A STAR IS BORN IN GENERAL
	HOME Gallery Tech Links Ads Model cars Stories Oddities Mag.Articles History Special Vegas My Projects Misc
				The Vega's styling was masterfully smooth, clean and looking very much like a Chevrolet with a strong resemblance to its bigger brother the Camaro. Four styles were available; a 2-door notchback sedan, a 2-door hatchback, a station wagon, and even a little panel truck. The hatchback proved to be the instant favorite, as it was not only the best-looking of the groupe but had oodles of room with the rear seat folded down. Seating was deliberatley provided for four people, a heresy for Detroit planners that clung to the belief that all American cars must be able to seat five, preferably six. In front were two bucket seats, with a floor-mounted stick shift sprouting out of a high transmission tunnel. A pull-up handbrake was also standard, while instrumentation and decor were pure Chevrolet. In fact, the whole cute li'l beastie looked as if it would someday grow up to be a Camaro or Chevelle, which is no doubt precisely the way Chevy wanted it to look. One of GM's proudest boasts about the Vega is that it is the most "auto-mated" vehicle ever to be built. Its entire design hinged upon its ability to be built rapidly with as much machine labor ( instead of human) as possible. This is the only way GM could sell the car at a price competitive with imported cars made with cheaper labor rates. The assembly lines at the Lordstown plant, which previously made larger Chevys and Pontiac Firebirds, are theoretically capable of producing 100 Vegas per hour. It is the fastest automobile production line in the world, and its great speed has contributed to continual labor problems. The design for rapid assembly can be seen in various parts of the Vgea body and interior; the headliner for example, is a single piece of material popped into position. THE ENGINE