1972 Chevrolet Vega Yenko Stinger in Orange Paint & Engine Sound on My Car Story with Lou Costabile

Hi, If you like this video, please click on the 🤍 THANKS button under the video title" Thank you! Lou

My mentor mechanic buddy stuffed a sickly built 427 Chevy into a vega panel wagon back in the 70s. He took it on its maiden voyage sans hood with dual quads poking up and open headers,of course. He got on Rte 95 for a quick test blast when a kid in a new corvette started egging him on to race. He didn't want to get towed by drawing attention to his unregistered toy by racing, so he figured he'd stomp it and leave the pesty kid in the dust. He stomped it alright, and the car hooked at a crazy angle and spun him into a 360 at 55 mph in the middle of the highway! Luckily he is a seasoned race driver and kept it unscathed. The vette kid ended up following him home and bought the car the very next day! Lol! Sweet ride thanks again guys!

I remember up North you could hear the Vegas in town rusting out at night.

For my Graduation present, I received a 2 year old Chevy Vega GT wagon, with a 4 speed... it was lots of fun, not fast, but it was in great shape And only had 14,000 miles on it.. ohhhh, memories...

Despite its flaws, it was a nice-looking car with simple, basic lines. The Monza's were decent sporty little cars, as well. Glad this pristine Vega has survived.

I'm shocked and surprised that there is a Yenko Vega !!! Thanks for the history lesson Lou !!👍👍

When I was in college, my friend's parents bought him a car. He drove back to school in it. It was a 4 speed manual Vega Sport edition. It looked pretty cool inside and out. When I complimented him on the car he said, "Come on man, everyone knows what a Vega is!" LOL. I will never forget that. No matter what, it was still a "Vega".

I bought my 1972 Vega Hatchback new in Homestead Florida and drove it 160 thousand miles and owned it for 16 years. I kept the Vega engine, but modified with Holly Mini Muscle carburetor and Edelbrock intake and Mallory twin points disturb and added HEI ignition with high performance spark plug wires. The factory engine lasted 40 thousand miles and was replaced under extended warranty by General motors and the 2nd engine lasted 40 thousand miles. I had the engine rebuilt locally in Miami Florida by HC Wilcox a race car engine rebuilder on 27th avenue and the Miami River in the days we had Hialeah race track (automotive). HC Wilcox modified the engine to have sleeved jugs with the 1977 coolant improvement and the modified engine lasted another 100 thousand miles and was not burning oil when I sold it. I have the sticker on the window when I bought the car. I learned auto body repair work doing the rust repairs myself on the Vega. The heads would crack every 7 years or so and I sold the car for $100 because the oil light was coming on and the heads for the Vega engine were getting difficult to find.

I loved the shape of the Vega

Had 3 Vegas, a 1973 blue GT, A 1975 orange GT and a 1975 Cosworth, loved them all, wished I still had em.....

I, along with lots of others, never knew it even existed. Thanx Lou, you've done it again. Keep them coming Captain Lou!

The Cosworth Vega! In Black and Gold with Gold rims. Best looking Vega ever! Shawn.

My first car was a Vega. Good memories. It was a 72 and I was 16.

Well bless this guy’s heart! A Yenko Vega… Now I’ve seen everything. Boy, if that’s not an oxymoron...!

I learned to drive in regular 72 Vega, it was a fun car to drive, and it did handle pretty good, especially compared to the big boats of the day. Thanks for the video, brings back memories.

Growing up a friend of mine had a 74 Vega and he put a built 350/400 auto in it.Took him about 2 years of weekends and I would come over and help out.Back then everything we did was stick welded by me.We both learned as we went.Sometimes having to fabricate something over and over......till we got it right.Now that car was quick.Well It felt quick to me.He took it to US-30 dragstrip in Gary Indiana quite a few times.It would almost do high 10s .It was always primer black with cragers.Then he had it painted a bright red.The engine bay was detailed by me while he did the body stuff.So later on, he just used it as a daily driver till about 84 or 5.Then one day some guy offered him good money for it.He was getting married and his new lady hated that thing.It was a cop magnet around Merrillville Indiana in the early 80s.Man I wanted to buy it but at the time my GF said.....NOPE......not with me.....lol.Wonder what ever became of that ticket machine as I called it.

I had a 1974 vega GT just like this one orange same black stripes n all 4 speed here in NE Kansas back in high school in the early 80's. It was a fun car. It did seem like a baby camaro. I ended up owning 4 camaros after it. Those are my passion.

You would think it being a Yenko it would have had a small block. Still a cool car.

Beautiful body style. Wish it had a small block. Love it. Would have been a great turbo car with the stock engine. Sleeved of course.

Run hot is right, one of my earliest memories outside family, . . . a neighbor had one of these 4-banger Vegas he would hotrod around. And when he'd stop and park it in front of the house, the neighorhood kids could come watch the PAINT PEEL OFF THE HOOD. Couldn't have been more than 4-5yo, and the car was newer/younger than I, and just a little revving had the pain cracking and bubbling off.