There is about 180 "free" pounds to remove off the car. I did it with my 77 wagon and got it to 2480 without me in it but a full tank of gas. The biggest and simplest place to start is the stock bumper supports. I took off 45 pounds right there and still have the stock bumpers. Fiberglass would be even more. Of course the Buick V6 is worth a couple hundred pounds too. The list goes on.
You will have to let me know how it goes. I have a 77 vega coupe sitting in my yard, I have a spare engine, computer, etc. Then I found out from someone that I would probably need custom headers and that is when I started losing interest. I love my vega and my buick and think that it would be a great combination. Oh well.
I have a how to V-6 a vega book,I actually covers turbo v6's and there is nothing special about buick manifolds that they won't clear the steering shaft.I haven't started mocking anything up yet.Should start this weekend.The biggest pain is going to be the passenger side with the down pipe.
Email me we'll get into this a little further don't want to make anyone mad. khamner@neo.rr.com
Things are looking good so far. Can you take the stock intercooler and make it a front mount? Turn the 'cooler up-side-down and slide it between the grill and the radiator. If you aren't going to run A/C there might be enough room. Whatever is used it will probably have to be a front mount so that an electric fan will have room. On my N/A car the electric fan is offset slightly so the motor won't hit the waterpump shaft. I do have a really thick core in the radiator though. What are you going to do with the steering shaft? A few U-joints I assume?
That looks awesome! I was looking at the panel wagon this weekend (73) and there isn't much room for a front mount. Looks like the 74 on body style has more than enough. Are you planning on running the tubes through the fenderwells? Looks like you are making good progress on the project.
Looks like it is coming along nicely. I hope that seeing you do this, will help get me motivated to start on mine.
One question I have at this point is, what are your plans on cooling??? I don't know about yours, but my vega with a 350, monza radiator, mechanical and aux electric fan up front always gets real hot.
Keep up the good work.
In my N/A v6 car I have a Griffin aluminum radiator and an electric fan on the engine side. Never really had much of a problem keeping it cool. If in traffic on a hot day, it will get about 205 or so. My bet is that your elec. fan up front is more of a restriction and is hurting cooling more than it helps. Ditch the mechanical and go with an engine side elec. fan. What year and body style do you have? I know Bob Gumm has had new aluminum radiators made up to copy the original design.
Actually the car was getting hot before the electric fan went on. I have a 77 coupe. I love the vega's, always been a sucker for the unusual. I originally bought it to swap in a buick drivetrain, then got discouraged, now, I may be getting my second wind.
Ran my 3 core for years with the smallblock,Switched to a griffen and electric waterpump to try something new.Never ran over 200 in high humidity and traffic either way.