1976 Chevy Laguna S3 - Laguna Seeka

While Steve very much embraces the notion of driving something different nowadays, it was hard to accept as a teenager. "I hated this car at first," he admits. "Everyone at my high school was driving around in Camaros and Chevelles, so my Laguna didn't exactly command a lot of respect. The more people made fun of the car, however, the more it grew on me. I liked the fact that no one else had a Laguna, and I thought the role it played in NASCAR history was pretty cool."

Unfortunately, the dominance the shovel-nosed '75-76 Lagunas displayed on the high banks of Daytona and Talladega didn't carry over to the street, as GM engineers struggled to transcend the stifling emission regulations of the smog era. Consequently, Steve's Laguna made do with a wheezy 145hp 350, which was only slightly less embarrassing than the standard 140hp 305. Nonetheless, he still managed to get himself into plenty of trouble. "The only parts I could afford were a set of headers and a four-barrel carb. The car ran 16s at the track, but I got pretty good at maximizing its burnout potential," Steve recalls. "I left tire marks behind me wherever I went, and did my share of street racing and speeding. It didn't take long for me to lose my license. I was stuck riding my bike for an entire year, and couldn't drive again until I turned 18. That experience really taught me a lesson, and made me appreciate the car even more."

With the Laguna running harder than it ever had before, Steve shifted his attention to spicing up its appearance. Despite the fact that it hailed from the rust belt, the car was in very good shape overall. Since the Laguna needed a fresh coat of paint anyway, Steve used the opportunity to install some fiberglass bits to lighten up the big A-body. "I did all the bodywork 15 years ago, long before eBay, so finding parts was a real challenge. I wanted to shed some pounds and keep the car looking as original as possible," Steve says. "A friend referred me to U.S. Body Source, which makes all kinds of restoration parts for oddball cars like mine. I ordered up fiberglass doors and a front nose and hood, saving about 400 pounds. To finish it off, I painted the car GM Dark Red, which ended up being slightly lighter than the original color."

By this time, the 20-year-old interior showed ample wear, and the stock bench seat looked terribly out of place. To maintain the stock-looking vibe inside and out, Steve heisted the swivel bucket seats and various trim pieces off of a '75 Chevelle, and transplanted them into the Laguna. The stock instrumentation-not comprehensive or legible enough for a healthy street machine-was ditched for a full slew of Auto Meter gauges. They're integrated into a custom instrument panel that neatly houses a 5-inch tach and speedo without looking the least bit garish. The stock steering wheel and shifter were replaced with pieces from Grant and Hurst, respectively. Never a fan of the factory red color scheme, the entire interior was re-upholstered in black.

Getting all that power to hook is a suspension that's far more pragmatic than exotic. The only aftermarket pieces are Competition Engineering 90/10 front shocks and rear lowering springs. Everything else is stock. Gargantuan Hoosier 28x13.5x15 Quick Time Pro tires are largely responsible for making such a rudimentary setup work so well. Surprisingly, thanks to the unbelievably commodious factory wheelwells, the only tweak necessary to fit the huge meats is cutting the quarter-panel lips. On a typical day at the track, the Laguna has no problem laying down consistent 1.62-second 60-foot times.

Considering Steve has obsessed over the Laguna for the last 23 years, it's hardly shocking that he's already mapped out its next wave of mods. After enduring 11 years of street driving and over 100 passes at the track, Steve plans on freshening up the big-block in the near future. For added hook, the stock rear control arms will be replaced with aftermarket units. Moreover, Steve has been reluctant to test out the recently installed transbrake out of fear of breaking the factory 12-bolt, so a fabricated Moser 9-inch is in the pipeline.

Much like an arranged marriage, Steve has fallen in love with a partner he wasn't necessarily crazy about at first. In this case, however, the relationship has morphed into full-blown polygamy. "Ever since I bought this car, I always find myself having to explain what it is, and this only fuels my passion for Lagunas. Over the years, I have owned 12 different Lagunas, and still have four of them today," Steve says. "In addition to the '76, I have an all-original '74 S-3 with a 454 and just 37,000 miles, another big-block '74 S-3 with a four-speed that needs some restoration work, and a '73 S-3 that's been my daily driver for several years. Consequently, I find myself constantly looking for parts for these cars. I had an entire building full of Laguna parts at one point, and even have a stash of "S-3" emblems at my house. They're not the prettiest cars out there, but they've never failed me."

With all the receipts tallied up, Steve estimates that he has less than $25,000 invested into the entire project. Granted, much of the cost cutting comes from buying the Laguna in 1986, before musclecar values went gangbusters, but '73-77 A-bodies are still very reasonably priced today. As Steve's car illustrates, thinking outside the '64-72 foxhole opens the doors to a world of alternative muscle with loads of potential. So what if the front end of Steve's Laguna isn't for everyone? Unless your car runs quicker than 10s, you'll never see it in your rearview mirror.

By The Numbers