Motor Trader Dec 18 / Jan 19

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THE ‘60S AND ‘70s were a golden age
for the muscle car. In Australia, we
had our fair share of crackers – think
the GTHO Phase III, the Monaro, the
Torana, and XC Cobra – but it was in the
U.S., where the muscle car was born, that
the concept really blossomed.
Seemingly endless models of beefed-up
motors rolled off production lines, with
many of them becoming collectors’ items
as well as some of the most famous names
in auto history. There’s the Ford Mustang,
Chevy Camaro, Pontiac GTO, Plymouth
Barracuda, Dodge Charger, Chevy Chevelle
SS, Plymouth Road Runner, Dodge
Challenger . . . the list goes on.
Such was the number of muscle
car models produced that there were,
inevitably, some that failed to reach the
revered status of those famous names, even
though they too were absolute rippers.
The Chevy Monza is one such car.
Made between 1975 and 1980, the Monza
is a small, four-passenger car that was called
the ‘Italian Vega’ by no less an authority than
John DeLorean thanks to its rather nifty
looks (that resembled that of the Ferrari
365 GTC/4) and the fact it was based on the
Chevy Vega and its ‘H-body’ platform.
Initially, the Monza was to be powered
by a rotary engine. However, that idea was
shelved and a range of engines - from a
2.3-litre 4-cylinder through to 5.7-litre V8
were used instead.
The car sold well in its various guises
– which included a ‘Spyder’ performance
package and a 'Mirage' special edition –
but never seemed to capture the hearts
and minds of the muscle car community.
Today, the Monza is undergoing
something of a re-evaluation by those
looking for a well-priced classic car with
a bit of grunt under the hood. However,
according to Simon Lillington, owner of
56 | Motor Trader December 2018/January 2019