whats the difference between vega-monza

is there a difference tween a vega steering box and a corvair monza box?
I was looking for a vega box but was told the monza was the same . Any ideas will help.

thanks ray

 

the chevy monza (from the late 70s) is the same basic car as the vega, maybe that's what they meant?

corvair monza is a 60s thing...

 

Yes they are not the same.

Monza was a model of the Corvair that stopped production in 1969.

In 1975 Chevrolet brought out a new line...Monza which used the same manual steering box as the Vega. You want a manual box from a 1975-1980 Monza...not related to a Corvair.

 

From what I have scrounged from the boneyards. ONLY the early Monza from 75 to about 77 are the small Vega type box. The later ones use a box that looks very similar but is bigger all around..Still have 5 old Vega boxes 2 Corvairs on the shelf for future projects.

 

There are 3 different Vega/Monza (H car...Vega/Monza/Astre/Starfire etc) boxes. One is power but there is a heavy duty and a regular manual box.

Early H cars had the light duty box (21-1 ratio)but when the Cosworth Vega came out it had a bigger, faster ratio box.(16-1) This heavier box was used more often in all H cars as the years progressed and would be a better choice on a larger Rod.

the small box is approx 5" long but the HD is over 7" long.
Both have the same mounting pattern as far as bolting to the car.
Pitman arm spline and diameter is different between boxes and there is a different length input shaft so it isn't a full bolt in to change it over.

Thanks to John Thawley and the old "ROD ACTION" magazine for the above info!

 

good info thanks

 

Were the Monza's a "front" steer box?[box ahead of wheel C/L?]
And,were Vegas the same?

 

Both were front steer. A lot of the later Monza parts will bolt into an early Vega. There was a change in the front brake system when they went to the Monzas. The Monza spindles can be used on the earlier Vega. The early Vegas had a really weird rear brake system also. They switched over to the more common GM 9 1/2 rear brakes for Monzas AND later Vegas.

 

This may help.

Vega box - #140.

Monza HD box - maybe - #122.

Power steer box - #605.

Same bolt pattern on all three


The color pic is a Saginaw, but no further info as we found it on a junkyard shelf.
Something along the lines of an 80's or so Camaro.
But, Use caution.
There's an almost identical box that steers reverse to this one.
Keep in mind that for most hot rod use, the pitman arm will point forward.

The only other ID feature for this last box is that the pitman arm has a pronounced S shape to it.