Vega wheels

[58Custom]

This is all interesting. I would love to run some old slotted mags cuz I just like them. The ones for the Vega are most common but I would still like to get 175 rubber to fit at a minimum. As for studs my sitch is wide open as I will be running a narrowed 210 diff and I will have the axles redrilled for studs.

If I can't find slots that work I'll order from Hap. Backup plan y'know.

 

[Guest]

I would love to run some old slotted mags cuz I just like them. .

Too bad you can't use a X4.5 set. I have some I need to get rid of.

 

[Guest]

caption under pic should read, "See what it's like to not have a chance and know it."

 

[JPSmit]

I would love to run some old slotted mags cuz I just like them. .

Too bad you can't use a X4.5 set. I have some I need to get rid of.

that's MGB territory

 

[aeronca65t]

........as I will be running a narrowed 210 diff and I will have the axles redrilled for studs.

I have one of those in my shop right now. Do you know who will be doing the narrowing? (I may have to do this too....not sure)

Just in case you haven't tried, FWD Sentra 13" wheels will fit right on to that rear and are very "inset" (big backspace). If you use them, the whole setup is only about 1.5" wider than stock so it might work on an RWA car (although you'd still have different lug patterns front and rear).

 

[Guest]

NIal, how much does it have to be narrowed?

 

[aeronca65t]

That would depend on the wheels. If I were to use the Sentra wheels, it would hardly be worth bothering. With normal wheels, maybe a total of 5 inches. I'm not really sure right now.

 

[regularman]

Vega wheels are indeed 13". I have a set of Cosworth Vega wheels on my MM pickup. Needless to say, these are quite different from the standard and rallye style steel wheels. There is no center bore issue on these, but there is on the steel ones. Vegas did have larger diameter studs so I had to find just the right sleeved lug nuts to make it work. The lugs cost me as much as the wheels and at the time (about 12 yrs ago), I could only find the right combination in the UK. These wheels are 6x13 and work well on the truck, but would be too wide for a sedan or even a Bugeye. Even with 205/60's they tuck in nicely behind the rear wheel arches.

Wow Gerard, you got all the nice toys

 

[regularman]

I would love to run some old slotted mags cuz I just like them. .

Too bad you can't use a X4.5 set. I have some I need to get rid of.

Hey, what do these look like and what do you want for them? I been looking for some 13s for my wifes festiva. It runs the 4.5 or 114.3 4 lugs. Its getting hard to find 12 inch tires for the wheels that are on it.

 

[Guest]

These are 14" off of a Datsun Z.

 

[58Custom]

I have one of those in my shop right now. Do you know who will be doing the narrowing? (I may have to do this too....not sure)

I have not started looking yet. Will be a year at least. Just gathering info and some parts as they come up.

Just in case you haven't tried, FWD Sentra 13" wheels will fit right on to that rear and are very "inset" (big backspace). If you use them, the whole setup is only about 1.5" wider than stock so it might work on an RWA car (although you'd still have different lug patterns front and rear).

Useful info but I just could not do that to my car. :wink:

 

[bill_powell]

Just FYI: I ran Vega wheels on one of my Minis. Just swapped the lugs and flared the fenders; no issues. I liked the extra ground clearance (slight, but on uneven, broken, gravel roads I'll take it) and the ease of getting 13" tires vs 10" or 12", but 13" is too much for a Mini IMO. They did look good; might be interesting on a Midget.

 

[Gerard]

Wow Gerard, you got all the nice toys

Thanks Kim... this is a frame off restoration I've been working on for a few years now. I hope to finish it this year. :hammer:

 

[nomad]

Very pretty Minor pickup, Gerard!! I'm surprised that someone would give up a set of Cosworth Vega wheels at any price. Wonder what happened to the car cause thats one Vega I always wanted to own.


Kurt.

 

[regularman]

Thing about the Vega, you always knew when you were low on oil in those things because they quit smoking :wink: The aluminum block and the 3 speed transmission just killed those things. The Astre had had the steel block and 5 speed and lasted well.

 

[Gerard]

Thanks Kurt.

I bought these from a friend years ago, who I think bought them off ebay. I have a set of 4 and I believe they are actually off a Pontiac Astre version because the center caps have the Pontiac logo. I'm not sure of there was ever a Pontiac version, so someone might have just swapped the wheels. They were originally gold, but they coating wasn't in the best shape, so I stripped it off. I only have 3 center caps and have never been able to find a 4th on ebay. I will probably make a custom center adapter that will accept a knockoff center.

You are right about the wheels though, because even the really ratty ones bring big bucks. I've tried to buy a 5th as a spare, but they go for crazy money or are in real bad shape. I finally gave up looking.

My first new car was a '72 Vega Kammback GT. I got a whole 40,000 miles before the engine needed rebuilding. It also started rusting out after about 2-3 years. Easily the worst car I ever owned, but you are right about the Cosworths... they seem to be very collectable.

 

[aeronca65t]

All this talk about Vegas reminds me how much I liked them (especially the Cosworth version), but as some of you have noted, they had numerous issue.
The car was a decent idea, poorly executed.

Many of us are familar with the aluminum engine issues, but as Gerard mentioned, the rust problems were really bad too. A friend of mine lived in Buffalo back then and he said the front fenders would barely last two winters up there. Local dealers had a "silent recall" to replace fenders for free.

Around '75 a friend of mine solved the aluminum engine problem buy dropping a Chevy V8 in his Vega. I drove it and it was pretty amazing (at least in a straight line).
The Reynolds process that GM used to create the cylinder walls in the Vega aluminum engines was a flop at the time. But BMW, Mercedes and probably others use it today and it works quite well.

Does anyone recall the fact that the Vega was really slated to have a rotary (Wankel) engine? That's why the trans tunnel shape did not match the eventual engine and trans combo. It was really designed to fit the differently-shaped rotary powerplant. GM had plans to use the Wankel in the Corvette back them too.

Back in the 70's when I considered buying a Vega I ended up with a (used) Pinto......a more "boring" car, but also more durable. I got great service from that Pinto and we had two other decent Pintos in the family as well. I never see any Vegas anymore, but we still have several Pintos vintage racing with us and I know of two stock Pintos still on the street.

I wondered if any of you recall the way they shipped Vegas on railcars. They were sent "nose down"....another weird idea that didn't catch on.

 

[JPSmit]

I've seen that picture - "nose down" can't imagine that the fluids would have stayed where they were supposed to. Just think of vent holes and non-sealed caps - washer fluid, engine vent, etc. etc. strange.

When I was growing up there were a few really fast cars in town (Belleville ON) The fasted that I was aware of was a Camaro but high on the list was a V8 Vega - though I understood he never changed the gas tank and had to refuel three times for an average nights cruising. Another car about town was a V8 Pinto - could have been a real sleeper but IIRC the transmission was too tight in the tunnel and it was a brute to shift.

Ah.... memories....

 

[58Custom]

The engine was designed with baffles in the oil pan to contain the oil when the car was stood on it's nose. The battery had vents specially situated so it was also contained when inverted. All fluids were carefully and completely contained. The transport system was very well thought out and clever and saved money.

The rust problems were ridiculous. I watched them rot on the Gulf coast. Not just the Vega but all of the GM cars then.

 

[Millrat]

My wife's first car was a 72 vega. Same story, about 40K and the engine was toast. No rust problems in the NW as there isn't the salt issue. Wish I had it back just to toy around with.