Just look at this faded red beast! Doesn’t it make you want to grab a rag and polish a spot to see what might be left of the original red paint? Just imagine the person who ordered this, selecting red in and out, choosing the biggest engine and checking off every option box. This was during the fuel crisis with long lines at gas stations. People were buying smaller, more economical cars. Here almost 45 years and 88,000 miles later faded but still running strong and only a little tattered. It’s listed here on craigslist in Delta, Colorado for $7,850. The car is completely original down to the pinstripes. It runs and drives nicely and will just need a little attention. Thanks goes to Cole for the tip!
Here’s the interior in all its crimson glory. Perhaps it could use a little cleaning, but it looks amazing from here. The dash is cracked and it will need a new headliner. It would have been nice to see a third pedal and shifter, but these weren’t muscle cars.
Look at all those gauges. The plastic wood has held up well. The red vinyl might brighten up with a little cleaning. Sadly, the Colorado sun has cracked the dash pad.
The floors do look solid. Hopefully, the rest of the car is this solid.
Here’s that big block, the 235 horsepower 454 V8. The AC needs a charge as usual and perhaps an electrical repair. After a tuneup and service, a serious cleaning and detail could really brighten things up under her.
The seller says there’s no rust under the vinyl top. It just might be so thanks to the dry climate. How much restoration would you do to this car? Would you replace the vinyl top or paint it? It will need a headliner. The seller says there are a couple of extra wheels, so perhaps he even has the hubcaps. All the electrical accessories are said to work, although the headlight wiring needs a little repair. There’s a lot of potential here, whatever the new owner decides to do. As always, many will say this is overpriced. It will be a $10,000 car once the paint and vinyl top issues are resolved and a new headliner installed. The original and rust free condition of this Monte Carlo should add some value. Can you imagine what a glorious sight this Monte Carlo could be returned to its former glory?
UPDATE: We featured this one back in December when it was on eBay.
Cool car from a boring year and model. I think I’ve seen this somewhere several months ago, which seems to suggest the market doesn’t think it’s worth what the seller is asking.
Steve R
it was for sale a few months ago you are correct I remember seeing it too! I like the tach and it has cruise control and a power seat!
A buff and wax could do wonders. If this is original paint, it would be lacquer. An easy clean up. Only third pedal in a Monte in 74 was the very base model with a three-on-the-tree. Last year before the catalytic converter had the larger port heads. This responded well to mild work and some tuning. A good gear and an overdrive would really wake this up.
I like this body style, kinda classy. A friend of my father had a Chevy dealership drove one as his daily driver. He said it was the only model in the whole Chevy lineup at that time that didn’t have any rattles.
I have never liked any Monte Carlos…..but the big block makes this cool
Man, if those pontoon fenders don’t get to you, you are stronger than me!
Anyone notice the temp gauge pegged at 250? Kind of an odd ball base model with power seat, and no power windows. Rally dash. I think but not positive but the dash on most models including the 1977 Landau model we had as a drivers ed car had no tach. Fuel gauge occupied that spot. Also the drivers ed car had higher end interior, hence the Landau option on ours. Nice car. Always liked the colonade cars especially the Pontiac Grand AM.
Wow, a Monte Carlo Landau for a drivers ed car? I know I was about 4 years before you, but we were lucky to have a Galaxie 500 rather than a Custom or Custom 500 like my older sisters did.
At the other end we also had a 1962 Chevrolet Impala 4 door hardtop. (Sport Sedan). Super clean but I never got to use that car. I wanted to because it was super nice. My drivers ed teacher always walked us over to the Monte Carlo. For it’s size it rode and handled very well. Funny thing. My drivers ed instructor looked like Howard Caine (Major Hochstetter from Hogans Heros). Cool guy, we would stop and get donuts while out driving. Lot of fun in drivers ed. The drivers simulators were a blasts as well, but that’s a whole other story.
Cheer up my driver’s ed car was a 6cyl Plymouth Duster baby puke yellow
@Rick
Yes, I noticed the temp gauge pegged at 250 and the tach was almost at 2k rpm.
Only 235 hp, that’s a bit of a let down. At 17 I recall this car felt fast enough on the way to the beach. Turbo 400 is one fine transmission, the spinning seats were silly.
That torque tho. Everyone is always worried about HP, when torque does most of the work.
Automatic transmission works just fine for a cruiser like this, not really a muscle car but more of, well, a cruiser. Arm out the window, strolling down the road not in a hurry, good tunes from the radio and a low quiet exhaust note in the back ground with a bit of a growl. If needed, that 454 will pass slow traffic and anything else but a gas station, but only if needed. You take it easy in one of these luxury sport coupes.😎
I’m only interested in the T-Top for this one.
I just don’t see the love in these. I got my brother a really nice 74 monte. blue on blue in the late 80s and he loved it for 15 years. All the times I drove it ,it just seemed so big and awkward. I will add that I was and still am a muscle car nut,so to compare it to the Camaros,chevelle,impalas,mustangs,all the cool fords and countless others, and I wont get started on the mopars. I have been very blessed to have had many but, are no comparison to the monte. except for the 70,71 ss454!!!!!!! I just don’t think many folks are that interested in these. I could be wrong though. Its hard not to like any simple 60s-70s sbc
People are interested in them like any other car but the support from the aftermarket is horrible. Chevelles, Montes, and their A body kin are almost impossible to get parts for. I’ve been looking for a complete floor for my 75 big block El Camino for years and can’t find one. The only patch panels out there are wrong and poorly made. Hard to get excited about what you can’t get pieces for.
…and expect to pay big bucks for an uncracked dash, lucky if you find one in the color you want…These cars are great drivers though, sharing the radial tuned suspension of the pontiacs, and variable ratio steering.
There are a few uncracked dashes are out there. Replacements only came in black. They were paint-to-match. I found an NOS one. There are some sh**ty looking dash caps available. Here’s another approach that works fairly well if your original isn’t too bad.
http://www.powernationtv.com/two-minute-tech/2min-61/repair-a-cracked-dashboard
Could be a diamond in the rough, but I’d get a lot more excited about a ’74 Laguna S-3. These Montes are beautiful cars, but look more like a Buick creation to me than a Chevrolet.
You’re looking at a 1974 car with 2018 eyes. I worked for a Chevrolet dealer in the early to mid 70s and they couldn’t keep these in stock. They were sold faster than they could get them in. Proof is in how many different plants that GM was building them in.
One of my pals bought one new. Deep Green with white landau top. 400/350 if I’m correct. Badass ride. All it needed was a “diamond in the back” and a chain steering wheel!
Some info on this topic from oor crack research staff via Wikipedia.
“The Monte Carlo started as Chevrolet’s version of Pontiac Grand Prix, as conceived by Elliot M. (Pete) Estes, general manager of Chevrolet, and Chevrolet’s chief stylist, David Holls. They modeled the styling on the contemporary Cadillac Eldorado, although much of the body and structure were shared with the Chevrolet Chevelle (firewall, windshield, decklid, and rear window were the same.
I like it, maybe not a big block but still like it. In fact in 74 I was in the market for a new car and the Monte Carlo was first on my list. Brown with a beige landau and interior, 350 automatic. I ended up instead buying a Malibu Classic 350 3 speed because the price difference was enough and I really couldn’t afford the Monte Carlo but I still wanted one. One thing to watch was the engines ran extremely poor and were terrible on gas, early generation smog engines. I ended up recurving the distributor, putting live vacuum to the distributor and reworking the carb helped a lot. Redo the heads and add a cam and they ran a lot better.
Many years ago I owned several 1970-76 Montes, and drove a 1973 with a 454 for a year. Despite its lower HP, oil leaks and tendency to burn oil, it was still a fun car to drive. The 1973 had a nice ride, great green/black color combo, and made a cool sound when you stomped on the gas pedal.(l’d post a picture but the jpeg is too large for this site.) I still like them but the Monte body styles have not aged as well for me as some other cars from my youth.
This car location is gonna hurt. Delta is what we in Denver refer to as “Utah light”, which means is less than 50 miles to the Utah state line.
I hope someone buys it, I have a soft spot for Montes!
I remember the swivel buckets in that car !
In my high school we used to joke as our parking lot was full of montes that’s Monte Carlo was like an a@@ as everyone had one😎
It’s getting a little cheaper but apparently not enough if it’s still for sale… https://barnfinds.com/454-powered-1974-chevrolet-monte-carlo/
This one is for sure worth buying. Rare to find original/unmolested. BB although no HP is still, in my opinion, better than the SB for value. All trim is there. bumper fillers are there too which is amazing, hopefully they are in good shape. interior is very nice and will save a ton of dough in the resto. Very solid car is worth tons of money especially knowing this is not a high dollar car once restored. Paint might buff? I wish I had the money to grab it now but 3 kids in college !! UGH !
I have a 74 400 SB Dk Blue, Black int swivel buckets. My brother bought it new but drove it to the point of needing restoration now. I can’t cut it loose!
Gone
Nu-Finish. It’ll restore the shine to that weather beaten car.
https://youtu.be/chNP5TEauAE
Too Many Clams….Cool Car
Good cheap investment
Featured right here on not a Barn Find before…and yes ACZ…Monte’s were hot in the 70’s and now Tahoe’s/Suburban’s….
Funny……..cars get smaller and smaller, yet it’s the biggest stuff that sells the best.
As a kid I remember Car & Driver referring to these as the working man’s BMW, as they were one of the first American cars to have a rear sway bar from the factory.
“Radial Tuned Suspension” I know Pontiac called it that but the name applied to all the A bodies. You basic RPO F41
I was in the front seat when my buddy and three friends crashed one of these Montes in ’79 going 120 mph. I should not be here. None of us were in seat belts. Pure miracle we are all still alive except the driver who died of natural causes last year. God watches over fools and children. We were both.
I have one now,a 73 with a 454. I recurved the distributor and always keep it tuned well and it runs great. I added a little more gear to it as it came with 2.73’s. Lights the tires up nicely. I’ve driven other Big block cars this hangs right with them.
1973 Motor Trend Car of the Year
I had a 73 with 350 and swivel seats and moving steering column. Same red interior but white exterior. I loved that car. Hated to part with it. Even had 8-track player. I sold it to a girl and her boyfriend did a dukes of hazard on it. She still is mad to this day and that was alomost 30 years ago.
I just finished looking at all 4 books and the Auction reports and this looks like a solid number 4 car and that being said it would bring about $ 5000 at auction! And That is all I would give, It looks like a good old car BUT it is not a high value Car Sorry for the bad News. But I pay my bills buying and selling classic cars SOOOO I don’t think he wants to talk to me.