VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1971-1979 Monza Mirage

Is a used one worth restoring? I have never seen one for sale, so what do they sell for?

Hey A,

Not to me. But I have NO history with them. Never owned one, not particularly fond of them, etc. etc.

If you have "interest," go for it. Keep in mind you're likely going thru a door into a $10k - $20k (maybe more) project. Presumably only somebody who really wanted one would do that. Not likely you'd ever get your money back!!!

Type 'monza mirage' in your google search thing and you'll find numerous sites to check out.

Bill.

PS: Is this the FIRST post by an "anonymous" user??? I didn't even know someone who's not registered could post! HA. Live and learn.......

Most of what I can gather off the net is there were 4000 made and only about 30 known around on the road, but nothing mentions the value of the car. I know of one for sale but it truly will be a huge project to complete.

Hello... Will whoever posted this note, please drop me a quick line? I need to know something. Thanks.

bill@barkerville.net

Your info is:
OrgName: BellSouth.net Inc.
OrgID: BELL
Address: 575 Morosgo Drive
City: Atlanta
StateProv: GA
PostalCode: 30324
Country: US

Hey Bill (aka Boss Bill),

That "anonymous" situation is what I was talking about in my post this afternoon at 12:56pm.



Frankly, I don't think it's a good idea for "A's" to be able to post. This one seems OK. And I'm even going to do a little research and see if I can come up with a "value" for him. But if just anybody can get in here and post something, you never know what that could lead to.

I see somebody also mentioned it in the 'fast talk' thing over on the right side......

Bill (aka the "other" Bill)

Yes, the system set up so that only "registered" people can post to it. In fact there is no one registered with the name "anonymous" and further more, the name is in my "restricted" list, which means that no one can even attempt to register it!! Along with a couple of other choice words... ha ha.

So this posting (twice) appears to be a fluke. I've tracked the individual down to their computer, but don't have a name yet. As you stated, it appears to be a valid posting.

I notice (by my incoming email) that a fairly large number of people are having troubles logging in for the first time to the new site. This is the COOKIE issue. The cookie on your computer for the old site, just isn't working very well when you attempt to log in to the new site for the first time.

The simple solution is to request a password, and then use that to log in. Afterwards you can change your password back to the one that you had before, if you want to.

This is explained in my posting which is on the HOMEPAGE, in the header. Meanwhile, it'll be interesting to see who shows up later as the "anonymous" poster.

Bill,
It will not let me PM you it says that I need to register. Registering to post on your fine site is something I really don’t have any issues with. After I looked around on your site everyone seemed to be very knowledgeable about a variety of topics and I thought I could get a simple answer to a question concerning the Monza.

1. I went to the “Forum List”
2. Chevrolet 1970-1983
3. Then to “New Topic” at the top left corner and pressed enter.
4. Listed my topic…. Then it appeared

I am really sorry, but I tell you there was no malice intended.

I just wanted a question answered.

By the way, as of this post I could still do the same thing.
I hope you get it worked out and I am sorry for the difficulty it created.

I will stay off the forum, but feel free to contact me if you like

<email address deleted by BB)

By the way, I don’t live within 200 miles of Atlanta. That’s the address to Bellsouth…. You should know that.

Yep, I'm aware of the location discrepancy.. I posted it to head off some "assistance" that I was receving.

My email is on it's way to you. Thanks.

Anonymous Mystery solved. We had a setting in our database that allowd anonymous postings to just this one forum. But I changed that and we're all locked back up again.

Well, sort of.

Non members of VCCA are still welcome to register and post questions for items For Sale.

Welcome!

Bill,

Interesting. About the 'A' posting possibility in that one forum and so on. I certainly didn't mean any harm by asking about anonymous postings. Frankly, at first I wondered if it wasn't just you-know-who with another name.

The Mirage guy seemed like a good guy. I hope 'we' didn't scare him off, so to speak. I hope he does join up/register.



Bill.

You betcha, so do I.

The Monza Mirage was nothing more than a dress-up package produced by a outside vendor. It was dealer installed package that was approved by Chevrolet Mtr Divison at the time to try to get the slow moving Monza lines sales jump-started. Other than being "cute" it had no historical value. Mirage was a good name because what you were really looking at was a "Vega"

Actually this version of the Monza/Vega has an interesting story that's detailed in Hemmings Muscle Machines January 2005 issue. (I just happened to pick this magazine off a back-issue rack when I had read the current one and the new one had yet to come out.)

The complete article is here: http://www.hemmings.com/mus/stories/2005/01/01/hmn_feature18.html

But to summarize briefly, it came out as a production package (3rd party modified before delivery to the dealerships) for '74 to '77 and only sold about 2400 of a planned 8-to-12,000, so it was not very popular, giving it some rarity by default. But for preservationists, this is about the best unmodified high performance package for Chevy compacts of the day. We used to talk about V-8 Vega's in high school and we saw one occasionally at the drag strip, but this Monza is like a factory version of that radical mod.

The Mirage was also an AA/GT racer in '75-76. Dekon Engineering won 7 of 15 races and one driver's championship with it in '76, so depending upon whether a collector acquires one of these original racers and if it has a record of some distinction, there's a possibility of marginal historical significance. Not likely much, but maybe some.

Those times being what they were fuel economy-wise, I see no mention that a 4-barrel carb was an option (would probably need wheelie wheels), but a 4-cylinder engine was. Sigh. Still, this package did offer the factory options of a 305-ci V8 w/2-bbl (the Vega body was stretched 4 inches on the same wheelbase to make a Monza and to accommodate the V-8 engine) as well as a 4-speed on the floor, which would qualify it as a factory-optioned street racer/muscle car, albeit one for the fuel-crisis years of the mid-'70's.

Still, a factory V-8 4-speed compact makes for a potential screamer, even if it is basically a dressed-up Vega. What's more, for club info the article lists VCCA.

pkennedy,

Very cool post! I have subscribed to Hemmings Muscle Car and Hemmings Classic Car Magazines for two years now. If you want to read one of the best in the hobby you need to get these two magazines. The Hemmings staff has really put together a fantastic package. They are in touch with where the hobby is and where it is going. They feature vehicles that are being collected now. I find them very educational and interesting. Thank you for sharing the information on the Mirage.

I must disagree about the Monza Mirage having no historical value. According to whom? I don't believe that if we say that we should state that it has no historical value to you, personally. A general statement can be misleading to some.

Sorry but I too have to agree. Just because someone doesn't think it's worth anything doesn't mean that it isn't. Think of the 1976 dressed up cars and trucks. Most people don't think they are worth anything. But how many did you see on the road today? 1976 only comes around one year. I thought the Monza Spyder looked pretty cool for its day.
If you want to restore it then do. I am sure if you took it to a car show, you would probably be the only one there.

RE Monza Mirage:

What's good for the goose may NOT be good for the gander.....

Wouldn't it be boring if everybody liked vanilla ice cream.....

Different strokes for different folks.....

Oh shucks, is this the wrong thread???

For what's it's worth, one of those V-8 puppies won the Rose Cup Trans-Am at Portland International Raceway at least one year, and I think actually two years in a row, in the late 70's. Running against Corvettes, Camaros, Mustangs and the like. Personally I don't think much of the car; but it's clear some folks think it's GREAT. And, isn't that how it should be.....

You know, "whatever floats your boat!"

Bill.

And talk about serviceability, to replace the front spark plug on the rh bank required that the motor mount be unbolted and the motor jacked up.

I had a new regular 75 Monza with the 305 2bl V8 & 4-speed transmission. Drove it from Kansas City to Los Vegas when my wife was pregnant and she still complains about the trip.