rotary powered monza

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Re: rotary powered monza

Postby fyrftr50 » Sat Mar 19, 2011 10:11 am

monzaaddict wrote:see my edited post


By the way, nice score on all those emblems (did you get each of them?). $75 for any of them is an outright steal as far as I'm concerned.
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Re: rotary powered monza

Postby monzaaddict » Sat Mar 19, 2011 11:11 am

No I did not get any of the other emblems. Bigkitti69 got them all - he is relisting them at $300 obo a piece. He also bid on the rotary emblem but I guess didn't feel it was worth as much as the others so I ended up with it. Bigkitti69 is always selling (and buying apparently emblems on ebay). He must have his account set up to alert him when certain keywords/part numbers become available on ebay. I only realized the original seller had the other emblems when I checked his feedback.
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Re: rotary powered monza

Postby T-FATTY » Sun Mar 20, 2011 7:20 pm

The guy i bought my Vega from his father worked/retired from GM. He worked h-bodies and has a bunch of parts taken off a prototype rotary Monza[s], he said the only reason the rotary Monza was killed was it ran circles around the Corvette.

He also got to drive a Motion Vega [LT-1]GM bought as a study car, after they were done with it parted out/cut up as GM didn't want the liability of selling it. He has the rearend from it and yes i tried to buy it but it was a no-go. I got some cool tool trays that fit into the cowl area under the hood because they [engineering] were sick of dropping tools into the ares that house the wiper transmission.

I'll see if i can get him or the father to post up.
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Re: rotary powered monza

Postby monzaaddict » Thu Mar 24, 2011 3:34 pm

The hi res image is to big to upload. I sent a copy to brian maybe he can figure something out. This is the best I can do for nowImage

If anyone wants a copy of the full hi res image send me your email

Also the car has what may be a polycast rim on the front with the bowtie in the center cap black or the chrome trim is broken off the front hubcap as there is a nice gouge on the rim from hitting a curb. The rear rim definitely has the production finned hubcap with the area surrounding the bowtie black.

There is a nice dent in the door too.

There is an extra piece of chrome along the simulated vent on the door.
Last edited by monzaaddict on Fri Mar 25, 2011 6:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: rotary powered monza

Postby fyrftr50 » Thu Mar 24, 2011 5:19 pm

Even with the high rex photo, there seems to be no evidence of a hood hump, as you mentioned. The emblem is definitely the one you have. What a piece of history there, both the emblem and the photo. The black line that curves downward in the upper right-hand corner, at first made me think that was the shadow of asomething overhead reflecting off the hood hump, but there is no other indication that there is one at all.
Need info on that pic now. Always more!!!
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Re: rotary powered monza

Postby Astre-mutt » Sun Mar 27, 2011 11:36 am

The light weight to horsepower ratio of a rotary engine would make a fun H-body. If you need a bigger engine, you just bolt on another rotor section. Even though 3 rotors seems to get the gob done.
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Re: rotary powered monza

Postby stage169 » Tue Dec 27, 2011 10:59 am

Could this be the same car but updated with square lights and new hood? Might be the dates are close. Did the 75's have side mirrors like that? I've copied a couple other images (monza, skyhawk) for 75 that show the same side mirror.

According to this newspaper article (on back of other Monza pic) there was still hope for the rotary engine.
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Re: rotary powered monza

Postby fyrftr50 » Tue Dec 27, 2011 12:07 pm

More great shots.

I think the top photo is also one of the car below, which is the car used for all the official GM press photos, which I have a small collection of, including that lower one you posted. That doesn't mean it isn't the same car with swapped-out headlights, etc. Too bad you can't make out the nameplate on the fender of the top car, it most likely says Chaparelle, like the official press photos I have (http://monza.homestead.com/chaparelle.html).

Yes, those mirrors (well, one mirror only) were available and were standard equipment on the 2+2 (sport hatchback in later years and later on in '75, the Towne Coupe) and is shown in the dealer brochures and other GM literature. The sport mirrors which we are all more familiar with was a D35 option.

Surprising that the rotary was still a possibility as late as August of the first production year.

You really are sitting on a collection of history
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Re: rotary powered monza

Postby cjbiagi » Tue Dec 27, 2011 12:45 pm

One of the reasons the V8 Monza was delayed was the fact that the rotary option was dropped because it failed to meet the reliability/emission standards and GM was scrambling to certify the V8 in the Monza chassis. I ordered my Monza right after the 75 was introduced in Sept of 74. Because I ordered the V8 it didn't come in until aprrox Feb of 75. I waited almost 5 months for it to be built and delivered. I actually cancelled the order and found a Camaro I was ready to buy when the dealer called me at home and said "don't know if you are still interested but your Monza is here". I went to look at it and decided to take it. The rest is history............
Clyde.........75 Monza 2+2
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Re: rotary powered monza

Postby stage169 » Tue Dec 27, 2011 2:05 pm

I bet you are right Bryan and more than likely they had made 30 or more Monza's by that time of year just for tials. The photo just reminded me of monaaddicts. Looking around on ebay last night (gift card to spend) but $30.00 for the top one... I don't think so :shock: I wasn't sure about the mirrors so that clears it up, thanks.

Some good pictures though and some priced ok. They must of not thought the Skyhawk or Starfire were good enough to tamper they are clear.

Clyde I've read some of that here before but didn't realize how close all that was. I guess you have to be a congressman in Illinois to get an early V8 Monza (with IMSA body panels to boot) :D Now I wonder if that engine was stock?

Here are a few more pictures.
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Re: rotary powered monza

Postby cjbiagi » Tue Dec 27, 2011 2:58 pm

Yeah, I don't know about the congressman, but there couldn't be many people that ordered their Monza before me. I literally ordered it like the 3rd week of September 1974. There wasn't even one in the showroom yet and I had never seen or driven one in person. I based everything on magazine articles that were very prolific at the time with the Monza introduction. So, I figured it had basically what I was looking for, small car, light weight, V8, 4 speed, posi rear etc so that's what I ordered. I ordered it pretty much as soon as salesmen could place orders. Their are some earlier cars (based on their VIN's) but that's pretty much because of the delay getting the V8 car produced so I would assume most are 4cylinder cars. In all honesty it's pretty amazing how close I came to not owning one because of the delay, I was as patient as a 19 year old kid could be I guess. I don't think I would have considered it with the rotary engine, had to have a V8 and I knew all along someday I'd put a 350 in there to replace the 262. The 262 stayed in there until 1984. Only had 40,000 miles on it when I pulled it and it was in perfect shape, but you know how it is. :D
I had a girl friend who eventually bought a new Mirage, it was nice because it had the 305V8 and larger brakes etc. It wasn't really my taste with the bolt on panels and graphics but she certainly liked it. Not sure how long she had it as we went separate ways shortly after that.
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Re: rotary powered monza

Postby stage169 » Tue Dec 27, 2011 3:11 pm

:D That is pretty good, I like the story!

If you don't know my reference to the congressman is about Bryan's post on the dealer sold IMSA Monza. I guess the original owner was an IL congressman and the car was the 63rd Monza off the line (000063). It has the 262 V8 so I was just saying maybe it was an original 4cyl.

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Re: rotary powered monza

Postby monzaaddict » Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:41 am

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Re: rotary powered monza

Postby monzaaddict » Thu Oct 24, 2013 1:57 pm

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Re: rotary powered monza

Postby stage169 » Thu Oct 24, 2013 5:48 pm

Way cool, thought something was wrong with the engine pics till I realized they were 3D :D Fixed that and have some nice pictures.

I tried to look at the carb from the engine pic's but now you found one on ebay plus the prototype! Thanks for sharing!

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