1971 Chevrolet Vega 2300 Panel Express: Needle, meet haystack
Once upon a time in the ’70s, people bought cars. Cars, not trucks, not SUVs. Fortunately for humanity at the time, the crossover had not yet been invented. Trucks and 4x4s were more of a specialty item for outdoorsmen, tradesmen, and the like. But there were some outliers at the time, like the car-based Chevrolet El Camino/GMC Sprint and the Ford Ranchero. And the Vega Panel Express.
Yes folks, it’s another Vega! Hold on to your hats. Today’s example is a rather uncommon Vega, even amongst Vegas: the Panel Express. Which was referred to in the brochures as “Our Truck.”
I won’t dive too deeply into Vega history since I’ve already discussed Chevy’s star-crossed subcompact, the 1976 Cosworth-Vega, but here’s an abbreviated version: It was introduced in 1971 as an all-new model, to great fanfare. It was an immediate hit, with its four-model lineup and attractive baby-Camaro styling.
A total of 269,905 were sold in 1971 and 390,478 in ’72, but by then the bloom was already off the rose, so to speak. The two biggest issues were that they liked to break down, and they liked to rust. Really rust. Especially the front fenders. Even in dry, warm climates.
So while they continued to sell, sales slowly but surely tapered off—so much so that by 1977, the car’s final year on the market, only 78,402 were built. While that’s not terrible, it was a far cry from ’73, when 427,300 rolled off the line.
The ’74s, like pretty much everything else that year, lost the nifty little chrome bumpers for park-bench-style ones, making the 1971–73 models much prettier. I must have seen the occasional Vega when I was a kid, but I don’t have any hard and fast memories of it, though I did have a couple of plastic, dime-store Vega toys … one of which I’m pretty sure was a big-bumper Panel Express.
Back to the featured ’71. I was at a car show in Davenport, Iowa, over Labor Day weekend in 2013, and while walking back to my car I spotted this survivor. I was taken aback because I had never seen a Panel Express up close, though I knew of their existence. My Uncle Dave, who as a teen in the early ’70s naturally was in a garage band, lusted for one of these back then. He was the drummer, and I remember him telling me it would have been a great car to haul his drum kit around in.
Of course, later events would prove it was just as well that he didn’t get one. Plus he was 13 at the time, so there’s that.
When I peeked through the window of this one, it was clear that its navy blue paint was not original—it was originally the bright blue that was prominently featured in early Vega brochures and ads. Otherwise, it appeared to be in quite original shape.
The Panel Expresses were never common, as you would expect. As I recall, even the passenger seat was optional, as the whole point of the model was it was to be used as a mini utility vehicle. Add the fact that the very attractive Vega Kammback wagon was essentially the same except for the rear quarter glass and back seat, and it makes sense the Panel was never a popular model.
In 1971, 55,839 Vega two-door sedans were built, along with 71,957 Kammback wagons and 262,682 hatchbacks. Of the wagons, approximately 7800 were panels, though it wasn’t clear in my research if that was a separate figure from the standard wagons or included in the near-72,000 unit total.
Any way you slice it, however, the Panels were pretty small potatoes in Vega production. Indeed, the model only lasted through 1975, then was quietly retired. Apparently the Estate and GT versions of the wagon were more popular. Unsurprising, really.
But it was a unique offering, and it was pretty cool to finally see one, 20-odd years after finding a coverless ’71 Vega brochure in my uncle’s old room at my grandparents’ house—the very same one my Uncle Dave pored through 20 years prior, I’m sure. I’m not sure what happened to that brochure since I discovered it in a stack of magazines around 1991, but I wouldn’t be surprised to find it in a box someday!
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Best looking of the economy cars of that era, except certain Opels, which also had the cleaner GM styling of the time, like the 2nd-Gen Camaro. Drove one in ’71, and it was pretty fun. Really a shame that GM dropped the ball with the engines and rust-prevention. I’d have a hatchback, wagon, or panel if a really nice one crossed my path, but something like a Buick GN V6 or SBC or LS & drivetrain would get swapped in.
I had a friend with a electrician side business that had a Vega panel for his work vehicle, steel sleved engine and duals. I helped him put a Buick V6 w/ automatic in it when it got tired about 1980. Loaded with tools he said he blew a mustang off. At the next light Fred was asked what he had in it and replied it was stock with duals and a big 😀. Years earlier a friend had a hatchback with a 396, the stock hood was used, and wide slicks stuffed under the stock body on his car lot.
They did not break down. For your information in the 70s it was rated the most reliable Chevy under the Nova. When are you gonna stop this nonsense? My 71 Panel has no rust. Maybe cause its undercoated
Rated by whom as the most reliable Chevy under the Nova? While the Vega was not quite as bad as many believe (my science teacher had a five year old rust-free, Wisconsin’s plated, 120K mile coupe when I was in high school), my exposure to a number of Vegas owned by friends and neighbors leaves me skeptical of that reliability claim.
My wife and I had a ‘73 panel in ‘78. Originally belonged to a photographer friend who used it for work. Ended up putting a sleeved short block in it when it started using more oil than gas. Good looking car with custom murals on the side panels (it was the ‘70’s), a Weber carb and a header and springs and sway bars from a GT. With no back seat we had to get rid of it when our first baby came along. It was a lot of fun to drive and actually ran pretty good. No rust and this was in Montana where there’s plenty of snow.
I owned 2 different panels in the 70’s, both with V-8 swaps. Both were fast and fun and had zero rust issues but they were still fairly new and Oregon did not salt the roads. One was originally a Post Office vehicle and still had Mr. Zip on the panel. The metal inserts could be removed and replaced with the correct glass to make it a wagon. I’d still like to own another one.
Vega also had a “Nomad” trim level. “B” pillar at the back of the doors leaned forward with lettering that said “Nomad” and the tailgate had a series of vertical body side moldings to mimic the original Nomad.
Had had my ‘72 since ‘76.
1971 330 hp LT1
Close ratio Muncie
Narrowed 12 Bolt
Still a lot of fun-
Why is it that every article on some specific vega has to be preceded by the same history lesson of rust and doom. It wasted the first half. I have seen a few panels. Around here (Az) they don’t have a rust problem. If the 4cyl is in it, you swap in an SBC and enjoy the car. They handle great, basic and easy to work on and look like a mini gen 2 Camaro.
Like so many others, I gave mine a v8 swap. Looking for another.
It is a cool-looking vehicle, but those homely black wheels, black tires, and tiny chrome hubcaps really hurt the look. A good set of Vega rally wheels would set it off nicely, or perhaps some later alloy wheels, such as from American Racing.
Started out with a Pontiac Astra. Smoked like a train still had some of the greatest times being free and a teen I still think about that car alot.then I found a white with black GT and it was in perfect shape just had a bad engine. Well being ol DAD had a transmission shop we pulled it sent it to be sleeved and rbuilt it he also put a shift kit in it and man did it run .of all the cars I had and beleave me there were many it was in the top 5 it was a small version of a Z28 alot of people talked crap on Vegas Unless it had a v8 but it ran great and I’ve loved them ever since!!!
About 5 years ago, there was a 1971-72 panel about a block from my house. I never saw the guy outside, or I would have talked to him about it. It was medium blue, and looked VERY nice.