The early 1970s were a rough time for Detroit. Gas prices were climbing, compact imports were suddenly cool, and American automakers realized they couldn’t keep selling giant land yachts forever. Chevrolet’s answer was the Vega, a sleek little hatchback that promised modern engineering, sporty handling, and enough fuel economy to keep drivers away from Volkswagens and Toyotas. For a brief moment, it looked like Chevy had finally figured out the small-car formula. Then the engines started turning into expensive space heaters.