1972 Vega Panel Express, "Black Shadow"

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1972 Vega Panel Express, "Black Shadow"

Postby 72 Black Shadow » Tue Jun 10, 2014 11:58 am

Good Day All

This car was first posted here around Feb 2011. The car has sat since then until I bought 3 weeks ago. The car still has its small block motor mounts, headers and cross member. The car has a narrow 12 bolt chevy with 4:56 gears. The car is as it was back in the early 80's when I seen it driving around locally. It's missing some parts, but I'm up to the battle to get it back together. I just bought a 72 wagon parts car a week ago. The panel needs a speedo, carpet, wiring harness for under the dash as well as under the hood. It will require seat belts and an E-brake also. I'm sure I'm missing a few things. The interior, all thou dated, will remain as you see it till I get tired of it.

Hopefully the photo's will load as it's my first time.

Enjoy.

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Darcy

69 Nova SS L78, M21, 12 bolt 3:55 posi, Canadian documented nut and bolt resto being done, now
1984 Hurst/Olds, 1-226 for Canadian sales, 1-15 with power sun roof.
1972 Vega Panel Express, project, Tunnel Rammed 427, Automatic, 12 bolt 4:56's
72 Black Shadow
 
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Re: 1972 Vega Panel Express, "Black Shadow"

Postby 72 Black Shadow » Tue Jun 10, 2014 12:03 pm

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Darcy

69 Nova SS L78, M21, 12 bolt 3:55 posi, Canadian documented nut and bolt resto being done, now
1984 Hurst/Olds, 1-226 for Canadian sales, 1-15 with power sun roof.
1972 Vega Panel Express, project, Tunnel Rammed 427, Automatic, 12 bolt 4:56's
72 Black Shadow
 
Posts: 35
Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 10:45 am

Re: 1972 Vega Panel Express, "Black Shadow"

Postby 72 Black Shadow » Tue Jun 10, 2014 12:16 pm

Here are the last of the picture I have for now.

Plans are to place a 427-4bolt (512 block) built as a L72 bottom end (11:1 Compression) with an L-88 cam, factory GM 842 casting aluminum heads and to top it off for now, Factory GM 163 aluminum intake. The motor is built and sitting on the shop floor. Just waiting for the motor mounts and headers.

Future plans are for a tunnel ram.

Still in limbo about my tranny choices. TH400 is the stronger unit, but requires some fitting. How much banging of the tunnel is required?? Or should I go with a TH350. How about a stall converter, 2600-3000 stall enough?

Cooling system, I see there are a few options, I see some stuff on e-bag as well as V8monza. What's going to keep that BBC cool. Its going to be mostly street driven, maybe the odd 100Ft shoot out or 1/8th mile event. Post a link so I can have a look.

Any thought on the tranny, converter, cooling system

Thanks for your help in advance.

Darcy


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Darcy

69 Nova SS L78, M21, 12 bolt 3:55 posi, Canadian documented nut and bolt resto being done, now
1984 Hurst/Olds, 1-226 for Canadian sales, 1-15 with power sun roof.
1972 Vega Panel Express, project, Tunnel Rammed 427, Automatic, 12 bolt 4:56's
72 Black Shadow
 
Posts: 35
Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 10:45 am

Re: 1972 Vega Panel Express, "Black Shadow"

Postby vegastre » Tue Jun 10, 2014 12:58 pm

Wow,
This car is a time warp when the 70's was King with pinstripes. crushed velvet interiors, and bulging oversized rear tires. This car is closer to the roots of Vega Hot Rods than some here might want to admit. Every city had one of these cars terrorizing the streets and the local hang outs. Very cool car for sure and the name does fit. Cooling is always a hard call on H-Body V8 cars and with big cubes I would wait till you get the motor in place before buying a radiator. Plenty of choices depending on fit and pocket book.
Phil Kennedy~
72 Chevrolet Vega GT Hatchback
75 Pontiac Astre SJ Safari Wagon
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Re: 1972 Vega Panel Express, "Black Shadow"

Postby mahoy78spyder » Wed Jun 11, 2014 1:23 am

I like that classice "Day 2" look it has, I have to admit. Clean it up and get 'er runnin' and just drive it. Keep those updates coming! :th:
Ken Mahoy
'78 C06 Monza Spyder
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Re: 1972 Vega Panel Express, "Black Shadow"

Postby 72 Black Shadow » Sun Jul 13, 2014 10:06 am

Got the motor mounts, plates and header's courtesy of Hemicolt. A special tanks to Tracy for taking the time to help a fellow enthusiast and send them up to Canada for me.

Got a few friends over yesterday along with my younger bro. He's the brute force and welder guru and off we went.......

Had the motor in and out about 6 times, some grinding, pounding, some swearing, you know, the usual. Things are tight!! We found it easier to put the motor in, then slide the passenger header in from below, then slide in the drivers side in from up top. Once we had things squared up the best we could, and string lined the driveline. Then we welded in the motor mount plates into place. The motor does sit slightly to the passenger side as it should. All in all things went pretty good. It sure helps to have 3 people for the install.

Still have lots more to get done, but this was probably the worst part to tackle. The motor is back on the shop floor, as I have to modify a few more thing, such as the starter to fit, and just some small stuff. Nothing a little bit of heat and a hammer won't take care of.

Here are a few pictures from yesterday, as I progress I will post up some more. Enjoy

Vega Transplant Low Res (23).jpg

Vega Transplant Low Res (17).jpg

Vega Transplant Low Res (18).jpg

Vega Transplant Low Res (25).jpg

Vega Transplant Low Res (26).jpg
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Darcy

69 Nova SS L78, M21, 12 bolt 3:55 posi, Canadian documented nut and bolt resto being done, now
1984 Hurst/Olds, 1-226 for Canadian sales, 1-15 with power sun roof.
1972 Vega Panel Express, project, Tunnel Rammed 427, Automatic, 12 bolt 4:56's
72 Black Shadow
 
Posts: 35
Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 10:45 am

Re: 1972 Vega Panel Express, "Black Shadow"

Postby 72 Black Shadow » Sun Jul 13, 2014 10:10 am

Vega Transplant Low Res (27).jpg

Vega Transplant Low Res (28).jpg

Vega Transplant Low Res (29).jpg

Vega Transplant Low Res (2).jpg

Vega Transplant Low Res (5).jpg
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Darcy

69 Nova SS L78, M21, 12 bolt 3:55 posi, Canadian documented nut and bolt resto being done, now
1984 Hurst/Olds, 1-226 for Canadian sales, 1-15 with power sun roof.
1972 Vega Panel Express, project, Tunnel Rammed 427, Automatic, 12 bolt 4:56's
72 Black Shadow
 
Posts: 35
Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 10:45 am

Re: 1972 Vega Panel Express, "Black Shadow"

Postby 72 Black Shadow » Sun Jul 13, 2014 10:14 am

Vega Transplant Low Res (4).jpg

Vega Transplant Low Res (14).jpg

Vega Transplant Low Res (11).jpg

Vega Transplant Low Res (16).jpg
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Darcy

69 Nova SS L78, M21, 12 bolt 3:55 posi, Canadian documented nut and bolt resto being done, now
1984 Hurst/Olds, 1-226 for Canadian sales, 1-15 with power sun roof.
1972 Vega Panel Express, project, Tunnel Rammed 427, Automatic, 12 bolt 4:56's
72 Black Shadow
 
Posts: 35
Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 10:45 am

Re: 1972 Vega Panel Express, "Black Shadow"

Postby 72 Black Shadow » Sun Jul 13, 2014 10:19 am

Well parting out the 73 Vega Station Wagon, it happened to have this chrome for around the door window frames. Mine didn't have any. So it was a no brainer that it needed to be salvaged and put on my Panel. It sure looks better. Every little but of chrome makes it look a bit better.

Hope ya all enjoyed the 80's flash back today.


Vega Transplant Low Res (24).jpg
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Darcy

69 Nova SS L78, M21, 12 bolt 3:55 posi, Canadian documented nut and bolt resto being done, now
1984 Hurst/Olds, 1-226 for Canadian sales, 1-15 with power sun roof.
1972 Vega Panel Express, project, Tunnel Rammed 427, Automatic, 12 bolt 4:56's
72 Black Shadow
 
Posts: 35
Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 10:45 am

Re: 1972 Vega Panel Express, "Black Shadow"

Postby vegon71 » Sun Jul 13, 2014 11:04 am

Holy time capsule !! Man I love that 80's look. I bet that car was well talked about back in the day! Love it :th:
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Re: 1972 Vega Panel Express, "Black Shadow"

Postby Zanie » Mon Jul 14, 2014 12:00 am

WOW Darcy!
I LOVE THIS! Everything about this time capsule Vega is so cool. It even has the obligatory 70s sunroof!
If you didn't live so far away I would tell you that you have to put it in the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals.
http://www.mcacn.com/
It would be a hit at that show.
Dan
73 vega wagon LS1 T56 build thread
http://forums.h-body.org/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=36579
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Re: 1972 Vega Panel Express, "Black Shadow"

Postby 72 Black Shadow » Fri Jul 18, 2014 11:14 am

Zanie wrote:WOW Darcy!
I LOVE THIS! Everything about this time capsule Vega is so cool. It even has the obligatory 70s sunroof!
If you didn't live so far away I would tell you that you have to put it in the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals.
http://www.mcacn.com/
It would be a hit at that show.


Thanks Zanie for the comments. I'd love to attend, but I just don't see it happening.

Some more progress last night on the panel. Stuffed the engine back in with the tranny now. All went pretty smooth. Being as the car has a small block and a turbo 350 earlier in its life, I was curious to see how much the tranny cross member was out. Its out by an inch towards the back of the car, and less then an inch to the side. So I will fab up another tranny cross member to accommodate this, as well as the headers now.

I also got the header ceramic coated and got them back now.

Here are a few pics from last night.

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Darcy

69 Nova SS L78, M21, 12 bolt 3:55 posi, Canadian documented nut and bolt resto being done, now
1984 Hurst/Olds, 1-226 for Canadian sales, 1-15 with power sun roof.
1972 Vega Panel Express, project, Tunnel Rammed 427, Automatic, 12 bolt 4:56's
72 Black Shadow
 
Posts: 35
Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 10:45 am

Re: 1972 Vega Panel Express, "Black Shadow"

Postby 72 Black Shadow » Fri Jul 18, 2014 11:15 am

And the headers.

IMG_20140717_191313.jpg
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Darcy

69 Nova SS L78, M21, 12 bolt 3:55 posi, Canadian documented nut and bolt resto being done, now
1984 Hurst/Olds, 1-226 for Canadian sales, 1-15 with power sun roof.
1972 Vega Panel Express, project, Tunnel Rammed 427, Automatic, 12 bolt 4:56's
72 Black Shadow
 
Posts: 35
Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 10:45 am

Re: 1972 Vega Panel Express, "Black Shadow"

Postby 72 Black Shadow » Mon Oct 20, 2014 6:52 pm

Got a few things done since I last posted here. Got the tunnel ram and distributor in place as well as the 600 Holleys.
Got Grithin to make a rad, finally getting it slowly in place. As you can see from the pictures I have to pull it out again and fix the drivers side mount, and attach the bottom plate now that I know it doesn't have fan clearance issues. Bit of a hack job, but it will appear to be how it was put together in the 80's. Had the drive shaft re skinned and shortened and is in place now. Have all the steering components now in hand. Had the gas tank cleaned out and a bottom feed and new fuel line all the way to the carbs, as well as a new holley blue pump!! Got the starter in, remote oil filters in also. Slowly making head way

I finally made contact with the guy that originally put this car together with the small block and tunnel ram. He lives about 10 minutes from my place. He's looking forward to seeing the car once I have it running again.

Enjoy the limited pictures.


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Darcy

69 Nova SS L78, M21, 12 bolt 3:55 posi, Canadian documented nut and bolt resto being done, now
1984 Hurst/Olds, 1-226 for Canadian sales, 1-15 with power sun roof.
1972 Vega Panel Express, project, Tunnel Rammed 427, Automatic, 12 bolt 4:56's
72 Black Shadow
 
Posts: 35
Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 10:45 am

Re: 1972 Vega Panel Express, "Black Shadow"

Postby zeke » Fri Nov 28, 2014 12:31 pm

It feels good to giterdun eh? Nice progress!

Did u end up using an overdrive trans with that rear gearing?

Suited pumpkin man would look right at home in the passenger seat! :lol: 8)
Chris

zeke's 79 Monza Project

zeke's 78 Sport Coupe

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