So, when a certain 1971 Vega popped up on a website marketplace, Ron was eager to check it out. The Chevy in question had a lot of work done to it, but the project had stalled before coming to fruition, sitting for several years in hibernation. These are the kind of muscle rides that get Ron’s interest up, as he’s got the experience to bring them back up to snuff and, on the road, where they belong. After checking out the Vega, he made an offer and before Ron knew it he was the new owner of a Vega that was on the precipice of being a major looker and a street performer.

What he bought was an interesting ride, to say the least. Though it started life as a six-cylinder car, it came with a built small-block setup with a tunnel ram and hot cam. The rest of the car was rust-free, though its cool ’60s-inspired panel paintjob was not finished. The interior was stripped and needed some work, as well as the suspension and ancillaries.

Owning a shop, Body by Mulé, in Hamilton, New Jersey, Ron knew he could improve on the Vega’s design. With decades of experience working on vintage muscle cars, he was ready to upgrade the compact into a classic ’70s-style street freak.

Immediately getting to work, he first keyed in on the Vega’s bodywork then focused on the unfinished custom paintjob. One side of the car had the graphics painted on it and the other had a different pattern only on the door. The full graphics were replicated by paint wiz Dave Sano of Sano’s Custom Paint in Dayton, New Jersey, and completed the look the past owner never pulled off. From there, the car was brought back to Body by Mulé where the new paint scheme was cleared and buffed.

Underneath, the car had previously received some work, most notably some chassis strengthening in preparation for its V-8 conversion. Up front, the car rides on Chevy S-10 spindles, has disc brakes, and a set of vintage Gabriel shocks. Out back, a pair of Gabriel Hijacker air shocks set the stance while a pair of Lakewood traction bars help the Vega grip the ground and control wheel hop. A bulletproof Chevy 12-bolt stuffed with 4.11 gears and finished off with a Motion Performance aluminum differential cover now sits out back. The rear brakes are stock drums that came with the rearend.

With the chassis set, Ron wanted the Vega’s cockpit to look and feel like 1971. The interior was already stripped out when he got it, which made it easier to build back up. Fresh, stock vinyl upholstery makes up the meat of the cockpit, with Ron adding a new carpet and headliner to the mix. The door panels are restored originals. The factory dash is accompanied by an OEM Vega GT steering wheel to continue on with the period-correct vibe. Stewart-Warner gauges track the vitals, and a Hurst auto shifter was installed to row through the gears.

Confident that the included small-block would carry the car well into the future, he set out to gather the parts needed to return it to the street with a perfect blend of style and power.

The build starts with a Chevy 57LG block with stock internals and ported aluminum angle-plug heads. An Edelbrock TR1X tunnel ram intake is topped by a pair of Holley 600-cfm carbs. An MSD ignition keeps the spark flowing, while a set of Motion valve covers adds a vintage performance vibe. Spent gases exit through custom headers and feed into a pair of classic side pipes.