Picture this: a sun-kissed afternoon, the smell of gasoline in the air, and a notoriously maligned 1976 Chevrolet Vega parked curbside. But wait, this isn’t your typical Vega. No, my friend, this one has undergone a metamorphosis that would make any gearhead’s heart skip a beat. This LS3-powered Vega just sold at auction and made a new owner very happy.

Under the hood, where there once was an anemic DOHC Cosworth four-cylinder engine, now resides a beastly 6.2-liter LS3 V8. It growls like a caffeinated grizzly bear, ready to pounce at the slightest prod of the gas pedal. And if you’re wondering about the transmission, fear not—it’s a five-speed manual because real drivers prefer to dance with the gears.

The exterior? Oh, it’s a thing of beauty. Metallic brown with black racing stripes—like a chocolate bar wrapped in gold foil. Yenko decals adorn the sides, hinting at the car’s newfound muscle. Budnik 17-inch wheels and big brakes touch this featherweight down on the tarmac.

Photos: Bring A Trailer

Step inside, and you’ll find yourself in a 1970s time capsule. The familiar Vega GT steering wheel is there, with black leather upholstery, a gold engine-turned dash, and a  Cosworth badge. Vintage Air keeps you cool when the sun blazes, and a Sony CD stereo blasts tunes from eras gone by. The cue ball, white knob on the gear shift is a nice touch.

Now, let’s talk about the heart of this beast—the LS3 V8. Although no power rating was included, we think it packs at least 435 horsepower. Polished intake pipes and ball-milled coil covers are like a jewelry store for engine enthusiasts. combine that with a sub-3000-pound curb weight and you get the picture.

But what about the drive? Fear not. A high-performance clutch ensures smooth power delivery to the rear wheels. And the dual exhaust system sings a symphony of horsepower.

With 59,000 miles on the clock, this is an attractive car. We even like the safety bumpers, shovel scoop front end, and black rub strips.  The title says it’s a 1975 model, but it’s listed as a 1976. Hmmm, might need some digging with the owner to decipher what’s going on there. This Vega has transitioned from a fairly rare Cosworth model and is now dressed up at a pseudo-Yenko and in this case, we say hooray!

We think the wheels are a touch too big, leaning a bit too “hoopty” for our tastes, but that could be sussed out by the new owner, who plunked down $26,250 for this car. Yikes, we can remember when these cars were sent to the crusher and sold by the pound. Who’d think that a Vega would bring this kind of money?  On the other hand, what could you buy today that would be as cool (and fast) for the same money? This is a car that you wouldn’t see at every car show.  We say Viva la V8 Vega!