Schwartz Vega

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Re: Schwartz Vega

Postby monzaaddict » Tue Jul 26, 2011 10:35 am

I emailed schwartz performance about their interest in rebuilding the flying turd - below is their response.

Nope. The Vega was not a smart marketing move. We build chassis for muscle cars and need to promote that. Find me a first gen Camaro for $800 and I'll let you come up with the color scheme for it.



Mike Hawley
Sales & Marketing Manager
Schwartz Performance
815-206-2230
www.schwartzperformance.com
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Re: Schwartz Vega

Postby Ishiftem » Tue Jul 26, 2011 10:28 pm

Wow how generous.
Any one can restore a car but, it takes a real man to cut one up.
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Re: Schwartz Vega

Postby spencerforhire » Tue Jul 26, 2011 10:50 pm

I can't believe they consider the "Flying Turd" a marketing mistake; it got major ink in most of the mainstream car mags AND kicked ass on the track. It may have not been a true musclecar like they specialize in, but it certainly made Schwartz Performance a household name(at least in the automotive enthusiast world).
The "fleet"-
72 Vega HB Drag Car -383/'Glide/9"(9.35@146.19)(5.94@117.28 1/8th)
77 Vega Estate wagon- project(someday)will have TPI305/T-5, S-10 spindles/axles
76 Vega GT- 400/4spd/9" retired from active duty(rusty)
06 Silverado 2WD ex.cab daily
03 Silverado 2WD ex.cab (retired)
06 Haulin' 20ft enclosed car transporter
06 GMC Canyon Shop truck
07 Colorado project( 5.3 4L60e swap)
99 Saturn SL1- wife's car
01 Saturn SC2- son's project
07 Saturn Ion Redline project
and 4 more Saturn "parts cars"
Note- the very act of listing all of these has made me realize I have some kind of problem.....

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Re: Schwartz Vega

Postby djv8ga » Wed Jul 27, 2011 12:00 am

monzaaddict wrote:I emailed schwartz performance about their interest in rebuilding the flying turd - below is their response.

Nope. The Vega was not a smart marketing move. We build chassis for muscle cars and need to promote that. Find me a first gen Camaro for $800 and I'll let you come up with the color scheme for it.



Mike Hawley
Sales & Marketing Manager
Schwartz Performance
815-206-2230
http://www.schwartzperformance.com

I'm kinda glad it hit the fence now. :?
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Re: Schwartz Vega

Postby 92turbogtz » Wed Jul 27, 2011 3:30 am

monzaaddict wrote:I emailed schwartz performance about their interest in rebuilding the flying turd - below is their response.

Nope. The Vega was not a smart marketing move. We build chassis for muscle cars and need to promote that. Find me a first gen Camaro for $800 and I'll let you come up with the color scheme for it.



Mike Hawley
Sales & Marketing Manager
Schwartz Performance
815-206-2230
http://www.schwartzperformance.com


Nice.... :rolleyes:

Lost respect for Mike and Schwartz Performance.
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Re: Schwartz Vega

Postby res0o7eb » Wed Jul 27, 2011 3:37 am

Hmmm... First Gen Camaro doesn't have a chassis either. Obviously knows nothing about muscle cars.
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Re: Schwartz Vega

Postby spencerforhire » Wed Jul 27, 2011 6:11 am

Actually, a couple of companies(Schwartz included) do make complete bolt-in chassis for first(and second)-gen F-bodies; they consist of a new front subframe with frame connectors and a 4-link(or torque arm) setup for the rear all welded together that bolts into the existing leaf spring hanger holes.

http://www.schwartzperformance.com/proj ... ojectid=37
The "fleet"-
72 Vega HB Drag Car -383/'Glide/9"(9.35@146.19)(5.94@117.28 1/8th)
77 Vega Estate wagon- project(someday)will have TPI305/T-5, S-10 spindles/axles
76 Vega GT- 400/4spd/9" retired from active duty(rusty)
06 Silverado 2WD ex.cab daily
03 Silverado 2WD ex.cab (retired)
06 Haulin' 20ft enclosed car transporter
06 GMC Canyon Shop truck
07 Colorado project( 5.3 4L60e swap)
99 Saturn SL1- wife's car
01 Saturn SC2- son's project
07 Saturn Ion Redline project
and 4 more Saturn "parts cars"
Note- the very act of listing all of these has made me realize I have some kind of problem.....

Visit http://www.spencerforhire.ca
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Re: Schwartz Vega

Postby cosvega76 » Wed Jul 27, 2011 8:54 am

As blunt as it may sound, I understand the point. If you look at their website, they manufacture chassis and sell LS engines. The cars under construction are high-end ($$$) vehicles. So, it doesn't make sense to have a "calling card" that is a low-buck vehicle that uses none of what they sell, other than the craftsmanship of the finished product.

I am glad that Jeff spent the time to build the Vega and get all the press it did, but it isn't what he does to keep a roof over his head.

Chuck
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Re: Schwartz Vega

Postby res0o7eb » Wed Jul 27, 2011 10:23 am

spencerforhire wrote:Actually, a couple of companies(Schwartz included) do make complete bolt-in chassis for first(and second)-gen F-bodies...
http://www.schwartzperformance.com/proj ... ojectid=37
I stand corrected. I am stupid. :D
They should figure out how to do that to a Vega, too.
cosvega76 wrote:I am glad that Jeff spent the time to build the Vega and get all the press it did, but it isn't what he does to keep a roof over his head.

Chuck
Agreed. Good point Chuck.
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Re: Schwartz Vega

Postby meangreen73vega » Wed Jul 27, 2011 1:00 pm

I think I'd still buy it for $800! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Maybe he'll sell it as is...lol
Drive, break, repair...repeat!

72 Vega, 350 ZZ4, patriot heads, air gap intake, 750 dbl pump...power glide...
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Re: Schwartz Vega

Postby cjbiagi » Wed Jul 27, 2011 2:43 pm

Schwartz Performance was already a household name before the Vega was done. Many of us may not have heard about him but he was known among other groups as well as his peers. The problem with doing a Vega if you are a high end shop is that hardly anyone is going to spend that kind of money on a H body. I have met Jeff and he is a knowledgeable guy and I am not completely sure what his motivation was to do a Vega in the first place. It was obviously designed as a low buck car because anything else would just not make sense for a shop like his. He was very fortunate to get the coverage he did but I believe the reason he did get all of that is because he is already very well known throughout the country. I guess it was maybe just a way to show that you can do a low budget car but it really brought more attention to what he really does.
Last edited by cjbiagi on Wed Jul 27, 2011 7:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Schwartz Vega

Postby Wizeguyrc » Wed Jul 27, 2011 7:00 pm

I disagree. Shops on the cutting edge, Rad Rides, etc. are building cars out of the norm. Also, anyone who reads edit by people like Dave Freiburger or other high ranking members in the car world can see that most people are ready for something other than a red Camaro or Chevelle. Be it a resto mod, pro street or auto cross car. Granted, shops that build chassis components, etc. have to offer products for the masses, but you will see the cars getting more press than their bread and butter, are the stand out odd balls. Rutterz Rodz built a Rambler like the one pictured below that has received more attention than just about anything to come out of their shop and has his phone ringing off the hook.
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Re: Schwartz Vega

Postby cjbiagi » Wed Jul 27, 2011 7:30 pm

But is his phone ringing off the hook to build Ramblers? Or H bodies? The one-off cars are cool but they are generally being built for someone who wants something different or to display the talents of the shop. What do you think that Rambler is going to cost to build? Bet it's a lot more than the Schwartz Vega. I think it's a pretty short line for a 6 figure Vega (or other H body). I think Jeff just had the itch to do a low budget car to show that it could be done. I believe he succeeded but he probably had more into that low budget car than many people here ( not all of us, but you get my drift).
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Re: Schwartz Vega

Postby Wizeguyrc » Wed Jul 27, 2011 8:43 pm

His phone is ringing off the hook to build cars other than Camaros and Chevelles. You have missed my point. Saying there is no market in building odd ball cars is not logical. Even though you pointed it out, this guys shop still isn't a house hold name with the majority of the car world. The first time I ever heard of them was the press off of the Vega, and it was way before finding this site.
My point is this. Building something other than the run of the mill make and model does get you alot of attention, ( when done right ). That attention in turn will bring the masses to your shop and you can build them all the Camaros and Chevelles in the world and make your bread and butter money.
On the flip side of that, one can argue that Detroit Speed has done a fine job for themselves building mostly Camaros. But at the moment they are working with a metal smith building a hand made 40-41 Willys body. They are on the upper end of the food chain when it comes to G-machine Camaros and have years of clients in line to build them. So why build a Willys? I would think a G-machine Willys, Detroit Speed style, would be something very differnet and attention grabbing. Do I think they will get into building 40-41 Willys after the project? I doubt it. But the press will be huge for their shop.
Whatever this guy Jeffs motivation was for building this car has nothing to do with my point. But that car getting the amount of attention it did and I'm sure left his shop in a more positive position, does. 6 figures or not.
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