Rusty and grimy, lost and forgotten, this 1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo in St. Paul, Minnesota comes to market here on Craigslist, a final act of desperation. High spots include a (claimed) original V8, air conditioning, Strato-bucket seats with center console, and five slot Rally wheels. Low points include no title and a salvage-branded title at that, rust everywhere, non-running condition, and, presumably, long periods of outdoor storage. The $2000 asking price tests the limit of a parts car, though the Rally wheels, console, and trim might bring that. Thanks to reader T.J. for spotting this golden nugget.
Follow the five foot long fan shroud tunnel and you may find a J-code 175 HP four-barrel 350 cid (5.7L) V8. Thanks to the VIN decoder at FirstGenMC for some details. The air conditioning compressor and original-looking air filter housing with snorkel suggest this one-owner Monte avoided life as a hand-me-down hot rod, which could mean other useful restoration parts lurk within the engine compartment. Whether they could be used on this car or merely find their way to others remains a valid question. Though somewhat distorted by the wide-angle lens, that upper radiator hose may be longer than some of today’s sub-compact cars!
Standard equipment included the nice carpeted door panels and simulated Carpathian burled Elm wood grain.
Naming a car after glamorous locations sometimes amounts to lipstick on a pig, but Chevy hit a home run with its first-generation Monte Carlo. Few would have raised an eyebrow if it were branded and badged as a Cadillac. In fact, the 1970 Monte Carlo’s fender and quarter panel styling can easily be witnessed in the refreshed 1971 Cadillac Eldorado.
The egg-crate grille grants another Cadillac feature to the Monte Carlo. Indeed some enthusiasts blame the bleeding of luxury features into lesser General Motors brands like Chevrolet and Pontiac for ruining Buick and Oldsmobile. It will be a long time before this classic draws a valet ticket anywhere near Monte Carlo, unless it’s on a trailer parked outside the Monte Carlo restaurant in Minneapolis. Is this one-owner Chevy a parts car or a candidate for last-chance restoration?
I say, I do love dem staple shifters but this car looks mighty crusty…
I’ll take the floor jack on the passenger front seat.
Marked down to $1600.
I would imagine it’s a decent parts car for somewhere close to that number…I’d get a tetnus shot first!
If he has already dropped down to $1600, if you showed up with cash and a trailer you could likely do better. I believe you could part this out and make some money back, but don’t expect to make a killing!
I’ll bet this Monte was a beauty in its day with that exterior/interior color combo. Never leave home without a floor jack in the front seat. Unfortunately garage kept came way too late for this one.
Back in the day, this would be made into a street stock car.
One of my first GF’s had one of these. Could have been a ’71. But it had the biggest motor this car had available. Maybe 427.
Alas she drove it like it had a 6 cylinder in it.
Is that jack included?
I had a 1970 My first car.I changed it over from bench and column to buckets and console. I loved that car burgundy and black I painted it with western center line rims.. Those were the days .This one I would buy it and gut the interior and restore it and put in another Monte…
I would buy the Monty and pick her up, if possible reply back dewingard345@gmail.com thanks 😊
Reading is fundamental, Danny.
One owner. One terrible owner.
Have to love sellers who show a car inside a nice tidy garage when it is obvious that the car sat outside buried to its frame in mud under a tree somewhere. At least this seller is asking parts car price for what is likely a true parts car.
The floor jack is worth more than the whole car….
How anyone can let any car get to this state is beyond my thinking. I have worked two jobs most of my life and I am 66. I have owned 45 cars, 10 motorcycles and countless snowmobiles. Not ONE of them ever looked like this POS. I had two Monte Carlos, two of the best cars I ever owned. Put 200,000 miles on a 76 with what people said was a POS 305 engine. Oh well, I proved them wrong. Never even put a water pump on it. Also owned a 1988 Monte Carlo SS, every option. Sold it 30 years ago. Stupid. The guy I sold it to, still has it. He is smart. I got $9,300 for it. Worth 3 times that now.
I grew up in MN and when I this the very first thought that came to mind was RUST, RUST and more, you guessed it RUST!
gone.