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Spotless 1974 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Landau

This 1974 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Landau is a stunning looking car. The owner claims that it is mostly original, and it does appear to be an amazing survivor. This is a car that managed to swim against the tide when it was new, and this one looks like it has been someone’s prized possession since those heady days of the 1970s. It is now looking to head to a new home. The Landau is located in Polk City, Florida, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. The BIN has been set at $10,500.

This is not the first car from this seller that we’ve seen here at Barn Finds. He seems to be able to find some fairly extraordinary cars, and this Monte Carlo Landau is no exception. Finished in Medium Green with a White landau-style vinyl top, the vehicle presents beautifully. The owner rates the paint as an easy 8/10, and that seems to be a fair assessment. There are no signs of any significant flaws or defects, while the panels appear to be perfectly straight. The Monte Carlo is described as being completely rust-free, and there are no signs of any problems in the supplied photos. The Landau rolls on a set of Rally wheels that look to be free from flaws or issues. The bumpers and chrome shine beautifully, and I can’t see any signs of scratches or chips with the tinted glass.

There is an exception to every rule, and the 1974 Monte Carlo perfectly demonstrated this. The oil crisis that struck at the end of 1973 and into 1974 dramatically impacted larger cars’ sales. Many buyers turned their attention to smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles, with sales of larger cars tumbling dramatically. That is unless your name was Chevrolet, and the model that you were offering was the Monte Carlo. This not only bucked the trend, but 1974 represented a sales record for the Monte Carlo. What we find hiding under the hood of this one is a 350ci V8, which produces 145hp. The Landau also features a 3-speed Turbo Hydramatic transmission, along with power steering and power brakes. When you consider the prevailing conditions when this Monte Carlo rolled off the line, its sales success was nothing short of astounding. Fuel was in short supply, and this was a thirsty car. Its average consumption in this form was somewhere in the region of 13 mpg. That makes it a fantastic feat by Chevrolet to shift more than 300,000 examples of the Monte Carlo at that time. The news with this car is all positive. The engine bay’s presentation is immaculate, and this is a classic that drives as well as it looks. The owner states that the 350 kicks into life easily and that the vehicle runs and drives smoothly.

If the Landau’s interior isn’t perfect, then it isn’t far off the mark. The only aftermarket addition is the wrap on the wheel. The rest of it is exactly as Chevrolet intended. The dash and pad are free from cracks and fading, while the upholstery looks to be perfect. I can’t see any marks, stains, or wear on the carpet, and the headliner is spotless. The owner states that the original stereo is still in the dash and works perfectly. However, I can’t determine whether this is an 8-track player, a cassette, or a regular AM/FM radio. Beyond that, the Monte Carlo comes equipped with air conditioning, power windows, and a tilt wheel.

The 1974 Monte Carlo was an enormous sales success for Chevrolet, and it was a model that swam against the tide at that time. This Monte Carlo Landau is a spotless survivor, and it would suit anyone looking for a classic that they can drive and enjoy immediately. That brings us to the question of the price and how it rates in the current market. The simple answer is that it does appear to be extremely competitive. Prices for good examples the Landau have been sitting at around the $15,000 mark for quite some time, although an immaculate example can fetch more than $20,000. The owner encourages potential buyers to inspect the Chevy, and I think that it has the potential to be well worth the effort. If it is as good in the metal as it would seem to be in the listing, this could be one of the better buys of 2020. It is definitely well worth considering.

Comments

  1. Avatar Big_Fun Member

    A/C, power windows, tilt, rear defrost, and an factory AM/FM Stereo. Those new seat covers are off on color, but I can live with it.
    I think we can all agree on two statements; nice Monte Carlo, and that steering wheel wrap has got to go…

    Like 11
    • Avatar Danamonte

      Those are definitely NOT new seat covers, and that is the correct color. That is how they came. Even the ones with a red interior in 74 had two shades between the bench and door panel. It looks odd, I agree. I am very familiar with these cars.

      Like 8
      • Avatar Big_Fun Member

        Those are new seat covers…in the correct pattern. Lower door panels and dash have also been dyed to match the seats. The only original pieces with correct color is the upper door panels, and the corresponding back seat side panels.
        Also, the front and rear bumper rub strips are reproduction. Originals had a white stripe in the middle.

        Like 5
      • Avatar David Dickinson

        What is a FULLY loaded ’75 Landau, black on black on black, 400/400, with only 4,000 original miles worth? Call me at 206-354-8347.

        Like 0
    • Avatar Jeff

      Big Fun,

      Please, don’t knock the steering wheel wrap, my Grandpa had one on all of his cars since 1956.
      Plastic steering wheels are cold as h3ll in the dead of winter here in Chicago!

      Like 4
      • Avatar Big_Fun Member

        I agree with you, and am not knocking their overall purpose. If you have to have one, the color for this one- I would rather it be black, it is a better contrast, and the vents, radio knobs, etc. are also (mostly) black.
        Should have clarified.

        Like 2
      • Avatar Chuck Dickinson

        These don’t have a plastic wheel. They’re soft-feel.

        Like 2
    • Avatar Danamonte

      Not sure why you think these are dyed. Like I said previously it was an odd thing with the 74 vinyl interiors. Dash here is not dyed either. Most colors were like this but the green interior was really strange. The maroon had two shades as well, and some of the other colors as well did not match, sears to door panels. They all look off. Just Google some pictures of 74 Monte interiors and see for your self.

      Like 4
  2. Avatar William Spiegel

    When I was a kid I thought the Monte Carlos were awesome cars / they looked cool, especially when the high schoolers put some Ag wheels on ‘em. This takes me back to when I was 5 years old. Very nice car.

    Like 3
  3. Avatar Luke Fitzgerald

    That’s original trim on those benches

    Like 3
  4. Avatar Gerry

    Those were always the last car you’d ever park next to due simply to the length of those doors. Guaranteed to give you a door ding! Lol

    Like 21
    • Avatar JoeNYWF64

      & for the driver of said vehicle, possibly a sore shoulder. Or a pulled back. lol
      The doors of ’70s f-bodies, the ’70s thunderbirds, & Cannon’s car i think are even longer & heavier.

      Like 5
    • Avatar chuck

      True. I had a 77, in 1978. Also the 8 foot nose made it hard to get into a parking space.
      Being a teenager at the time, I did find the back seat spacious.

      Like 1
  5. Avatar Troy s

    I remember that body style the most when it comes to Monte’s. Of course everyone jumped on that small narrow rear window for styling. For a while actually.
    The color, the styling, it’s as seventies as it gets, the low horsepower rating too. The more I look the more it reminds me of a much larger take on the pony car….very long hood, short deck sort of thing. Very long hood! Nice old time machine.

    Like 2
  6. Avatar Tim

    My dad bought one of these as a bank repo. Gas consumption was horrific. He sold it after 6 months for something smaller. Not good as a commuter, it was a wonderful cruiser. This looks like a nice example.

    Like 2
  7. Avatar Cerno

    I have a 73 in Maroon on Maroon with 8 inch Corvette rally’s and it’s a 20,351 original mile car and still looks out of the wrapper and the air blows cold. These cars sold like wild fires in there days along with the Grand Prix , Chrysler Córdoba,s and the Thunderbirds . I do prefer the single round headlight over the stacked rectangles it just had a better look Just wish it had A better fuel economy rating there slobs on fuel and lacked neck breaking thrust but it was just a blue collar daily driver . I think this car is in as nice of shape as mine but I also think he’s underpriced it by a few grand you can’t even buy a cool street bike for that heck some mountain bikes cost that . Get her while she’s cheap because you won’t loose a dime .

    Like 11
  8. Avatar 1-MAC

    Put duals on it remove smog trash and watch power and mileage improve. And if you insist it is a 350 Chevy, easiest in the world to modify.

    Like 6
  9. Avatar CJinSD

    I thought these were pretty small cars in 1974, at least inside. They certainly didn’t cast the same size shadow as a Caprice or a Lincoln Mark IV. I believe they were intermediates with some added packaging inefficiency. And while the fuel consumption was a burden, it wasn’t from excessive performance. Cars seeking the same customers as this Monte Carlo commonly had 7.5 liter engines only a year or two earlier.

    Like 2
  10. Avatar Bear

    Damn nice car! :-)
    Extremely clean looking in the pictures.
    (…although I’d still like to see what the underside looks like.)
    Probably the only thing holding the price down is the color combo.

    IF I had $10K to spare (& deep pockets to pay the gasoline bill) I’d be a buyer!!

    Like 5
  11. HoA Howard A Member

    I’m going out on a limb here, Chevy made lots of nice cars, but I think these full size Monte’s were the nicest. I’d love to have it. I read, this car cost about $4,100 bucks new ( depending on options) which, adjusted for inflation today, comes to about $25 grand, so, this is a relative bargain. Did I say that? Yes, I did, for a magnificent car like this, for once it’s worth it, considering the junk that comes through here for a lot more. Somebody sure loved their Monte.

    Like 4
    • Avatar Tirefriar

      It was a bargain back then and is a bargain right now, seller dropped the price to $9500. I tend to pass up on a lot of cool cars thanks to a Saleen parked in the garage….its a small garage…

      Like 1
  12. Avatar Fran

    It had me until I saw the interior! Why not black or even white?!

    Like 6
  13. Avatar John Oliveri

    I could live with the green outside, but the green inside is a bit much, I’d pull the door panels etc, and headliner and go white like the top, green dash and rugs I’d live with

    Like 3
  14. Avatar Super Glide

    Like the 1959/60 full size Chevrolets, I didn’t like the 2nd gen Monte Carlos either. Time has passed and I would gladly own either now. Although the
    1959/60 would have a 348 3 deuce setup and the Monte would have the 454.

    Or I would own, what everybody would own, a 1964 Dodge Polara 500 with a 426 Cross Ram Max Wedge and a Typewriter TorqueFlite. One belt on the engine.

    Like 2
    • Avatar Troy s

      From back when everyone drove Ford Thunderbolts and full blown max wedge Dodges to work, Christmas tree staging light at every intersection or a girl in hot pants with a green flag….ready steady….Go! Ha, good one Super Glide!

      Like 0
  15. Avatar Scott Hester

    I owned a 71 as my first car in late 70s/early 80s. The front end was so long that when I needed to replace the water pump, I removed the fan blades and cowl, than stepped over the core support/radiator and stood in the engine bay, between the radiator and engine, to complete the job. When the driver seat back structure collapsed one day, I pulled a Coupe de Ville power seat from a salvage yard and replaced it. Black rather than green, and it barely shoehorned in there, with some minor mods to the mounting rails, but it was comfy. Bought with 80K miles for $700 and sold 6 years later with 140K miles for $250. Best value ever.

    Like 2
  16. Avatar Al Arnold

    I had a 74 Gran Prix the same color combo as this monte. I’d say original, But weird, it’s hard to match interior colors with what I thought was the ugliest green Gm put on anything at the time. I think thats the reason I got such a good deal on it. Still a nice original !

    Like 0
  17. Avatar george mattar

    While, I hate those cheap steering wheel wraps, it is on there for one of two reasons, the owner is smart and knows the sun destroys that cheap GM plastic and in severe heat, they getting sticky and suck in all the dirt and oils from your hands. Or reason two, which is doubtful, based on other interior shots, that it was destroyed over the last 46 years, and needed it. I have covers on all my cars, even my always garaged Corvette. I detail cars professionally and can tell you the steering wheel is one of the most dirty parts on a car, especially women’s cars, caked with makeup. I had a 76 Monte with swivel buckets. Rusted out, but mechanically gave me only minor trouble for 150,000 miles. Drove it more than 100 miles a day for work from 1983 to about 1990. Flawless HEI ignition. Ice cold air 40 degrees. Ate gas, but always started and super comfortable with my bad back. The swivel seats made it easier to get in and out. Miss that car. Also had an 88 SS.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar art

    I owned two Monte Carlo’s, a 1973 and a 1977. Neither had this bizarre interior clash of colors. This interior appears to have been sprayed or re-dyed but in an off color. Look at the screw at the center of the rear parcel shelf…no longer chromed but sprayed over.
    I’m with the majority, the interior has to either be re-done or replaced. Gawd awful.
    Maybe drive with sunglasses on?

    Like 2
    • Avatar DON

      I agree -its definitely been resprayed , the cluster bezel should be all black, not painted the exact same color as the dashboard and lower door panels . The seats have been redone as well. The originals didn’t have the pleats going all the way across ; they had a space in the center . The carpet fit is awful too , its all bunched up in the back , something you wouldn’t do with a factory molded carpet.
      Still a beautiful, solid looking car though !

      Like 1
      • Avatar Danamonte

        The 74 dash bezel is not black. I have owned two. My dark red one had a dark red dash bezel and my tan one did as well.

        Like 1
  19. Avatar HC Member

    I had a 1973 Malibu/ El Camino that I updated a little. New Edelbrock intake and carb, petronix ignition module and deleted as much egr and smog as I could. Added way more HP and sipped gas instead of drinking it. Was alot of fun!

    Like 1
  20. Avatar Collector Of Souls

    Hmmmmmm…..That would look great in my shop ….next to the other 14 monte’s I have…. I have everything from no options…to full loaded in 74.. even the rear window defrost….

    Like 1
  21. Avatar Linda Sue

    I owned the same car love it

    Like 0
  22. Avatar Charles Turner

    Because I owned a ’70 as my 1st car, I prefer the 1st gen MC…….no dumbass 5 mph “log bumpers” among other things.

    Like 0
  23. Avatar Rod Warnick

    My Dad’s 1974 Monte Carlo Landau is one of a special kind of a Chevy Monte Carlo. It is a relic and in a rare configuration, special order from the factory…… Triple Black, 400 CID V-8, to be in the Mecum Auction in Harrisburg, July 26,2023 if anyone is interested. As much as he and we loved this car, we need to move it along to an owner who will keep is preserved and running. Tagged, insured and run most every year since December 1973. You can find it and the photo gallery at Mecum Auctions Harrisburg — Lot #W168.

    Like 0
  24. Avatar DAVID D DICKINSON

    I have a black-on-black-on-black Laneau with 4,000 actual miles. It has been stored professionally and is like new. I’m thinking of selling it pretty soon if anyone is interested. I can be reached at 206-354-8347. David

    Like 0
  25. Avatar DAVID D DICKINSON

    BTW… this car is loaded including the 400/400 engine tranny combo.

    Like 0
  26. Avatar Russell Couch

    I had a 74, blue with black cloth top as my first car. It had the small block 400 and swivel bucket seats. If this green Carlo had the swivel seats I would jump on it, even though I am not crazy about the color

    Like 0

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