Low Mile Survivor: 1977 Dodge Monaco

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The golden color shines in the late-day Denver glow, begging a second look. What? You’re not into four-doors? How about a car that looks and acts brand new for an asking price—read, “starting point”—of $7500. How can you not be just a little bit curious? You will have to do a fuel exchange and tank cleanout, since this battleship has been docked for about twenty years, but surely you can fly in, spend a couple of days or three sorting that out, and then drive this 1977 Dodge Monaco home.

You’d be adding miles to an odometer that has clicked over just under 67,000 times, but given that this is the nearly unkillable 318-CID V8, what would you fear? The prior owners, a father and later a son, appear to have treated this car with kid gloves. They owned it from new until the early 2000s. It’s been carefully stored since. There’s nothing to fault except for a fancier stereo than what the factory provided as far as originality goes. While some luxury touches are missing—the car has vinyl seats and crank-up windows—others are there, like chromed accent spears on the hood, body-sides, and trunk, fancy full wheel covers, and what must be one of history’s biggest vinyl tops given the four-door body  configuration. And it has fun touches like turn signal indicators on the leading edge of the front fenders facing the pilot.

These were often seen in green or blue, but I recall this fawn color as one you most often spied back in the day. That might be a bit clouded by the mists of time, though, as the ad lists the color as “custom.” Let’s assume that’s “factory custom” first of all, and then hope that someone can pick up the ball and explain to the rest of us what this custom hue is called.

You can verify all of the details about this barge for yourself (with thanks for the tip going to Tony Primo), here on craigslist, where the car could be snatched up any time. Interestingly, the seller even offers to take a trade. What’s lingering in your driveway that might entice him? Anyway, do your due diligence, and figure out what if anything it would mean to you, cost-wise, that this 1977 Monaco has not been registered since 2001. Are back-fees owed? Speaking of that, who actually has title to the car at this moment? If you can sort that out with the seller and the DMV, and you get this car for under the asking price, you’ve got a lot of car for the money, and not in a “look how huge it is” kinda way.

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Comments

  1. Zen

    Very nice car and reasonably priced. Interesting that it has A/C and cruise control but no other options. Looks very comfortable and would be a fun cruiser. I hope it finds a good home.

    Like 8
  2. Roland

    It’s a Brougham, which is why it is heavily trimmed out on the outside and in. If the color is really custom according to the build sheet then it was likely a fleet car. However, in New England these cars in this color or something close to it were everywhere. Often when ordering a fleet a few cars had some extra features or were higher trim lines for the bosses. These cars rode really nicely and the 318 was plenty enough to get you where you needed to be.

    Like 10
  3. Spencer D

    This beautiful car makes me think of Roscoe P. Coltrain, the hapless sheriff from the Dukes of Hazard. His patrol car was a late ’70’s Monaco. Loved that show as a kid. Spent many Friday nights watching the show followed by a marathon play session with my Hot Wheels. To add to the nostalgia, my childhood was in eastern Colorado which looked much liked the background in the seller’s photos. As an adult, I wonder how many Monacos (and Chargers) they demolished filming that show.

    Like 9
    • Rick

      Roscoe P. Coltrane from the Dukes of Hazzard. Those were the days.

      Like 2
  4. Dave Brown

    This was NOT and is not a beautiful car! There were so many better automobiles for sale in 1977. This car came with a huge dealer discount!

    Like 3
    • DON

      Actually, these sold very well, as did most mid size cars at the time . People were getting rid of their full size cars ,but still had families or weren’t yet ready for a small car . Coronets, Satellites, Torinos ,Montegos, Malibus . Centurys Lemans and Cutlass all were doing well in the mid to late 70s

      Like 9
    • Bob C.

      One question you have to ask yourself when you see that face in your rear view mirror (along with blue lights), does he have a 440 under that hood? If so, you’re not going anywhere.

      Like 1
      • Nelson C

        And if Hunter is getting out of the car…

        Like 2
  5. Nelson C

    Nice looking old Dodge. This Monaco was an intermediate, so not really a barge. I’ve never known a Mopar guy to dislike the 318 V8. Maybe the carburetion but not the engine. Common seventies color. Drive it today for something unique.

    Like 6
    • Rick

      Drive it today, but keep a spare ballast resistor in the glove box. ;)

      Like 5
  6. ACZ

    Webster’s definition of “Dodge” is “to avoid”.

    Like 4
    • bone

      And the definition of “ford” is “to cross” – whats your point ?

      Like 9
  7. Jay

    My Mom bought a brand new 77 wagon, because she liked the color. 1 year later the tops of both fenders were rusted thru, and the gate fell off shattering the glass.
    Dealer refused to fix, and it was the last Mopar product our family ever bought.

    Like 5
    • bone

      Sure it did- even the 70s Asian imports and the Vega didnt rust out that badly, even after several winters in New England .And there are several bolts holding the hinges onto the tailgate, so I highly doubt the gate fell off .
      By the way, my family bought a new 74 Impala wagon and within one year all the doors fell off – see how easy it is to write stuff ?

      Like 12
      • Jay

        My 3 siblings and I still talk about Dad screaming at the dealership owner while we cowered in the back seat.
        Absolutely no reason for me to make things up.

        Like 1
    • karl

      Even if the car had no paint or undercoating and the sheet metal was as thin as an old beer car the steel wouldn’t rust through in a year

      Like 2
  8. Tim S.

    Was it cool then? No. Is it cool in today’s sea of melted black/white/silver jellybeans? Definitely.

    Like 7
  9. Fox owner

    I think the color was called baby poop yellow.

    Like 2
  10. Fox owner

    I think the color was called baby poo yellow.

    Like 1
  11. Glenn

    Color is gold fawn, same as my ‘76 feather duster was.

    Like 2
  12. karl

    Another “earth” color – tans ,yellows, browns and greens were VERY popular in the 70s, from cars to toilets . nowadays its exciting shades of grey, silver, black, white, or if you really want to go wild, maroon !

    Like 5
    • PRA4SNW PRA4SNWMember

      I know what you mean. It even extends to housing.
      Both my wife and I drive blue vehicles, which is rare for late model cars.

      We were also the first house built in a brand new development. Our house is blue. They have now built 30 more houses – all of them are a shade of gray or tan.

      Like 5

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