Chevrolet Monza Classic Cars for Sale
Voted car of the year in 1975 by Motor Trend magazine, the Chevrolet Monza was a sports car built by General Motors. Based on the Chevrolet Vega, and nicknamed the Italian Vega by John DeLorean because it looked like the Ferrari 365 GTC, the Chevrolet Monza was supposed to be a stand-alone model: a two-door, four-seater hatchback built specifically to run on the General Motors Rotary Combustion Engine (the GM Wankel). However, even though they invested $60 billion on rotary licencing fees, one was never fitted. Following immediate success, other editions were soon added to the Chevrolet Monza line-up, including a coupe and a wagon, until the model was phased out in 1980.
Chevrolet Monza history
The name Monza was originally General Motors' name for their 1960s sports version of the Corvair, the Corvair Monza Spyda. After missing their 1973 target for fitting the new Vega range with the heavily invested GM Wankel rotary engine, General Motors decided to build a new sports car instead, a 2+2 hatchback, a one-off, and it would be fitted with the new engine. They named it the Chevrolet Monza. Built for the 1975 plate, the Chevrolet Monza was produced for six years. Despite spending $60 million on licence fees, due to strict new laws around emissions, the Wankel was dropped. Throughout production, Monzas were fitted with a range of engines, from the Vega's inline-four 2.3L to a 5.7L V8, and everything in between. Transmission was available in four or five-speed manual, or three-speed automatic.
The Chevrolet Monza Towne Coupe was launched in April 1975, its notchback design intended to compete with the new range of sports coupes, like the Ford Mustang 2. The Spyda package was introduced in 1976: a high-performance kit including special shock absorbers, front and rear stabiliser bars, steel-belted radial tires, and a flashy interior. The Monza Wagon was launched in 1978, available in a wood-trim finish, it was a re-badged version of the discontinued Vega Wagon, fitted with a Monza front.
Special edition Chevrolet Monzas
In 1977, the Monza S, similar to the Wagon, was made by grafting a Vega hatchback to a Monza front, only 2'000 were built. An edition contracted to Michigan Auto Techniques was named the Mirage. Fitted with flared panels and a spoiler, Chevrolet Monza Mirages were finished in white with blue and red racing stripes.
On the track, loaded with Corvette engines, Chevrolet Monzas competed in the IMSA GT Series, the IMSA Camel GT, and the Australian Sports Sedan Championship, which Allan Moffat's imported DeKon Monza won in 1976. Monzas raced some of the best GT cars on the planet, and during '76 and '77, until the Porche 935 Turbo came along, were unbeatable.