A few techinical things first. We have more than 100 hits now. Wow, thats great. Thank you so much it does make it worth it, and its a great stress reliver. You may have noticed some site changes. Rebel's been updating things to look both awesome and professional. I have no skill at layout and design, I just press buttons and shit happens and usually Reb has to go fix it. But he likes that, so its all good. More changes are on the way as we perfect the site.
I'd also to shamelessly plug the upcoming LCHS Classic Car Show on May 15th. Its for my day-job and will benfit the Historical Society and allow us to protect the past for the future. Or somethig like that. But seriously, if you are gonna be in or around the Wyoming Valley and can bring a car, please do, its for a great cause. Plus you'd get to meet me and Reb!
Finally an update for those interested, the new motor (which I'ved named the RS820-9) is in the Nova and has been run with no leaks. Picturs and a proper post on it to follow.
But now the moment you've all been waiting for....
The #2 Most Underrated Car of All-Time: The 1975 Chevorlet Cosworth Vega
Chevy wanted a hot version of the Vega, British tuning masters Cosworth (designers and builders of the winningest racing engine in history the Ford-Cosworth DFV) wanted to expand into America. It was a match made in heaven right? Well not really. At least not according to the public, who stayed away like the plague. Too bad too, because it actually was a phenominal car. Cosworth recast the Vega's four cylinder engine so that it was 101-cubic inches and made from aluminum. They then added their own in-house designed DOHC aluminum heads. "The Cossie" featured DOHC, 16-valves (four-per-clylinder) electronic igintion, electronic fuel-injection, five-speed manual gearbox (optional in '75 and standard in '76) and four-wheel disc brakes, items that wouldn't become standard on American cars until 15-20 years later! It also looked dead sexy coming only in black ('76 produced a few white ones) with gold trim. It also came with a gold metal dash similar to "Bandit" Trans-Ams.
Power output was impressive, it was listed at 110bhp but was about 145bhp, and much like the DMC-12, the car was really one of the fastest cars you could buy in '75 (which really wasn't saying much, but still). It was also modable. Camshafts were (and still are) available that allowed you to rev the little bastard to over 12 grand on the tach! Go on youtube and watch so videos of modded Cossies, they defy belief. It was the ultimate blend of European sports car, and American muscle. However, the car only lasted two years and sold less than 1800 (several hundred of which are confirmed as being destroyed) units before being canned. Why?
Well most American's had never heard of Cosworth as most Americans don't watch Formula 1 or World Rallye. They didn't understand what was so great about the engine, as the technology was so far ahead of its time no one understood it. Likewise, it was a Vega, Chevy's cheapest car, but with the Cosworth Package, it cost as much as a Corvette, Chevy's most expensive car! (It was quicker and thus worth it, but I digress) Plus the Vega had a reputation for unrealiabilty which the Cossie couldn'e escape. So sadly, despite there being only about 1200 or so left and despite Car and Driver naming it one of its "Ten Most Collectible Collector Cars of All-Time" a mint, low mile one will only run you about $8500. There's just no market for them.
And that's the sad story od the Cossie Vega. The final chapter in our Underrated Cars series tomorrow.
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