While it shared the same underpinnings as the Vega, the Chevrolet Monza featured a different body style, including a coupe, a small wagon, and a sporty hatchback, such as this 1979 Monza Spyder here on Facebook Marketplace. Though many of these cars aren’t particularly memorable beyond just providing basic transportation for the era, one noteworthy feature was the availability of a V8 engine option. This one came from the factory equipped with a 305, and while the numbers-matching engine is included, there’s currently a 350 under the hood. This subcompact is located in Thornton, Colorado, just north of Denver, and comes with an asking price of $10,000.
Engine choices in ’79 ranged from the entry-level I-4, with the next step up being the 3.2-liter V6. Topping the chart was a 305 V8, with some good news here being that not only is that how this one left the factory, but the original engine comes with the sale and has just been returned from a visit to the machine shop. The seller says this block is ready to build, so if keeping this Spyder as original as possible is on your agenda, it’s probably time to pull the 350 and reinstall the 305. Another positive is that it also features a 4-speed manual transmission, while a negative is that the car has a salvage title.
Although it’s ventured north, the owner indicates that this Chevy came from Nevada, and reports that the sheet metal remains rust-free. He also calls it a barn find, but no other details are provided about the car’s past or where it’s been hibernating. The exterior condition is described as rough, with faded paint and decals, but structurally, most of the panels appear solid and are probably in decent condition to work with. I like the red color and feel that once the bodywork is completed, the exterior would look good repainted in this same color, with the cool spider decal put back on the hood as a finishing touch.
The interior could use a good refreshing, and it appears that the sound system has already been borrowed at some point in the past. There are plenty of tasks in many areas facing the buyer, but a V8-powered car this small is appealing, especially one equipped with a manual transmission. I’m seeing the potential for a hot little hatch here and am curious to hear whether our readers think the $10k asking price is in line with the promising future this one could have in store. What are your thoughts on this 1979 Chevrolet Monza Spyder?
That car has a salvage title? Most Vegas and Monzas should have had a salvage title right out of the factory. The only thing that saves this automotive gem is the 350 V8 4-speed drive train. It’s probably fun to drive as long as it goes where it’s pointed. Otherwise it’s definitely a project. On a side note, I knew someone who had a 350 transplanted in a Vega. I’m surprised its body panels didn’t fly off at speed.
In my misspent youth I had a friend with a Vega coupe and another with a Monza hatch, also red with malaise tan interior like this, and we put nasty 383s in both of them. One of the most fun, most harrowing summers of my life. With non-drag racing specific shocks they were questionable on straight highways, absolutely frightening on curvy roads.
Both of their fathers wisely sold the cars near the end of that summer.
I remember you had to loosen the passenger side motor mount to remove and replace the rear spark plug.
In addition to using two swivel ratchet adapters together. \o/
It was even in the shop manual.
We had one in the service bay that would barely run one winter after a tow in.
It had a block of ice in one of the two mufflers from frozen condensation.
This would be a tough sell at the $10,000 asking price without the salvage title.
The factory V8 and 4spd are enticing, but it’s more of a curiosity than anything else. When it comes time for someone to reach into their wallet and put their money on the table the pool of people willing to do so is going to be small.
Steve R
“High Retail/Excellent: $10,000 – $15,000+ — All-original numbers-matching V8 models with factory Spyder decals, solid chassis, and near-mint interior.”
I think this was BF’s amusement post for the day.
The vast majority of the V-8 models were automatics. It’s a bonus if the body is truly rust free. Then consider the attractive color, red is always desirable.
I believe there is an accidental extra zero in the price!
10K!! Come back to reality seller!!
$1000 would be a reasonable number!
You don’t know what the market is for these. If it were my car I’d ask $4500, so I agree the 10K is a fishing price. Your $1000 price might be for a 4 or 6 cylinder car with an automatic. And needing body work.
no, no it wouldnt.
The good news here is that cars from the front range area of CO fare pretty well in regard to rust… However, that alone does not justify the ask. That is a tired car where everything needs attention… …it has a salvage title… and they weren’t that great to begin with. Cut that ask in half and maybe, but that’s only because it came with a V8 and three pedals…
This was my ex-wife a car when I met her, only a ’77, automatic,,SANS the Spyder schtick. It was an awful car, and she only bought it because her brother raced stock cars( Chevy, natch) and told her to get the V8. A step up from her Vega, that my MIL inherited. To be clear, this was not the motor that you had to lift for spark plug removal. That was the early 262 V8s, and the 305 had a different head design(?) and while every knuckle, extension and swivel was needed, it was not required to lift the motor. Any other repairs were just as nasty, and I can say without reservation, probably the worst car I’ve encountered. BTW, I believe the 305 was not available in Cal. and they used the 350. It was just too much motor for a glorified “Italian Vega”( they called it), the stick would make it even more dangerous. Awful car, this was. “Salvage title”,,,beautiful!
I can’t see the 350 over the 305 being the California model, especially when the Corvette California model at the time was only available with the 305 and not the 350.
I can’t see the 350 over the 305 being the California model, especially when the Corvette California model at the time was only available with the 305 and not the 350.
The 350 V8 was only offered in the first year (1975) and only in California, to compensate for the stricter California emissions standards, which greatly reduced power output. The 262 V8 was the top engine choice in the other 49 states. Starting in 1976, the 305 V8 replaced the 350 V8 in California, with the 262 V8 still used in the other 49 states. Source: Wikipedia (see link below).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Monza
been there done that, mine was dog poop brown, biggest problem was the clutch was the same one used behind the 4 cyl, any amount of abuse and it was done for
Same goes for automatic V8 models i do believe. It was the same one designed for the 4 cylinder engine. The Metric 200
Had the Olds version of this with the V8. Fun, but yeah…
Did the Oldsmobile model use an Olds engine at the time or had GM already switched to using the Chevrolet (corporate) engine across all models by then?
At least it’s not a Vega!
This was supposed to get the Wankel engine that GM cancelled before the car was ready for sale, so GM’s engineers had to work fast to come up with another motor to put under the hood. The Vega four was the base engine, with a couple of different Buick V6’s and the 262 V8 as the initial engine choices. GM issued a recall fix for the rear spark plug issue, you drilled a hole in each front wheel well at a specified location to access the rear spark plugs. The recall kit included two (2) rubber plugs to cover the holes when driving the car, to keep water out of the engine bay when you hit a puddle, LOL! Yes, as the anti-smog gear stole more power, GM dropped a 350 small-block into it!
This one is rough, $10k is a steep ask, despite the original motor coming with the car. Somewhere between $1k and $5k is closer to a reasonable price. Tired, but savable, but it will take lots of cash, time and effort to do so, however. Only a prospective buyer can decide if it’s worth it. The tin worm ate most of these, so they are getting harder to find every day!
I was wondering what you’re talking about, as a long time owner. So I even went out and took a look at one of my V-8 Monza’s. The pass side absolutely nothing is in the way. The driver side exhaust manifold covers the plugs, but you can feel them and from under the car they are all accessible. The inner front wheel housings don’t come close to impeding access; they’re a nice distance back. I haven’t changed those plugs in a while, but the wheel well sheet metal is not the issue for reaching the plugs.
No, the space between the wheel well and the heads wasn’t the problem, but it was part of the solution. It avoided the hassle of jacking up the engine to reach the back two (2) spark plugs, at least on the early models. Others have stated that the 262 V8 was the only one with clearance issues, surprisingly, the 305 and 350 didn’t have the problem, according to those in the know. I’ll leave that for others to discuss. I just remember the clearance issue was real, and the recall fix struck me as more than a bit “cheesy” at the time. Rubber plugs? Really?
The 1975 Chevrolet Monza V-8 was the Motor Trend car of the year, beating out several other good candidates, including a Mercedes, it was an impressive car then.
For 5K, this would be an interesting project.
I would have to knock it down to under 4K with that salvage title.
Those so called “salvage” titles can be simply lost papers, or a small dent in a fender, I wouldn’t worry about it, or ask the seller as to the reason.
With any Vega or Monza, hitting a squirrel can total the car, so salvage titles are frequent
Lovely looking car. Given its size, I would think a V8 engine, depending on its displacement, would seem overkill. I would imagine a V6 engine would be more appropriate for a car like this.
This is where the Buick 215 Aluminum V8 would have been a perfect fit for the “Malaise Era” of anti-smog choked motors and gas crises. But like so many things, GM gave up on it before the Engineers could work the bugs out of it, and it took the Brits to do what GM should have done in the first place! The 215 V8 would have been a perfect fit for the Monza and its corporate sisters. Small, lightweight, for good handling, good gas mileage, and with lots of room for improvement, with DOHC, multi-valve heads and electronic engine controls, it would have set the world on fire in the late seventies and early eighties. Oh, well, what might have been. Sigh.
I kind of like it. The salvage title although detracts from the value. It wouldn’t scare me away. Play with the 350, reinforce the chassis. (A roll.cage comes to mind) And up grade the suspension and brakes. Then you have a decent track day car. Anyone remember the Dekon Monzas?
And by the way Mr. Stephenson, maybe you should buy a new, upgraded map. Colorado is east of Nevada, not north or south. I realize that most of the population thinks that Nevada is Las Vegas with nothing but desert surrounding it. BUT, the area I live in is onion, alfalfa, corn, garlic, carrots and other produce fields surrounded by beautiful mountains. And only an hours drive from Lake Tahoe. And 350 miles north of Las Vegas.
just sour grapes here, but people are asking end of the world money for everything these days, it is as bad as going to the grocery store, window shopping the offerings and leaving with the singularly affordable loaf of white bread. The world’s gone off the rails. I would give 3k tops, and even then, would feel foolish.
Does anybody remember how these things handled and try to stop? Truly a bargain chassis and driveline. Everything about the car was bottom bargain utility. While it was mistakenly given a v8, it was no treat to drive. It is a rare conversation piece with a v8 and drivable engine stand.
When Motor Trend tested the V-8 Monza and awarded it their “Car of the Year” they all liked the way the car handled and stopped. When you claim “bottom bargain” you’re mistaken. The front suspension was a sophisticated short and long arm independent design, not some cheapy strut junk that every econo box uses. The V-8 powerplant with 350 automatic was similar to what a Chevy Caprice used. The sophisticated torque arm feature was exclusive to these H bodies. If equipped with A/C, it was the same Frigidaire that Cadillacs used. The Saginaw power steering the industries finest, even used by Lincolns. The bodies were extensively rust proofed, zincro metal used in many places.
A friend had the 305 coupe in high school circa 1982. His Monza had a posi rear end. I’m not sure if it left the factory with the posi or if the previous owner swapped it out but it would get rubber and leave two black marks. 😆
Just Curious: Does anyone know what 4sp came with this car? Were Muncie’s still being made or is it something else?
I’m fairly certain that the 4 speed is a Saginaw unit. Similar to the ones used in mid ’70s to ’80s Camaros.