We still see the Chevy Monza pop up for sale every so often, but its platform mate – the Buick Skyhawk seen here – is spotted far less frequently. The seller claims it wears original paint, and retains its factory Buick V6 paired to a 3-speed automatic transmission. With just 58,000 miles and cold A/C, this H-body should serve dutifully for at least a few more years before getting the repaint it deserves. Find it here on eBay with an opening bid of $3,375 and no reserve.
Perhaps the paint could be buffed out, but there are remnants of some sort of emblem or sticker on both fenders. The seller acknowledges the ruthless Arizona sunshine has caused plastics to fade inside the car, and it appears the nose panel is also suffering from some paint dulling. Overall, though, it presents quite nicely and the presence of original factory tinted glass and OEM Rallye wheels are both major pluses.
The Skyhawk and its twins were available with manual transmissions, and as the Skyhawk came standard with a V6, the obvious preferred combo would see this one sporting three pedals. But the automatic was likely a more common choice for a Buick shopper, and this one at least has an interesting interior color scheme. The three-spoke steering wheel is sharp, and the bucket seats present well despite some moderate sagging.
The 3.8L V6 provided 110 b.h.p., certainly not mind-blowing amounts of power but absolutely typical for the era in which it was made. The Skyhawk, Monza, Starfire and Astre all shared the H-Body platform, and finding different variations of each would make for a fun scavenger hunt for the GM fanatic. We’ll keep our eyes out for the Astre, as we haven’t seen one of those in years.
Hmmmmm, a baby Grand National. All black. Grey interior. Turbo…..
They were not quick but fun to drive and the look has held up very well for a car that is close to 40 years old. A friend at work had a manual version of this car with the V6 engine and while not all that quick was a fun drive for the time.
I still think they are pretty cars, especially the fastback version like this one.
I had a 76 Buick skyhawk, v6, 5spd manual, with a factory option so rare, most buick dealers were unaware of it : a factory installed mirrored glass roof over the passenger compartment, in addition to the large glassed hatchback with flat black aluminum louveered cover. It was so cool, i wouldn’t have traded it fof 10 chevy monzas. Man , i wish i still had THAT car.
Hi Richard – I too had a ’76 Skyhawk 3.8 with the 5-speed, and AC. I bought it with 119,000, sold it with about 250,000 and it passed through two other people I knew after that. At some point the odometer stopped working but it must have been around 350,000 miles before it was sold outside my circle of friends. Maroon with a chrome targa bar, white vinyl interior over black carpet. Sharp! I debated building the motor with Kenne-Bell performance parts but ended up buying a 5.0 Mustang instead, which I still have. Once in a while I look at those H bodies – they were really unique.
the sticker is the skyhawk “emblem” … a hawk
and you could get reflective tape (night hawk) or tailfins too (road hawk)
another one
night hawk
Do you have any skyhawks for sale,
road hawk
Red tailed hawk…
Chicken Hawk
I take it the Chicken Hawk was least popular !! He He yes I know no car option Existed
I had a V-8 Monza. Fun car to drive, real problem changing the plugs!!
My buddy had a 4 sp coupe 3.8 it was fun at the time
Brings me back to when i was a kid and cars seemed fast but really wernt…
Still brings back memories of drinkin beer and picking up girls!
The Pontiac version was the Sunbird. Astre was the Pontiac Vega.
Yup.
Pontiac – Sunbird
Olds – Starfire
Buick – Skyhawk
Chevy – Monza
An injected 3800 out of our Holden Commodore, 4 speed auto. And let the fun
begin.
I worked with a guy who factory-ordered a Monza Mirage with a 350. Red, White, and Blue with factory flared body kit. To change the rear plugs he had to loosen the motor mounts and pry the motor with a spud bar, first to one side then the other. I had a ’76 Skyhawk with V6 and I was always jealous of the V8 H-bodies, even though I loved my 5 speed. You could get a Cutlass with 260 V8 and the 5 Speed. I wonder if that combination was ever put in an H-body.
Todd, I had a Monza which I installed a early 327/350 HP with a Powerglide Trans with a 3000 stall convertor with a Posi. 3:70 rear that was almost unbeatable on the street. I had a special set of motor mounts where I could slip out the bolt and racing floor jack for the engine to change the rear plugs. Once every 5000 miles. The car was balanced just right for racing, sent many Camaro and Mustang owners home wondering what the hell happened, Loved that car and wish I had never sold it.
Highschool classmate had a 75 Starfire with the 3.8 and a 4-speed. Very nice, classy car in dark charcoal with a burgundy interior. Nice when he got it…
OMG the things he did to that car. Truly horrific. Did a high RPM, dump clutch in reverse which split the trans case open. Lube and parts falling on the ground.
Haven’t seen one of these since forever.
So is this how GM recouped their investment in the Vega? Those are plastic covers over regular steel wheels, aren’t they?
Yes, plastic wheel covers that were known for melting around the hub as mine were in my ’75 skyhawk.
My dad was the first owner and ordered it thinking it would be the Wankel motor that GM ended up dropping. They put together the v6 rig fast to fill orders.
That may have started the whole v6 craze.
He also wanted a car name to match his Cessna.
3.8 Buick/Olds engine. The only bad part on the earlier ones were the plastic timing gears. Once past that. They will go many, many miles. The later ones with port injection get incredible fuel economy. I always thought a later unit from a Delta 88/Buick Le Sabre in one of these with a 5 speed would be great.
I had a customer with one of these. (automatic trans) that brought the car in for regular maintenance. When it cam in for the scheduled tune-up. (30,000 miles) We noticed that the car ran fine under 1,800 RPM. But once passed that it would only fire on 3 cylinders. We received his ok to change the ignition module. Which fixed the problem. Towards the end of the day. The customer called. (after picking up his car) “What in the hell did you do to my car? It goes like a bat out of hell! It is really cool to drive. But will it now use more fuel?” I don’t know . It depends on how you drive it now. You mean that it did not drive like this when you bout it new? “No it was always the same until today.”
I always like these H body GM cars. I robbed many of the sport steering wheels out of these cars in the junk yard and used them on my Buick GS’s and Monte Carlos back in the day.
Steering wheels and 5 speed transmissions were cheap here in Florida back in the 70’s so I would get all I could. Back then you could get a sport wheel for $10.00 and 5 speeds for $50.00 all day. made a fortune off that stuff. Also tilt steering columns.
I had a 79 Sunbird with the V6, 4speed. Great car, I wish I never got rid of it. Top speed was 115mph. According to my friend in his Trans Am I was racing.
Still for sale on Craigslist.