New Engine: 1973 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

Chevrolet had a winner on its hands from 1970 to 1972 with the new Monte Carlo, a personal luxury car. It shared the Pontiac Grand Prix’s platform but had styling cues that resembled the mid-size Malibu. The redesign from 1973 to 1977 introduced the Colonnade concept, which led to a sales record of more than 400,000 units in a single year. The seller’s ’73 Monte Carlo has a new engine and a black paint job where burgundy may have been the factory shade. Located in Tacoma, Washington, this Chevy is looking for a new caretaker here on craigslist for $12,000 OBO.

All of General Motors’ intermediates got the Colonnade treatment in 1973, which eliminated true hardtops. The story goes that GM thought stronger rollover regulations were on the horizon, so they shored up the C-pillars, and the doors had frameless glass. A V8 engine was still standard in the Monte Carlos, and the VIN the seller provides indicates this car had a 350 cubic inch V8 from the start. But the VIN also decodes as a Chevelle, which was aligned with the personal luxury car.

We’re not told a lot about this Chevy. The seller says the engine is new, but is it another 350 or something else? The odometer reads 6,000 miles, so we’re guessing it turned over and the car has actually traveled 106,000 miles. An automatic transmission is part of the package, so we’re assuming it’s a TH-350.

The new black paint looks sharp, but not too many steps were taken to hide the Monte Carlo’s original color. The inside of the trunk lid looks maroon or burgundy, or some other color in that palette. The seller says the machine runs smoothly, and the title of the vehicle is clean and in hand. The interior looks very nice, so perhaps this Chevy is destined for weekend duty at Cars & Coffee, where perfection isn’t required. Thanks for the tip, “Curvette”.