RIP- Barry Connally has the Dash Plaque

Judged for and achieved Heritage Gold at the 2020 RoundUp in Kansas City, KS.

#1951

A perennial contender for a Concours trophy, this car is owned by Steve Mayefske of Green Bay, WI. The VIN is 1V77E5U271651.
Black/ Black Vinyl

#1952 Thanks to Mark Rock's knowledge I found out I had power to my fuel pump. This gave me incentive to finish putting # 1952 back into hopefully running shape. I cranked the motor. I could hear the fuel pump working and the motor started. A lot of white smoke later the idle settled down a little [tach doesn’t work]. I let it heat up while checking for leaks and noises .Everything looked good. I shut it down after five minutes. I restarted it two more times the next day. The first time I could smell it running rich. No white smoke, now brown. Next start up seemed better as far as no heavy smoke but still smelled a little rich. I changed the oil today and it had a heavy gas smell. The oil was thin also. This oil was clear with no gas smell before I started. I do not know any history about the car except that the head was probably rebuilt. I appreciate any help I can get to solve this one.

CVOA website ad posted mid-March 2005: 1975 CV #1952 Bought as a non running project with no history. Has tinted glass all around, am/fm stereo, original floor mats. Shows 76,xxx miles. No rust or major hits, but needs paint. Interior is very good except for driver’s carpet and usual driver seat splitting. Brand new injectors, battery, plugs, wires, cap, rotor, air and fuel filter. Have all service manuals, no owners. Was running very good but motor started making noises. Did not overheat, starts and runs now, just makes noise when accelerating. No water in oil. Steering and suspension tight. Livermore, CA, 925-437-2432

I recently purchased #1952. It is not running and the previous owner had run a hot lead from under the dash to the external fuel pump. I removed this but I do not have power with the key on at the ECU fuse. All connections look good. Any ideas? Thanks. Steve Dossey. simaxx@comcast.net

Owned by Howard Collins as of November, 2005. He reports: “Number 1952 now has a very strong 1964 three twenty seven engine installed. I will leave it as a Cosworth other than that. It makes a pretty good sleeper.” He sent an e-mail to the WebCrew offering the engine from this car to a good home for free. Tom Shine of Everett, WA was the first to respond to a Yahoo posting and he picked it up on November 7, 2005. He reports: “He seems like a nice fellow and was sort of apologetic for converting a Cosworth Vega to a V-8. He said this is his 16th (or 18th) Vega V-8 conversion. Wow! He couldn't find a decent regular Vega and then found this Cosworth.” He later reported, “I have the complete engine, including two ECU’s (one good, one bad) from Cosworth Vega #1952, plus the radiator and bellhousing and even a non-original exhaust system with a high-flow cat. Also, the injectors are supposedly brand new or recently reconditioned. Looks like a new timing belt as well. Thanks, guys.
Howard is the fourth owner of this Cosworth Vega. See attached picture. He's a really nice guy with some good stories. Howard purchased CV #1952 in April of this year from somebody in Livermoore, CA. Howard said this guy was beginning to restore it, but didn't want to tackle the engine rebuild. The 2nd owner, according to Howard, was some drug addict or 'dealer' who used the Vega for daily transportation and didn't take care of it. Apparently, the original owner had it for a very long time and supposedly took meticulous care of it. There is no documentation with the car, but I believe it has been in the Bay Area/Northern California since new. There is a Chevrolet dealer license plate frame on the rear that looks to be original. It's made of metal - when was the last time you saw one of those.
The Chevrolet dealer is Western Motors in Petaluma, CA which is north of San Francisco. The dealer appears to still be in business according to Yahoo! yellow pages. Also, the plates on the car are California blue which I believe were issued only in the 70's. The car has a small dent in the passenger front fender plus numerous door dings. The paint is faded, but there is very little rust. There has been some rust repair to the battery box area and some previous bodywork to the passenger quarter below the side window. Only option on the car is posi-traction - as verified (after the smoke cleared) by the two black stripes Howard laid down on the street in front of his house. [Howard installed a 327 small block in this car. Ed.] There is an AM/FM radio (currently removed), but no side pop out windows or rear window defogger. I do have more pictures of #1952 and I'll try to get them uploaded. There's already a record in the CVOA registry. I'll also take some pictures of the engine when I get back to Seattle.” Tom Shine
Black/ Black Vinyl VIN- 217678

#1953

According to the August 1991 Newsletter of Region 3, this car was offered for sale as: Recent $3000 HME engine rebuild, 65k miles, Goodyear ST 60’s, Hurst shifter, AM/FM, no rust, clean interior, $4500 OBO. Delivery possible. Philip Kapusta. 703 371-5746; W 703 899-4203.

1975 CV #1953 Black, black vinyl. 95K, Posi-traction, tinted glass, auxiliary lighting, edge guards, defogger, rear speaker, AM/FM, factory floor mats, Hurst shifter, rear louvers, Webers, free-flow exhaust, Hutton built engine with BD-3 cams and 10:1 compression, COE pistons, stainless steel valves, ported head, steel sleeved block, Goodyear Gatorback tires, solid body originally from Virginia, excellent paint and interior, drive anywhere. $8000 Might consider package deal with 25 year collection of CV and Vega NOS parts, tools literature, etc. (607) 334-7259 Jim Blunden, Norwich, NY E-mail: jcblunden@webtv.net

Yahoo post in August of 2005: I might need to put my '75 CV up for sale (#1953). I bought it 2 years ago from a member of this site so some of you may be familiar with it. My wife is really pushing me to pick up another 67 Impala. She wants more room and a ragtop. I'm considering running a few ads in Hemmings and Auto Trader, but I'm not sure how many surfers are looking there for Vega's (not many ads out there for 'em). Does anyone know of any sites or outlets that feature CV's/Vega's? lkovalik62@yahoo.com

He posted again in June of 2007: Hi to all. It's looking very likely that I will have to part ways with my 75 CV (unless I can find a way to split it in half)....there are pics in the photos section and if there are any interested individuals out there please email me to discuss. For those of you who are long time members you may recognize this production number as one which last belonged to another CVOA member. I have put a few ads out in cyberspace but I don't want to sell to someone who doesn't appreciate CV's and may treat it with casual disregard. I'm located in Northern Virginia...near Manassas....

According to a January 2011 membership application, this car now belongs to Fred Seoane of Dunlorring, VA. The Vin is 1V77E5U271709.

Pics posted on Facebook in Tucson, AZ in 2025. Looks to be in good shape.

#1954 According to a January 2013 membership application, this car belongs to Gary Sydnor of Tucson, AZ. The VIN is 1V77E5U271738. According to Gary, it is "rougher than a cob".

CVOA Membership Record
Owner- John F Wightman
620 E. Sierra Madre Blvd
Sierra Madre, CA 91024
626-513-1354
rudder254@aol.com

VIN- 5U271798

#1956 Part of Chris Wheaton’s RegistryBlack/ Black Vinyl VIN- 271798

#1959

Belongs to Mark “Fred” Blomquist of Texas.
Black/ Black Vinyl VIN- 271880
My brothers car was 2438 - Black, black vinyl, 5 spd, no other options.
My original car was 0531. I bought it in 1984. It was sold in 1999 and re-badged as 1959 and is currently near Austin Tx. My understanding is that 1959 was hit and totaled.
I bought 4 parts cars that were from the Lafayette, LA area. I don't know the numbers. One of those cars was #2303 - I still have that dash plaque. These were bought in 1985.
I bought 1 parts car from Zachary, LA in 1986
I bought 1 parts car from New Braunsfel TX in 1990
The car I am picking up is 0814 from Stan Wells in Luling, LA
I hope this helps.
Thanks. Tim Coughlin E-mail sent to John J. Cowall 1/05/17

#1961 This car belongs to Michael F. Amagna of San Mateo CA, 94401 as of February, 2009. The VIN is 1V77E5U271938.

#1963 Part of Chris Wheaton’s Registry Black/ Black Vinyl VIN- ?

#1964 Appeared for sale on eBay in February of 2004 in LA area. Advertised as:RARE VEGA! Only several thousand COSWORTH produced! I believe I am the third owner and have owned it since 1992. 59,282 MileageDash Plaque #19644 Cylinder, 4 SpeedVIN #1V77E5U272061Recently mounted NOS Goodyear Tires 195-70-13 Eagle STs w/zero miles.Original Blue California License PlatesCalifornia Smog EXEMPT as of January 1, 2004
Exterior body - excellent, minor surface rust, very minor, basically no rust thru-out. Interior - very good (SEE PICS)Includes some original paperwork - Owner's Manual, registration, Cosworth Vega Service Manual Overhaul Supplement, and more VERY minor surface rust on the right side door, below right rear window and part of hatch due to some of the original paint being "checkered" (see pics) so it needs paint. Body excellent/very straight, and solid with one crease on lower left front fender behind bumper where an underside strut mounts but is hardly noticeable (see picture) Trim piece on left rear swing-out window not attached - trim will be included Some pitting on the wheel center caps Catalytic converter, pulse air/smog tubes have been removed by a previous owner, converter included.

Driver seat has two small tears, rear carpet sun faded/damaged (see pics) - all other interior in great condition! Front spoiler cracked (see picture)Front bumper trim starting to come off on edge of right hand side (see picture) Wires at the factory rear window defogger grid look like they need replacing.Ran well before being parked but has not been driven since approximately 1998 In my opinion car needs gas tank reconditioning and electric fuel pump due to sitting for so long Battery in pics not included I have put less than a thousand miles on the car
Car is currently in West San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, CaliforniaReserve is $1400As of May of 2010, this car is owned by Scott Kidd of Laurel, MD, 20708, telephone 301-498-4926. He is in the process of repainting it, and is looking for a set of decals. Black/ Black Vinyl

still owned by same owner. Now in Texas

#1965 According to Robert Bowen’s January, 1978 Registry, this car then belonged to Dan Suarez of 505 Norwich Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90048.
According to a November 2003 post on Yahoo, this car belongs to Matthew Warrick of Denver, CO. Mattjw916@yahoo.com It still belongs to him in May of 2010. He says, “my car needs new paint in a big way.”Black/ Black Vinyl VIN- 272084

#1966 Part oF Chris Wheaton’s Registry Black/ Black Vinyl VIN- ?

#1967 According to his 1992 Regional Newsletter, this car was once owned by Don Volden of Palmdale, CA. He wrote then that he’d been in the CVOA for about 4 years and owned 2 Cosworths. One, #0203 was recently painted by Byron Burnham “and will be restored to stock in the next few years.” He also owned #1967 which he was using as his daily driver. Black/ Black Vinyl VIN- 272138

#1968 Part of Chris Wheaton’s Registry Black/ Black vinyl VIN- 272192

traded it to Byron Burnham in 1989 for paint work. Byron parted the car out in 1989 and the VIN was 272192.

He sold it to Chris Wheaton in 1988

Bob Maloy purchased this car from Robert Dean Lee around 1988 with a stock Vega motor in it

Was first sold on 1-18-76. Unknown owner

#1970 This car is in Arizona. It is owned by “Ben”. All I know so far is he wrote: “I do restorations. I am starting #1970 right now and would love to have a ‘76 also. Thanks. Ben” Black/ ? VIN- 272220

Rare 1975 Chevrolet Cosworth Vega (California Car) Serial No. 1971 of 2061 built. Duel overhead cam, electronically fuel injected, high performance Cosworth engine. Saginaw 4-speed transmission with 3.73 positraction rear end. Mileage 66,999

NEW PARTS: 5 new radial tires on refinished aluminum alloy wheels, timing belt, distributor belt, injector seals, radiator, thermostat, hoses, gas tank fuel pump, inline fuel pump, Interstate battery, spark plugs, oil filter, fuel filter, air filter, fuel hoses, windshield washer pump, chrome lug nuts, Cosworth decal / stripe kit, rear hatch seal, door seals

For Sale on Craigslist - Asking $12,500.00

Owned by Todd Keller in Swansea, ILL

CVOA Membership Records
Owner - Todd Keller
Swansea, ILL
618-444-8622
toddk@planningequalsresults.com

Black/ Black vinyl

VIN- 5U272249 67,000 mileage

Original Dealership - Century Chevrolet, Inglewood, CA

Former owners
Michael Oliveras, Waynesville, MO
Harold Jeffries JR. Eldon, MO
Mike Craig, Osage Beach, MO