Chevrolet Monza
The Chevrolet Monza is a subcompact automobile which was produced by Chevrolet from 1974 until 1980 for the 1975 through 1980 model years. The Monza is based on the Chevrolet Vega, sharing its wheelbase, width, and standard inline-four engine. The car was designed to accommodate the GM-Wankel rotary engine, but due to mediocre fuel economy and emissions-compliance issues the engine was cancelled, and a V8 engine option was substituted. The Monza name has also been used for several other cars.
Introduced for the 1975 model year, the Monza 2+2 and Monza Towne Coupe competed with the Ford Mustang II and other sporty coupes. General Motors' H-body variants, the Buick Skyhawk and Oldsmobile Starfire, were produced using the Monza 2+2's body with grille and trim variations and Buick's 3.8 liter V6 engine. The Pontiac Sunbird variant was introduced for the 1976 model year, initially offered only in the Monza Towne Coupe body with the 2+2 hatchback added for the 1977 model year. The Monza nameplate originated in mid-1960 for the sport version of the Chevrolet Corvair.
History
Origin
The Monza 2+2 debuted as a single-model 2+2 hatchback. The Monza is longer and weighs more than the Vega from which it is derived. General Motors' John DeLorean nicknamed it the "Italian Vega", citing styling with a strong resemblance to the Ferrari 365 GTC/4.GM had planned to introduce the GM Wankel rotary engine in the Monza's 1975 model. Rotary issues included mediocre fuel economy compounded at a time of comparatively high fuel prices following the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973, and GM canceled the engine. Thus, the 1975 Chevrolet Monza was launched carrying a conventional piston engine instead.
Overview
The 1975 Monza 2+2 houses then-newly approved rectangular headlights and a slot-style grille in a slanted nose made of resilient polyurethane. The side window louvers are functional, part of the flow-through ventilation system. The Monza 2+2's two-door hatchback body style is shared with the Pontiac Sunbird, Oldsmobile Starfire and Buick Skyhawk. The standard engine was the Vega's aluminum-block GM 2300 engine| inline-four engine with a single barrel carburetor generating at 4,200 rpm. Optional was the two-barrel carburetor version that generated at 4,400 rpm. Chevrolet's new V8 engine was optional. The smallest V8 ever offered by Chevrolet, it featured a Rochester two-barrel carburetor and generated at 3,600 rpm. For 1975 only, Monzas sold in California and high altitude areas met the stricter emissions requirement by substituting a version of the V8 engine with a two-barrel carburetor tuned to just. The Monza 2+2 and its Buick and Oldsmobile variants feature GM's first use of a torque arm rear suspension, also adopted for the 1975 Cosworth Vega introduced mid-1975, and later, all 1976–1977 Vegas and Pontiac Astres. The basic design was also incorporated into GM's third and fourth generation F-bodies, the Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird.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, but sharing its windshield and front fenders. 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 shorter and 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 one-barrel engine with a three-speed manual transmission. The sport suspension, full console, sport steering wheel, day/night rear-view mirror and wheel opening moldings were deleted on the "S". The Chevrolet Monza 2+2 won Motor Trend magazine's Car of the Year award for 1975.
Model year changes
The 1976 four-cylinder engine, as used in the Vega, got some refinements. Named "Dura-built 140", it features quieter hydraulic lifters eliminating valve adjustments. The basic four developed 70 horsepower, but two-barrel carburetion increased the rating to 84. The 1976 model was the introduction of Chevrolet's new 5.0 liter V8 engine with a two-barrel carburetor generating at 3,800 rpm, but only for California and high-altitude Monza customers, and replaced the 350 V8. The 262 was again the optional engine in 49 states. A redesigned dashboard replaced the Vega-derived one. A mid-year option for 1976 was a "Sport" front end available for the Towne Coupe, which featured the 2+2's polyurethane front end and quad headlamps. The Monza Spyder equipment package was introduced in 1976 for both the 2+2 hatchback and Towne Coupe. It featured a two-barrel carburetor version of the four-cylinder engine as standard, a floor console, sport steering wheel, F41 suspension with larger front and rear stabilizer bars, and special shock absorbers. This equipment had been standard on the original 1975 2+2.The 1977 Monza was highlighted by two new Spyder option packages available only for the 2+2 hatchback, one being a $274 Z01 performance equipment package and the other an additional $199 Z02 appearance package. An four-cylinder engine was standard, but Monzas could be ordered with a V8 instead. The Monza dashboard contained round gauges in a brushed-aluminum instrument panel. The Towne Coupe Cabriolet was deleted, but a half-vinyl roof and opera windows could still be ordered.
The Monza “Mirage” was a one-year only sporty body modification package produced by Michigan Auto Techniques, an aftermarket company contracted by GM; the Mirage was painted white, with red and blue racing stripes along the length of the car. It also featured flared body panels and a special airdam and spoiler. The vehicles were built in GM's St. Therese plant, and sent to MAT for modification, after which MAT would ship completed cars to the dealer. There were approximately 4,097 1977 Mirages made by MAT, but there were also Mirages created by Chevrolet dealerships, as the body add-ons and stripes were available through the dealer parts department. The 5.0 liter engine was the only V8 option for the 1977 model year. The standard Vega 2.3 aluminum-block engine was discontinued at the end of the model year, replaced with the Pontiac 2.5 "Iron Duke".
The 1978 Monza line expanded to include rebadged holdovers from the Vega line, which ended production after the 1977 model year. Chevy grafted a new Monza front end onto the previous Vega hatchback and wagon body-styles. The Monza "S", marketed as the Monza price leader, used the Vega hatchback body. With production of only 2,000 units, it was speculated that this was simply an effort to use up a stock of leftover 1977 Vega hatchback bodies. The Monza wagon was also offered in an estate wood-trimmed version, using the Vega wagon body. The 1978 Monza line gained a new base coupe and 2+2 hatchback with round headlights in an upright front end with a crossbar grille and new tri-colored taillamps. The base 2+2 hatchback also used a new blunt rear taillamp panel incorporating the license plate mount and a conventional rear bumper; its enlarged taillights with square amber turn signals were also used on notchback coupes. The new Monza Sport series was offered in both 2+2 hatchback and notchback body styles, using a modified version of the previous quad rectangular headlamps, now above a full-width open-slot grille. The 2.5 liter inline-four "Iron Duke" was standard for 1978, replacing the Vega's inline-four engine. Engine options were a Buick-designed 3.2 liter V6 engine with a two-barrel carburetor that produced at 3,600 rpm. Replacing the 3.2 liter V6 in California and high-altitude areas was Buick's 3.8 liter V6 engine. Four-cylinder engines and the 3.2 liter V6 were not available in high-altitude areas. The 305 cubic-inch V8 remained optional in all but the "S" hatchback and wagon models. Discontinued at the end of the 1978 model year were the S hatchback, Towne Coupe sport option and the estate version of the wagon.
The 1979 Chevrolet Monza lineup was trimmed to four models. Added standard equipment for 1979 included an AM radio, tinted glass, bodyside moldings, and sport steering wheel. Only the 2+2 sport hatchback kept the sloped Euro-look front end; others had a freshened grille. A more-potent standard four-cylinder with a redesigned cross-flow cylinder head and two-barrel carburetor developed 90-horsepower — five more than in 1978. Three optional engines were available: the V6, 231 V6, and 305 V8. The Spyder performance package cost $164 and the Spyder appearance package added $231. All Monzas had a color-keyed instrument panel, and all except the base coupe had a center console, and corrosion protection was improved. Discontinued at the end of the 1979 model year were the Monza wagon, the V6 and the V8.
The 1980 model year lineup consisted of a base 2+2 hatchback, notchback, and 2+2 sport hatchback; the 151-cubic-inch four-cylinder engine remained standard and the only engine option was the 3.8 liter Buick V6. The wagon was discontinued as the Citation hatchbacks offered equal cubic cargo capacity with the rear seats down along with better rear-passenger accommodation. Chevrolet decided to discontinue the Monza at the end of the 1980 model year although production of 1980 models continued to the end of calendar 1980 with its "1982" Cavalier replacement debuting in early calendar 1981.
Monza Spyder
The "Spyder" nameplate had been used to designate the 1962–1964 Corvair turbocharged model. The "Spyder" name was introduced for the Chevrolet Monza in 1976. This package included performance equipment and some small appearance items. The Monza Spyder equipment package was available on all 2+2 hatchbacks and Monza Towne Coupes with five-speed manual and Turbo Hydra-matic automatic transmissions. The Spyder equipment package included a two-barrel, Dura-Built 2.3 litre engine, floor console unit, large front and rear stabilizer bars, special shock absorbers, steel-belted radial ply blackwall tires, wheel opening mouldings, day-night inside mirror, a sport steering wheel, a special instrumentation and "stitched" instrument panel pad with added wood-grain vinyl accents, distinctive "Spyder" identification and Spyder front facia and rear-lock cover.Chevrolet made extensive changes to the Spyder package including separate equipment and appearance packages with separate RPO codes found on the build sheet. The Spyder equipment package was a regular production option Z01, while the Spyder appearance package was RPO Z02. The Spyder packages were available on Monza 2+2 sport hatchbacks. Spyder decal colors were determined by the body color of the Monza ordered. There were four color combinations for 1977. For 1979, there were six combinations, which included a green and a blue color scheme.
;Z01 – Spyder equipment : BR70-13C Steel-belted radial ply blackwall tires, sport suspension, sport steering wheel, center console, inside day-night rearview mirror, Spyder identification, wheel opening moldings, dual tailpipe system and white lettered tires were available in 1979.
;Z02 – Spyder appearance : Black highlights on front, side and rear of body headlight openings, parking light openings, windshield, rear window and side window moldings, body sill, door and center pillar louvers, rear end panel –, black or gold rear accents, body color front air dam and rear spoiler, Spyder emblems, body side stripes with Spyder lettering in red, white or gold depending on body color, black painted styled-steel wheels with trim rings and center caps, black sport mirrors, special hood decal and rear spoiler decal. For the 1980 model year, Chevrolet combined the Spyder equipment and appearance packages into one Spyder equipment package with an RPO code of Z29 and included newly re-designed bold Spyder side decals and a new front air dam that blends into the front fender wheel openings. Spyder decal color choices were based primarily upon the interior color specified rather than the body color as in previous years.
;Z29 – Spyder equipment package : BR70-13C steel-belted radial ply blackwall tires, sport suspension, black front and rear bumper rub strips, black headlights frames, black windshield, belt, side and rear window moldings, black painted body sill, black door and center pillar louvers, black painted taillight frames, body color front air dam and rear spoiler, Spyder emblems on front facia, rear lock cover and sport steering wheel, black sport mirrors, rear spoiler and body stripes with Spyder lettering outlined in accent body colour, Spyder hood decal, black painted Rally II wheels with bright trim rings and center caps.