The owner of this 1973 Dodge Monaco wagon says that it’s an “amazing wagon” and I find it hard to believe that anyone would or could say or think otherwise, it really looks like it’s in outstanding condition. The seller has this amazing wagon listed here on eBay in amazingly beautiful Laguna Beach, California. The current bid price is $9,700 but the reserve isn’t met yet.
Even if a person isn’t a Mopar fan or into yellow vehicles, or those that are 19-feet long, this is one amazing wagon. Not to mention being loaded with options like power windows, power locks, AC (which isn’t currently working), and a monster 440 V8 engine. While truly amazing, it isn’t original as it’s been repainted and the seller says that it’s not a show car but a really nice driver quality wagon. I still think it’s amazing. We saw a similar 1973 Polara wagon a few years ago here on Barn Finds, although it was in fairly rough condition compared to this one.
1973 was the last year of the second-generation Dodge Monaco, the last year of the fuselage style with a bit of extra styling thrown in. Not to mention, a bit of length due to federal bumper safety standards so the huge front bumper guards add several inches to the already long cars. In case you were wondering, the hidden headlights seem to be opening and closing correctly. The seller hasn’t put the roof trim on yet and they’re wondering if the woodgrain should go back on or not. Would you redo the woodgrain on this car?
I don’t see any cracks in the dash but the seller mentions one. The steering wheel has a couple of faultlines in it and I’m weird which we all know, but I like to see the cracks in the steering wheel. A lot of sellers would probably have put on a steering wheel cover and then we’d never know about the condition of it. The seats look perfect front and rear as do the door panels and I love seeing power windows on any vehicle. I like options, whether they add complications and headaches or not.
Here’s your early-70s Grand Canyon road trip car with room for everyone. Have you noticed the license plates yet? The liftgate or side-opening tailgate is cool and it looks great back there. Once the AC is fixed, those triple-digit days will be easy to take.
The engine is the biggest one available for the Monaco wagon in 1973, Dodge’s 440 cubic-inch V8 with 220 horsepower and 350 ft-lb of torque. You won’t be getting 25 mpg with this monster wagon but you’ll get more thumbs up than you will with your modern SUV, I can almost guarantee that. Are there any fans of this era Monaco out there?
I remember a yellow Monaco longroof of this era being a regular on reruns of the Mod Squad back in the 80’s. I would definitely reinstall the faux wood paneling if it were my car. It looks naked without it.
Wow, what a beautiful and amazing car. It’s 2-1/2 tons of awesome 1973. Marsha Marsha Marsha!!
Wonder what it would like without those huge front
bumper overriders?
Awful. She would awful without her bumper guards. They’re part of the car’s DNA. I would keep them on.
Wow, dagmars, 70’s style.
If I were ever to become the owner of this beautiful wagon that would be the very first thing that I would do. Have you ever seen anything as ugly as those bumper overriders?
If you could source a set of front bumper guards for a ‘72 Monaco for replacements it would look much better.
Overriders would have to go. Personally I think it looks great without the woodgrain, back in the day, not that many wagons had it. Maybe 10%?
Maybe where you live. Most every “top tier” wagon here had woodgrain. The lower trim lines didn’t since it was not available on them.
I thought the same thing. I never remember seeing a Monaco wagon without the woodgrain.
If I’d have been on a kids soccer team in 1973 and saw some opponent team members climb out of this beast, I’d have peed myself. Even the stupid gov’t bumper overriders don’t detract from the business this thing means.
This thing is sweet! If the front bumper overriders aren’t big enough for you, shop around for a surplus Highway Patrol push bar.
Clean wagon. Glad it survived, even though it ugly. Ugly cars need love too. The current owner should leave it up to the new owner, don’t reinstall the wood grain. Personally, fake wood grain is a design tragedy from that era that deserves to be long forgotten…something akin to polyester bell bottoms and leisure suits. This thing is huge, thinking the owner could list it on some real estate sites or in real estate magazines…many Californians will be considering this an apartment or “mini house” soon due to the inflation we’re going to face from government overspending! Lol. Anyway, cool find. Very nice clean, but ugly wagon!
Fake wood grain, like chrome, was part of the time. Heck, my 1988 Dodge Caravan had it. But, I digress.
In the 1960s, chrome was the “in” thing. In the CB radio world, the Courier 23 was probably the most popular chrome case radio.
In the early 70s, before the CB boom, the Browning Golden Eagle Mark 3 featured a fake woodgrain cabinet. Other manufacturers followed suit, and some, like Cobra’s popular 135, featured a real wooden cabinet.
Oh goodness! Love these old Mopar wagons, especially the ‘fuselage’ car era. E85 with single exhaust. I like the colors too. My immediate family wasn’t big on Mopars but the extended family was. Some neighbors were really big on Mopars but never owned a wagon as I remember. Loaded Polaras, Monacos and Super Bees. Even inherited an immaculate ’48 New Yorker with Fluid Drive from a relative in West Virginia. At night, the radio would change colors depending on the tone adjustment. Oh, the memories! Hoping this one goes to a good home with a fair climate.
Woodgrain: YES
The woodgrain panels need to go back on.
The bumper guards need to stay.
THAT was the ’70s!
One nice option this beauty has is the 15-inch styled road wheels.
She’s loaded with nice options.
I have a Monaco coupe…I think it’s one of the coolest cars of the early 70s… the drivability and the torque with that 440 is in muscle car land. I think they are very rare now and hugely undervalued top of the line mopars.
I have always liked Mopar’s ’73 models, because they put “overriders”, as ya’ll call them on their cars instead of huge government bumpers like everyone else.
This car needs the faux side woodgrain trim. I love the rear facing third seat and the two way tailgate.
On this car, I like the bumper overriders.
As for the woodgrain, save it for lining shelves.
I would love to find a set of those 15 inch road wheels for my son’s 67 Monaco
No wood! We waste more than enough wood already.
Save the trees!
Nice car BTW.
Mr Brady’s dream car.
Oh Mike…..
I’m in the no wood grain camp on this one. Big fan of the fuselage designs from Mopar. How about creating some 440 billboards for the fun of it though?
I’m in the no wood grain camp on this one. Big fan of the fuselage designs from Mopar. How about creating some 440 billboards for the fun of it though? Or maybe a hockey stripe call out?
I like this. I would daily it and leave the wood grain off…. My opinion though. This is what a car should look like. Good luck with the sale.
Barnfinds had trueness me in to a land yacht lover. Thanks guys!
Huh, this is the first car I’ve seen that appears to have adapted the very unique front end of the 1969 Mercury Marquis. This Monaco, of course lacks the prominent central section, and has the hidden headlights raked back somewhat. But the integrated central bumper/grille is there, along with the wrap around horizontal bars above the bumper and even into the headlight doors, just like the Marquis! I find that interesting.
My dad had both a 69 Monaco and a 69 Plymouth Fury III, so I’m very familiar with these wonderful of fuselage Chryslers. It looks great, well worth the investment to get the AC running again. I’d absolutely take it on a road trip with the kids to see The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota.
I’m guessing Chrysler paid a fine also on these cars too(as well as Chally & Cuda) in fudging a gov req’d ’73 five mph front bumper.
Too bad tho that ALL manufacturers could not legally just simply hang on big bumper guards like on this Monaco – compare the front of this to, say, a ’73 torino wagon.
Less weight – saves gas/less CO2, better braking, handling & acceleration.
These guards passed the FedReg, The next year the C bodies got a redesign that integrated bumpers better, but this was seen in the day as a clever solution. Mark
Monaco??
What does this behemoth have to do with Monaco?
Surprised they got permission to use that name for this beast.
I couldn’t agree with you more Billyray, you just beat me to the punch. My Father bought a 1969 Marquis. and I remember seeing this Mopar 4 years later saying WTF ? It was a total rip off of Mercury’s design. This is still a nice station wagon, it makes me smile when I think how Mopars of this age sounded when starting,ching, ching,ching,ching,ching.
Fit a 6bt and make it an affordable driver
It’s just SO big,ugly, and wrong it’s COOL !
What a bloatmobile
Not missing the wood-grain. Very few left.
Check out a photo of a 73 Monaco wagon with woodgrain before making up your minds. The original treatment covered the body above the bodyside molding, the D-pillar, a thin section above the side windows, and the A-pillar. There was a chrome molding separating the woodgrain on the roof from the rest of the roof panel, which I believe the seller references. It was rather unique, as was the woodgrain itself. Each panel was outlined with contrasting wood, but it wasn’t a molding – it was in the vinyl. I can’t imagine that it’s reproduced today.
I took my driving test in my dad’s 1973 Polara ex-police car. Emissions equipment was already affecting HP, but it was still a pretty fast and powerful car. I accidentally hung the tail out making a left turn one day with Dad in the passenger seat. He wasn’t amused.
Eats gas, but hauls ten times the stuff a stupid SUV does. My friends mom had one like this in high school. Hauled seven of us to go skiing with all our equipment to slopes. Try doing that with a stupid $50,000 problem riddled Cherokee. Ha
Agreed. Most SUVs are riddled with compromises that leave them only mediocre at everything. If you want to go offroad, you want something that’s a real 4×4 designed for the task. If you want to haul lots of stuff, a minivan is a far better choice. We bought a Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid which is a genuinely terrific vehicle.
The only SUVs that make even a little bit of sense to me are actually the fast and sporty ones. They don’t pretend to be practical, they’re just big heavy hot rods and I’m OK with that.
Used to see this car all the time at the ‘Spring Fling’ all Mopar show in Van Nuys, just a nice, clean, big old floater. Looks like it just came out of grampa’s driveway. GLWTS!
Ended $14,199 reserve not met.
Yes, it was me … :-)
The AC is a must, but if you are all the way back, you are out of luck. The AC doesn’t have vents to get back there.
Oh goodness, one of my favorite subjects. I seem to recall that ‘Dual A/C’ was available on many C-P-D fuselage wagons. No mention of the option on this wagon.
For those interested, Curbside Classics published a four part series on the history of automotive air conditioning, along with many illustrations. Part One: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/automotive-histories/cold-comfort-history-of-automotive-air-conditioning-part-1-pre-world-war-ii/
Briefly, what is inside that big aux a/c box on the inside roof? – i’m stumped – can’t be another compressor in there! & i doubt it’s an electric a/c unit or a swamp cooler. lol
What about the 3rd row seat, say, in 1 of the biggest SUV’s, the Ford Excursion? That has a much taller roof yet! Would you not be hot back there too? & bear in mind, this Monaco had a poweful a/c compressor & used R12. The Excursion used a mickey mouse compressor & R134A.
Then again, i have a very small sharp 8000 btu window a/c in my living room that cools 2 big rooms & its cool in the dining room too – even 25 ft from the unit!
I would think in the Monaco if you direct the center vents strait back & turn the a/c on max with higest fan speed, the passengers
in the “luggage area” would be cool.
The photos show it to have rear A/C which was excellent in these big Mopars. So as long as the complete system is put back into working order, you would be in great shape!
The rear A/C unit is mounted across the interior roof panel between the second and third row seats. It should blow plenty of cold air forward and aft.
That should be the rear A/C evaporator and blower housing. Both the front and rear A/C operate off of the one primary compressor just as they do on Suburbans and other similar vehicles.
I don’t care for large cars. I don’t like cars from the ’70s. I don’t like yellow but this huge MOPAR is amazingly compelling to me. Maybe because my father had a 1972 Fury Grand Sedan. I want this wagon!
Did anyone notice the rear license plate?
Auction update: this one ended with no sale at $14,199.