Man Buys Abandoned 1976 Chevrolet Laguna On The Cheap, Finds Good News Under The Hood

When it comes to classics from the golden era of muscle cars, the market has gone crazy in recent years. Many restored rigs are selling for six figures, while abandoned barn finds are fetching much more money than they did just a decade ago. However, most Malaise-era classics are still very affordable.

A period of adaptation to new demands for safer, more fuel-efficient vehicles, the Malaise Era spanned from the early 1970s to the mid-1980s. The period is often remembered for underpowered, poorly made vehicles and uninspired designs. But that means all cars from this era were boring.

While they were admittedly underpowered compared to the vehicles of the 1960s, models like the Chevrolet Camaro, Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, and Chevrolet Corvette were still exciting to look at. The mid-1970s Cadillac Eldorado is also a nice vehicle, in my opinion. I'm also a fan of the Plymouth Volare and Dodge Aspen twins, which spawned a pair of NASCAR-inspired “kit cars” in 1978.

Speaking of NASCAR, the series also had a major impact on the design of another Malaise-Era machine. I'm talking about the Chevrolet Laguna, a short-lived model based on the third-generation Chevelle.

The Laguna debuted in 1973 as the top-of-the-line version of the Chevelle. Positioned above the Malibu, the series included all body styles. That changed in 1974 when the line was renamed Laguna Type S-3 and limited to the Colonnade coupe.

The Laguna remained a coupe-only trim until it was discontinued at the end of the 1976 model year, but 1975 brought another major change. The coupe hit showrooms with a sloping aerodynamically styled urethane nose and louvered windows. These features were designed specifically for NASCAR and continued into the following year.

The Laguna's aerodynamic features allowed it to continue the Chevelle's successful run on oval circuits until it was declared unfit for competition after the 1977 season. Cale Yarborough won 34 races and captured the first two of his three consecutive Winston Cup championships driving a Laguna S-3.

Chevrolet built 32,680 street-legal Laguna S3s over three model years, a relatively small number compared to the Chevelle on which it was based. But the nameplate doesn't get much love these days, and most of the streamlined 1975-1976 Lagunas rot in junkyards and barns. The 1976 example you see here is one of those rigs.

Found in a field where it had been sitting for many years, the Chevy was purchased by our host for just $200. The car was in better condition than the suggested price, but it did not run and had several issues. Full exposure to the elements had damaged the body and interior.

The new owner expected to find a stuck engine that would require a complete overhaul under the hood. To his surprise, the old V8 didn’t need much to get going again. After a few hours of work and less than $300 worth of parts, the engine agreed to run. Plus, the transmission still worked properly, so the Laguna became a drivable classic.

Sure, it's not exactly roadworthy as is, but a good-sounding engine, a decent transmission, and a body that isn't too rusty is great news when a car hasn't been used for this long. I have no hope of this Laguna being restored (it's not worth it for its market value), but the fact that it's being brought back to the public road is a big win for a Malaise-era vehicle. Check it out in the video below.