Just about every one of the major American makes eventually released a special full-size hardtop with bucket seats and a console in the 1960s. Compared to what was arguably the movement’s shining star, the popular Pontiac Grand Prix, however, the handsome 1965 Dodge Monaco didn’t generate much buzz. It was introduced a little late in the game, only sold about 13,000 units, and became a full model line the following year, leaving this ’65 as the only year that Dodge tried to match the four-seater hardtops at their own game. This 80,374-mile example is presented as a mostly original car with “a nice repaint in the car’s original metallic silver.” I found it here on Marketplace in Frankfort, Illinois, with an asking price of $15,900.
I don’t know about you, but I love 1960s personal luxury cars, because they always stood out from the company’s lesser offerings in countless little ways. The Monaco, for example, had a standard 315-horsepower 383 four-barrel engine (although the TorqueFlite found on this car was optional). If I bought this car (and in a perfect world of unlimited money and space, I would), I’d probably ditch the yellow spark plug wires and aftermarket distributor, but the seller says that the engine runs strong, the transmission shifts smoothly, and the car “rides good.” As you probably have noticed, it has power steering and power brakes.
Ultimately, the interior was where the money was really spent, with the “Rattan inset door panels,” three-spoke steering wheel, “Rattan-backed bucket seats,” console, and optional (and working in this case) console-mounted tachometer.
Those huge gauges, that floor shifter, that console trim…no, the Monaco may not have reached the dizzying interior-design heights of the Thunderbird or the Riviera, but those cars also cost roughly 25 percent more than a Monaco. And if you were a dyed-in-the-wool Mopar fan, more especially a Dodge person, this was your option.
Unfortunately, the existence of Chrysler’s own 300 and Plymouth’s already-established Sport Fury probably held down sales of the Monaco, regardless of how neat its “Rattan-themed” interior was. But the best part about car collecting is that a car’s initial success doesn’t mean much if you like the car today, and 1965 Monacos with “solid” bodies and undercarriages don’t come up for sale too often. The color combination is nice and the vinyl top is in “nice condition,” so if you like these 1960s bucket-seated full-sizers, and you have the space and money to buy this one, why wait?
What a beautiful car. Tough to believe what an about face from styling just 5 years prior. From some of the most unusual, to the most beautiful, yet, as mentioned, poor sellers. One could say, this was a car aimed at GP/Riviera, T-Bird, Marlin,,:), cruisers, I’m sure it was merely a stopgap issue, as the all new Charger was already being talked about. This was a gussied up Dodge Polara to many. Only about 30,000 of these were sold, ironically, about the same as ’66 Chargers sold new. Best of the best, right here.