Caught On Craigslist: Pro Street 1973 Vega Wagon

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  • Make/Model: Chevy Vega
  • Year: 1973
  • Drivetrain: Big-block 496 Cubic-inch engine, fuel injection, and a Turbo 400 automatic transmission.
  • Location: Bristol, Indiana
  • Price: Trade for first-generation Chevy Blazer, 1955-1957 Chevy convertible, 1963 to 1973 Corvette convertible, or cash offer.

The Chevrolet Vega is one of those cars that came out of the musclecar era, but wasn’t very musclecar-esque. Not only was it no powerhouse, it was plagued by a list of issues that caused consumer scrutiny. It sold extremely well at first, but it only took a short amount of time before people began questioning its quality. The Vega was never closely associated with the muscle movement and never really pulled a lot of popularity with the crowd of people that maintain and modify their cars. That is why it’s so rare to see one on the road today.

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Built with a 496 cubic-inch, fuel injected big-block engine, TH400 transmission, and a 9-inch rearend, this 1973 Vega is an entirely deviates from past history. The first time it went down the track, it ran a 10.40-second 1/4-mile, but after some fine tuning it was consistently running in the 9’s. So why build a drag car out of a Vega? We talked to the owner, Mark Lucas of Bristol, Indiana, and found out why.

“When I was about 12 years old, I used to watch street racing with my older brother in Brockton, Massachusetts,” Mark tells us. “A guy named “Hal” had a black-primered Vega wagon, and I thought it was the baddest thing I had ever seen.

I knew that I would someday own a Vega wagon.” For Mark, it was a dream to have this car. When he was 32 years old, married, and sitting on a little money for a toy, he ran across a Vega wagon already sporting a tube chassis. “I couldn’t believe it,” he says. “It was only 20 miles away.”

The Vega when Mark bought it.

The Vega was far from complete when he got it, as it was one of those cars that the owner had started, but never finished. After six months of Mark’s ownership, it was at the body shop being prepped for 13 coats of House of Kolor Candy Apple Red. During the build process, Mark told his friend Mike Roy, that he wanted it “loud, fast, and brutal.” Mike replied by saying: “It’s a Vega wagon with a 650 horsepower big-block, you’ll get your wish.

At the end of last summer, Mark added fuel injection and a supercharger, in hopes that he could get his 1/4-mile times into the low 8s. “Based on the weight and power,” he says,” it should be an 8-second car.” Now with four kids, he doesn’t have the time he used to, so working on it and taking it to the track has not been a possibility. To that end, he hasn’t even had the opportunity to test the new system on the track.

He is hoping to sell it and put the money towards a first-generation Chevy Blazer that he can enjoy with his family. He also mentioned that he liked Tri-Fives and Corvette convertibles, so we’ll see if the money ends up on a blazer. He also told us that his oldest son, Boston, is disappointed in his father for selling the Vega. Mark things that the reason why, is that Boston though it was going to be his first car when he turned 16 years old.

This is a really unique Vega. Like Mark said, with the weight of the car, it would be great for someone looking for a good drag car. See the original Craigslist ad here. Would you own this Vega wagon? Make sure to let us know in the comments section.

About the author

Kyler Lacey

A 2015 Graduate from Whitworth University, Kyler has always loved cars. He grew up with his dad's '67 Camaro in the garage and started turning wrenches at a young age. At seventeen, he bought his first classic, a '57 Chevy Bel Air four-door, and has since added a '66 Plymouth Valiant and '97 Cadillac Deville to his collection. When he isn't writing for Power Automedia, he's out shooting pictures at car shows, hiking in the forests of the beautiful Pacific Northwest, or working on something in the garage.
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