Where have all the Monzas gone?

The Chevrolet Monza replaced the Vega for the 1975 model year and GM sold a great many of them in the second half of the 70s.  Where did they all go?

This one looks amazingly original from every angle and has apparently had an engine rebuild. Said engine is a 2.5L I4, so probably not exciting, but it’ll work.  These were available with six- and eight-cylinder engines, so this represents the plain Jane side of Chevy’s sporty coupe offering.  Sadly, this car lacks a clutch pedal, but are you really looking at four-cylinder a Monza for its fun to drive factor?  The seller does acknowledge this car his a little rust and could use paint.

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Maylene, AL
$4,995 BIN or offer
Posted by CG
12/07/2013 update:  Ended unsold

Medium blue seems perfect for a car that was once so common as to be completely generic. 13-inch color-keyed alloys are a nice touch.

This is, by far, not the worst 70s interior.

Ad text (edited down for length):

Description:
I bought this vehicle because I always liked these cars. By the time that I started driving, most of these were in pretty sorry shape when I lived in Ohio. Here’s a clean all original Monza from the final year of production. Chevrolet built this model for six years, 1975 through 1980. In the final year of production, you could choose a 2.5 Liter Iron Duke or a 3.8 Liter V6 produced by Buick. This vehicle is pretty heavily optioned for a subcompact from this era. Notice the build sheet which is included!

This past fall and winter, I decided to fix all of the oil leaks so I pulled the engine and did a full rebuild to OE specs. All service items were replaced and I went with a 0.030 overbore. While I was waiting on machine work, I did several other things to the vehicle so that I could enjoy driving it once in a while.

Vehicles from this era are loaded with emissions equipment and I preserved all of the switches, vacuum lines, sensors, etc. to keep this vehicle absolutely original, right down to the functional GM Pulse Air™ system that you see for air injection into the exhaust stream. Below is a comprehensive list of the work that was done on this vehicle. Also, included with the vehicle is a file of records as well as an original factory service manual. Make this one yours!

Options:
Finished in an era-correct GM blue with blue vinyl uphostery, this all original 1980 Chevrolet Monza is equipped with several options, unusual for a subcompact of the era. Featured is an automatic transmission (THM200), factory air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, rear defogger, turbine style wheel covers, bumper guards and rub strips and much more!

All original!

This vehicle is riding on a BRAND NEWset of correct sized 13 inch tires!

Service and Inspection Report:
Here’s a list of work that was done to the vehicle during the time that it has been in my ownership:

– Engine Rebuilt to Factory Specs 0.030 Over – Transmission Service and New Seals – Air Conditioning Serviced – Windshield Washer Pump Replaced – Front Stabilizer Links – Front/Rear Shock Absorbers – New Correct Sized 13 inch Tires – Front End Alignment – Rebuilt Power Steering Box (original leaked) – New Power Steering Hoses – Carburetor Rebuild Kit – Rubber Brake Hoses Replaced Front/Rear – Master Cylinder Replaced – Most Vacuum Hoses Replaced

I’ve driven this vehicle back and forth between Chattanooga and Birmingham, Birmingham and Atlanta, Atlanta and Chattanooga a number of times without issue. It runs well and has enough torque to move you down the road at highway speed.

The air conditioning works well and keeps you cool. It does take a few horsepower and you notice it mostly driving around town, but the Iron Duke does seem to keep things going.

The vehicle does have some rust on the lower panels with the driver’s lower fender the worst. I really never planned to do anything more to the vehicle other that what I described. The paint is okay, but someone will probably want to do the bodywork and apply a fresh coat of paint. The underbody is clean and free of any rust damage.

All in all, we did what would have amounted to $5,000 worth of service to this vehicle if you bought all of this after the sale yourself! That’s the Grove Automotive Group, Inc. difference. We service our cars and we do most all of the work internally. We don’t use some rhubarb pie tobacco-spitting shop that cuts corners and tells more lies than Carter has peanuts. We do the work ourselves so that we know that it is done RIGHT! Beware of the typical “Elmer Fudd” dealer.

Vehicle Mileage:
After 34 years, I cannot attest to the vehicle’s mileage. However, I was told that the mileage is original and from what I see of the vehicle, I agree.

Grove Automotive Group has invested in the latest diagnostic equipment. Although this vehicle does not have onboard diagnostics, we provide this service on later vehicles. Do you know any other used car dealer that has made this kind of investment? I didn’t think so.

Vehicle Condition:
Paint is okay and presentable but all original. Rust on lower body panels with worst on lower driver’s side fender. Otherwise, clean and ready to go!