One Owner Project: 1977 Chevrolet Monza Mirage

The Chevy Monza was something of a sporty replacement for the Vega subcompact. It debuted in 1976 using the same platform and powertrains as the Vega. At first, it was only sold as a fastback/hatchback, but a notchback coupe soon appeared. The Mirage was offered in 1977-only with modified body panels installed by an outside contractor and (sometimes) Chevy dealers. Located in Tyrone, Georgia, this one-owner project is available here on Facebook Marketplace as a “Monday” (apparently FB doesn’t have a fill-in for Monza) for $2,500. Kudos to Moparman for another unusual tip.

Chevy customers were first exposed to the Monza name as an upscale version of the air-cooled Corvair in the 1960s. After that car ran out of production in 1969, the moniker was retired for several years. It returned in 1976, lasted through 1980 as a small car, and spawned cousins at other GM divisions. Only in 1977 was the Mirage model added with body modifications developed by Michigan Auto Techniques (MAT). It was only offered in white and had red and blue stripes.

The cars stuck out because of the use of protruding fiberglass body panels with an air dam up front and a spoiler in the rear. Estimates are that nearly 4,100 of these cars were modified by MAT, with an unknown number put together by Chevy dealers. If you wanted a V8 engine, you could order your Mirage with a 305 cubic inch motor, the only choice beyond stock inline-4 power (leftover from the Vega).

We’re told this Mirage project runs and all of the parts are there to complete a restoration. The odometer reading is 61,000 miles, and this unit has an automatic transmission as opposed to a 4-speed manual. These were seldom-seen cars when new (the Mirage, that is), but the regular Monza was all over the place at the time. I owned a 1980 Pontiac Sunbird hatchback when it was new, not one of the best cars I ever owned. I think it was $6,500 out the door.