By 1971, muscle cars in America were beginning to wind down. The Chevrolet Monte Carlo offered an SS option in its first two years. But the Monte Carlo itself was going after a different market than muscle cars. It wanted to be a less expensive Thunderbird, which it did successfully and opened the door to millions of affordable personal luxury cars by the time the seventies ended. Even though the Monte Carlo shared its special A body with the Pontiac Grand Prix, the Grand Prix targeted a higher price market inching closer to Thunderbird, Riviera and Toronado territory. Monte Carlo was a personal luxury car for the masses. But in 1970 and 1971, you could have your cake and eat it too. Here is a nice example of a 1971 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS 454 for sale here on eBay in Bakersfield, California.
While this is a very nice car, the seller has not provided the best pictures. The only shot with the whole car in it is a straight on front shot. This is an original car, one of 1,919 Monte Carlo SS 454’s built for 1971. By the way, a total of 112,599 Monte Carlos were built in 1971, which was the lowest production year of the first generation Monte Carlo.
Inside is where the seller has concentrated on providing the most pictures. The sports theme carries over here with bucket seats, console, and tachometer, ammeter and temperature gauges. The seats, dash, carpet, and door panels all appear to be in great condition. The air conditioning has been upgraded to R134-A and there is a rare option seen in 1971, a rear window defogger. The car is loaded with almost every option available in 1971 except power seat.
According to 1971 sales brochure stats, this Turbo-Jet 454 produced 365 gross horsepower or 285 SAE net horsepower. It also has TH400 automatic transmission and 12 bolt posi rear with 3:56 gears. This SS 454 has only 53,524 miles. The car has its original Sandalwood paint, vinyl roof, as well as chrome and brightwork. The seller says it is close to a 98 point car from California with no rust or bondo.
This Monte Carlo sends mixed signals by posing as a muscle car and as a personal luxury car. But what better way to get both than with this great first generation 1971 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS 454.
Like….and there’s one in hiding in my hood….he use to get it out every now and then – but mainly got ticked off at those wanting to run him.
love these! i so want one or better yet, a Gran Prix with 4-speed.
barely ever see them but man are they sharp!
bonus on the ’71 is it’ll run well on today’s fuel without pulling timing & still respond.
wonderful condition on this one & perfect period color too. i’d prefer the green but the tan works great.
worth $40k all day i’d say
Had a ’69 4 spd. Grand Prix years ago. It was actually featured in a spread in Hemmings Muscle Machines. If you google 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix, the first picture that will be under “images” is mine. That was a photo shoot picture. The 17th picture if counting from left to right is the drawing that was the center spread in the magazine. I wish I could recall the month and year of the issue. I have it stored in a box somewhere.
i’ve drooled over photos of your car before, including the Hemmings article.
was gonna get one like it or a boat-tail Riv until additional family members started arriving.
now the “family” sedan is an ’09 CTSV with 6-speed manual.
It’s nice, but I wish the seller would offer just a shred of evidence to support their claim of 53,xxx original mileage. The lack of proper supporting evidence, pictures of the speedometer don’t count, taints the entire ad.
Last time through eBay it had a high bid of $25,300, that’s probably market. He should have taken it, it’s not a Chevelle SS 454 and won’t pull down the same sort of money.
Brake pedal looks barely touched, dash is in uncracked unwarped shape, no discoloration in the headliner, no bubble under the vinyl roof, super clean above and below. I’d say the claims of 54K miles is pretty spot on.
Beautiful car. Love the gen1 Monte Carlos
Or, you could hold out for…
https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/cto/d/1970-monte-carlo/6677604496.html
@Dean My Eye’s I’m blind, thanks for the chuckle.
I was all in, until I saw it doesn’t have power windows. The bench seat hints that the car is popular with the ladies.
Steve R
Dean: Good stuff!
My mechanic had a beautiful 1971 Monte for sale. We were talking price, and I said, “This car would make an incredible lowrider.” Without hesitation, he said, “The car is NOT for sale.” Everyone in the shop nodded in agreement.
Good for the mechanic. I’d refuse to sell my car if it were to be made into a damn lowrider. Lowrider my ass!
LMAO. Wonder why the seller of the1970 bee-DONK-a-DONK Monte Carlo has a photo with a tape measure showing the width of the seat belt buckle? Never seen that anywhere in all my days of looking at online auctions. Why?
I just mini puked in my mouth
That would be a tough choice Dean!
I worked on a 73 Monte Carlo SS with a 454 back in the 80’s at Good Year. Not my favorite year but still pretty cool!
They never made a ss after 71 until late 83
Beautiful, nicely optioned car!! I hope it’s preserved as original and enjoyed for what it is.
I like these early Montes, especially inside. Very sporty in and out for the market they were in.
SS 454 would make for a real tire roaster, now this has a modern dual 3″ Magna flow exhaust so it’s got a little more, that’s always good.
Very nice.
Need the Chevelle SS guy to give this car the nod.
Maybe his wife said” sell that damn car” so he lists it with 3 pics and no supporting materials. He shows his wife its listed, she’s happy, no one shows interest and he gets to keeps his car
It’s also listed on Auto Trader for $39,975 with 35 pictures. It’s a great car but I’ve never seen one sell for that kind of money.
https://classics.autotrader.com/classic-cars/1971/chevrolet/monte_carlo/101012185
Wow, how about some shots of the car as a whole? I feel like different parts are being shoved in my face looking at that listing!
Lovely looking Monte. I’ve always loved this generation Monte Carlo. It’s nice to see an original survivor, one that hasn’t been pimped out, or decked out with suspension that raises and lowers the car like a damned jack rabbit. I’ve never appreciated that. I don’t mind modifications if it’s to improve the performance and drivability of a car. But that’s it.
I’m not an expert on these but I find it hard to believe that it puts out 365 h.p. . Maybe in 70 but by 71 the smog regulations were kicking in ?
David Rhodes! It says 365 gross horsepower , 285 SAE net horsepower.
GM lowered compression ratios in ’71 which also lowered gross horsepower ratings. Net horsepower ratings started in ’72.
I owned this car last year . Bought from the estate of the second owner who knew the car from new . It was a well documented low mileage car that was bought new from Sutliff Chevrolet (still in business) . It was a hard sell . It was a very nice original car with one high quality repaint. The SS Monte Carlo is no SS Chevelle . IMO it’s a nicer car , but the selling price doesn’t and won’t reflect that . https://www.hemmings.com/magazine/mus/2012/11/1970–71-Chevrolet-Monte-Carlo-SS/3718581.html
I’ve always liked the 1970-71 Chevelle and Chevelle SS.
Cmarv, did you know you were selling to a flipper? I thought the car looked familiar…where did you have it listed?
I just purchased this car. I love it! It is as original as they say it is; clean car.
That’s good to hear.
Steve: Congrats! I am totally stoked for you!
I just purchased this car. I love it! It is as original as they say it is; clean car. cmarv – in your opinion what was the car worth if you don’t mind saying?
Why new carpeting , floor mats , trunk liner and interior wood trim ? Makes me wonder. Always leery when someone says trust me on this .
Why new carpeting , floor mats , trunk liner and wood grain interior trim ? Makes me wonder. Always leery when someone says trust me on this .
My, my, my, does this bring back memories. I had one just like this but with a 402 back in late 80’s. I loved the car so much. It was a Michigan car and I lived in Fenton( sort of central Michigan 30 minutes or so north of Detroit) in an area with nothing but dirt roads. I drove it daily including the winter. Need not say she was a bit rusty at the bottom of all fenders. Still looked pretty good considering. The car was reliable as could be, heat worked great, and had the power when needed. There weren’t many on the road in my area even after just 15 years so I was shocked when I was pulled over and surrounded by police, guns drawn on I-75 one winter afternoon. Turned out that it was just my luck that some white male in his early 20’s robbed a bank nearby and the getaway vehicle was described as a tan or cream colored early 70’s Monte Carlo. I had to really explain my way out of that one!! What are the odds??? The funny thing is that I was in a hurry so I had jumped on it entering the highway off of White Lake Road and made it up to around 70-75 rather quickly. When I saw all of the cops around me with guns drawn I thought to myself, “damn they are really cracking down on speeding…” Held me there for 30 minutes before confirming I wasn’t their guy. Ahhh….memories…..
That’d pucker up yer anus quickly.
Indeed it did.
My closest pal in high school borrowed his Dad’s Monte after one of our Friday night football games so the football heroes could take their hot cheerleader girlfriends out for a burger after the game. I was in the extremely cramped back seat with Hot Cheerleader #2 .As I popped a couple of Tic-Tacs and prepared for my best tackle of the evening don’t I get the biggest hamstring cramp in modern history??!!! Yeah, buddy. They had to pull the Monte over and let me get out and walk it off.Don’t think I ever got in the back seat again.
I find this more attractive than the early “Colonnade” Monte Carlo.
So did Cheerleader #2.
I love these, but they sure don’t bring the kind of money you might think. I’m guessing that because the Monte Carlo SS 454s were rare in terms of numbers produced, fewer ended up on the street and therefore a lot of guys and gals opted for other GM muscle cars. I think we all pretty much agree that the popularity of a vehicle back in the day has some basis for the demand 50 plus years later.
It’s a beautiful car and so loaded with equipment for a Chevy. I can’t believe that no one saw it’s really rare option; level ride.
Know anyone that has rebuild kits for those compressors?
pretty sure all SS Monte Carlos were equipped with level ride it was a mandatory option!
Dad bought mom one of these, a 1972 in deep brown outside, vinyl top, bucket seat interior with the floor shifter automatic. She hated it for the gas mileage and the long hood. Being a precocious ten year old I told her to use the hood ornament to gauge how far the tip of the car was. Never had a problem after that. My job was to paint the Chevy road wheels silver from their body-colored brown and replace the trim rings and center caps. Without the rear fender skirts and silver wheels our Monte really stood out and I was proud for her to pick me up from band practice in it. Great memories.
very nice 71 SS Monte. I doubt they will see 40k for it though. it is loaded and very nice. my neighbor has a 70 Monte that pretty loaded which has the very rare M20 4 speed option, but its a 300/350 small block with most options but not tilt wheel. a very rare option on any early 70s chevy is the power drivers bucket seat, I have seen one so equipped, and the neighbors 4 speed Monte is only the second I have seen in the flesh. like I nored above the Air Ride is a mandatory option with SS equipment. Comfortron and twilight sentinel are the rarest options I have seen.
Pulled off eBay. Zero bidders at the starting price of $10k. Reserve not met, needless to say.
For 10k less I think I’d take this one instead:
https://huntsville.craigslist.org/cto/d/1970-monte-carlo-4-speed/6670903044.html
it all depends how bad you want it i have been looking for a ss for years and have not found one this original or this complete everything works on this car even the clock works ya he did do some work to it like carpet and trunk i pulled the carpet back and it was very rust free this car needs nothing i paid 30 to me it was worth it very pleased with it
Congratulations steve, you bought a beautiful car. Sometimes you only get one chance to buy exactly what you want, and price means very little when compared to a lifetime of regret!