The Lowest Mileage Blue/White Cosworth. See: https: bobweber.wixsite.com/cv3283
Price: US $24,500.00
Item location: Williamsburg, Virginia, United States
Description:
1976 Chevrolet Other Cosworth
(More extensive information on the car can be seen at https://bobweber.wixsite.com/cv3283 )In early 1976, a Dark Metallic Blue Cosworth Vega worked its way down the assembly line in Chevrolet's Lordstown, Ohio plant. Recall that the Cosworth Vega had come to market in 1975 in any color you liked as long as it was black with gold striping. Sales were soft in its initial year, and in an effort to expand appeal, additional colors were added to the 'Cosworth palette', amongst them, Dark Metallic Blue. The car listed here is known in Cosworth Vega circles as the lowest mileage Blue/White car in existence with but 3,183 miles on the odometer.
But, back to the story: one John Dawson was on the line in 1976. He was a lifer at the Lordstown plant and retired from his supervisor position at the plant. John saw Cosworth #3283 coming down the line and realized there was something special about the car. Perhaps it was the Dark Blue Metallic lacquer finish?...or perhaps how the white vinyl seating and blue carpeting contrasted with the exterior? But John deemed the car 'special', and had all the line supervisors that day sign a sheet of lined paper that John slid under the passenger side floor insulation blanket of #3283, resting there quietly for the next 41 years...
As I removed the carpeting from #3283 to be re-dyed to the correct blue color, I lifted the insulation blanket on the driver's side to find one of 3 build sheets I uncovered during the restoration of the car...initialed, of course!
When I lifted the passenger side insulation, there sat a paper both darkened over time and stiffened due to age. Once I steamed the paper to soften it, 5 signatures were to be found....one of them, John Dawson. Through a Facebook page, I was able to find a group of individuals who had worked at the plant and knew of John. A search yielded his home address and a phone number! I cautiously called the number knowing that with called ID and the non-stop barrage of telemarketers assaulting our phones, that my chances were slim to get through to John, should this be his number.
A gentleman answered and I immediately broke into my 'Mr. Dawson, please do not hang-up, I am not a telemarketer, but I have just bought a Vega produced in the Lordstown plant where I believe you had worked?" There was a pause, followed by "yes, I did work there. How can I help you?" Phew!! "Well, sir, I have just taken ownership of a Blue 1976 Cosworth Vega on which I have begun an extensive restoration, and under the floor insulation, I found a sheet of paper with yours, and 5 other signatures on it. Do you remember signing that paper, and if you do, I'm curious why it was there." John (obviously a much older man these days) excitedly answered "Oh my!! You found it!!...I had all the line supervisors on duty that day sign that paper and I put it in that car because I thought it was a rather special car, being a Cosworth and all. "I'd hoped that one day, someone would find it and you did!!" A special car indeed.
This car was bought at Banner Chevrolet in Denton, Texas as an investment, given the limited production nature of 3,508 Cosworth Vegas. The gentleman owned the Cosworth for 15 years, likely with the expectation that his investment would have taken-off; disgruntled (as I'm told) he sold the car and thus began a series of ownership transfers amongst 6 owners prior to the car finding its way to my garage with those 'oh so few' miles on it. However, during those periods of ownership, the car looked less and less like an extremely low mileage car and I set course on an extensive, yet 'sympathetic' 13 months/900+ hours of restorative work, discovering markings and tags throughout the car...some of which the Cosworth Vega community had never seen before...such as paint markings on the right front spindle.
The car now stands, in its finished state, much as it would have appeared leaving John Dawson's Lordstown, Ohio assembly line with a few exceptions:
- I have fitted NOS Koni hydraulic shocks, cosmetically restored with the correct paint and decaling, to the car. The original Delco spiral shocks are refinished and convey with the car
- The previous owner had fitted an aftermarket Vintage Audio deck and speakers fitting exactly in place of the OE pieces. The original Delco AM/8-track deck and speakers convey with the car.
- The original 2-piece master cylinder has been rebuilt and refinished and conveys with the car. I installed a one-piece cast master cylinder (as fitted to the 1975 Cosworth Vegas) for ease of power bleeding the brake system.
This is an original paint car. Over 40 years, the lacquer paint had orange peeled throughout. To correct it, the finish has gone through a color-sanding process beginning with 1500 paper to 2000/3000/5000 wet papers, followed by a 3-stage polishing with a random orbital before the application of many coats of Zymol 'Destiny' wax ($800 for a tub of wax!). The roof carries an excellent gloss, though the paint has dried due to exposure. As you can see from the photos, it looks fantastic, but as original paint, I could not bring myself to have a panel re-sprayed, preferring to keep the originality of the car intact..as it should be.
Thanks for reading the story of Cosworth Vega #3283. It's truly a unique car from amongst a limited production run of a very unique American coupe.
Should you have any questions or wish to discuss the car, feel free to call me @ 757-880-3396.
All reasonable offers will be considered.
Vehicle Details:
- Condition: Used
- Make: Chevrolet
- Model: Other
- Type: Coupe
- Trim: Cosworth
- Year: 1976
- Mileage: 3,183
- VIN: 1V7706U22048
- Color: Blue
- Engine size: 2.0L Cosworth
- Number of cylinders: 4
- Fuel: Gasoline
- Transmission: Manual
- Drive type: RWD
- Interior color: White
- Drive side: Left-hand drive
- Vehicle Title: Clear Want to buy? Contact seller!
