Chevrolet’s big-block V8 enjoys legendary status. Its reputation is strong, even outside North America. Any vehicle equipped with one of these motors is virtually guaranteed to provide enough performance to satisfy most people. This 1971 Chevrolet Monte Carlo is not original, but it does feature a warm big-block under the hood. It presents exceptionally well and only has a couple of minor flaws for potential buyers to consider. It appears to be a turnkey proposition that should offer a wonderful blend of performance and comfort. Located in Orlando, Florida, you will find the Monte Carlo listed for sale here on eBay. The seller has sent a BIN of $26,995, but there is the option to submit an offer.
The combination of Antique White paint and a Black vinyl top give this Monte Carlo a classy appearance. This impression is further accentuated by the spotless Rally wheels with white letter tires. It is hard to find much to fault with the exterior presentation. The paint shines beautifully, while the vinyl is flawless. There are no apparent blemishes or marks and no evidence of rust. Close inspection of the vinyl top reveals no bubbling, while the underside shots show original floors that are as clean as you are ever likely to find in a vehicle of this age. The exterior trim is in excellent condition, shining as impressively as the paint. The glass is in as-new condition, and this Chevy should make a positive impression wherever it goes. However, as you are about to see, this classic is about more than mere good looks.
Apart from its immaculate exterior presentation, lifting the hood of this Monte Carlo reveals another aspect of what makes this a unique vehicle. It isn’t clear what originally occupied this space, but the engine bay now houses a warm 454ci V8. The rest of the drivetrain includes a three-speed Hydramatic transmission, power steering, and power front disc brakes. While its internal specifications are unclear, the engine sports a Holley carburetor, headers and a dual exhaust, an electronic ignition, an aluminum fuel pump, and an aluminum water pump. Power output would be a matter of speculation, but I would expect it to be well north of 300hp. That means that it should be capable of matching a 454-equipped SS with a ¼ mile ET of 15.2 seconds. The presentation is superb, with no evidence of long-term fluid leaks or other issues. It is further emphasized by the splashes of chrome which add to a positive overall impression. The seller indicates that the car runs and drives exceptionally well. He says that the big-block feels strong, and the transmission shifts smoothly. For potential buyers, the open road is beckoning for this classic.
Potential buyers will need to look long and hard to find flaws with this Monte Carlo. The interior provides a couple, and the buyer will need to choose how they tackle these. The dash pad has a crack on the passenger side, but it may be repairable. The buyer could tackle it as a DIY project using a product like Polyvance or seek the services of a professional restorer. However, with a replacement pad selling for around $350, that may prove the easiest and most cost-effective solution. The seller indicates that the original owner ordered this Chevy with air conditioning. While the system appears to be essentially complete, I can’t spot a compressor or bracket in the engine bay. If the rest of the system is serviceable, a compressor will lighten the buyer’s wallet to the tune of $280. With this installed and a recharge, the A/C system should blow ice cold once again. The Monte Carlo is upholstered in a combination of Black cloth and vinyl, and this appears to be flawless. There is no evidence of wear or physical damage to the seats, while the carpet is equally impressive. The dash is spotless, and the faux woodgrain is in good condition. There is an aftermarket but period-correct Realistic radio/cassette player, but the dash hasn’t been cut to fit this. That means that if the buyer seeks originality, locating and re-installing a factory radio should not be difficult. Apart from the pad crack and A/C issue, this interior seems to need nothing.
When you drill down and look at what this 1971 Monte Carlo offers, it appears to be an attractive package. Its overall spotless presentation and lack of rust mean that it has no immediate needs. The big-block under the hood holds the promise of impressive performance levels. It is a car that is hard to place a firm value on due to the modifications that the owner has performed. However, when you consider it as a total package, the BIN looks pretty competitive. This classic Chevrolet has only been on the market for a short time, and I won’t be surprised if a buyer snaps it up pretty quickly.
STOP RIPPING OFF THE A/C STUFF!
cost me a bunch to fix my 74 Silverado(loaded btw,blue/white,292 Six Auto/ps,pb , the former owned cut it off with what looked to be a recip saw grrr
I use to love the 1st gen Monte Carlo, but never felt I needed a big block. A 350 that has been tuned is fine with me.
This was an excellent year for this Monte model. 454, 400, 350 available w a stick shift. 🙌
I believe that 400 in the Monty was a 402 big block.
The whole ac system will need to be restored, definitely not 300$ add a 2 in front of the 300. I’ve had 3 of cars that needed the ac restored and all the parts were there, but still needed to be replaced, you don’t install a compressor and a auto zone can of R134 haha
For 1970, Chevrolet offered the Turbo Fire 400 small block and the Turbo Jet 400 big block. The big block actually is 402 cubic inches.
I always liked the first generation Monty. And usually, the ones you still see are in good shape!
I had a girlfriend That had a friend with green SS454. Every time i would go see here a lot of times i would see that Montecarlo The only indications were the emblems on the fenders lower and behind the front wheels. I talked with the young owner once, showed under the hood-big block!!! never knew that was made. His grandpa bought it new and gave it to him after graduating high school. It had a automatic buckets and console, green inside -of course. only one I’ve ever seen in person. Cool ride!!!
The parts selection suggests this car was built to flip. Cheap Chinese chrome engine dress up kit, rubber fuel lines, 10 bolt rear end, Holley 600, most likely a TH350 (since undercarriage pictures avoided that area if the transmission pan and no mention was made in the description), lack of AC compressor, receiver drier, condenser pulleys and brackets (shuck will cost much more than a couple of hundred dollars to procure). I’d be wary, this started as a low option car and remains so with its main selling point being a transplanted 454. It’s not a bargain by any means and is likely going to be headed to an over seas buyer.
Steve R
No gauges in the dash either. Definitely a base Monte.
All Monte Carlo’s came with this dash layout, the tach and gauges were optional, same as with the Chevelle SS. Though a common addition, the lack of gauges isn’t proof this is a base model, it would be more telling if someone had added a 5,000 redline small block tach.
Steve R
With all the problems with AC aside I would offer 19k to start and no higher than 20k. This is a plain Jane Monte with a big block but a decent start at classic car ownership.
The whole ac system will need to be restored, definitely not 300$ add a 2 in front of the 300. I’ve had 3 of cars that needed the ac restored and all the parts were there, but still needed to be replaced, you don’t install a compressor and a auto zone can of R134 haha
4 speed not available with the 454. 350 & 402 had 4 speed available.
No A/C and roll up windows, bench seat, Grandpa car
I wish my Grandpa would have owned something like this.
From the underside pictures someone was spraying black paint that got on the exhaust at several points. There was also some white paint in a few areas. I like to see the orginal condition of the undeside before they repaint it. Are they trying to cover up something.
I agree… this one was pieced together. But I’m sure it was never intended to try and trick potential buyers into thinking it was something it isn’t.
What is it? It’s a classic First Gen Monte Carlo in very good shape, regardless that it’s a low-optioned car judging by provided pictures. Negotiate the price of getting the AC buttoned-up and the buyer will have a very dependable and comfortable classic cruiser sure to turn heads at shows and cars and coffee.
You don’t see many of these in very good-to-great shape and they are trending HUGE in terms of value the last few years. The super rare SS’s (‘70 and ‘71 only), Customs with 454’s (‘72) and 4-speed examples across all three years are coming into their own.
Chevelles and Camaros are a dime a dozen an omnipresent while SS/RS/Z-28 incarnations in great condition are out of reach for the average buyer. Not to mention that these cars are routinely cloned. The Monte offers comparable performance while oftentimes bringing creature comforts and a much more comfortable/compliant ride into the equation at a much more accessible price point for the Average Joe.
I predict this goes for asking price, if not more.
I’d bet it doesn’t really have a Posi in it either…even though it has a new sticker on the underside of the deck lid, lol!
I’ve owned two genuine SuperSport Montes and one that wasn’t. I currently own a genuine 70 SuperSport with the original LS5 454 rebuilt to LS6 454 specs, only it has a VooDoo roller cam and roller rockers instead of solid lifters. It also has the bucket seat and 400 Turbo console with the horseshoe shifter option. My Monte that wasn’t a SuperSport was set up just like this car except the engine was a 350. The best part of this car is that bench seat. One of the most comfortable car bench seats I ever sat in.
GM put a 400 Turbo transmission behind the 454 in the 70 and 71 SuperSport models for a reason. When you mashed down on the accelerator and the car was shifting automatically through the gears, you needed that bullet-proof Turbo 400 to stand up to that kind of torque. The 454 is a torque monster.
The new owner of this car should know that he or she won’t be driving the equivalent of a SuperSport Monte just because there’s a 454 under the hood. This car has been upgraded significantly in the horsepower department and it’s very cleanly done and presents well, but it’s a base model Monte in every other respect. You’ll wear that 350 Turbo out as well as every other component of the driveline behind that 454 fairly quick if you push that 454 to its full potential very many times, especially if it’s from a standing start.
Agree on all points, Mr. Dressler. 500 lb/ft of torque from the factory will eat that TH350 up in short order, never mind whatever that motor may be twisting out currently.
Then factor in that 10 bolt vs. the proper 12 bolt, lack of boxed control arms, thicker sway bars etcetera and it all points to component failure sooner than later if you’re the kind of person that likes to routinely stand on the loud pedal.
But again, it surely presents well and will surely make for a fun and attention-getting ride.
Yup, I ruined a few 10 bolt rear ends in a 1970 Chevelle that had a transplanted 427 out of a ’69 Belair cop car. Remember when you could find cool things like that in a junk yard lol?
Kept the power glide that was original to the chevelle. It handled the power for a while. 3 rear ends came & went before the transmission threw in the towel.
To be so young & so stupid again lol.
Stevieg, I’m surprised that your Power Glide was the last part of your driveline to fail. My experience with Power Glides is that unless you re-build them with heavier bands and clutches and take a few of the springs out of them so they shift a little bit harder, you’ll just burn them up mashing on the accelerator. In my case, I only had a 250 horse 327 under the hood!
I gotta tell you…I was and still am surprised by that too lol. But that little granny tranny really took a beating! It was actually pretty impressive lol.
It’s in great condition. It’s had an aftermarket or dealer installed vinyl top added. The factory installed tops are a halo style top. The first style for 1970 was the full halo that started behind the windshield trim. The second halo style that came out later in 1970, and continued through the 1972 models, started under the windshield trim. The top on this car extends down the A pillars and out to the drip rails. The 2 halo tops didn’t do either one.
Dan Janes…correct on both points. Just like people who aren’t quite well versed in details are unaware that the mighty 396 in their coveted Chevelles are 402s. The Bowtie Boys didn’t dare mess with the existing formula.
Back in the early 1990’s we were racing Blazers in the four wheel drive class and we had to beef up our turbo 350 transmissions and ordered many HD parts. We never had any trouble with the fast and hard shifting turbo 350s. We noticed that there were many parts then for powerglides in the catalogs.,
At this same time, drag racing people were starting to put powerglides in their cars with a lot of horsepower. Apparently the 2 speed powerglides with their 1.76 low gear was better than the low gears in the (350 turbo)2.52 and the (400 turbo) 2,48) when you were trying to get traction off the line with high power engines.
I never cared for the performance of a powerglide in my 1967 Chevelle with a 275HP 327 because it wouldn’t come off the line with that 1.76 low gear and a 3.07 rear. These drag racers are trying to reduce some of their high horsepower off the line so they can hook up. Apparently the powerglide might be stronger than many people think if the drag racers are still using them.
Dear Jack, that is specifically why I mentioned the shift kits with heavier bands and clutches that are available for the Power Glide transmission. It is specifically designed for big horsepower dragsters because of the single shift point from first to second. If you don’t beef them up, you will fry a Power Glide behind any engine with even a modicum of horsepower. Even beefed up, those Power Glides will occasionally blow up, which is why the dragsters have a steel scatter shield between the driver and the transmission.
The 200 R4 transmission is another one that kits are made for so they will stand up to the big horsepower engines. The original shaft in that transmission has a point where it narrows slightly right in front of the spline. If you don’t include the replacement shaft which is straight from end to end, the transmission always snaps the shaft off right in front of the spline as the single point of failure when you pour the coals to it from a big horsepower engine.
The track-built 200 R4 transmission is also preferred over the 700 4R and the Turbo 400 because of its extra-low first gear that is lower than the 700 4R or 400 Turbo and helps the car get off the line.