V8 vega

[musclcar]

was baldwin motion the first to put V8's in a vega /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/burnout.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/burnout.gif

[55chevy]

I believe Scuncio advertised a V8 Vega. I'm sure there were a small handfull of unknown dealers stuffing V8's in Vegas as well around the country.. But I think we can rest assured that Motion was the 1st to shoehorn a 454 in a Vega and market the thing. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[MosportGreen66]

Ask Stefano he has one.

[Stefano]

Mine is an early production '74 Model. I have no idea who was the first to do the conversion or even the first to bring a kit to market.

I have an article on the First Don Hardy Customer Built Kit Vega, but I believe that was 1972.

[whitetop]

Per Hot Rod mag, Don Hardy built the first V-8 Vega in existense, abeit a race car, for the Kimbel Brothers in early 1970. It even predates Grumpy's Vega. Of course they were in different classes. Hot Rod mag mentioned Hardy pulled strings to get one of the very first cars off the assembly line. Next would probaly be Dick Harrell with his V-8 Vega in Car Craft in 1970.
Based upon this I would have to say Motion was not the first to make a V-8 street Vega based on the fact that Joel used kits from Don Hardy at first and then later Hooker.
Scunio Chevrolet did not make V-8 Vegas until the 1973 year. Other dealerships that made V-8 Vegas are Hory and Briggs.
A company called Herbert out of Cal. also made a very popular V-8 conversion mount in the very early '70's.

[mahoy78spyder]

Ya beat me to it, Dave. Your answer was dead-on! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif
The only thing I would add is that Chevrolet actually produced it's own experimental V8 Vega in '72 or '73. I'll have to go back and find the literature I have on it to remember the year and details, but it was a robins egg blue GT, w/ white striping/accents, red/white/blue crest on each fender, white GT rims, and an all-aluminum V8. Too bad Chevrolet didn't continue on with the project. Maybe Mr. Mattison knows something of this car??? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

Ken