The question of whether or not Chevrolet ever produced a convertible Monte Carlo in 1970 is a bit of a conundrum, which I’m almost certain can be positively answered no, that is, if it’s followed by clarifying at least not one that was available for public consumption. However, it was close, as apparently some of the early owner’s manuals and accessories pamphlets mention the droptop. The seller reports that this 1970 Monte Carlo here on eBay is thought to be a Chevrolet prototype, but regardless of how this one lost the metal roof, it’s one beautiful G-Body that appears almost immaculate. Located in Glendale, Arizona, this cool Chevy ragtop is priced at $80,000, and we’d like to thank reader NHDave for bringing it to our attention!
The Monte Carlo’s G platform was a derivative of the popular A chassis, which the Chevelle was based on in 1970, a car that was officially available as a convertible. The interchangeability of specific components made the droptops an achievable reality for body shops and skilled do-it-yourselfers, with this one said to have been made by the same place that did the ‘70 Chevelle convertibles for the factory, with one of these stated to have been the donor car. This one’s also said to have been fully restored, with the sheet metal, paint, and top all appearing to be in excellent condition.
Stepping inside reveals an equally nice interior, and it’s also great to find such a fine selection of desirable options inside. This one features bucket seats up front, a console with a floor shifter, air conditioning, power windows, door locks, and a trunk release, plus a tilt steering column, and a factory AM radio with an 8-track player. For those who prefer CDs over vintage tapes, there’s also a more modern Stereo hidden inside the glove box. This Monte Carlo also comes with a convertible top boot, and it’s good to know that the dual white-stripe tires are nearly new, having been installed just under a year ago.
The 350 engine, Turbo 350 automatic transmission, and 12-bolt positraction rear-end are all listed as original parts, with the 55k miles showing on the odometer reported as actual. It’s hard to find much not to appreciate about this one, but with the temperature in many parts of the country predicted to be in the single digits tonight, I’m not sure the seller picked the best time of year to list a high-dollar convertible. However, with the rarity and numerous other positives here, maybe the season won’t be too much of a factor. What are your thoughts on this 1970 Chevrolet Monte Carlo convertible?
It looks like one of Scotty G’s renderings that has come to life!!!
Ha, wow, that’s fantastic!
All the accessories and build quality sez Chevy involvement at least. What does VIN show for model??? A beauty in any case.
Why no pictures with the top up?
Steve R
Look at the ad on Ebay.
There’s now a photo in the ebay listing with the top up.
Maybe Scotty can add a top for us!
I saw one of these at a Massachusetts car show once, it was created by a proud and handy do-it-yourselfer. GM had a missed opportunity that good old know how showed-um what for.
In my collection somewhere, I have the postcard GM had in `70 of a rendering for the NC cvt. I was 11 then, and very disappointed when it wasn’t built. Even then I knew it was the same as the Malibu & would have worked. Unfortunately it wasn’t long after that cvts. disappeared for good.
the owner’s manual mentions how to care for the top, so Chevy did build a scant few of them, though I have never seen one “in the wild”.
That happens a lot within the same platform. They took a Chevelle manual and warmed it over for the Monte. No one did a close proof read.
ACZ is right, manuals and sales literature aren’t reliable, they are generally printed well before the production run starts.
I have several late-1970 enthusiast magzines which specifically show a 1971 Dodge Challenger T/A as a member of the following years performance lineup, though they were scrapped prior production.
Steve R
This car appears to have been loaded with every option including a fiber optic warning system for the head and tail lights! And the skirts are in the trunk (but we’ll leave those off thank you very much). About the only disappointment I can see is the odometer has been twiddled. None of the numbers line up as they should if the counter hasn’t been rolled over or messed with.
lol sure it’s a real prototype
Show the gm build sheet
Weird also how vin is over 16000 sequence and it was built way after the fall introduction in 69
Almost like it’s not really a prototype
The trim tag’s build date and sequence number make the prototype idea unlikely.
Yes, the build date was February 1970, way too late for a prototype.
Steve R
Very nice job on the convertible conversion; it almost looks like a “factory” job. The 13857, both on the trim tag and the VIN, indicate this Monte Carlo was born a coupe (with Misty turquoise paint, a black vinyl top, and black vinyl buckets), but as others have suggested, the requisite bits to complete the ruse are easily transferred from a Chevelle. And even if the original MC frame was augmented with the inner frame reinforcements from a Chevelle/El Camino, the brass and stainless shims located on the door ends and jambs would be necessary to help maintain door gap and avoid paint chipping from body flex. Unfortunately, those items are missing and the next owner should install them to preclude such an occurrence. The ask is a bit optimistic, especially as the market softens a tad, but who knows? I’ll follow the auction just to see where it goes….
Maybe not the same car, but seems like it looks OK
https://en.wheelz.me/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/701405.webp
Yes these cars look super as a ragtop. Maybe a Grand Prix as a ragtop in the same year would be cool also
In my snooping I found a 72 GP ragtop conversio.
No matter how you slice and dice this, it’s a Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Yes, this looks very nice but it’s not worth $80,000!
As compared to ?
a corvette ?, a 540it ?..
Another example of a made-up story that has just enough b.s. to get you thinking it was possible (ala “Black Ghost” Challenger) but, with zero proof to back any of it up. This is a much later creation that, per: the build date of the car, makes it being real an impossibility.Also, very likely that this car had very few of these “options” that it is heavy on, installed from the factory, including the Posi unit that was, likely, not factory installed either.
all the components from a Chevelle will fit the Monte as I talked to a guy who had one at a local car show. Makes sense the same platform
Wow. Gotta say it’s a looker. $80k is a lot of money for a Monte Carlo though (and I own one and love them). Not much of a sample to source to price it with, so I guess it will sell for what someone is willing to pay.
But yeah, Chevy should have made this car.
Wow. I’m looking at the middle photo and how the light reflects off the pontoon fenders. Chevy would have had a poor man’s El Dorado here. Should have gone into production.
If this was factory built wouldn’t the frame be different? Stiffer?
Yes, it would have to be stiffer. Many years ago I had a rusty 71 Monte and a rusty 70 Malibu convertible. I decided it would be a good idea to make a Monte convertible. Luckily I started with the Monte – once the body was pulled, the frame was like limp spaghetti. I decided to reinforce the Monte frame was going to be more work than I was capable of so I abandoned the project and didn’t cut up the convert. Young family responsibilities and restoring our farmhouse became priorities.
The floor pan and major body structure for the Chevelle and Monte Carlo were basically the same. The doors bolted to the shell with no modifications and the deck lid is actually the same part. The Monte Carlo wheelbase is 4 inches longer, but the extra length is all in front of the firewall. I didn’t get deep enough into it to explore if a ElCamino or Chevelle wagon frame was boxed (like they were in the 64 – 67 generation) and would have been a good foundation and now have way too many projects to even think about it, but a Monte convertible makes a cool collector car!
427Turbojet, my 70 El Camino had a boxed frame.
My father bought a 70 new, gold same options. That car was pretty quick.
That car looks fantastic!
I am on the fence with this car. First of all I really do like it and would love to have it. The elephant in the room is that it is not a GM manufactured car. It is a custom build and it has been done before with other cars. The only difference being is the confusion that Chevrolet could have built it,but they didn’t. Considering that I think the asking is too much. They are basing their price on something that is not true.
I moved to Glendale AZ in 92′ from N.J.some really nice homes and even a one street ” old ” town.I live father west of there now.Oh sunny and 80 today.
The seller’s comments are confusing, at best.
“The convertible conversion was properly done by the same place that did the 1970 Chevelle convertibles for the factory.”
Chevelle convertibles were built by Chevrolet and were not converted from coupes.
“A 1970 Chevelle convertible was used as the donor car…… This car is said to be a Chevrolet prototype.”
Why would a prototype need a donor car? It would have been built from factory parts to save time and money.
Like the 4-speed Monte Carlo SS-454, a Monte Carlo convertible was never built by the factory. The car’s close relationship to the Chevelle makes conversions relatively easy, and many people seem to assume that because the conversions use factory parts, they’re factory built.
i think that i would post pics of the frame and the underside instead of the radio shoved into the glove box. i also noticed no little brass/ chrome pieces on the door jamb and the door all converts have.it does look nice and this was a nice 1970 chevy color
I think this model would have sold well. It has beautiful lines with the top down.
It has a switch for rear defog, was that even available in this era of convertables? It the high/low which would probably mean it was the heated air type which generally sat on the package shelf.
$80,000 budget opens a lot of opportunities in the world of convertibles.
If my memory serves me correctly back in about ’82 a friend’s dad that had a used car lot had picked up a first gen Monte that had been modified into a convertible by a shop ‘out east’ at an auction in Kansas City. Us 16 yr olds all thought it was the coolest car and fought over who got to drive it back from the auction. The guy’s dad would have us meet at the dealership in the early morning hours in a 15 passenger van, haul us to KC, then we’d drive back what he’d bought earlier in the week. Great times and good memories!
Chevrolet built chassis specific to chevelle convertibles, including brass door jamb shims. It would be interesting to see if the chassis on this monte is a convertible chevelle chassis.
One thing I liked about the early Montes was the roofline. Formal yet sporty. Would have been nice to see a picture with the top up.
Another thing that this car has which I believe was not originally available was the light monitoring system. You see the pods on the front fenders. Unless those are outside turn indicators which were also not available on the Monte Carlo.
The fiber optic monitoring WAS available on the ‘70 Montes. RPO U46. I have a ‘70 SS with it. Also has the fiber optic monitor for the windshield washer reservoir.
I did some on line puttering and it looks from the photos there are at least a dozen conversions. I also went to Hemmings and it looks like you can get a quite presentable 73-76 Eldo convertible for under 50k.
Now with a bit of whiffery- granted Chevy already had the Malibu and Caprice convertibles in it’s line. However what surprised me is there were no convertible personal luxury cars out there in 1970. Sounds like a missed opportunity.
Very nice looking, but, for 80k, I’d grab a 69 Mach 1 Cobra Jet…
Yes, it’s nice looking. A nice mid-size convertible from the 70s. Converted from a nice, inoffensive PLC coupe. You can drive it to the Cars N Coffee and folks will look at it and say-it’s a nice car, I didn’t know they made a Monte Carlo convertible. You tell them no, it was converted. They’ll say oh yeah, thet did a nice job. Like I wrote before, this would have been the only PLC convertible on the market. Yet for 80k? For most of us this is real dream car money. Let’s be honest, if Chevy really mass produced this covertible you would be looking at 35k tops.