The Chevy Monza
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- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024
- The 1975 Monza 2+2 featured newly approved rectangular headlights and a slot-style grille in a slanted nose made of resilient urethane. The side window louvers are functional, part of the flow-through ventilation system. The Monza 2+2's two-door hatchback body style was shared with the Oldsmobile Starfire and Buick Skyhawk. The standard Monza engine was the Vega aluminum-block 140 CID (2.3 liter) inline-4 engine with a single barrel carburetor generating 78 hp at 4200 rpm. (Monza S). The optional 2-barrel carburetor version generates 87 hp at 4400 rpm..Chevrolet's new 4.3 liter (262 cid) V-8 engine was optional.
In April 1975, the Monza Towne Coupe was introduced - a notchback body-style with a conventional trunk featuring different sheetmetal than the 2+2 hatchback, although sharing its windshield, front fenders, and doors. It features single round headlamps, instead of the dual rectangular headlamps on the 2+2. The Towne Coupe was offered in response to the sales success of the Ford Mustang II notchback coupe and its luxury version, the Mustang II Ghia. The Towne Coupe is 1.5 inches shorter and 135 pounds lighter than the 2+2 and has slightly more rear head room. A lower priced "S" version of the 2+2 Hatchback was introduced mid-year. It featured as standard the Vega 1-barrel engine with a 3-speed manual transmission. The sport suspension, full console, sport steering wheel, day/night and wheel opening moldings were deleted on the "S".
In November 1970, GM paid $50 million for initial licenses to produce the Wankel rotary engine, and GM President Ed Cole projected its release in three years, initially targeted for an October 1973 introduction as a 1974 Chevrolet Vega option. The General Motors Rotary Combustion Engine (GMRCE) had two rotors displacing 206 cubic inches, twin distributors and coils, and an aluminum housing. RC2-206 Wankels were installed in 1973 Vegas for cold weather testing in Canada.
Motor Trend, in a 1973 article "The '75 Vega Rotary" said: "GM saw the rotary engine's future as probably much greater than they do today...mileage will be in the 16-18 mpg range. Compared to the normal piston (engine) Vega's 20 to 26 mpg, the whole rotary deal begins to look just a little less attractive, with what the price of gasoline skyrocketing, but that's another matter."
Unwilling to face fuel efficiency criticism that Mazda withstood, GM felt it could meet 1975 emissions standards with the engine tuned to provide better mileage. Other refinements improved mileage to 20 mpg, but with the fuel breakthrough came related side-effect problems -apex seal failures, as well as a rotor tip-seal problem.
By December 1973, it was clear the Wankel, now planned for the Monza 2+2, would not be ready for either production or emissions certification in time for the start of the 1975 model year, and after paying another $10 million against its rotary licence fees, the company announced the first postponement. Motor Trend in April 1974 predicted the final outcome - on September 24, 1974, Ed Cole postponed the Wankel engine ostensibly due to emissions difficulties. He retired the same month. GM admitted fuel economy for the rotary was sub-standard and postponed production in favor of further development. Pete Estes succeeded Ed Cole as GM President and never showed any special interest in the Wankel or in the perpetuation of Cole's ideas. Estes had previously decided to let the Corvair, another Cole project, expire well before the celebrated attacks of Ralph Nader.
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Had one for my first car. Had the 305. The more it rusted, the faster it went.
lmao
I so agree. Built 2 for autocross racing in the late 1980s, so I worked on every inch of them. Watched them rust before my eyes as I worked on them. Looked really cool, copied from a Ferrari design, but management was cynical and manufacturing was dismal.
Hey rust holes equals weight reduction😄👍
That was my first car as well!!!👍🏾💯
Took my driving test in my 1st of 15 V8 monza's
Very comprehensive report, as you included information - and even a Monza brochure pic, of the the very rare Monza "S" (at 7:10), of which little more than 2k were built and for one year only. Some these Monza S models came with an optional Buick V6 231 c.i. engine, which makes them, essentially, the only factory V6 "Vega" ever produced. Good job!
You're absolutely correct; there really _was_ a second Monza hatchback coupe in '78! Only 2,326 were made.
As we can see, it used the Vega hatchback body from the windshield back, but the Monza front clip was used. Its body code was M77 (the Vega hatchback was V77; the 2+2 hatchback had an R07 designation.) I saw one of those ex-Vega hatchbacks in my neighborhood way back in '78; it was purchased by someone from a nearby Chevy dealer that closed only a few months later. So, yes, there really were two Monza hatchback models in '78. _(3/4/2023)_
Owned a 77 and 78 the 77 was the 2+2 78 was the spyder they both had v8's . Great cars for the time. The rear hatch was really heavy. Wife owned the 77 and had the 78 owned them both at the same time. Kind of like a short camaro.
great cars? LOL......go sober up Goober
@@chadhaire1711 he said "for the time..."
@@audieconrad8995 I was there "for the time"---were you? I worked at a Chevy dealer at the "time" and even the salesmen knew these cars were a piece of crap-----the ones with the 262 V-8's were so nose heavy, the front shocks could get destroyed hitting deep potholes--and that crap bodywork....LOl...even the Vega or Pinto was a better choice....or anything from Japan was better than any small car from USA makers. The only advantage of these rolling turds is you could buy a used V-8 model cheap, then do a hot rod job on it for a quick street car....well at least that was a good idea at "the time"---problem is all that torque shook the body structure apart and snapped drive line parts. GM, Ford, and Chrysler has NEVER made a small car worth owning------never. It is not--and never will be--in their DNA. This Monza will be the poster boy for that.
@@chadhaire1711 well ok then. Ya I was around but uda man...whatever...
@@audieconrad8995 well,"for the time" in 78 , a neighbor bought 2 lil Red Express trucks.
One for him,one for the wife.
I'd have to say he won.
Had a 1977 Monza Mirage in 1987. I pulled the 305, and installed a 350 4 bolt main with 10-1 pistons. That car moved !!
Yes that mod seemed to wake the car up considerably didn't it lmao did the same to one had a blast
1977 2+2 w/305 V8. Silver exterior, black interior. I got mine 2nd hand and added black racing stripes down the sides and on the hood. I wish to goodness I had even one photo of it. It was the perfect first car.
As a Chevy mechanic in the seventies these were a ton of fun changing the spark plugs . Pull motor mount on one side , Jack up motor , replace plugs drop motor back down . Connect motor mount , repeat on other side .
Loved my white 1977 Monza Spyder 305 V8. Kept it for 13 years and paid $5200 for it brand new. It replaced a 1975 Buick Skyhawk. What I liked about both cars was that the boxy headlights were accentuated as part of the design. The V6 in the Skyhawk vibrated too much at idle and the white vinyl seats were brutal in summer and winter, so bye-bye Skyhawk. Plus the Monza had a T-shift, which I also liked. Its replacement was a 1989 Ford Probe, which was almost identical in style and size. Thanks for giving the Monza Spyder the respect it deserves.
The V6 in the Skyhawk was probably still the odd-fire version, which would explain the vibration issues at idle.
My sister and I drove a Red 1980 2+2 hatchback all through high school. The things we put that car through, made it a legend on campus. 😅
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My aunt and uncle had one of these new in the mid 70s, I was 12 and it formed my opinion of American cars for years to come. The hatchback didn't always latch and would pop open when driving over a speed bump, the sunroof leaked and the passenger side dash could be pulled out half an inch with little effort. They used to wedge a couple of matchbooks in-between the windshield and the dash to keep keep it from rattling.
Ha! Thanks for sharing and watching.
My brother got a '80 Olds Starfire in '83. Relentlessly wretched pseudo-car. The interior plastic bleached and crumbled from sunlight. The brake discs were made from pot metal with a plating for hardness, if you wore thru the plating the pads would rip the crap out of the discs and seize the wheel. I have never seen one these Vega variants even in a scrapyard since about 1990.
Ah yes, the old matchbook trick to fix rattles. My dad used that old trick on most of his cars back in the day.
So how do you really feel ? Lmao
About a month after Iot married, I bought a brand new black two plus two Monza. I had the dealership put in a sun ruff which would leak on my wifes head when it rained. LOL It was a four speed, and I drove it everyday for many years. I took really good care of the car. Payments were one hundred dollars a month and had it payed off in two years. My wife never drove stick and she said she would learn, never did. Loved that car. Not one of my favorites but got me through times when we were starting out.
I ordered my 1980 Monza 2+2 from Poklar Chevrolet in January and took delivery if my memory serves me right, late March or early April. It was black on black. Had the sun roof option, the 305 V-8 with a 4-speed. A week after my purchase, I had some then racey looking Centerline wheels in 14" with a drag racer look and stance. Skinnies up front and as big as the wheel wells would allow in the rear. That car turned a lot of heads. While it wasn't tearing up the roads it did run and handle exceptionally well for a Chevy. I'd love to have that car back today.
I can remember seeing a fully loaded Monza town coupe at a dealership when I was a kid and I really wanted one then a few years later I wanted a Nova Concourse. Tastes change quickly in fickle teenagers I guess.
Nova is very underrated model. But they are tuff in my opinion. Cheers.
The Monza Town Coupe is a handsome car. Also, very clearly a response to the Mustang II, but I like them both anyway.
Th Monza’s styling was underrated.
I had a 79 Monza with the V6 and 4 on the floor. That was a fun car I wish I still had it.
My parents bought me a 1975 Monza Town Coupe when I was 17 with a 262 V8 in it. It was hell getting to a couple of the spark plugs in it. The car I had was exactly like the one you are showing at 2:22. It was Firethorn Red with a white top. I even had Craiger SS wheels on it. Don't put a heater core in one of those. Mine was leaking and the dealer had to disassemble half the car to get to it and they broke the AC Evaporator case taking it apart. We went round and round with that dealer before my brother wrote letters to the BBB and half a dozen others before the dealer decided to do the job over again and fix the darn thing
Wow! Sounds like it came with quite a few headaches. Was it at least a fun car to drive? Do you miss it?
Now that 262 was of course a small block Chevy all the same on the outside so a 350 or even a 400 could be dropped right in it's place no problem and we did one w a good running 350 w a decent cam and the car was never the same again LMAO poor car when we were done w it the only place it could possibly go was the junkyard the motor came back out tho for recycling into something else for more fun and excitement lol
Fall 1975…senior year…became the proud owner of a maroon 1975 monza 2+2 with the 4.3 262 v-8 with the 3speed auto. No air, am/fm. All for $3735. Big money back in the day. I absolutely LOVED that car! Sooo much fun to drive. Sure not a camero or vet…but lotsa fun. Topped out at 105…coulda used on overdrive. But we didn’t have the transmissions of today back then. Drove it until 1990 when I finally had to trade it off for a lower mileage truck. As for comfort; haven’t EVER had a more comfortable bucket seat in ANY other vehicle (wife says the same). Bottom line, I wish I still had it. Unfortunately, I think we all know about the poor quality of body steel/aluminum that came out of Detroit in the 70’s. Rust cancer was the death of my beloved monza…😢
I bought a 1980 Chevy Monza sport coupe right out of HS in June of 1983! I don’t know why so many people complained about them because mine was absolutely one of the best most dependable cars I’ve ever owned! It was a 4 speed manual with the iron duke under the hood! Not fast, but with a manual transmission you could get more out of it! It was a beautiful white with black interior and I loved that thing! I eventually got Craigers for it and a set of Firestone raised white letter performance tires and it looked hot. It got great gas mileage too! I kept it looking fresh off the showroom floor too for 10 years when I sold it to my buddy from HS. He wrecked it within 6 months and traded it in for a new car. It was the perfect car for a young male trying to get insurance too! It was very reasonable considering! I still miss that car today! They were really nice looking cars for a low end Chevy!
I owned a 1976 Old's Starfire in 1982-83! We Put a Chevy 307 in it from a Friends wrecked Chevelle! Terrorized the Newer cars at that time. Oh the Fun Memories! Wouldn't Mind having one again!
I had a Monza spider , black with the red stripes 350 bored 30 over with a turbo tranny , B&M quick shift etc, she was a beauty .
I had an orange 1975 Monza 2+2 with the 350. A lot of engine for such a small car. I wish I still had it.
As I recall, I bought mine in July 1976. It was the dark orange, 4 cyl 5 speed manual transmission. I adored that car. They had "ruined" the Mustang for me so the Monza 2+2 was the closest I could come to the fastback orange Mustang I had my heart set on 3 years before but didn't get. I had the Monza for 8 years, sold it and got a Firebird and kept that one for 8 years! After I got my Monza 2+2, my sister wound up getting a bright green Oldsmobile Starfire and the next year, my new husband bought the Buick Skyhawk. I even have a picture of them lined up together.
My cousin had a 77 hatch back with a 262 ci v8 we pulled at and out in a corvette 327 that thing was a rocket with around 400 hp blew the doors off everything that challenged us
Had a 75 with an LT1 out of a Vette 🤪 👍 Love to hear about fellow Monza's with added beef 😄
my buddy in HS had a 77. we pulled the 262 with a rod knock out an dumped in a good wrench 290hp 350 with a mild cam comp magnum 260 something and a set of headers, a performer intake and a Holley carb. that thing was fast as all hell and would smoke 1 tire as long as you kept you foot on the gas. was not as fast as my 76 Camaro with an LT1 corvette engine but was pretty damn close.
In 81 I had a 77 Spyder with the 305 that got totaled by a "friend" when he borrowed it. Picked up a 79 Town Coupe also with a 305 after that, popped a 327 in it and put a quad headlight front end on it. A rear axle from a Vega changed the axle ratio from 2.41 to 4.10, that made a HUGE difference. That car surprised many muscle cars until I totaled it racing a 340 Duster, I was winning until I lost it..
Had a 1979 root-beer brown 2+2 hatchback with the round headlights and Iron Duke w/4Spd as my first car in 1989. Was actually in great shape with only 79k miles. Paid a whopping $750 for it. I thought it looked cool, like a smaller version of the Camaro. Build quality was abysmal, with a door handle breaking off in my hand, and the sunroof leaked every time it rained, leaving puddles of water on the seats. Quality issues aside, it was a lot of fun for a 16 yr old. While the Iron Duke made more noise than power, it could actually do a decent one wheel burnout with a clutch drop. It cornered pretty well for the time too, aside from the overboosted steering. As an added bonus, the rear seats folded flat with enough room to sleep in the back on road trips. Ah the memories.....
I had a 79and a 80 spider i Loved those cars
I had a 1975 monza town coupe, white with a red vinyl roof, 262v8 , 4 speed,fun car, got hit twice and ended up with a 71 camaro! Then a 86 vette, and now going to pick up a 2008 Pontiac solstice!❤❤❤
Back in they days when an AM radio was an option. I have fond memories of the Monza. They were crappy cars but I liked them.
FM Drew...Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers
Had a 1980 monza hand-me-down when I was 16. Loved that car. Lot's of great memories.
I own an '80 hatchback. Need to build an engine for it. Nice to see the Monza getting some love.
Oh wow....80! Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers
This was my first car. In 1992 I got my driver's license and for $500 I purchased a mint condition two-door notchback 1980 Chevy Monza the exact same one that's shown towards the end of the video the red one with the trunk with the red Wheels. Mine was actually in that condition but I had the red interior as well. It was the 3.8 V6 3 speed automatic AC car. It had 101,000 miles on it when I purchased it. The first thing I did was I pulled out the one speaker AM radio and put in rear speakers and installed one of those AM FM cassette deck pull-out stereo system LOL. I customized it with tinted glass Racing Stripes mud flaps ect. I had the vehicle for approximately 3 years and put 138,000 miles on it. I had the vehicle running so tight that even though it was a carburetor you can reach in and start the car without having to massage the gas pedal, and you can barely tell it was running it was so smooth. The car gave me no issues whatsoever. I ended up selling it for $1,000 in 1995. Lot of great memories with that car.
My first car was a 1980 Monza. Had a blast in that car in high school.
Had a 1977 Chevy Monza 2+2 305 automatic, no AC. It was from Canada, no smog equipment, so it made 165hp with a 4bbl carb (5 more than the CA Corvette). 13 inch wheels didn't help traction, it would spin tires even from a casual stop. Same as below, to change the driver's side plugs, you needed to lift the engine up out of the way of the steering gear. Fun car, till my sister got in a wreck and totaled it. Bright red, with red vinyl interior. Kinda wish I still had it.
I had a 77 Monza Mirage in 1980 as my second car to the Olds 442 and wish I could get them both back again.
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My Grampa who was the slowest driver had a Monza Spyder. He called it “Schneider” for reasons I don’t know. He used to talk about how fast it would go even though we all new he never broke the speed limit. Good memories
I had a couple on 1992, they were both coupes, with the duke, one auto one 4 speed.
They were already rusted out junk death traps by then. It was SAD… loved them though. Would love to have a good one today.
Mt first car was a used 1975 Monza 2+2 hatchback. Absolutely beautiful car! it had a 110 hp 4.3 litre V8 of which I modified for a few more ponies. I dropped it a couple of inches and upgraded to thicker antiroll bars and KYB shocks, replaced the original whitewall tires with Goodyear Eagle ST's. Boy did that car handle!! It could take corners much better than my next car a 1979 Camaro. But what really impressed me most is that it saved my life in a head on collision in 1985. I was doing 35 and he was doing 15-20mph. From the base of the windshield back the car was intact but the front collapsed as designed. I walked away from that basically uninjured. I miss it a lot.
My first car (in 1986) was a 75 Olds Starfire Rally. 231v6 auto and it was a dog, but at 16 I didn’t care, I loved the look of it, still do.
Years later I had a chance to buy another one but with a 5speed, the lady was asking way more then it was worth.
In 1979, bought an early production, Monza 2 + 2 hatchback. Was never disappointed. Yeah, a few problems. The driver’s side rear spark plug. And with the factory Saginaw 4-speed, required changing out the 9 1/8 clutch disc almost every 3-4 months like clockwork. BUT where I took an edge, guy that worked at a salvage yard told me when a built Nova with a 350 came in. OH YEAH! He’d had $2800 worth of “tricks” done to the engine. These were 1980 dollars so you can imagine. Loved hitting the highway and blowing many “muscle cars” doors in. Drove it to CT were I was living and it met “black ice” for the first & last time. RIP “Beast”.....😢
I cant be the only person who thinks that the front end/half of the later Monzas heavily inspired the styling of the 3rd Gen Camaros of the 80s
We would say the same Zach! Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers
I had a 75 Buick Skyhawk with the 3.8L V6 with maroon paint and a white interior. The interior was a constant cleaning battle but I really liked that little car.
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I had a 1979 Monza and replaced the engine with a 1968 327ci
and won a lot of races.
It's nice that you mentioned that the rotary engine was considered. What you may not have known is that the rotary Monza was a possible replacement for the V8 Corvette. The Monza style Vette would have had 2 rotors, and the other possibility was a 4-rotor unit installed mid-engine with the differential in the middle of two 2-rotor Wankels. It has become known as the aero-Vette. Faster than the 70 Vette with a 454. The 2-rotor is on the cover of Dec 73 Car & Driver.
holy... i had completely forgotten about these!
I owned a 1980 monza coup. White speed, 262 by 2 barrel carp. Blue veluar interior. It would get rubber in all four gears. Bury the speedometer in all four gears. Extremely fun car to drive I'd like to make one perform to it's TRUE potential. A true road racing car capable of taking on corvettes and blowing thier doors off.
My first car was an orange 1975 2+2 262 Monza. It had an oversized quadrojunk carburetor on it that would smoke the tires at a third of the pedal but would flood if you put it to the floor. 30 mph punch it would scream. I could beat anyone in an 1/8 mile but not the 1/4. Automatic would get a second gear scratch at 3300 if you shifted manually. Took the spare out and the compartment would hold 22 beers and a bag of ice. That was 40 years ago. I was wild and crazy back then. I somehow made it through with no DUI or jail but a lot of people I knew are dead now. That Monza was definitely life in the fast lane.
I had a hand me down 1976 Chevy Monza Town Coupe from my brother that left for college. I was still in high school and was a nice little car.
Burgundy in color with the plastic matching hub caps. Motor was a 4 cylinder with a 5 speed. Didn’t see many with 5 speeds. Ended up putting Appliance aluminum wheels on it and also air shocks.
After I graduated from high school I sold it and moved onto the Toyota family.
Good old days when you could wrench on cars yourself.
WOW: I remember them so MUCH! I remember telling my mom how "BEAUTIFUL" that the Towne Coupe was, > reminded me of the Vega "Face"..... but > I don't remember ever seeing them after '78, and then as you've shown,, like a VEGA WAGON,,,,,, Never have I seen one. When I was able to start driving ('78) I don't remember seeing them on the road,,,, or atleast DEFINITLY out of my $ range. SO, instead, I opted for a '67 Datsun PL411 "SUPER" Datsun Station Wagon. It had DUAL CARBS, and a 1300 CC engine..... Love your guys VIDS! Keep em coming.
My first car was a 75 monza, 4cyl 3 spotted on the floor. it didn't have the hatchback my dad bought it from his buddy for me for $50. Then I got a 79 sunbird. Loved them both I had a lot of fun in them from 16 to 18 yrs old.
My first new car was the 1976 Monza 2+2. I believe I paid $4395 total with extras. Had a manual transmission, white interior (what was I thinking!) and blue exterior. I loved that car.
I had one of them round looking ones in the early 80s. Yellow hatchback 231 Buick v6 and 4 on the floor. Fun car but it didn't last long and I traded it in for a grand prix 😁
So you traded a turd for a clunk....LOL
I had an 81 Monza Spyder with the Buick 231 (3.8L) and a 4-speed. A friend had an Olds Omega version Monza with an automatic trans 305 v8. His was a little faster off the line in a drag race, but from a roll and on the highway they were tit for tat except that mine handled a lot better in the turns because it was better balanced and not as nose heavy and I got better gas mileage. I think the Buick V6 was the best engine choice for all around balance of performance, handling, and gas mileage in the Monza back then. And I wonder "what if" they had given the Monza the Buick V6 with a turbo? Imagine 1980's Buick Grand National performance in a factory Monza back then? That would have been legendary!
Hell yeah it would have been legendary lol and w the same tune and overdrive trans as the grand national a true beast would have been born lol I wasn't easily impressed back then still aren't but the grand national impressed me in many ways they were hard to beat for sure we did here and there if the driver of it sucked or was afraid of it lol
My mom bought the mirage brand new from the dealer and held onto it until I was 16 and then gave it to me for my first car. Loved it was one eye catcher at the time. Only kid in school who had a flashy car. Just had a led foot with that V8. Just lets say cops new me!
I really love this platform, I would want the Buick version with the 3.8.
Bought my 1967 R/T Coronet from a guy in 1979 so he could buy a new Monza for his wife…….I still have the R/T. Thanks again for high fuel prices in the late 70’s😎
First new car I ever bought was a 1979 Oldsmobile Starfire. 3200 V6 with a 5 speed manual. Loved the styling and plenty of power.
Oops, meant 3800 V6
My first car was a 77 Mazda with the 262 V8 great little car fast for it's time. got a ticket 135 mph. Had a coup in the army at fort Carson Colorado with a 305 went back and forth to Michigan with that several times great little cars. Had to remove the steering rod to change the plugs. Had to put a 2x4 under the front of the oil pan to keep the harmonic balancer from hitting the sway arm when she was good and beat. Both still purred when I sold them.
A battered 88k-mile 1980 Chevy Monza with the factory aero kit was my first car. 3.8L V-6, 3-spd auto, BIG dent in the driver's side quarter, and a rear sway bar that was completely sheared through. Rings were shot, brakes were shot, factory sunroof leaked like a sieve. Put 2 sets of tires on it in a year, rebuilt the brakes, replaced the distributor, and my grandfather showed me how to change the plugs---and a bunch of brand new cuss words I'd never heard before, because trying to replace the plugs in that 3.8L was a total bitch. We finally gave it up for dead when we put the second set of tires on it and discovered that the front cam bolts---which apparently held the front sub-assembly onto the rest of the car---had backed themselves almost completely out.
I loved that car, but it was a total basket case. Gave me a good appreciation for pick-n-pull yards though...:)
Cool! Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers
A car ahead of its time. The Camaro took over its looks in 82. They didn't want to make this thing fast or it would have hurt the Corvette sales. The Best looking one was either the Chevrolet Monza Mirage or the Buick Road Hawk, imagine if they put in a 3 8 Turbo motor in them cars? I put in a Chevrolet 400 and nothing could catch me back in the day.
I had a '77 Monza that I repainted and then it got totaled by another driver within a few months. Replaced it with a 1980 Monza that had the v6, and that car was a lot of fun. Not the tightest handling, but great power.
Had a 1980 MOnza 2plus 2, 3.8 lire, standard shift. Great car.
The Monza I loved was the coupe! Very , very hard to find those anymore!!
A girl at my dorm received a Monza from parents. I can remember at least 3 times that she came in mad when someone had stolen her rectangular headlights.
I had 75 2+2 Monza it was loaded 305 - four speed transmission .it was a great little Car
The Monza spider is a beautiful car. I would love to own an original one.
I've owned a handful of these. They're fun to drive
This is why I jumped over to Toyota in 1980 and never looked back.
I bought a new 75 Monza hatchback rom Reedman Bros in North Philadelphia. It had 110 HP and 3 speed floor stick-shift. Had a lot of fun with it but the clutch cable had a tendency to snap apart sometimes. (2x) Cheers, Bob
I had a 79 olds starfire coup 3.8 . I’d buy another today fun and sporty
I had a Monza TC with a 305 V8. That little car was a lot of fun. My sister crashed it and my Dad and replaced the front clip with one from a Pontiac Sunbird. It bolted right up. The only difference was in wiring up the Pontiacs 4 headlights instead of the Monzas 2 headlights.
Not to be confused with the brazillian Chevy Monza,a rebadged Opel Ascona C that was sold from 1983-1996,and it was a best seller here from 1985 onwards when GM launched the 1.8 Family 1 engine here(because the previous 1.6 was modern but underpowered) and it would sell even more when in 1988 when the 2.0 Family 2 was introduced. Great car,my grandpa owned a 1989 Classic painted in silver with every single option except for leather seats and a 3-speed automatic,btw the 1989 ones are really rare because they're very specific(it was the last year that this trim level,which was the highest you could get,was offered with a carburetor and without a catalictic converter because in 1990 the EF500 special trim level that was made to mark the end of the old Monza run,and later the whole Monza range with the 1991 "Shark" restyle,got both fuel injection and a catalictic converter as standard,and it was the second year of a 3-year run starting in 1988 that the Monza had the C3 Ascona facelift,right before it got the shark revamp in 1991.)
I remember thinking that the Monday was simply a Vega with a decent engine. One of the common problems was sagging front springs. I saw several Vegas and Monzas (especially v6 and v8 monzas) with sagging front springs that lowered the already low front end even more.
I got one now. lol Love these little things.
Had a blue 79, fun car
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Man this brought back memories, I had a stock Monza with a stock 350 with a auto 3 speed, my older kids still remember the spyder on the hood, this was like Fords SHO a sleeper not everyone knew about, we pulled the 350 out and put in a small block 400 with all kinds of hard parts, I could spin the tires for a block if I wanted, the little car rusted out before I got it (sunroof leaked) still wish I had that car with all the new tech today we could make that thing scream
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Wife had one with the 305 engine in it when we first started dating. Car would run like hell. Handled well to. We never had a problem with that car for 5 years of ownership and I believe we put around 275k miles on it.
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We bought a Monza and it continually had carbourator problems. It would hesitate when pulling out into traffic. I took it to the mechanic like five times. Then I bought a Chilton Manual and fixed it myself.
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My girlfriend in high school had a yellow V8 Spider. It was pretty stout. Her dad was a motor head and wanted it a little quicker. He and I put a new intake and four barrel 600cfm holly, and a recurve kit in the distributer. We had a lot of fun in that car, but we mostly took my '65 Mustang street cruiser.
Hell yeah that sounds like just the same thing I'd do to it I bet the car woke up big time once dad was done w it lol;
A friend loaned my Dad one in 1981. It had mag wheels and was jacked up the back. 10 year old me loved it and was a bit let down to find out it was only a loaner. Nice car Bob Mesky! Seems I've hardly ever seen one since. This model is completely forgotten. I have never seen the notch back version. And definitely did not know about the Vega wagon version (ignorance was bliss in this case)
I had a BRIGHT YELLOW 2+2 with the 350ci engine. That thing was fast but scary if the road was moist let alone snowy. I was in Chicago at the time. Surprisingly the thing never rusted. Unfortunately it got rear ended when my brother borrowed it. We bought it back from the insurance and sold it. I saw it parked on a street about 5 years later. Still running.n
I don't think I've ever seen a Vega or Monza in person. I was born in 78, so I should've see some as used cars as a kid. But I don't remember ever seeing one. I really like the style. It's a shame there aren't many left
I own 3 early Vegas, and daily drive one of them to this day.
You rarely saw them because they were considered disposable with a lifespan of 10 years, at most.
I never liked Monza as a kid in the 70's and 80's. But theyre cool af now. ha ha
There was a guy in my town that had a Monza mirage in the 80s when I was a kid there was also a couple months of spiders around town. I remember seeing a red one and a yellow one
Monza Spyders
My first car was a 79 town coupe with a v-6. Always thought it wa s a good looking car.
This is my favorite car. I had the chance to buy a used 1975 2+2 hatchback (green, tan interior, 262 V8, back in 1980. But my parents wouldn't loan me some money to buy it. A few years later, the closest I could get was a 1978 Buick Skyhawk (231 V6). The Skyhawk may have been its twin, but it was not the Monza.
gotta love those 4 lug rear ends behind a V8 😃
My first car at 16 was a 1975 Monza with the 262 V8
I beat the living snot out of that car, brake torques all the time, turning the steering wheel all the way to the left or right and floor it, smoked up a lot of parking lots. Lol
Strange thing, if the car was
more than 1 quart low on oil, the car wouldn’t start until you topped off the oil. Great little car!
Hell yeah took a decent beating too considering
@@glennmanchester3666 It sure did, fun car back in the day
I still have my Buick Skyhawk and I have a Vega cosworth I wish they would have used that Winkle engine I would have loved that with a turbo I just couldn't imagine
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Amazing how many of these were produced yet you will never see one very few survived.
Because they were crap
I had a 77 with the 305 5 liter and it was a blast to drive, it would beat the Ford Mustang of the same year and it even beat a Dodge duster demon
My first brand new car was a 1978 2+2 silver Monza 4 on the floor. Clutch replaced twice and was about to fail a 3rd time when I traded it in.
The beauty of the small block v8 option of anything was that a casting is a casting is a casting.
The bolt holes in a 262 or a sb400 were pretty much where you need them to interchange.
After that, woe is you if you did the swap in a little car like that for a few too many cubic inches and didn't upgrade the tranny or rear end and got on it a little too hard.
My friend in the early 80s had a 76 Pontiac Sunbird notchback Coupe with the infamous iron Duke 2.5 l engine with a 5-speed manual that thing was a problem from day one it was leaking oil like an uncontrolled faucet Plus it had a situation where the engine almost caught on fire lol...
I always wanted one.. had to find now
I owned 75 2+2 262 v8 White with red leather (vinyl?) interior. I loved the car. It was a really good looking car for that era. Alas she rusted out and i ran out of Bondo
Has bits and pieces of a Camaro and Monte Carlo but smaller. At least that is what I see looking at these vehicles.
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I remember the Monza models. They were actually better than the Vega it was based on. The other versions (Pontiac Sunbird, Oldsmobile Firenza, and Buick Skyhawk) were pretty decent as well. It's too bad Chevrolet never got a two-seat roadster to challenge the Mazda Miata. Monza would have been a perfect name for that roadster.
I had a ‘76 2+2. Fun little camouflaged Vega, but I managed to overheat and warp the aluminum block when a $1.98 idiot light failed to come on in time.
I had the Pontiac version of the Spyder. It was the Pontiac Sunbird Formula with the V6 ...it would scoot!!
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