By Scotty Lachenauer – Images by the Author
It’s likely happened to all of us. You’re elbows deep into the restoration of a project and suddenly you get sidetracked for whatever reason—life, money, lack of direction, and possibly even another project car. It’s more common than you think. We’ve left work on the table at one time or another and had to decide to carry on or just jump ship and try to recoup some of the cost.
So, it’s no surprise there are plenty of unfinished projects up for sale these days. One person’s incomplete car can easily become another’s timeless treasure. Finding a project that matches your skills and recognizing a goal that feels attainable can create a win-win for both buyer and seller. Bringing a stalled build back to life is rewarding on every level, especially when the finished product resonates with you, the new owner, and the admiring public alike.
Ron Mulé of Hamilton, New Jersey, is one of those enthusiasts who can see the faintly lit prize at the end of the tunnel, no matter how dim the light appears. This Chevy lover has always gone out of his way to find hidden gems and uses his autobody and mechanical skills to make them better than they ever were.
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.
To finish off the period-correct look, Ron went with a set of classic Cragar S/S wheels, 15×4 skinnies up front and 15x6s out back. They are shod in Coker Pro-Trac 5.60-15 and Firestone Wide Oval rubber in F70-15 tires, respectively. The car was finished off with plenty of N.O.S. parts from Ron’s stash, including badging and miscellaneous body and interior parts.
When Ron got the Vega back on the street, the response was instantaneous. The Chevy has both the look and feel of a true ’70s street car. From the wild paint to the snort of the potent small-block, it’s a build that pulls on the heartstrings of all who are enamored by the decade of muscle car decadence. Ron puts it this way: “I love the way it came out and how the public has reacted to it. I also love that this car retains all-original steel and was never cut up to be a race car—no tubs, no cage. It’s a throwback to a time I’m very passionate about.”
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
Tech Check
Owner: Ron Mulé
Vehicle: 1971 Chevrolet Vega
Engine
Type: 57LG small-block Chevy crate
Displacement: 350 ci
Bore: 3.898 inches
Stroke: 3.480 inches
Cylinder Heads: Aluminum angle-plug heads
Rotating Assembly: Stock
Valvetrain: Roller rockers
Camshaft: Roller cam
Induction: Edelbrock TR1X tunnel ram intake with dual Holley 600-cfm carburetors
Ignition: MSD
Exhaust: Custom-built headers, side pipe exhaust
Ancillaries: Aluminum radiator
Drivetrain
Transmission: Turbo 350
Rear: 12-bolt 4:11 gears, GM posi
Suspension
Chassis: Stock reinforced
Front Suspension: Chevy S-10 spindles, custom coil springs, Gabriel shocks
Rear Suspension: Lakewood traction bars, Gabriel HiJacker air shocks
Brakes: Chevy S-10 discs front, stock drums rear
Wheels and Tires
Wheels: 15×4 Crager S/S front, 15×6 Cragar S/S rear
Tires: Coker Pro-Trac 5.60×15 front, Firestone Wide Oval F70-15 rear
Interior
Upholstery: Restored OEM black vinyl interior, N.O.S. parts, new carpet
Done by: Body by Mulé
Seats: Stock
Steering: OEM Vega GT steering wheel, original column
Shifter: Hurst
Dash: Original
Instrumentation: Stewart-Warner gauges
Audio: OEM
Exterior
Bodywork: Original sheetmetal
Paint By: Graphics replicated by Dave Sano of Sano’s Custom Paint (Dayton, NJ)
Paint: Original Mesa Sand, cleared and buffed by Body by Mulé (Hamilton, NJ)
Hood: Fiberglass
Grille: OEM
Bumpers: OEM
