we took over a project where somebody got in waaaay over their head. :rolleyes: I would have preferred the '72-'73 style front and rear ends, but that can always be changed later, :wink: 8)
Hopefully, we'll be narrowing a rear and backhalfing the car within 6 months or so, my partner has a brand new almost 600hp 331 to go in it, :shock: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Rickracer
ASE Master Auto Technician, 36+ years
'76 Vega Notchback, Twin Turbo 355/TH350 (soon to be a Powerglide w/Brake), 4 link, Koni Coilovers, 3.50 geared 9" w/Spool & Moser Axles, drag only, best all motor 1/8 mile pass to date, 6.90@99mph, 6.57@107.0 on a 60 shot, Best 1/4, 9.66@139.78, still tuning...
Project Album: http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i4/Ri ... 20Begins/'
93 S10 RCSB, Hyd. Roller Vortec head 363 ci SBC, 2800stall lockup 700R4, LS Front Brakes, Narrowed F*rd Exploder 8.8 disc brake 3.73 posi rear, 8.0s@89 mph, (all motor, haven't sprayed it yet...)and tows the Vega to the track too
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1976 Chevrolet Vega

Re: Vega Time....AGAIN!!!

Postby cdnvega » Wed Dec 02, 2009 11:52 pm

rick you also on the s10 website? good luck with the project.
1972 gt wagon
1972 vega h/b project
1977 astre h/b
1973 vega parts car
1975 astre wgn parts car
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1972 Chevrolet Vega Hatchback

Re: Vega Time....AGAIN!!!

Postby Rickracer » Thu Dec 03, 2009 1:58 am

Yes, I'm a Super Mod there, I go by Rickracer there too, and everywhere else I post, I'm on a few bike forums and a few Kart forums, (good sources for used race kart parts). I race my daily driver '93 CBR600F2 regularly, (11.20s @ 119.998 1/4, 7.20s@100 1/8), and will soon be road racing a race kart I built with an RM 250 motor on it, (there's some video of the kart on Youtube under RM250 race kart, Mr Rickracer channel, and it's run 8.90s in the 1/8 so far), I'm building about a 400 hp Vortec head motor for my S10 truck, and my goals for it are 400 hp, mid to low 12s with no nitrous, and 22 or higher mpg average, 8)
Rickracer
ASE Master Auto Technician, 36+ years
'76 Vega Notchback, Twin Turbo 355/TH350 (soon to be a Powerglide w/Brake), 4 link, Koni Coilovers, 3.50 geared 9" w/Spool & Moser Axles, drag only, best all motor 1/8 mile pass to date, 6.90@99mph, 6.57@107.0 on a 60 shot, Best 1/4, 9.66@139.78, still tuning...
Project Album: http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i4/Ri ... 20Begins/'
93 S10 RCSB, Hyd. Roller Vortec head 363 ci SBC, 2800stall lockup 700R4, LS Front Brakes, Narrowed F*rd Exploder 8.8 disc brake 3.73 posi rear, 8.0s@89 mph, (all motor, haven't sprayed it yet...)and tows the Vega to the track too
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1976 Chevrolet Vega

Re: Vega Time....AGAIN!!!

Postby Rickracer » Sun Dec 13, 2009 3:08 pm

Good New/Bad News scenario.............

Well, I was getting ready to load the Vega up for it's first time at the track, doing a couple last minute things, installing the coolant catch bottle and was gonna tape up all the little holes in the floor, (I hate the car filling up with smoke during the burnout), checking all the fluid levels, belt tension, etc. Cranked it up to check the trans and this funny squeaking sound started, thought it was the alternator belt because the adjustment is maxed out, and a shorter belt would get it into the electric water pump drive pulley. Anyhow, it kept getting worse, then started knocking, damn thing spun a rod bearing sitting right there idling in the shop. That's the bad news................
The good news, started pulling the Camaro motor, (350 with a lot of good parts in it, **), apart to check the bearings, FINALLY, and found that the only thing in it that's stock Chevy is the block and the timing cover, everything else is aftermarket. Definitely an aftermarket crank, H-beam rods, PP balancer, 4 bolt mains, all ARP fasteners, and the best part, the crank is perfect. The bearings have a tiny bit of metal embedded in them from the wiped cam, but NO crank damage, WOO HOO. :mrgreen:

So, some new main and rod bearings, and a thorough cleaning, and I can slam the Comp roller I've had laying around forever in it, with some new valve springs, and she'll be READY TO ROCK!!!!. The plan is to get her in the Vega by next weekend, but it may take just a bit longer, I'm sure once I get the 400 out, I won't be able to bring myself to put it back in with the Hooker motor mounts, I'm gonna have to fab up a motor plate. I may have to mod one of the oil pans too, the one in the Vega has been modded, but the drag link touches it slightly anyway. Could be because the motor mounts sag a bit or are crooked or something, the steering shaft touches the header a bit too, all that needs to be addressed while it's out. Things like that bug me, so I'm kinda glad for the opportunity to rectify them while doing something else, I love killing two or three birds with one stone so to speak. 8)

(**) The Camaro motor is one out of an 85 Z28 my partner and I acquired about a year and a half ago, it supposedly had "practically" no expense spared in building a nasty street motor, we stripped a lot of the factory BS and (previous owner) jury rigging, re-wired the car with basic race wiring, took out the single roller gear drive and put in a bulletproof double roller chain and gears, fabbed up some subframe connectors, wired up a 125 shot of nitrous, and then found that about the only thing in the motor that wasn't fairly high $$ was a wiped out Blue Racer flat tappet cam. Yanked the motor out, and it and the car have been sitting and waiting for me to get the time, money, AND motivation, which just wasn't really there, after all, it just wasn't a Vega or an S10, and I just wasn't feelin it, ya know?? :rolleyes: :?
Well, I'm FEELIN IT NOW, :twisted: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Last edited by Rickracer on Mon Dec 21, 2009 8:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
Rickracer
ASE Master Auto Technician, 36+ years
'76 Vega Notchback, Twin Turbo 355/TH350 (soon to be a Powerglide w/Brake), 4 link, Koni Coilovers, 3.50 geared 9" w/Spool & Moser Axles, drag only, best all motor 1/8 mile pass to date, 6.90@99mph, 6.57@107.0 on a 60 shot, Best 1/4, 9.66@139.78, still tuning...
Project Album: http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i4/Ri ... 20Begins/'
93 S10 RCSB, Hyd. Roller Vortec head 363 ci SBC, 2800stall lockup 700R4, LS Front Brakes, Narrowed F*rd Exploder 8.8 disc brake 3.73 posi rear, 8.0s@89 mph, (all motor, haven't sprayed it yet...)and tows the Vega to the track too
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1976 Chevrolet Vega

Re: Vega Time....AGAIN!!!

Postby Rickracer » Sun Dec 20, 2009 3:53 pm

Holy Mackerel!!!! This motor is way more than I expected, ya know how people always play up what they are sellin, and you take it all with a grain of salt (or two)? Well for a change, this guy wasn't pullin anybody's leg, he just kept saying over and over, "it's all good stuff", with no real specifics. When I opened er up, I found an Eagle 4340 crank (rated at 1500hp), Eagle H-beam rods (rated at at least 700hp), Speed Pro Hyper pistons with a .275 dome, Pro Topline 220 cc heads, decent aftermarket balancer, etc. so it looks like I need to go with a bigger cam. Found one from a friend on the V8s10 board, a Crower solid roller, 570/584, 250/250@.050, 110° LSA. It should be right in the 550~565 hp neighborhood without either of my NOS plate systems........... now we're talkin, :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Rickracer
ASE Master Auto Technician, 36+ years
'76 Vega Notchback, Twin Turbo 355/TH350 (soon to be a Powerglide w/Brake), 4 link, Koni Coilovers, 3.50 geared 9" w/Spool & Moser Axles, drag only, best all motor 1/8 mile pass to date, 6.90@99mph, 6.57@107.0 on a 60 shot, Best 1/4, 9.66@139.78, still tuning...
Project Album: http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i4/Ri ... 20Begins/'
93 S10 RCSB, Hyd. Roller Vortec head 363 ci SBC, 2800stall lockup 700R4, LS Front Brakes, Narrowed F*rd Exploder 8.8 disc brake 3.73 posi rear, 8.0s@89 mph, (all motor, haven't sprayed it yet...)and tows the Vega to the track too
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1976 Chevrolet Vega

Re: Vega Time....AGAIN!!!

Postby 72 SS PNL » Sun Dec 20, 2009 6:02 pm

very nice score
first and best car owned 72 GT(changed to SS) panel wagon

pictures of the car from 86 - http://www.myrideisme.com/Garage/06_IBM_GOAT/955
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1973 Chevrolet Vega Kammback GT

Re: Vega Time....AGAIN!!!

Postby NixVegaGT » Wed Dec 23, 2009 12:50 pm

Hell yeah. It's good when you get a real motorhead to work with. The same thing happened this last summer when my buddy and I went a state over to look at a 440 Duster drag car. He said almost the same thing verbatim: "It's all good stuff in there". I took it with a grain of salt just like you have to. We got there after a 3 hr. trip to find a really nice 440 with Indy heads and intake, oil bypass, clean and working Dominator on top. Ran like a top… Well a SUPER pissed off top anyway.

OH the other thing is the times guys claim. LOL! "This is a 10 sec car." It's almost NEVER a 10 sec. car. Ha ha ha. SO this guy says, "it runs 10's" I'm like whatever. We get there and the glove box is full of timeslips. Sure as hell, a 10 sec. car. WOW. There's more of us out there everyday.
- Nic '73 Vega GT "DogBoxx" Batwing LS1
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2357894
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1973 Chevrolet Vega GT

Re: Vega Time....AGAIN!!!

Postby Rickracer » Sun Dec 27, 2009 11:32 am

Took the Pro Topline heads and Bowtie Victor Jr. over to my machinist/guru buddy's house yesterday and threw them up on his Superflow 600. He was expecting to see much lower flow numbers than RHS was quoting for that part number, but lo and behold, they were pretty much right on the money!!! They did say they were 64cc chambers and I cced them at 68, but aside from that, their numbers, (port volumes and flow numbers), were pretty doggone accurate. It just keeps getting better and better, :mrgreen:
Now I just gotta scare up a set of 977-16 springs, one missing titanium retainer, and some 7/16" small block rocker studs. 8)
Rickracer
ASE Master Auto Technician, 36+ years
'76 Vega Notchback, Twin Turbo 355/TH350 (soon to be a Powerglide w/Brake), 4 link, Koni Coilovers, 3.50 geared 9" w/Spool & Moser Axles, drag only, best all motor 1/8 mile pass to date, 6.90@99mph, 6.57@107.0 on a 60 shot, Best 1/4, 9.66@139.78, still tuning...
Project Album: http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i4/Ri ... 20Begins/'
93 S10 RCSB, Hyd. Roller Vortec head 363 ci SBC, 2800stall lockup 700R4, LS Front Brakes, Narrowed F*rd Exploder 8.8 disc brake 3.73 posi rear, 8.0s@89 mph, (all motor, haven't sprayed it yet...)and tows the Vega to the track too
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1976 Chevrolet Vega

Re: Vega Time....AGAIN!!!

Postby Rickracer » Mon May 17, 2010 8:19 am

It's been a while since I updated, got the motor all together, and it's been to the track a few times. First time out, went to CFRC, 1/8th mile, it was all over the track, turned out the rear end was cockeyed, (chassis attaching points twisted, but they have been all braced up now) so I came home from the track and re-did my solid trailing arms, lengthened two and shortened two to get it straightened out, went to OSW the next day, ran a 12.18, and 11.64, then an 11.31. With 4.88s, I had to bump the shift light to 7200 and take out the rev limiter to get through the 1/4 mile. Went to CFRC again the following weekend and ran a 6.975 and a 6.950. This past Friday, I ran a best of 6.90@99.43 with the car breaking loose and skating a little going into 2nd and high gear. It can't be hooking as good as it could on the launch either, even though it's cut a best 60' of 1.521. Yesterday, I was re-installing the rear sway bar, and discovered that the outside edges of the slicks, (9x28 Hoosiers on 15x7 S10 4x4 wheels), weren't even touching the trailer @ 12.5 psi, so we lowered them to 8 psi, now got about 3" long footprint of contact That should help the 60' times and overall ETS, if it doesn't get too loose on the big end with the tire pressure that low. Videos in the Drag Racing section: Got the project Vega to the track a few times...
8) :th:
Rickracer
ASE Master Auto Technician, 36+ years
'76 Vega Notchback, Twin Turbo 355/TH350 (soon to be a Powerglide w/Brake), 4 link, Koni Coilovers, 3.50 geared 9" w/Spool & Moser Axles, drag only, best all motor 1/8 mile pass to date, 6.90@99mph, 6.57@107.0 on a 60 shot, Best 1/4, 9.66@139.78, still tuning...
Project Album: http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i4/Ri ... 20Begins/'
93 S10 RCSB, Hyd. Roller Vortec head 363 ci SBC, 2800stall lockup 700R4, LS Front Brakes, Narrowed F*rd Exploder 8.8 disc brake 3.73 posi rear, 8.0s@89 mph, (all motor, haven't sprayed it yet...)and tows the Vega to the track too
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1976 Chevrolet Vega

Re: Vega Time....AGAIN!!!

Postby chevy art » Mon May 17, 2010 11:14 am

rick lowering the airprobably anywhere below 11 lbs is gonna make you car dance the shuffle, for sure in the 1/4 mile. usually smaller tires dont work well with less air and supposedly work better with more air(maybe around 11-12 lbs. do you have the right width rims with that diameter tire to give you a good tire print. artPS that cam you mentioned(the .580 solid) will give you around .600 lift with 1.6 rockers. just set up a similar cam and it changed cam card ratings using the different ratio rockers. just thought i would put that info in there, but i would bet you knew that before the cam went in your motor art
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Re: Vega Time....AGAIN!!!

Postby Rickracer » Mon May 17, 2010 4:26 pm

Those slicks really need 8" or 9" wheels, they are on 7"s, :(
I have a set of 29 x 12s on 10" Drag Stars ready to go on it as soon as I can piece together a rear axle and subframe and tub it. :wink:
My machinist and I discussed going to 1.6 rockers to give me some some more rpm range(I've got 2 sets laying around), but there just isn't quite enough room with the springs/retainers/installed height I'm using, so I'll just stick to 1/8 mile till I go up on the gear and tire size. :th:
Rickracer
ASE Master Auto Technician, 36+ years
'76 Vega Notchback, Twin Turbo 355/TH350 (soon to be a Powerglide w/Brake), 4 link, Koni Coilovers, 3.50 geared 9" w/Spool & Moser Axles, drag only, best all motor 1/8 mile pass to date, 6.90@99mph, 6.57@107.0 on a 60 shot, Best 1/4, 9.66@139.78, still tuning...
Project Album: http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i4/Ri ... 20Begins/'
93 S10 RCSB, Hyd. Roller Vortec head 363 ci SBC, 2800stall lockup 700R4, LS Front Brakes, Narrowed F*rd Exploder 8.8 disc brake 3.73 posi rear, 8.0s@89 mph, (all motor, haven't sprayed it yet...)and tows the Vega to the track too
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Location: Kissimmee, Florida

1976 Chevrolet Vega

Re: Vega Time....AGAIN!!!

Postby chevy art » Wed May 19, 2010 9:11 am

to use the rockers we had, the machinist had to machine out thew back of the rockers to clear the bigger retainers used with the 1.55 diameter valve springs, othertwise they hit the retainers. the stock chevy size is just so small compared to the 1.55 springs art
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