‘Merage: 1977 Chevrolet Monza Mirage
Back when the Vega came out, everyone knew it already needed more of just about everything. The Monza, an evolution thereof, kinda-sorta satisfied that but Chevy really phoned it in. Now with 50% more ‘Merica, the Monza Mirage was an IMSA inspired and dealer affixed package that usually came with a V8 but never failed to deliver in a screaming eagle Amerigasm, half-empty Budweiser-to-the forehead kind of way. Find this 1977 Chevrolet Monza Mirage for sale in Round Lake, IL for $12,500.
The body cladding and the window mullets fit quite nicely with the Uncle Sam theme, but c’mon, where are the Keystone Classics? The 5 spoke wheels are about a decade early to this party of all-American badassery. The hood scoop and blower (671 maybe?) look pretty phenomenal, no arguments there. One thing’s for sure – nobody will ever mistake you for a wine sommelier or international diplomat in this rolling Lee Greenwood album.
The Mirage would’ve come with whatever the dealer wanted to shove you out the door with while you were high on fender flares. This could’ve been the aluminum block and iron head 78-horsepower Vega derived Disaster-Tron four, a 4.3L 110hp eight cylinder, or man, I can’t go on talking about these options. This guy pulled out whatever mess of vacuum lines and partially aspirated cylinders came out and shoved in a blown 406. Way to do the paint scheme justice, you mighty patriot!
Not exactly exuding calm, the interior of this Monza appears as though it was dyed at the factory through mass animal sacrifice. A sea of crimson synthesized materials comprise your driving environment, centered around a faux wood console with a lever that determines the direction of your axle-trampling, pegleg burnout. Three pedals were rarely available in Monzas, this car being equipped with a Turbo Hydramatic 350.
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[image src=" trailers.apple.com/trailers/paramount/team_america/images/taqt2_09.jpg" width="400px"/]
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"..interior of this Monza appears as though it was dyed at the factory through mass animal sacrifice."
I was chuckling during the whole article but this line made me loose it! Thanks and keep up the great writing!
The Monza was a gorgeous shape, particularly compared to what else was coming out of the Slough of Bumper Despond era.
But…but…they couldn't have built a heavier car that size if they'd tried. It's been thirty-five years since I've been near one and I still remember the sheer hernia-inducing mass of the doors. The engine plucked straight out of a Camaro with cast-iron everything and the big Harrison A6 AC compressor. The big Saginaw iron steering box likewise straight out of the big GM parts bin.
And then there were the Buick and Olds versions that went out the door with the 90HP 231ci stumble-fire V6.
I owned one of these at 16. Lady in our neighborhood bought it new. That 305 was real powerhouse. If it was wet out. I could get a tire to spin. My plan was 400 ci and have fun.
I CANNOT believe this guy butchered the car by putting a BLOWER on a commemorative ROAD RACE car. Here is mine so you can see what the car is supposed to look like. facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=657234134329838&set=a.657234144329837.1073741828.100001297728662&type=3&theater
What an ill-informed and misleading article. The Mirage package was not a dealer-affixed package. It was a limited edition run of commemorative cars that Chevrolet contracted with Michigan Automotive Techniques to produce in celebration of Chevrolet's successful series victory in the 1976 IMSA GT road racing series. roadandtrack.com/motorsports/a5068/motorsports-flashback-chevy-monza-imsa-gt-racer/. 4057 vehicles were produced and they were sold at dealerships to spark showroom traffic during the morass of automobile sales between the 1974 and 1978 fuel crises. To feature the bastard above with a blower on a commemorative road racing car certainly validates Matt's admission as bottom feeder journalist spreading fake news.
As usual in America today, the truth is somewhere in between. See, for example, this seemingly well-informed, truthy-looking article, Origins of the 1977 Chevrolet Monza Mirage:
There were approximately 2,400 Monza Mirages turned out by MAT ["MAT" the company, not "Matt" the writer. -Ed.]. Additionally, some Mirage packages were assembled at dealerships. The entire sport package was available to the public and could be ordered from dealer parts departments.
I think that elevates Matt from "ill-informed and misleading" to "might have some schmutz on his reading glasses and took a swing at it from the info available". We can all agree the car is a bastard, but since there were apparently only 25 to 30 of these still on the road as of 2008, let's all sing Kumbayah and also that old McDonald's commercial and agree that any running Mirage is a "good" Mirage. Can we also elevate Matt to "pelagic blog writer cheerfully sowing nano-controversial infotainment"?
No, I am not Matt's mom.
Matt: Would you please take out the recycling, I have nowhere to put this gin bottle.
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