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I do remember some nice "pro street" style Monzas back in the day ( their bodies seemed to hold up better then the Vegas before them ); small car with v8 made a nice street runner. My last experience was against one, while I was driving a Pinto w/ 351. Was an interesting race, though we had much more then they did and I watched the Monza in my rear view mirror. I had a couple Vegas and preferred their body style, but take any of those small cars, gut them and drop in better drivetrain, and you had a fun toy. Sort of like what the tuner kids do now, with their little hatchbacks and turbos...
My mom had a 78 Monza wagon. It had 2 round headlights. It was also metallic brown, and both doors didn't work properly. I don't remember what was wrong with the driver's door, but the outside handle on the passenger door was broken, so it had to be opened from the inside.
One time we went camping for a weekend, and, after everything was packed in the back, the lip of the fender was almost level with the hubcaps.
I owned a 1980 model Monza, the 2 door coupe, ironhorse L4, automatic, AC, etc. Drove it for 8 years and sold it to an individual. Wasn't a particularly bad vehicle, the motor was needing a valve job so did a complete overhaul in 1987. Kept it one more year.
The worst thing was that it lacked power; if I remember right was only about 90 or 110 or so. Got me from point A to B, so I didn't complain much. Not a stellar car by any means, just an old plain jane compact.
I have never understood all the hate for the Mustang II. My '76 fastback with a 302V8 and automatic was one of the best cars I ever owned. I bought it new, special order from the factory and kept it for 10 years and over 100,000 miles, no small feat for cars of that era. It was built like a rock, fast and fun to drive and beautiful as well. It was also one of Ford's more successful projects, at least for the 1st few years.
I have never understood all the hate for the Mustang II. My '76 fastback with a 302V8 and automatic was one of the best cars I ever owned. I bought it new, special order from the factory and kept it for 10 years and over 100,000 miles, no small feat for cars of that era. It was built like a rock, fast and fun to drive and beautiful as well. It was also one of Ford's more successful projects, at least for the 1st few years.
I think it stems from how Mustang went from a nice roomy 4 seater that was fun to drive, down to a little tiny "warmed over Pinto" that was heavy for it's size......and also remember in '74 they didn't offer a V8 for the Mustang II. Also because all Mustangs 1964-1973 had a nice design, then in '74 they sort of killed the looks. I think the only reason for it's success is because when it came out we were in a gas crunch so obviously smaller cars then looked more attractive.
That being said, if I found a nice Mustang II Cobra for sale for the right price I wouldn't pass it up....unless I had the opportunity to purchase a 1964-73 model.
Mustang without even option of V8, it indeeds sound weird. However the fastbacks and Cobra IIs especially are worth looking at. I got a Cobra II back in like March. For now it is just kind of a potential project if I can come up with a good 351 or 302 for it. The guy that owned it was setting it up with a 4cyl motor and trans out of a 90 Mustang, but I don't even want to mess with finishing that.
I had a 75 Oldsmobile Starfire (like the Monza) with the Buick 231 V-6. It was a GREAT little car. I put in a nice stereo and I used a regulation cue ball for a gear shift knob. The size and weight of the cue ball was really comfortable to grip and it helped the shifter synch into the gears. I put a set of 70's on the car and is seemed to have much better grip than the stock tires.
The only problem I had on my car, was I would wear out the pins that hold the throw-out gears on the distributor. It happened twice while I owned the car. But, I learned to keep a spare distributor (from a junkyard) on hand for when it happened again. We had a cool neighborhood mechanic that would use parts that you brought to him to install.
Anyway, my car had four square headlights. My buddy bought a 78 Starfire based on my recommendation and his had four square headlights as well. His brother bought a 79 or 80 version and it only had two round headlights. If I recall, the nose and tail of that newer car had a different shape than the 75-78 versions.
Oh yeah... my 78' Mustang Ghia that I bought after my Starfire succombed to the fallout from a blown timing chain? That Mustang was bad. Not the good bad either. Just bad!
I did have a second car at the time. I bought a 74 Nova (L-250 6cyl) from a retired fellow. That thing was a beast!!! I miss that car to this day. I had to replace the leaf springs in it, but the car was amazingly sturdy and dependable.
They were popular one day, avoided like the plague the next.
I haven't seen that platform in well over a decade. I think most domestic cars manufactured from late '70s to early '90s were entirely forgotten today. Not the best times for the big three.
I also remember a company made a fortune selling a bolt-on body kit for the Monza in late '70s...1978, maybe.
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I remember
