The Chevy Monza

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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[@jbauern57]

😂

[@walterheinen5298]

Had one for my first car. Had the 305. The more it rusted, the faster it went.

[@thetrumpnewsnetwork7503]

lmao

[@billsmart2532]

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.

[@storkbreath]

Hey rust holes equals weight reduction😄👍

[@keithcola3906]

That was my first car as well!!!👍🏾💯

[@AaronJohnson-kx7nn]

Took my driving test in my 1st of 15 V8 monza's

[@brucepettengill6183]

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”.....😢

[@thadgifford6129]

I found one for sale around 5 years ago. I new what a Monza was but I did not know that I purchased a very rare 1 of 1200 made. 1975 2+2 5.7 liter. I was told that is a California only with factory a/c. It's all original except for a repaint and 4 barrel upgrade. I get a lot of thumbs up and what is that. Sure is fun to drive around.

[@dmandman9]

One of my main memories was that one of the spark plugs on the driver’s side was nearly impossible to remove. The official way was to loosen the left engine mount and raise the engine to gain access. This is more amazing given the fact that the tune up interval was around 25-30k miles

[@adammarkowitz7944]

on the V8. Yes, I remember.

[@geraldscott4302]

Most newer front wheel drive cars require the engine be at least moved, if not completely removed, to do anything. I had to remove the right front tire and cut a large hole in the inner fender to replace the water pump on a mid '90s Honda Civic. I cut and riveted a patch panel over the hole. In the manual, under 'replace water pump" step one was "remove engine"

[@dmandman9]

@@geraldscott4302 Wow. I didn’t know that about the Civic. But NONE of the accords requires engine removal. I’m a mechanic at a Ford dealership. Some of the water pumps are a monster to replace. But none require engine removal. Having said that, replacing a water pump isn’t a routine maintenance. And today most spark plugs require replacement at 100,000 miles. In the 1970s and early 1980s, it was 30,000 OR LESS. Yes, servicing today’s cars is very difficult. Thankfully, they’re much more reliable than the cars of the 1970s and 1980s. Many don’t need major repairs until 100,000 or more. Back then there were carburetor problems, valve cover leaks, and other components often failing at or before 50,000 miles. And the entire engine usually needed a rebuild around 100,000.

[@WhittyPics]

We got them out without loosening any motor mounts but they were a bear for sure. That was too much motor to shove in between those fenders

[@wadeguidry6675]

My 1974 Pontiac Ventura with the 350 V-8 had the same problem.

[@jln55]

I considered it for my first car in 1977. But I bought a Jeep CJ7 instead. Ten years later I bought a Buick Skyhawk. The same as that Monza! And I loved it. it lasted ten years. Then I sold it to someone who had it for ten years!

[@bongdonkey]

CJ7's sure appreciate in value nicely. Salute

[@rediron44]

Good choice with the Jeep..

[@njaneardude]

I had a CJ7. 3 speed gas guzzler! But loved it 😄

[@ZeitZuGehenMusik]

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!

[@knowbodiesfull5768]

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)_

[@davebutler2776]

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.

[@chadhaire1711]

great cars? LOL......go sober up Goober

[@audieconrad8995]

@@chadhaire1711 he said "for the time..."

[@chadhaire1711]

@@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.

[@audieconrad8995]

@@chadhaire1711 well ok then. Ya I was around but uda man...whatever...

[@MrTheHillfolk]

@@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.

[@GySgt_USMC_Ret.]

I bought a new black 1979 Monza 2+2 V-6 (wanted a Camaro but couldn't afford it). Loved it.

[@GySgt_USMC_Ret.]

@VladimirPutin-cz5zy 3.2 Liter. Traded it in for a new 82 Trans Am.

[@ttop64]

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.

[@bongdonkey]

Nova is very underrated model. But they are tuff in my opinion. Cheers.

[@nfullenwider]

The Monza Town Coupe is a handsome car. Also, very clearly a response to the Mustang II, but I like them both anyway.

[@wesdoobner7521]

I loved these cars back in the 80's, but sadly they were all falling apart at 70-80k miles, and most of them didn't get many more miles than that. Too bad the quality was so horrible, they are nice looking cars. The 2 I drove that friends of mine owned were just totally junked inside and out and both had less than 80k miles.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

YUP Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers

[@keithlea6804]

Yep played mechanic back in the80s in Minnesota. The road salt was murder on these buy 85 or so the only time you saw on was at a car show or some out on a Sunday cruise. I really like the cars from the 70s the last decade of real cars.

[@seed_drill7135]

I managed to get 176,000 miles and 26 years on my '76 Sunbird with the 3.8 liter "odd fire" V6. Of course it ate clutches every 35,000 miles. Oh yeah, and I got rid of it after a four car pileup.

[@624radicalham]

@@ThisOldCarChannel You have an amazing channel and narration. However generic cut and paste 'please subscribe' comments simply don't go over well. It's the disconnect that large companies have on social media with their customers and you're doing the same thing. You should know who is subscribed and who isn't at this early point in the game. The generic comments leave a cheap nastiness among viewers and that should be stopped. Either don't comment at all, or comment specific to what a caring viewer has decided to take their time to post. It's 2022 man.

[@chriscatarcio2983]

That's because people did not take Cair of them.

[@timgrimes2589]

I had a 75 skyhawk with a 3,8 v6 . it had fat sway bars front and rear, perelli tires, it was 7 yrs old and had a 100,000 miles on it but would do 115 mph all day and got decent mpg but man that car sure handled great, I was happy with it but a turbo 3.8 sure would have been cool

[@mikenodine6713]

I had an 81 Monza Spyder with the Buick 231 (3.8L) and a 4-speed much like your Skyhawk. 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. And I too wondered "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!

[@Yaboidavey]

I had a 77 Skyhawk v6. I upgraded the carb and the coil pack. and that's all it needed. made more than enough power to have fun.

[@timgrimes2589]

@@Yaboidavey I probably would have gotten killed if it had more power but I wish I knew that trick back the, I was 17 and nutzs

[@ckratzet5286]

@@mikenodine6713 Alum. 4bbl. intake move the bat behind pass. seat. Fiberglas hood. Some Ruggles goodies, solid mount engine. 2x sway bars f+r, lowered 1.5", 14" wheels whoa what fun!

[@YTjndallas]

Th Monza’s styling was underrated.

[@Mogipbob]

Awesome video (as usual). I animated a Monza in one of my videos (many moons ago).

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

HAHA! Love the channel! Thanks for watching!!!

[@josephdurrant6469]

My family had a 1980 Chevy Monza, that had a trunk. It was 4 cylinder and was so much fun to drive.

[@Steve-gc5nt]

Good looking car. But the Opel Monza looked nicer imo.

[@stephenjcuk7562]

Check out the Opel Manta and Ascona. European copies with different lights. I had no idea until now.

[@5litreho]

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 !!

[@glennmanchester3666]

Yes that mod seemed to wake the car up considerably didn't it lmao did the same to one had a blast

[@Myvintageiron7512]

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

[@njaneardude]

Had a 75 with an LT1 out of a Vette 🤪 👍 Love to hear about fellow Monza's with added beef 😄

[@shadvan9494]

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.

[@catjudo1]

I'm curious if GM made any changes to the Vega engine, such as a much needed larger radiator and actually telling customers about the additive that would combat corrosive electrolysis between the iron and aluminum. My folks never had an issue with the Vega they bought when I showed up, but my dad kept that engine from losing any fluid and always added the additive. It never overheated and may have been the only reliable Vega ever built. I always liked the Monza hatch with the four square lights. Neat looking car, plus the front end looked like the Mad Max interceptor.

[@rickde40]

first car was a 1979 pontiac sunbird coupe. no option on it at all. 5 speed manual brakes and steering, brand new for $3900. Loved that car and thrashed the crap out of it

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Plain Jane! Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers

[@christopherdixon6781]

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

[@zackmayo7928]

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

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

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

[@andrewinaustintx]

(While not nearly as sporty in any sense, the last of the X-body Chevrolet Novas and its GM derivatives with either a straight six or 5.0 V8 were much better values for the money.) I remember the late 1970s Monza and its derivatives as selling quite well. For the period maybe a B for styling - but at best a C minus for build quality. I remember that after a few years the side doors would start to sag and need some help in closing. To me, the 13 inch tires always looked ridiculously out of proportion to the car. While the sporty appearance may have sold cars, the Monza wasn't a true sports car like the Nissan 280Z.

[@Hendo56]

I had a V-6 in my 80 Chevy Monza. I really liked the looks of it and how it handled.

[@mikenodine6713]

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!

[@glennmanchester3666]

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

[@ScrewHeadJuNgle]

I got one now. lol Love these little things.

[@cheapme1850]

Had the 1978 Oldsmobile version of this called the Firenza GT. Had a 5 speed and the small V8. The transmission was way to small for even the puny output of the V8 so it ate clutches on a regular basis. Having said that, it was a fun car to drive when it was working right. It’s funny because the Olds dealer was right down the block and apparently the mechanics didn’t know that and we’d see them trashing the car on test drives. No idea whatever happened to the thing - it just disappeared one day.

[@drtidrow]

Even though they were low in horsepower, the V8s were still very torquey, so eating clutches isn't surprising. I remember having a 4.3l V8 in a Catalina - poor thing was hopelessly choked at the high end, only making 120hp and that (IIRC) at fairly low RPM, but it still made 210 lb-ft of torque. Took forever to get up to highway speeds, but it got me to college and back for several years. Once I graduated and got a real job, I bought a new '91 Saturn SC with a five-speed manual - that little four-banger actually made more horsepower than the V8 in the Cat. Would love to get a Monza and stuff a LS3 into it, but it seems that nearly all of them have returned to being iron ore...

[@51pogo]

Yes, I went though four clutches (110,000 miles) with the '77 Monza Spyder 305 V8.

[@mikeks8181]

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!

[@melterofsnowflakes]

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.

[@glennmerlini2895]

had a new 2 plus 2 with the 262 in it,,the problem was they used a small 4 cylinder clutch in them,,,, typical seventies gm junk

[@darinpearson2554]

It's always disappointing how car manufacturers can take good ideas and good styling and ruin them with 5.0 litre engines with 140 HP. Otherwise, a modestly good looking sleek little car.

[@brianbeswick3646]

I remember I was a boy at the time and my friends moms boyfriend had a monza spider not sure what year it was but is was silver with all the spider decades on it. It even had a big spider on the hood kinda like the screaming chicken that was on the Trans Am. I thought it was a really cool car. I don't think I ever saw another one like it.

[@ENDTIMEsVideoLibrary]

The Vega never died.. It just changed it's name and went into the Witness Protection Program!!

[@kevinarmstrong751]

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 .

[@johnmerschbach7356]

1980 Monza. Tthe only brand new car I've ever owned, also the most p.o.s. car I've ever owned.

[@WhittyPics]

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

[@mindyabiznessthatsalljustm8134]

Wow! Sounds like it came with quite a few headaches. Was it at least a fun car to drive? Do you miss it?

[@glennmanchester3666]

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

[@Paul_Wetor]

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.

[@drtidrow]

The V6 in the Skyhawk was probably still the odd-fire version, which would explain the vibration issues at idle.

[@axjason]

Notchback very ugly 1979 Monza was the only year that had to the Monza name in the front grill looked really cool I had one

[@nornd]

I had a 1979 Monza and replaced the engine with a 1968 327ci and won a lot of races.

[@tork62077]

I had a dookie brown 2+2 hatchback with the 231 v6 and a 4 speed when I was in high school in the early 90’s. I loved that car and really wish I still had it. They are hard to find in stock trim nowadays sadly.

[@richardbutton1179]

Most ones I see have been turned into hot rods

[@MrRoseandrc]

I had one that was red white and blue was the spider edition that had a 350 with a 4spd wish I still had it

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Oh wow! Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers

[@scotty1881]

My parents had a 78 Sunbird hatch when I was a kid. Iron Duke with a slushbox. Looked cool and was so slow.

[@yanktackle4472]

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 😁

[@chadhaire1711]

So you traded a turd for a clunk....LOL

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

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[@maynsma5690]

had a 1979 Monza 2+2 hatch back with a 3.8L buick engine and 5 speed manual. Loved that car. it was my first car and although I got it second hand (with less than 50K on it) but it lasted until it hit 345K. that engine was great, reliable and powerful. it was a light car with posi-track on the rear end so it would launch like a rocket. blow away many V8s with it. great car!

[@frankburns8871]

They were good looking little cars, but beyond that...holy Mother of Gawd, I owned one and it had zero redeeming features. Just awful in every other way. It was almost as if it was designed and built with one objective: make it suck in every way possible, except give it a nice shape and cheap price.

[@jamessawyer8889]

When the Monza Towne Coupe came out, my mom & I went to Lattof Chevy in Arlington Heights, I thought it was very nice, my mom thought it was too expensive, the 75 Cutlass she bought was roughly the same money, she also thought the Monte Carlo had too much front end, I told her that was the styling trend at the time, needless to say, she bought the Cutlass, it was a special edition for the Olds dealers, it had the swivel bucket seats, but gave the worst gas mileage, it was replaced by a Chevette in 80, an okay car but not real exciting!!

[@majorwilkesjr.5827]

I'm glad to be able to find your channel. The history is much deeper and more intense than I realized.

[@ursirius4878]

My uncle.had one of these in 76', and hated it. He always liked ford's anyway so he traded Monza for a 69' mach one with the 428 SCJ, straight up. They couldn't give 60' and early 70' muscle cars away. The silver cloud to the gas crisis.

[@dudeinoakland]

Not a Ford guy but would have done that trade in a heartbeat! If only time machines were real.

[@darrentylor5473]

Thankfully it did not get that Wankel... Terrible things...

[@dogcowrph]

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.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

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

[@ellarson1]

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.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Ha! Thanks for sharing and watching.

[@inkydoug]

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.

[@rickintexas1584]

Ah yes, the old matchbook trick to fix rattles. My dad used that old trick on most of his cars back in the day.

[@glennmanchester3666]

So how do you really feel ? Lmao

[@johnmitchell2281]

I had a 79and a 80 spider i Loved those cars

[@BillLaBrie]

GM sure made some nice-looking horrible cars in the 70s.

[@derricksooEOAdvocate]

I owned a ‘75 Monza Hatchback with the CA Special 305 V8 engine. Was a total POS! Suspension wasn’t designed for the additional weight of the V8 engine and 350TH transmission. Car couldn’t STOP for the same reason, and chewed through front Disc pads every 6-8 months. In the 2nd year, car developed a constant squeak, and steering wasn’t Crisp, like new. Had the car looked at by Professional Auto Mechanic. The ENTIRE Front-End suspension had “Stress” Bent from the excessive weight of the 305 engine. The cost to repair was more than what I paid for the car. Turned it back in to a Chevy Dealer and purchased a New ‘79 Camaro Z/28 as replacement.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Yeah and it didn't put out that much HP either. Thanks for sharing Derrick! Make sure and subscribe.

[@danr1920]

So you got a good one!😂

[@whoami7721]

Nineteen-seventies cars had built-in problems, especially American ones. It's not like how cars are now. You can drive a new Ford for a couple of hundred thousand miles and not have anything go wrong. Just usual maintenance: brakes, tires, filters, etc. For example, my mom had a used 1979 Ford Granada ESS that she bought in 1985. The brakes for the car were too small for it, and had to be replaced every year. The engine was a V-6 and was underpowered. If you used the air conditioner, it sapped more power and made the engine use more gas. So, we tried to use it sparingly. It was a two-door coupe, and the doors were the heaviest Ford made for a car that year. One time, my brother didn't shut the passenger door right and it flew open on a left turn. It had a yellow paint-job, so we called it the "Yellow Banana". My sister got in a crash with a Toyota and totalled the Toyota, but the Ford only came out of it with a bent bumper. We had it in the family for about ten years, still!

[@fernandopaseri3070]

Este coche salió después de la gran depresión cuándo el petroleo subió i la gasolina tanvien isieron éstos módulos más pequeñas i al estilo japones el monza este fue una alternativa para adquirir un deportivo de la nueva escuela jejeje

[@johnnymason2460]

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.

[@wendellbrownbrown5968]

Didn't Chevy call one of the monza wagon models a Nomad?

[@tonybeck7426]

A the Chevy Monza 1979 TwoPlusTwo hatchback red-colored model myself use to own in Sioux falls South Dakota in the year 1991 it was a sporty car that broke the monotony as a gifted Beauty 🎉🎉⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Nice. Thanks for watching Tony!

[@aintitso6310]

You sound just like the guy on How It's Made. Cool.

[@SpockvsMcCoy]

General Motors' gift to the Japanese auto companies.

[@donaldshidal851]

1979 Plymouth Horizon, 1.7 VW Rabbit engine would lay waste to my buddys 2.8 Monza, and brand new 305 C/10.. I mean run away and could not be caught. Monza looked cool but was not all that.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Agree. Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers

[@m1t2a1]

My family had a Monza as a second. My mom's car, except it was a Buick Skyhawk. 76 with Astroroof. 3.8l V6 auto. Gutless. Didn't handle. Better than walking, as long as no one saw you.

[@adammarkowitz7944]

That good, huh?

[@flfun1684]

I owned a 1978 Buick Skyhawk S Model.. S being Sport offered a Buick 231 V6 with a muncie 4 speed transmission

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers

[@jeffreyconstance6435]

Had a new 1980 Monza Coupe. It was Cinnabar with tan interior. It had the 3.8 liter Buick engine with a 4 speed manual transmission. It was quite quick and would bark the tires on every shift except the 3rd to 4th shift. Gas mileage was not great. About the same as the Turbo Trans Am that replaced it. It was not much slower than the Turbo T/A, either.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

lol.....Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers

[@royhartle7927]

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.

[@23ofSeptember]

My friend in high school crashed (rolled) his Monza and I needed an engine for a '62 Nova Sedan I bought. So we put the Monza v6 into the Nova. It was a great engine, but the Nova 4 door was really ugly. I would have preferred the Monza as a first car.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers

[@OLDS98]

Once again another great job on a video. The information and video footage was grand! Thank you for the video and the effort placed into the video.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thank you sir. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@heretohear8662]

I had the Pontiac version of the Spyder. It was the Pontiac Sunbird Formula with the V6 ...it would scoot!!

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

AWESOME! Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers

[@neal6473]

Do a video on the 1994 to 1996 Chevrolet Impala ss car.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

In three weeks!

[@neal6473]

@@ThisOldCarChannel Yes sir thank you.

[@Doc1855]

The reason why the Vega failed was bc Chevy didn’t put cast iron sleeves in the cylinder bays, thus causing major problems

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

YUP...YOU'D BE CORRECT DAVID. Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers

[@USERNAME1-x5u]

My dad said that the Vega was a POS and that he was dumping oil in it constantly. This was his first car he bought when he came to the states in the 70's. Then he bought a 79 Camaro Z06 and loved it.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Uncle had two Vegas. POS! Boca Brothers Classic Cars Thanks for watching and the comment! We're asking our viewers for a little help. Can you please subscribe if you haven't already? We can't tell who is and who is not. lol....Again, appreciate ya watching!

[@geoffwampler8740]

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.....

[@davidszakacs6888]

Monza was built in the Lordstown assembly plant in Ohio where I worked for 33 1/2 years. We also built the Pontiac Sunbird, Buick Skyhawk and Olds Starfire; all on the same line at the same time, a first for any automaker. Later we built the Cavalier and Pontiac Sunfire, then Cobalt and then Cruze.

[@chadhaire1711]

And these pieces of junk fell apart in about the time it took you to put them together.

[@pinballman23]

You probably built my parents 74 chevy van beauville ,350/ 400 turbo spanish gold and white 2 tone seemed fast at that time (corvette motor ?,) Pulled our trailer many vacations out west Still ran when sold never broke down Except for natural safety switchv

[@davidszakacs6888]

@@pinballman23 , probably because I worked at the adjacent van plant about that time!

[@davidszakacs6888]

@@chadhaire1711 aw gee, aren’t you nice.

[@chadhaire1711]

@@davidszakacs6888 nicer than that junk Monza--one of the worst car GM ever made

[@dasvader_1]

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.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers

[@erso3302]

A friend of a friend in high school had one. It was faster than anyone would've thought. Clearly a crap car, but fast.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Yup. Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers

[@edwil111]

Pontiac Starfire too. (twin model). My boss at the restaurant when I was a teenager had one. He was in his early 20's. They looked pretty cool, but were mechanically POS's. This was when people finally wised up and were buying Toyota's, Honda's, and Datsuns. 1977.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers

[@glennmanchester3666]

Oldsmobile Starfire

[@charliedee9276]

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..

[@treedog86]

Had a 75 2+2 4.3 that thing handled like a dream in the corner perfect neutral stear at any speed many of my bodies went in the ditch trying to keep up with me

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thanks for watching and the comment! Boca Brother!

[@puttingwarheadsonforeheads9872]

I remember 20 years ago every stuffed big block chevys nitrous and they were common. Now I they are so rare to see.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

yup! Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers

[@ectofix8447]

In early 1975 (when I was fourteen going on twenty), my Dad saw that body style in a Popular Mechanics magazine article and could NOT stop talking about it. The sleek body style and those square headlights made him INTENT on having one. So he scoured the dealerships and left his phone number with each (Chevrolet, Oldsmobile & Buick) for when one was available. BUICK called him first. SO, Dad ended up being the first in town to have one. A Buick Skyhawk. He was proud as a PEACOCK! I was TOO - for getting rides to junior high school in the mornings while all the other kids were watching me being dropped off out of it! One unique *_FEATURE_* not mentioned about the car (which ended up being short-lived in the automotive market) was that the car could _NOT_ be _STARTED_ - unless _you had your seat belt fastened_ . 😑 ANYWAY. Thanks for your video and for eliciting my memories of that car from my younger years.

[@dragraceman21]

I had about 10 of these cars in the 80’s and 90’s, several of which I turned into fast race cars. I got my first a 1975 coupe 4cyl 5 speed in 1982 as a high school graduation present.

[@joshdobson2737]

Pops had 2 🕷.....this should be good!

[@candicebeebe6688]

You guys mean the cool VEGA

[@samuelrodriguez9673]

I had one of this 1980 Monza spider bothered the baby Camaro and a whoop some ass cuz it was six speed

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers

[@Project_Low_Expectations]

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.

[@marcosresto544]

This would have been a good contender for the Buick 3.8 turbo 🤔

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

YUP! Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers

[@johnbarker5009]

I thought these were cool looking little cars when they were new. I'd build one now if I could find one for the right price.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers

[@jorgedacosta8957]

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.

[@outtahere321]

Has bits and pieces of a Camaro and Monte Carlo but smaller. At least that is what I see looking at these vehicles.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Yup....Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers

[@brianglade848]

My dad ate a frog from the trunk of a 77 LTD once

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

haha! Too funny! Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers

[@brianglade848]

@@ThisOldCarChannel just subscribed

[@markanthony3275]

Bad engine layout...bad brakes...bad front end suspension...mostly bad. The Vega's rotten cousin...and the Vega wasn't all that either.

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Tell us how you really feel about it. 🤣

[@markanthony3275]

@@ThisOldCarChannel LOL! I was a body man/painter in the early 80's and was forever fixing the pull straps with huge self threading bolts because the original screws stripped out of the steel inner door . Why did they strip out? Because the doors got harder and harder to close...and why was that? because the pins and bushings seemed to wear out prematurely causing the door to sag and making and you had to really slam the door shut so the striker would pull the door up into proper alignment. Of course...I would hear from the owners all the other problems their car had as well.

[@toddf7582]

My first car was a 79 town coupe with a v-6. Always thought it wa s a good looking car.

[@willhorting5317]

As a young teen in '75, I really liked the look of the Monza fastback. Though I never knew anyone who had one. So I never got to ride in, or drive one. I didn't like the other body style, as I felt like it looked too much like the Mustang II (& I still do😁). I didn't have anything against the Mustang II. Heck two of my classmates (who were dating each other) even had one... the guy had a '77 notchback with a factory 302...& the girl had a '76 hatchback, that she had talked her dad into dropping a 351C in it!.....I simply didn't like that Chevy seemed to be making a car that so closely resembles a Ford. (I was a huge Chevy fan, growing up.)

[@bradb7060]

Had a blue 79, fun car

[@ThisOldCarChannel]

Thanks for watching and the comments brad! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers

[@InfiniteForces]

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.)

[@kylebrown6951]

I had forgotten about this car until you presented a video posting on it.. You wouldn't happen to have any info on the chevy el-camino or the GMC Sprint and the Cadillac pickup model.. ?? I really didn't think that chevy would use the vega motors in this car knowing the problems it had in the vega.... Thanks for the posting i like hearing about the older cars that had style and didnt all seem to look alike like they seem to now.. ----- PEACE

[@getgetoutout]

I Bought a Red 1975 Monza 2+2 with a Black Interior. It came with the a Turbo-350 automatic transmission and the 125hp V8-350 (lowest output of any V8 350 chevy) Pulled them both out, put a B&M shift kit in the transmission and changed the heads to early Z28 2.02/1.60 heads and put the stock 300 Horespower GM Camshaft from the earlier 70's Camaro SS-350. With the 2-barrel carb, it had about 275 HP. It would 'Bark' 2nd and 3rd gear. I Smoked EVERY Corvette and Porsche on the streets. For back then, it was FAST. This was in California. It easily passed SMOG. Under the hood, it looked BONE STOCK. Air Conditoning, SMOG pump, air cleaner. Talk about a fun car....

[@redblackvette]

I had a 79 Moza wagon with the Buick V6. I loved that car!!! But having had almost 50 Vegas it was just like one. In fact I added alot of Vega parts to it. Thanks for the video

[@TheUnFairAdvantageCrypto]

they do make some POTENT little street machines with the right motor