

The Almost Muscle Car: Chevy Monza, 1975-1980 - da02
http://ericpetersautos.com/2015/02/27/the-almost-muscle-car-chevy-monza-1975-1980/

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flyinghamster
Also on that site, a pretty good article about the Corvair (the original
Monza): [http://ericpetersautos.com/2013/02/14/chevys-better-
beetle/](http://ericpetersautos.com/2013/02/14/chevys-better-beetle/)

However, while both articles touch on the 1970s energy crisis, neither
mentions the other elephant in the room back then: primitive, power-robbing
emission controls. More than anything else, they were why 1970s cars sucked so
bad, and why the Corvair wouldn't have made it into the 70s even without Nader
or the Mustang to worry about.

A lot of people knock today's computerized engine controls, but they're the
reason why today's econoboxes can get sub-10-second 0-60 MPH times while still
providing decent fuel economy.

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dripton
I had a used 1977 Monza in high school.

Pros: It was $750, and it lasted two years.

Cons: No power despite the V8, poor gas mileage, expensive tune-ups because
the V8 was squeezed in so tightly that you needed to lift the engine to change
the rear spark plugs, poor handling (heavy engine, tiny tires, primitive
suspension), frightening braking (weight again).

It taught me a few life lessons. First, always dig deep rather than trusting
the surface impression created by marketing. Just because it has a V8 doesn't
mean it's fast. Second, don't work at a company where the engineers are forced
to make crap. (Any affordable car is a compromise, but shoving a V8 into a car
with no room for a V8 and then starving it of air isn't compromise, it's a
joke.)

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Lagged2Death
The inevitable Road Kill link.

[http://youtu.be/U81_0waqEWA](http://youtu.be/U81_0waqEWA)

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bradleyland
This is the first thing that came to mind... Well, second. The first was
"almost, my ass!"

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jdfellow
I knew a guy in Canada who had built a drag racer out of a Monza. Custom roll
cage, tuned up 350 small block making probably close to 600 hp. Too bad it had
been inoperable for years when I knew him. Hope he's gotten it running again
(I should ask him).

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spydum
There was a guy who used to run around the street racing scene in Tampa with a
really nasty Monza. It was somewhat funny as most folks had no idea what a
Monza was, nor how some modern touches to that small block could create a
pretty formidable street car. Pretty sure that is the only one I have ever
seen in person.

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smoyer
My first car was a Chevy Vega that had been drag-raced ... it was fast because
someone had crammed the Monza 8-cylinder engine into a much smaller car.
Unfortunately, the suspension wasn't very good!

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stox
What they neglect to mention is that if you had the Monza with a 350 V8 in it,
you had to remove the engine to replace the spark plugs. It made for expensive
tune-ups.

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georgeecollins
A Wankel based Monza would be so cool. This is such a depressing era for cars.

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stox
The AMC Pacer was supposed to have the wankel, too. At the last minute, GM
called it off, and AMC had to panic to put a conventional engine in. The DOT
nixed the plexiglass windows, too. It would have been interesting to see what
the reaction would have been, if the original design had made it to market.

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X-combinator
So this car is soooo... not cool!

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RexRollman
I turned 8 in 1975, so maybe my memory is fuzzy, but I don't remember any US
cars in the mid-to-late seventies being cool. Although I did kind-of like the
Stingray.

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blakehaggerty
ohh come on now... '76 Gran Tornio(starsky & hutch); '76 Cadillac Convertible;
'73-'87 Chevy 1/2 ton pickups are still awesome. '76 Trans-AM (ala Smokey &
Bandit)

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RexRollman
I never liked the late 70's Camaro/Firebirds, but you're right, the Gran
Tornio was good looking.

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blakehaggerty
I didnt like the Camaros/firebirds either. But the 440 t top trans am was
iconic.

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joshu
LeMons car?

