By rail:
How they shipped Chevrolet Vegas
- Thread starter Rick in PA
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Its good to see that common sense and spatial awareness still exist in some people.
Most would have driven the cars on the train, and needed 9 or 10 times more carriages.
Logic and efficiency FTW!!
Most would have driven the cars on the train, and needed 9 or 10 times more carriages.
Logic and efficiency FTW!!
That's pretty cool. I guess they didn't have a problem with fluids spilling out.
I wonder how much fluid was on the bottom of that traincar.
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The Vega. Lol. My brother had a '73, pea green with black racing stripe.
Remember the picture from one of my mechanical design lecturers back in the 80s.
It was a "what is wrong with this picture" type lesson...which he then shot to pieces with what various dynamic loads were imposed on the road versus static loads upending, and the design features that allowed it.
forgot about it 'though, thanks for the reminder.
It was a "what is wrong with this picture" type lesson...which he then shot to pieces with what various dynamic loads were imposed on the road versus static loads upending, and the design features that allowed it.
forgot about it 'though, thanks for the reminder.
Hello, I so wished that the Vega was a better car. Cast iron head on an aluminum block.
Oh, your engine warped. Wanna buy another Chevy?
That's why all these creeps can go out of business and die as far as I'm concerned. Kira
Oh, your engine warped. Wanna buy another Chevy?
That's why all these creeps can go out of business and die as far as I'm concerned. Kira
Somebody at Hemming's publications covered this a while ago.
The Vega was designed to ship this way, with baffles for engine oil, floorpan reinforcements, and other special features.
It was a clever thought, but you'll notice nobody has ever done it again, including GM: it was found to be far more trouble than it was worth, and saved a lot less money than projected.
The Vega was designed to ship this way, with baffles for engine oil, floorpan reinforcements, and other special features.
It was a clever thought, but you'll notice nobody has ever done it again, including GM: it was found to be far more trouble than it was worth, and saved a lot less money than projected.
Originally Posted By: Tegger
The Vega was designed to ship this way, with baffles for engine oil, floorpan reinforcements, and other special features.
GM should have concentrated more on making the Vega survive normal usage, which seems to have been far more problematic to the vehicle than the shipping method.
The Vega was designed to ship this way, with baffles for engine oil, floorpan reinforcements, and other special features.
GM should have concentrated more on making the Vega survive normal usage, which seems to have been far more problematic to the vehicle than the shipping method.
Really not quite so terrible a car considering the times. I bought one new in '72 and ran it for about 8 years until the rust finally claimed it. I didn't have any of the 'pattern failure' problems but did take pretty good care of it. Dan Mpls. Mn.
I would assume that they were shipped without the fluids in them.
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
I would assume that they were shipped without the fluids in them.
Those cars had to be driven at some point though, and I doubt they drained the fluids before they loaded them on the rail cars. I hope they didn't drive them w/o fluids and then have the dealers add the fluids, that would haven been crazy.
I would assume that they were shipped without the fluids in them.
Those cars had to be driven at some point though, and I doubt they drained the fluids before they loaded them on the rail cars. I hope they didn't drive them w/o fluids and then have the dealers add the fluids, that would haven been crazy.
From Wikipedia
Vertical rail transport
30 Vegas to a single Vert-a-pac
Although Lordstown Assembly had a purpose-built exit off of the Ohio Turnpike built to make shipment easier, the Vega was designed for vertical shipment, nose down. General Motors and Southern Pacific designed "Vert-A-Pac" rail cars to hold 30 Vegas each, compared with conventional tri-level autoracks which held 18. The Vega was fitted with four removable cast-steel sockets on the underside and had plastic spacers—removed at unloading—to protect engine and transmission mounts. The rail car ramp/doors were opened and closed via forklift.[44]
Vibration and low-speed crash tests ensured the cars would not shift or suffer damage in transit. The Vega was delivered topped with fluids, ready to drive to dealerships, so the engine was baffled to prevent oil entering the number one cylinder; the battery filler caps high on the rear edge of the casing prevented acid spills; a tube drained fuel from carburetor to vapor canister; and the windshield washer bottle stood at 45 degrees.[45]
Vertical rail transport
30 Vegas to a single Vert-a-pac
Although Lordstown Assembly had a purpose-built exit off of the Ohio Turnpike built to make shipment easier, the Vega was designed for vertical shipment, nose down. General Motors and Southern Pacific designed "Vert-A-Pac" rail cars to hold 30 Vegas each, compared with conventional tri-level autoracks which held 18. The Vega was fitted with four removable cast-steel sockets on the underside and had plastic spacers—removed at unloading—to protect engine and transmission mounts. The rail car ramp/doors were opened and closed via forklift.[44]
Vibration and low-speed crash tests ensured the cars would not shift or suffer damage in transit. The Vega was delivered topped with fluids, ready to drive to dealerships, so the engine was baffled to prevent oil entering the number one cylinder; the battery filler caps high on the rear edge of the casing prevented acid spills; a tube drained fuel from carburetor to vapor canister; and the windshield washer bottle stood at 45 degrees.[45]
Originally Posted By: JDW
From Wikipedia
Vertical rail transport
30 Vegas to a single Vert-a-pac
Although Lordstown Assembly had a purpose-built exit off of the Ohio Turnpike built to make shipment easier, the Vega was designed for vertical shipment, nose down. General Motors and Southern Pacific designed "Vert-A-Pac" rail cars to hold 30 Vegas each, compared with conventional tri-level autoracks which held 18. The Vega was fitted with four removable cast-steel sockets on the underside and had plastic spacers—removed at unloading—to protect engine and transmission mounts. The rail car ramp/doors were opened and closed via forklift.[44]
Vibration and low-speed crash tests ensured the cars would not shift or suffer damage in transit. The Vega was delivered topped with fluids, ready to drive to dealerships, so the engine was baffled to prevent oil entering the number one cylinder; the battery filler caps high on the rear edge of the casing prevented acid spills; a tube drained fuel from carburetor to vapor canister; and the windshield washer bottle stood at 45 degrees.[45]
It seems they gave it some thought.
From Wikipedia
Vertical rail transport
30 Vegas to a single Vert-a-pac
Although Lordstown Assembly had a purpose-built exit off of the Ohio Turnpike built to make shipment easier, the Vega was designed for vertical shipment, nose down. General Motors and Southern Pacific designed "Vert-A-Pac" rail cars to hold 30 Vegas each, compared with conventional tri-level autoracks which held 18. The Vega was fitted with four removable cast-steel sockets on the underside and had plastic spacers—removed at unloading—to protect engine and transmission mounts. The rail car ramp/doors were opened and closed via forklift.[44]
Vibration and low-speed crash tests ensured the cars would not shift or suffer damage in transit. The Vega was delivered topped with fluids, ready to drive to dealerships, so the engine was baffled to prevent oil entering the number one cylinder; the battery filler caps high on the rear edge of the casing prevented acid spills; a tube drained fuel from carburetor to vapor canister; and the windshield washer bottle stood at 45 degrees.[45]
It seems they gave it some thought.
Originally Posted By: Lapham3
Really not quite so terrible a car considering the times. I bought one new in '72 and ran it for about 8 years until the rust finally claimed it. I didn't have any of the 'pattern failure' problems but did take pretty good care of it.
A buddy back in the mid to late 1980s loved them and bought one after another. They had the classic oil burning syndrome, and he'd take the used oil from my taxis and use it for top up.
Really not quite so terrible a car considering the times. I bought one new in '72 and ran it for about 8 years until the rust finally claimed it. I didn't have any of the 'pattern failure' problems but did take pretty good care of it.
A buddy back in the mid to late 1980s loved them and bought one after another. They had the classic oil burning syndrome, and he'd take the used oil from my taxis and use it for top up.
Originally Posted By: JDW
From Wikipedia
Vertical rail transport
30 Vegas to a single Vert-a-pac
Although Lordstown Assembly had a purpose-built exit off of the Ohio Turnpike built to make shipment easier, the Vega was designed for vertical shipment, nose down. General Motors and Southern Pacific designed "Vert-A-Pac" rail cars to hold 30 Vegas each, compared with conventional tri-level autoracks which held 18. The Vega was fitted with four removable cast-steel sockets on the underside and had plastic spacers—removed at unloading—to protect engine and transmission mounts. The rail car ramp/doors were opened and closed via forklift.[44]
The Vert-A-Pac cars were never very numerous so some Vegas were shipped in normal railcars, perhaps quite a large number of them. Supposedly there was a special RPO code to designate those equipped for vertical shipment.
From Wikipedia
Vertical rail transport
30 Vegas to a single Vert-a-pac
Although Lordstown Assembly had a purpose-built exit off of the Ohio Turnpike built to make shipment easier, the Vega was designed for vertical shipment, nose down. General Motors and Southern Pacific designed "Vert-A-Pac" rail cars to hold 30 Vegas each, compared with conventional tri-level autoracks which held 18. The Vega was fitted with four removable cast-steel sockets on the underside and had plastic spacers—removed at unloading—to protect engine and transmission mounts. The rail car ramp/doors were opened and closed via forklift.[44]
The Vert-A-Pac cars were never very numerous so some Vegas were shipped in normal railcars, perhaps quite a large number of them. Supposedly there was a special RPO code to designate those equipped for vertical shipment.
I liked my 74GT, but I put a 327 in it - should have just done a turbo kit after a rebuild. The engines used the same reynolds high silica Al block metallurgy as Porsche - I hear the oil burning issue was in the heads not the block - never verified that
. Car would have been more of a success if it had the Iron Duke from the start. The vega Al engine was gutless. The Iron duke pretty OK the times.
I'd take a GM 2.8 sixer transplant with the VaraJet (sort or 1/2 a quadra bog with the big secondaries) and the good heads before the block off 1/3 the intake port. Nice motor. Firing order: 1-2-3-4-5-6. NIce sound.
. Car would have been more of a success if it had the Iron Duke from the start. The vega Al engine was gutless. The Iron duke pretty OK the times.
I'd take a GM 2.8 sixer transplant with the VaraJet (sort or 1/2 a quadra bog with the big secondaries) and the good heads before the block off 1/3 the intake port. Nice motor. Firing order: 1-2-3-4-5-6. NIce sound.
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