At General Motors, the 1977 model year would be the only time that an intermediate model was larger in every dimension than a full-size model. Within Chevrolet, that meant the Monte Carlo was bigger than the B-body Impala/Caprice/Impala which had been redesigned and downsized for 1977. The Monte and other GM mid-size cars wouldn’t receive that treatment for another year. This 1977 Monte Carlo is said to be a one-owner car that drives great at 133,000 miles. Located in Las Cruces, New Mexico, the car is available here on craigslist for $8,500. Thanks, rex m, for bringing this tip our way!
The Monte Carlo would be a hit when Chevrolet rolled it out in 1970 as a personal luxury car. It was part Pontiac Grand Prix and part Chevy Malibu in terms of the parts bin. The car was redesigned in 1973 along with all the GM intermediates using a new style called the Colonnade. That would continue through 1977 when the Monte Carlo would see more than 410,000 deliveries.
There were few physical differences between the 1976 and 1977 Monte Carlo’s which had gone to rectangular headlights the year before. Only two engines were available in ’77, either the 305 cubic inch V8 (140 hp) or the 350 (170 hp) and there is no mention as to which one is in the seller’s car or whether it has required any serious attention in the past 44 years. The Turbo-Hydramatic transmission was the only way you could go regardless of the choice of motor.
The body looks good on the seller’s car, but the burnt orange paint has faded. But a good coat of wax with some elbow grease might save it from a repaint any time soon. This is a factory air car although I can’t make out if the belt is in place. The interior is used and maybe a little dirty with the dash pad needing a replacement. The seller’s asking price is below what NADA says a top edition might fetch ($11,000) and if we take the seller’s wording as gospel, he’ll deliver the car within 1,000 miles if he gets the $8,500.
Nice looking car. I would give it a repaint black or dark cherry, maybe add a gold pin stripe. The rally’s look sharp, Seek out a new dash pad and enjoy.
You could tell by the engine bay that by 1977 the “malaise era” was in full swing. And the mild styling update done to the Monte that year didn’t help it any. The rectangular headlights and abbreviated tail lights look out of place.
Someone liked it, LOL The Craigslist posting has been deleted.
Nope, no belt on the compressor, the alternator is a spinning blur so the engine was running when the pic was snapped.
I bought a ’77 MC when it was about 3 years old. I still count it as one of the best cars I ever owned. Light blue metalic with a light blue half vinyl top and light blue cloth bench seat interior. The paint was dead and there was no bringing it back so, I repainted it the original color and changed the top to a darker blue. I installed 15X7 SS Cragars with black wall tires. I got compliments on that car everywhere I went. I drove it for a year or so and sold it when I bought a new 1981 Corvette. Wish I had it back but, I’m sure it’s a washing machine by now.
You don’t wax a car in this condition, you break out the cut polish and rub it out by hand. I prefer to do it while the car’s wet. What I do then is wash all the residue off and then polish it. Then buff. I’ll usually wash again and chamois dry. After that hit it up with some wax so you don’t have to go through the process ever again lol.
I recently sold a one owner 1977 Monte Carlo with 83k miles. I have always been a fan of this body style. I think this one here may have been the same metallic orange as the one I sold.
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The last of the great Monte’s ever built, Lord how I miss them. It didn’t matter if you were a Bowtie guy, a Blue oval guy, or Mopar dude, Monte Carlo’s were an awesome car. Yeah, engine choices dwindled as did their power, but they still had the long hood and short deck lid, which still stirred your emotions if you were a car guy. Wasn’t crazy about the stacked headlights, but it still was a Monte. Everything was about to change, and not for the positive. The malaise era was about to hit the fan, and man it was a bad time.
I had both a 74′ and 77′. The 74′ was standard bench seat, the 77′ had buckets, console with floor shift and rally gauges. both cars ran extremely good but boy, could they drink the gas. Thirsty machines.
Perhaps one of the ugliest cars ever made.
And the ones preceding it, 1970 to 1972, were some of the nicest designs Chevys ever made.
My first car was a 75 monte, 1984 I was 14 and my mom didn’t now. Still have a picture of it parked in front of my mom’s car on the street and she didn’t know.
Sold it to a friend and we wore more the one set of tires. It was rusty and in primer but damn it ran forever
Faded laquer/enamel paint here looks MUCH MUCH better than peeling clearcoat on many contemporary cars whose owners never heard of wax (or are even aware of the liquids that need to be checked under the hood periodically.)
During the Disco Era, these cars were a very big part of the culture in the Boros of NYC, along with the Grand Prix, Regal, Cutlass Supreme, set of Appliance Spokes, nice whitewalls, you were club ready, I was buying a 75 Monte in 77 for my first car, but then I saw the love of my life, a 73 Luxury Lemans, black w a white top and interior and every option in the book, no one had one of those decked out, it was really different, people loved it, so did i
I had a 77 in High School.
Great back sea😆
My sister had a 77 bought new. Red with white vynil top and white seats. The nicest car I have ever seen. Course everyone has their on thoughts about it. Doesnt really matter. We are all different.
Fix AC,airbags,rallye wheels,Navaho blanket for front seat cover,stereo/sub woofer…bam…
Yeah for a domestic cars , I got for ford , but these are just cool and much better than the same era T Bird. Prefer the earlier round lamps. But still cool
My dad traded a 74 Suburban in on a silver one of these in 1979. That 305 was a POS. My mom hated that car. Then she traded it in on a Cutlass in 1982. The Cutlass was prettier, but the same car essentially. Oh well. Only way I would own a MC is if it was pre 73.