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awesome pics of Monza prototypes

PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:20 am
by fyrftr50
I've taken the pics from the old H-Special Report mailings and added them to my website (with credit where it is due). These include design drawings, prototypes, clay models, etc, etc. There are some really great, rare shots, I have yet to see online, anywhere. http://monza.homestead.com/concept.html

Just one of MANY pages I've added or updated in recent months on my website

Re: awesome pics of Monza prototypes

PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:17 am
by HotfootGT
Great info. That track test looks interesting.

Re: awesome pics of Monza prototypes

PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:59 am
by cosvega76
If I remember correctly, GM had a little trouble with Jim Hall over the use of the Chaparral name.

Chuck

Re: awesome pics of Monza prototypes

PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 10:20 am
by greg72
Cool stuff!

Bryan thanks for putting this online. :)

Re: awesome pics of Monza prototypes

PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 10:35 am
by marco_1978_spyder
cosvega76 wrote:If I remember correctly, GM had a little trouble with Jim Hall over the use of the Chaparral name.

Chuck


Here's something about this from Car and Driver, Sept, '74..., hopefully it can be read...

Re: awesome pics of Monza prototypes

PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 12:46 pm
by fyrftr50
Marco
I was looking for that article the other day and couldn't come across it, thanks for digging it up. Was going to make a page on the proposed name, but there isn't much to write to fill a page, lol. I wish I could get better shots of the Chaparelle name plate on the fenders of the Monza press photos I have.

Re: awesome pics of Monza prototypes

PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 1:40 pm
by marco_1978_spyder
Where it says "engineering proposes Cardinelle" - thank god they did think to say Cavalier! (yet)

Re: awesome pics of Monza prototypes

PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 1:49 pm
by cosvega76
I guess I don't understand business....$1/car wouldn't have been so bad. GM gave the SCCA $5/car to use the name Trans Am.

Chuck

Re: awesome pics of Monza prototypes

PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 8:45 pm
by stage169
Had to bring this thread back up. Tom in Colorado just sent me some scans of a 1975 Petersen book called "The Complete Chevrolet Book" 4th edition. Maybe you guys have heard this but new for me (April). Brian

Re: awesome pics of Monza prototypes

PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 8:51 pm
by fyrftr50
Prefer the Monza nameplate myself but it would have only taken maybe $350,000 to release the name? Wow, doesn't seem like a lot. Nice find Brian, never actually found anything that had a dollar amount.
http://monza.homestead.com/chaparelle.html

Re: awesome pics of Monza prototypes

PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 8:54 pm
by stage169
Me too, no I was looking at what the name was for April "The V8 Vega". I wonder if they were really considering that name?

Re: awesome pics of Monza prototypes

PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 7:45 am
by mahoy78spyder
Cool article... hadn't seen that one yet.

As for the "V8 Vega" name, Chevrolet engineers had already constructed a V8 Vega prototype that adorned the cover in Hot Rod in July of '72. It used a Zora Arkus-Duntov designed aluminum 302c.i. V8 (orig 283 block, bored to 4", then destroked to a 3" stroke crank to net 302ci. (had 11:1 compression too!). The car ran 13.9 in the 1/4 with the stock TH350 tranny and Vega rear end. In the article they also mention, "...Chevrolet engineers have recently been creating a number of Vega prototypes with powerplants that range from the Cosworth twin-cam four-cylinder Vega head conversion to the Wankel rotary engine..." And this was in early 1972 before the July '72 publication went to print. So I don't know if "V8 Vega" was the generally accepted name, but back in '72 (2 years before that article above) this was the name they were throwing around.

Re: awesome pics of Monza prototypes

PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 10:06 am
by stage169
I can see it too, that would probably be the easiest thing to call it if there was no official name at the time. Maybe more so after the rotary was stopped for the introduction of the car. You are bringing a new car out in the Fall and that Spring you don't have emblems for it? :D I would guess they were actually thinking about it but I wonder also in 74 if the name Vega was considered a risk to put on the car?