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Saw a Cosworth Vega today

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I have only one question.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Why?</span>
 
I had a '71 Vega...still don't know why...but I've a good story about when I got rid of it.
 
I don't know, but I'll take a cosworth 190E MB, and a cosworth escort. Seems like cosworth liked hopping up the small cars. As vegas's go, they tried to be technically advanced on a budget. Unsleeved aluminum cylinders don't hold up too well :smirk:
 
Why? Well, at least the automaker gave it a go. Too bad it didn't make it, as I think it was the first DOHC offering by an American automaker, so it was the first sixteen valve engine, as well as the first with electronic fuel injection, etc., etc.

In my mind, it was like the early turbo Corvairs, the front wheel drive Toronado, and the little aluminum block V8 (also offered with a turbo) that later became the Rover's standard. Too bad that mass appeal trumps engineering innovation...
 
The story is involved. Cosworth and GM had "issues". The silicone impregnated alloy bore process was a bit less than it was touted to be. Cosworth had a bit of a problem attaching their name to something which didn't live up to its "billing".
 
Black and gold? Every one I've ever seen (all maybe 3 of em) has been black with gold accents.
 
kennypinkerton said:
I don't know, but I'll take a cosworth 190E MB, and a cosworth escort. Seems like cosworth liked hopping up the small cars. As vegas's go, they tried to be technically advanced on a budget. Unsleeved aluminum cylinders don't hold up too well :smirk:
Click to expand...

Nuttin wrong with Cosworth engineering.

My question was more directed towards why bother with such an unattractive automobile. A 200mph cow pat that does 0-60 in 2 seconds is still a cow pat. It may steam more from the heat it's putting out, but that's all...
 
They weren't that bad looking, kind of like a baby camero. At least it wasn't a pinto.
 
I'd take this over a vega any day of the week:

1978_ford_pinto_squirred_001.jpg



from here btw
 
:lol:

yup.

A pal an' I contemplated a Pinto "Runabout" for SCCA SS back-when (71-72?). Kent-based 2L with the crossflow head right off the showroom floor... :laugh:
 
I actally kinda like the cruiser wagon.
I rode in a pinto, just like that one from WV to AL. That was a test-drive too. My grandfather gave it to my dad, but he had to get a motor for it. Got it to fire over for the first time about 1 hour before we left on the 900 mile trip. As I recall, only problem we had was a broken u-joint somewhere in the middle of nowhere, KY at about 3 in the morning.
 
Built himself a baby 'vette...& 14 bids up to $6,200 right now...but, the quality of work looks nice.
 
I dunno, I will admit to having a couple of chrome bumper Vega GTs back in the day. They were not bad cars. The handled OK for the day, and it is just amazing what a brace of side draft Webers will do to sport one up. I "solved" the cylinder wear problems by having a block sleeved, and getting a set of pistons to suit. I think it cost around 20 bucks a hole. Never had a lick of trouble after that. In the late 70s they were available pretty much for free, who could turn thst down? They didn't rust any worse than the 510 datsuns I also had back then. Even so, I still like corvairs better.
 
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