With supposedly less than 30 remaining, the Chevy Monza Mirage is beyond an endangered species. Built to resemble the company’s impressive IMSA race cars, these special editions featured widened fenders, special colors and striping, and front and rear spoilers. This one needs everything but the rear fender flares are still attched. Find it here on craigslist in Los Angeles for $1,888.
Despite the exterior dress up, these Mirage editions were still Monzas underneath. With just over 4,000 built, however, one can overlook the performance shortcomings and simply appreciate the rarity. The trouble with projects like these is that all of those body panels and other features that make the Mirage special tend to go missing over time, especially when in a state of disassembly like this car. However, the seller appears to have been planning for restoration, as many of the needed parts are included.
Rear window louvers, headlight buckets, new carpeting and headliner are all included with the sale. The Monza is said to be accident-free and an original power steering and A/C car. The body does appear to be rust free, but the iconic red, white and blue graphics will have to be sourced. In the one picture that shows the bulk of the body, the glass appears to be in good shape, including the rear hatch.
The Monza Mirage edition never came with big power, though the original owner of this example at least stepped up to the factory’s 305 V8. Horsepower was not that engine’s strong suit, so having a blank canvas on which to install the high-horsepower mill of your choice isn’t a bad thing. Don’t forget to source a transmission at the same time. The asking price seems fair, but I wouldn’t hesitate to go a few dollars lower considering the work that is entailed in putting the Mirage back into this Monza.
Rare bird. Fortunately parts can still be sourced. The suspension for these share the same architecture as the venerable F Body, as both used torque arm suspension. There’s a great community still hooked on these H Bodys. I wish I still had mine….
Find the other 29 or so and scrap them. There can be only one!
Dan, would it be safe to say you’ve watched “Highlander” a couple times?
Maybe a couple of times. :)
Wish I still had mine. And there has to be more than 30. I know of 6 in Austin alone.
Is it just me, or is why everything white in the engine bay?
Hi Dave, yeah, what’s the deal with that?
It’s a “BODY IN WHITE”.
har har.
I had a stock V8 Monza for a short time. Nearly impossible to access the spark plugs near the firewall. Other than that was a fun car.
I think that I would cough up the extra $612 and buy this one that is listed on Craigslist.
https://miami.craigslist.org/brw/cto/6109090522.html
U da man’.
Yeah, that’s a no brainer for the price differential.
It’s gone already.
A mirage of its former self.
These Cars Are In The Same Category As The Mustang 2 Was To The Ford Pinto.Its A Vega In Drag.The V8 Model Required Loosening Up The Motor Mounts So That U Could Access The Rear Spark Plugs.Plus They Were A Heavy Car For The Size Vehicle That They Were.The Start Of The Decline At GM Could Be Laid At This Vehicles Genesis The God Awful Vega.
I don’t like using catchy catch phrases, but “lipstick on a pig” kind of fits here. Now hold on, my ex-wife had a ’77 V8 Monza she bought new in ’78, that she drove until the doors fell off ( which wasn’t too long) Like Mike sez, plenty of power, terrible to work on and the Mirage always looked to me like, “well, the car’s a dud, ( although a lot of people DID buy them once) let’s gussie it up some more”. Do the “Rube Goldberg” hood and rear prop rods come with it? There’s better cars to sink your money into.
You scooped my question about those wooden boards.
No boards—no deal.
yeah, I say poo poo on the 30 claim. there is a guy locally that has 8 complete cars and maybe 6 or 8 shells he bought up about 10 years ago thinking they where going to be worth more than Ferraris. because so few where made. HAHA they are rusting away in a lot and were not much to start with.
I knew a couple people with V8 Monzas back in the 1980s, Some were fast, I rode in a few and thought they were cool, but never thought they were the coolest things,,
Nicest was another GI stationed overseas in Turkey at Incirlik AB of all places. He had the turks re-upholster it in leather. Nice paint too. I have pictures of it if anyone is interested. Most Turks or Europeans had no idea what the hell it was,, they knew something powerful under the hood but they couldnt figure it out. Very nearly the same story with my 63 Nova SS,, was not a familiar body style to anybody over there.
Doug – I think it depended on how big the base was… When I was stationed in Germany in the late 60’s, plenty of GI’s had American “iron”. I had a brand new GTA Fairlane shipped over, and other guys had 427 Vettes, Firebird 400s, a couple AMXs, and one of our mechanics had a really worked-over 396 Chevelle. A former GI had a car dealership selling used American cars that guys sold him when they bought Alfa GTAs, Lotus Elans, etc. So, southern “West” Germany had lots of cars to “impress” the locals. I really loved it when some German guy would chase me for miles down the A’bahn to see my engine when I pulled in for gas ! Which, unfortunately for me, was OFTEN !
The American bases overseas could yield some baffling vehicles at times. Some people drove a used car for their tour and then abandoned them at the Air terminals. Some bases had wrecking yards other GIs could buy parts from. Many of us at remote locations would discuss these fabled wrecking yards and some say picked over, others said full of treasure. I did get a radiator for a mid 60s Chevy mailed to me by a guy at Torrejon AB Spain to me at Incirlik AB Turkey for $25 which I was happy to get. One day after a day at the beach (Mediterranean) near the port of Mersin Turkey we were in my 63 Nova SS (I had a 67 327SBC and Muncie 4 speed in it) and in the distance we saw a fastback Mustang, what people call an Eleanor today. It was on the highway snaking along the harbor and we tried to catch up. Oddly while it looked mint it spewed huge clouds of black smoke which intrigued us further. We finally got to meet up with them and pulled over. Did some international bench racing and lifted hoods. They oohed and ahhhed over my gleaming V8 (I had a Turkish kid I paid to detail and wax it every 2 weeks) and we were amazed at their engine. The car had been totalled and blown up. No hope for the stock Ford motor so they replaced it with a German Diesel engine out of a Mercedes or something. THAT is why the big clouds of black smoke. We learned the car had been munched hard, but Turkish craftsmen can fix anything and hand made replacement body parts. That car was AMAZING! (There is weird tax laws about American cars in Turkey, so unusual to see a Turk driving one, But it certainly originated with a GI)
I liked these,but always wondered what they would
look like,if they were Camaro based.Always seemed a little too
narrow to me.
When I wasa kid growing up I made my dad take to as many SCCA and IMSA races as I could, PIR &SIR in the PNW here on the west coast. I still have many of my race programs from 1972 thru 1980. There was some Black painted Monzas in late 70s that created a huge stir and were very dominant. I dont recall all the details but I still recall how much of a big deal it was.
But a basic websearch using “Chevy Monza IMSA race cars” brings up a LOT of websites and google images,,Many are worth the read covering the US and Australian issues of the day as well as the builders,,
Here is one site about that covers a lot of ground,
See: http://www.scharch.org/Cars/Monza_Racecars/Monza-DeKon_Chassis.htm
Doug – I went to Road America to see them race. Have some great photos of the wide-bodied “everything”…. John Greenwood Vettes, the Monzas, Buick versions, Camaros, Mustangs and the rest. Loved the whale-tailed Brumos Porsches of that period and the fantastically loud and terrifyingly fast CanAm cars. Brats, grit, and noise ! What memories !
looking for a hood to fit 1978 notchback 4 lamp system. any condition
sluggo – Great story ! There was a younger German guy where I was stationed that would cruise town in his pristine early 60’s Caddie. Always driving slowly. One day we stopped at the same gas station and he had his hood up checking fluids. I thought he was some rich kid, as premium gas then was really expensive (still is) for a gas-hog like that. I nearly laughed myself silly. He had an Opel 4banger in it ! Therefore avoiding taxes on engine size AND getting away with the cheapest gas available. No wonder he was always driving so slow ! p.s. I still kick myself for not buying the brand new white ’67 Mustang 390 GT Fastback to take over. (Red interior) Bought the Fairlane GTA instead. Sheesh. Coulda, woulda, shoulda…..
Okay one more about Germans and such, At Basic training and tech school, some of the furniture in the dorms was stamped “Property of Iran” Prior to the revolution the US used to train Iranian military, when the shah was gone, all assets were seized and reused. One more,,I had a friend who bought a Lincoln Versaise which had the desirable 9″ ford with disc brakes. Whole stories on those cars. But Wally got it from a Seattle dealer as it had been purchased by the Iranian embassy, but then abandoned.
So, At Shepard AFB Texas they trained pilots and ground crew techs and “Crew Chiefs” which I was, #43151 AFSC.
We had German Air crews on base and they drove around in a big Tuna boat car, Cant recall if Cadillac Ford or what but a big behemoth. I asked and told the Germans thought it was amazing to drive such a large American land Panzer and had fun with it.
They had taken a saw and converted to a convertible by sawzall, and decorated the car with acft stickers and warnings,,, “Stand back hot exhaust, Egress handle inside, CAUTION-Explosive” as well as unit insignias. I was told when each training group cycled in…they inherited the beast. So I only saw part of it but I heard they had an elaborate routine at the Base PX/BX or the O club. I noticed they had cut holes in the front fenders and a boat anchor with a length of chain. They apparently would stand at attention and the Driver-vehicle commander would bellow orders about deploy the anchor! Someone would pull a lever and with a clank, rattle and thud the anchors would fall to the ground. Same deal of reeling it in. I have a photo of the car but wish I had filmed the anchor routine.