Remember when it wasn't unusual to overhaul an engine by 100,000 miles and wasn't unexpected to even do it at 40,000 miles (Boss 429 & radical high-performance stuff comes to mind). The 289 HiPo & 427 high performance V8s came with 90 day warranties because they were designed to be wailed on, and compromises were made towards performance. Strong valve spring pressures are great for high rpm valve control, but at lower rpms the pressure really tests the hardness of the cam and lifter faces, and can wipe them out if driven too gently all the time. Compromise, or the lack thereof.
The Vega (and soon Astre) was designed with a throw-away engine. It was not designed to be rebored as it was a liner-less aluminum bore with high silicon. Seriously, numbers-matching is extremely unlikely on a Vega. The air cleaner was not designed to be opened and checked, the entire housing was to be merely thrown away on good faith at 50,000 miles and replaced at a cost of $50 in 1973. Many early Vegas never made it that far. BTW Chevrolet did a special aluminum (throwaway) Vega block for Yenko and his turbocharged and warrantied dealer conversion. Starting in 1974 for field service and on the 1975 production models they started with iron sleeves for the bores. You could now save an early block (why bother, unless it is a Yenko Turbo).
It seems like the Japanese were the ones to introduce high levels of standard content to average cars. By the turn of the 1970s, AM/FM radios, tinted glass, reclining seats, rear defogger were all included in the base price. North American carmakers had always built a car to a price point for marketing, then you started adding stuff you wanted for extra cost. By the late 1970s the North American manufactures started including more stuff and higher content in the base price, since the imports were already doing it and gaining market share. Buyers were becoming more used to convenience items after being exposed to them, and these features would come to be expected. It is tougher to sell a stripped, low-cost car when buyers expectations have greater expectations. I think I have a 1979 or so Pontiac Grand Prix advertisement where they compare the base price of a stripped Grand Prix to a competitive Japanese car. Or something like that, they were doing price comparisons to show the value.
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67 Chevelle Malibu Sport Coupe, Oshawa-built 250 PG never disturbed.
In garage, 296 cid inline six & TH350...
Cam, Toronto.
I don't judge a man by how far he's fallen, but by how far back he bounces - Patton
The Vega (and soon Astre) was designed with a throw-away engine. It was not designed to be rebored as it was a liner-less aluminum bore with high silicon.
I am not a fan of aluminum blocks without cast iron sleeves but Porsche and BMW have used aluminum/silicon bores for years. Usually with no problems. In Europe they are known as Alusil engines. The main factor in scoring is leaking fuel injectors washing the oil from the cylinder walls.
