Interesting comments on Opels in Showroom Stock racing

[RallyBob]

Pretty cool comments about the general domination by Opels in the early '70's in Showroom Stock racing.
Vega lover's comments about Opels

[Paul]

Please tell me its not true........

[jeff denton]

Aren't Vegas an Opel design? I know they shared a few parts, the transmission anyway...

[Tru-Craft]

I hope Opel had nothing to do with the engine!
My brother had a Vega wagon.
What a piece of ....... lets take an aluminum block with semi-high silicone content and run piston rings against it! Then the block being an open web design was so weak they had to bolt a cast iron head to it to make it rigid!
Oooops!
He had his bored out and sleeves installed.

The Opel sedans and Manta's did really well in the 70's, the Car & driver guys loved them! With a little more power they would have dominated!!!

I was taking to an English guy at the bar and he said there is no Chevy/GM in Europe! Opel and Vauxhill? or something?
Lyle

[jeff denton]

There was some chief at GM who insisted the Vega just had to be the one to try this awesome new engine idea. Somehow he sold the plan to the boss and the Vega engine was born. Otherwise they would have just used an existing four cylinder engine already in production from some plant in Germany... which was the original plan. The Vega would have been just as successful and popular as the Pinto had that idiot not interfered.
I never really got to do the research, yet, but have always wondered, just what was the "Cosworth Vega"? I know they were a screamer, but were they basically the Vega engine at all?
The only Vegas I know of today are V8 hot rods. There sure are a bunch of them around here! They make a fun little toy. I haven't seen an original Vega on the street in a long, long time. I had a '71 wagon once, I liked it. All I did was drive it, and not real fast, either! We had Chevelles for that...

[opelnut10]

Biggest Vega problem was that they were too heavy for the power plant and like the Opel the drivetrain (clutch, transmission, and rear)would not stand abuse. I knew an automotive machinest( who now works for a NASCAR engine development group) that was ate slam up with Vegas. He sleeved the block, machined the combustion chamber area, ran the sleeves up out of the hole and had custom pin height pistons made with hefty domes. He did a lot of port and valve work to the head and ended up with about 14 to 1 cpmpression. Of course he was a skilled machinest, had the best of equipment, access to a dyno, and didn't have to pay someone to do the work that was done. Bottom line, he had a very fast Vega that made 240 HP and lived but it was certainly a labor of love because there was a lot of trial and error, research and development and patients put into getting it to that point. Of course he could have put a small block, TH350 transmission and 9" Ford rearend in it that way he would have been like a lot of "street beans" and impressed people with the power of his car

[ddoyle]

cosworth vega had what we all want, a DOHC 16 valve head designed by you guessed it. here is a link to basic info. They can fetch a good price today, and rarer than an opel!

http://www.sparky.on.ca/cvoa/story.htm

Dan

[cherokee]

I always liked Cosworth Vegas. I thaught that they looked cool, I remember seeing one when my mom was looking for new cars. I think I was about 10 at the time. I thaught she should have gotten that...but went with a wagon instead.

They are getting pretty spendy now. I would like to have one...remember the old saying, One Vega for the price of two.

edit:
even the article talked about how expensive they where....I do remember that.