Oddball Muscle Cars

[Ed Fernandez]

Originally Posted by MYRONARL1119

You guys may not classify them as muscle, but for what they were-they weren't half bad. 1975 2 + 2 Chevy Monza 262 v8 4 speed. Same combo as now being run as a pass national record holder from Canada. I had a 1975 4 speed model that wasn't all that fast e.t. wise, but with the 2.....rear end felt like it could have run nascar top end. Also had a 1977 2 + 2 305 v8 auto/ a/c that my wife drove and they also were a good street light warrior. The all time sleeper factory V8 Monza was to Calif 1975 model. The 262 would not pass Calif smog test, so they used a factory 350 into Calif that would. Never saw one in the Mid west as I would think that would have been rather limited.

I always thought a Monza with a Buick GNX motor would be a killer street car.

[Bret Kepner]

Originally Posted by MYRONARL1119

The all time sleeper factory V8 Monza was to Calif 1975 model. The 262 would not pass Calif smog test, so they used a factory 350 into Calif that would. Never saw one in the Midwest as I would think that would have been rather limited.

I actually saw one, Myron; it was running in the Production classes at Bonneville in '87 or so and almost couldn't get through tech because of lack of documentation. I believe the model was referred to as the "Black Widow", (in deference to the Monza [/i]Spyder[/i] option). Apparently, the same name was bestowed on a limited performance model of the Corvair Monza Spyder so it was (apparently) a generational thing. Maybe Gould can shed some light on that.

Ironically, smallblock Monzas became one of the more common cars on the salt; there are still a bunch of them running there, too.

[Paul Ceasrine]

BRET,,Misunderstood, it is your DREAM CAR (something thought during sleep),Mine is the AVANTI (equally as ugly),,didn't they come through with a290 with a Holley 4-barrell??,,Another 17.50 ET Wonder...Paul,,Any AMC/Rambler dealers left in the USA?

[Dwight Southerland]

Originally Posted by Bret Kepner

That's my dream car, Paul!

And, NO...I'm NOT kidding!

I've only ever seen two of 'em in person. Last I checked, I think it could be squeezed into P/SA. The second one I saw was rotting in a field about ten miles from Central Michigan Dragway for sale for $1500. I almost had Denysenko tow it for me but I bailed on the deal and refurbished a house, instead. I'm an idiot.

By the way, (for everybody but Paul), we're talking about the second generation Marlin, not the '65-'66. The '67 is a completely different car; production numbers were less than 2500.

Brett -

I know someone who has one of those cars. It's blue/blue with a console, pdb and ps. It runs and drives but needs work. Body is good. He might sell it if you are truly interested.

[cicero819]

Brett, nice to see you hopping around, hope your back problem are behind you now. I enjoyed your articles a while back with your Corvette and rental cars., they were very interesting with great insights.A long time ago my next door neighbor had a Marlin which he thought was faster than my Brothers 56 Jr Stocker, until he was invited to beat the Cheby, twenty car lengths later he got his answer. I saw a Marlin racing on the Pure Stock web Site a while ago 15:40 not bad for all that weight. I hope to see some more of your articles in the future I found them quite enjoyable to read. Claude

[Dwight Southerland]

I have several:

1) 1967 Camaro Z-28, HD close-ratio 4-speed, HD rear axle 3.73, fresh air package, disc brakes, heater delete. I bought this car from a man in OK who had purchased it to go Trans Am racing. It was one of two identical cars. He made the first one into a race car and gave up. Eight years later he gave this to his 16 year old son who hated the car. He put a Pioneer stereo in it, Cragar S/S wheels and air shocks. Then he blew it up. I bought the car out of one of his ranch barns in 1982. Restored the car, sold it in Hemmings. I still see it occaisionally show up in the collector car market.
2) 1969 Biscayne 2-dr bought to be a race car. 427-425 Turbo w/4.56 posi as the only options.
3) 1965 Fairlane 500 4-dr with a 289-271 4-speed.
4) 1969 Camaro 350-255 regular gas motor, 4-speed, spoilers, 3.55 12-bolt posi, PDB, ZL-2 fresh air hood, Strato bucket seats, console, guages, HD suspension. No SS or RS package. The guy lived down the hall from me in college.
5) 1968 Caprice notch-back coupe with a 427-425 4-speed and power steering.
6) 1968 Barracuda 318 2-bbl, 4-speed, 3.55 posi, HD suspension, single exhaust, console, PDB.
7) 1967 Barracuda convertible, 383 auto. This car was blue with red 383 emblems (?) High school friend.
8) 1965 GTO tri-power, 4-speed with 2.93 gears and AC. One of my brother's friends - it was their family car.
9) 1963 Chevrolet Impala wagon with a 409-400, 4-speed. Bought by Julian Martin (Mark Martin's dad) for his wife as a family car.

and my favorite -
10) My dad came home with a 1957 Plymouth Belvedere 4-dr sedan with a 318 2-4 bbl auto posi NO radio car in December of 1957. Seems the new models had come out and they made him a deal on that car because they couldn't sell it. He paid $1850 for it with 54 miles on the clock. The car ran a 15.4 quarter at Gary US30 Dragstrip in Gary, IN, according to my older brother.

[MYRONARL1119]

Bret, My personal best oddball muscle in addition to early monza was actually a repo that I bought at a bank repo auction in the summer of 1968.. They had this pretty plain looking 1968 Chevelle Malibu 2 door hardtop. I popped the hood and saw that it was a 327 v8, so I ran it up to 2200, and that bought it. Upon closer inspection, and noticing that it seemed like it wanted to fish tail rather badly-we found that some one had stuck old recaps on it and probably replaced to correct air cleaner. Turned out that is was a kind of rare to that year to be a 327 what they called a 325 horse in the Chevelle. Had bench seat, 4 speed, no power steering,no power brakes. Turned out it had a 3.73 posi rear end. I painted black in the grille, between the 2 chrome strips on the rear, and under the side chrome. It would out run most street run of the mill SS Chevelles, but then every one just figured that it was probably a 375 hp 396 instead of a small block. Drove it in Ohio until the rear quarters rusted, and water started coming in around the rear window...Should have put ip up, and fixed later. Wished I had kept it now.

[mtkawboy]

Monza fastbacks are one of the best aero bodies you can run at Bonneville in the classic production classes. That 327/325 combo was like the 327/350 deal only with a q-jet carb on it. Paul Berg , I/S racer, ran one in a 68 Nova at Miami.

[Paul Ceasrine]

The ODD-BALL Match Race,1967 AMC Marlin 343/280HP vs. 1966 Avanti II (w/Chev. L-75; 327/300HP),,Thought the Avanti had an AMC power-plant, but it came through with a Corvette,L-75 code, 327/300 Carter-carbed engine)..The Avanti's weight break was between 10.00 - 10.50....Watch out you E/S Z-28 Camaro's,,,Has anyone calculated the weight break for the 67' Marlin,, had to weigh in at about #3450 or so.
And the Marlin was the pre-sursor for that other man-made-marvel,,, the red-white-blue "Rebel Machine" 390/340HP...
Paul,,next up 'The American"

[Greg Reimer 7376]

Originally Posted by MYRONARL1119

Bret, My personal best oddball muscle in addition to early monza was actually a repo that I bought at a bank repo auction in the summer of 1968.. They had this pretty plain looking 1968 Chevelle Malibu 2 door hardtop. I popped the hood and saw that it was a 327 v8, so I ran it up to 2200, and that bought it. Upon closer inspection, and noticing that it seemed like it wanted to fish tail rather badly-we found that some one had stuck old recaps on it and probably replaced to correct air cleaner. Turned out that is was a kind of rare to that year to be a 327 what they called a 325 horse in the Chevelle. Had bench seat, 4 speed, no power steering,no power brakes. Turned out it had a 3.73 posi rear end. I painted black in the grille, between the 2 chrome strips on the rear, and under the side chrome. It would out run most street run of the mill SS Chevelles, but then every one just figured that it was probably a 375 hp 396 instead of a small block. Drove it in Ohio until the rear quarters rusted, and water started coming in around the rear window...Should have put ip up, and fixed later. Wished I had kept it now.

That engine had more beans than most people realized.It had 11.00 to 1 compression forged pistons, a larger journal steel crank,the #151 camshaft, 2.02 intakes with 1.600 exhausts,and was the 350 horse long block with the #803 intake and quadrajet. That car today would run E or F with a 4 speed. I don't know of any out there currently being raced, but it would be neat to see again.