John Donlan

In 1980 my wife and I purchased a new 1980 Chevrolet Monza. That car was a horror on wheels to control on the road! It was heavy, had a narrow track, and a relatively long wheelbase....and it came with bias ply tires. Driving in the rain, going around a corner, climbing a hill -- it was a miracle that the car stayed on the road! So, the first thing I did was go out and purchase a good set of radial tires (radial tires were a new item in those days, but they had a good reputation so far). And THAT did the trick! The Monza was much easier to handle with the new radials, but considering the narrow track, long wheelbase, and the unusually heavy weight it was still a challenge to keep it under comfortable control going down the road. In a way, although this was the most "dangerous" car I ever owned, it helped me hone my driving skills better than I would have with an easier car to control. After a couple of years I was able to drive confidently even on black ice (we usually had/still have a lot of black ice on Route 80 in NJ). It got so that I could control that car in deep snow, rain, ice, sleet....you name it. I managed to rack up 169,000 miles on her before letting her go.

Oldest to newest.... 1962 Chrysler 300 1972 Plymouth Duster (w/ simulated snakeskin half roof) 1975 AMC Gremlin 1980 Chevrolet Monza 1991 Subaru Loyale 2009 Honda Odyssey (Touring Edition) 2013 Honda Civic

I learned how to drive on that car: it was our family sedan. What a sweet ride! A true pleasure to drive. The steering wheel could be turned with a gentle nudge of your pinky finger. It had the smaller V8 engine, but still plenty of power! The automatic transmission was flawless, and shifted smoothly -- always. Aaahh....what memories! 😉

I remember once parking my 1962 Chrysler 300 4-door hardtop next to a Ford LTD Station Wagon...and it was longer than the wagon by a good 8"!

I can assure you that the ad did not overhype the car for what it is. This exact model, year, and color combination was MY FIRST car, purchased for me by my father when it was 9 years old...the only difference being that mine had the 383 cid engine...and factory air conditioning (rare to find today). The car was a dream to drive; it reminded me of a large boat streaming through the ocean. Even though it was a non-letter series it still bore the exquisite design styling by Virgil Exner. The push-button shifter was smooth and effortless, and the aircraft-style instrument pod with its "panelescent lighting" was truly a wonder to behold in the evening shadows when every instrument was lit up! I must admit, however, that the only weakness I became aware of was the twin brake cylinders on each wheel. The concept was good, but the brake cylinders were sadly under-designed for such a large automobile, and even after replacement the seals would leak prematurely.