Chevrolet Monza

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See also Opel Monza, an unrelated vehicle marketed by General Motors' European subsidiary

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Chevrolet Monza

Manufacturer:	General Motors
Production:	1975–1980
Predecessor:	Chevrolet Vega
Successor:	Chevrolet Cavalier
Class:	Subcompact
Body style:	2-door coupé 2-door station wagon 3-door hatchback
Platform:	FR H-body
Engine:	140 in³ I4 151 in³ I4 196 in³ V6 231 in³ V6 262 in³ V8 305 in³ V8 350 in³ V8
Transmission:	4-speed manual 5-speed manual 3-speed automatic
Related:	Pontiac Sunbird Buick Skyhawk Oldsmobile Starfire

The Chevrolet Monza was available as a rear-wheel drive hatchback, coupe and wagon, sold from 1975 through 1980. It replaced the Chevrolet Vega, with three years of overlap, and was based on the same GM H platform. Other 1975-1980 H-bodies are twins of the Monza: the Oldsmobile Starfire, Buick Skyhawk, and the Pontiac Sunbird. Chevrolet previously used the Monza nameplate as a separate model within the Corvair lineup. Olds had previously used the Starfire nameplate from 1954 to 1957 on the flagship Ninety-Eight convertible, and then again from 1961 to 1966 on a specially trimmed hardtop and convertible based on the B-body Oldsmobile 88 featuring a distinctive roofline, leather bucket seats, console and sporty/luxury trim as an early entry in the personal-luxury car market created with the 1958 Ford Thunderbird before the advent of the front-drive Oldsmobile Toronado in 1966.

The Chevy Monza and its corporate clones was not designed to replace the Vega. Rather, it was to be the platform for GM's Wankel engine. However, that project never went into production, so traditional I4 and V8 engines were offered instead, leading to a very crowded engine bay in the case of the V8, requiring one spark plug to be accessed through the driver's side wheel well (or, frequently, not at all) or by jacking up the engine. The heavy V8 in the Chevrolet models lead to severe driveline vibrations due to a sagging front frame and suspension. The Skyhawk and Starfire also got a V6. The Monza 2+2 won Motor Trend's Car of the Year award for 1975. The 1975 Monza, along with several GM full-size models, were the first cars to adopt the newly approved quad rectangular headlamps.

This was the first GM to incorporate a torque arm rear suspension (rear coil springs with 2 links) - its design was later incorporated into GM's third and fourth generation F-bodies.

Initial engines for 1975 were the 2300 I4 (ironic, since many buyers had heard of the rapid engine wear problems with the Vega and bought this car as an alternative, only to get the same engine) and the 262 V8 on the Monza and the 231 V6 for the Skyhawk and Starfire. 1976 Sunbirds got just the 4 or 6. 1975 Chevy Monzas saw a special California/High Altitude-only edition which used the 350 V8 tuned for just 125 hp (93 kW). 1976 saw the introduction of GM's new 305 V8, but only available to California/high altitude customers while the rest of the world was limited to the I4 and 262 V8 until the following year, when the 262 was discontinued. From 1977 through 1979, the whole country got just one V8 Monza, the 305 V8. Oldsmobile offered the Buick 231 V6 then started offering the 2300 in 1977 and the 305 V8 in 78, and Pontiac launched the 305 in 1979 but also used the 151 Iron Duke L4 and Buicks 231 V6 engines. 1980 saw the complete removal of the V8 powerplant in the GM H platform along with the availability of the five-speed manual transmission.

The 2300 was replaced across the line in 1978 with the "Iron Duke" I4. Buick versions got the 231 throughout the 6-year model run. Also, in 1978, the station wagon from the now dropped Vega line was added, which lasted two model years; it was dropped for 1980 because the new Citation hatchback offered about the same cargo space for the same price, with vastly better rear seat space. There was also a Monza S for 1978, which was essentially the old Vega hatchback body with a Monza front clip. Less than 3,000 were built, presumably to exhaust a supply of surplus 1977 Vega bodies.

There were several trim levels of the Monzas, and Special Edition vehicles were released also.

Monza Spyders were produced from 1976-1980 and could be ordered as a performance package alone (including a tuned suspension, and other goodies), or a performance and styling package (including Spyder decals).

The Monza Mirage was produced in 1977 only, by Michigan Auto Techniques, an aftermarket company contracted by GM. The Mirage was painted cameo white, with red and blue racing stripes along the length of the car. It also featured flared body panels, and a special airdam & spoiler. The vehicles were built in GM's St. Therese plant, and sent to MAT for modification, after which they would ship to the dealer. There were approx 4,097 Mirages made from MAT, but there were also Mirages created by dealerships, which were un-traceable. There are only an estimated 25 to 30 Mirages left in running order.

The H-body Monza, Starfire, Skyhawk, and Sunbird were replaced in the spring of 1981 with the new front-wheel drive J-cars which were designated as early 1982 models including, the Chevrolet Cavalier, Oldsmobile Firenza, Buick Skyhawk, and the Pontiac J2000 (which became the Sunbird again in 1985).

Because the forthcoming J-body cars were to be sold as 1982 models, there was an unusually long production run of 1980 H-body models in order to provide sufficient inventory to carry dealers into the 1981 model year.

A modified version of the car, known as the Dekon Monza, was raced in the IMSA Camel GT road racing series in the United States.

[edit] Brazil

In Brazil, the Chevrolet Monza name was used on GM Brazil's J-car, which was based on the Opel Ascona C, but featured initially a three-door fastback. Later, a four-door sedan version was introduced. A two-door coupé eventually replaced the hatchback model. This was produced from 1982 to 1996, when it was replaced by the Chevrolet Vectra.