Tucked away in a garage in northern Iowa for 15 years, this 1978 Chevrolet Monte Carlo looks like a nice project for anyone into the smaller (on the exterior) third-generation cars. The landau vinyl roof appears to be missing but they say it’s an original and rust-free car. The seller has it posted here on craigslist in Goldfield, Iowa and they’re asking $7,000. Here is the original listing.
As with most craigslist ads, this one is lacking in photos. This is the only photo that even remotely shows the front of the car, even though it looks pretty open there to get a better one. I get it, though, most people aren’t photographers and craigslist is sort of like the old classified ads in newspapers (remember those?), in that they’re often made for local sales. If you want to see a car, you drive over and see it in person, 24 photos aren’t needed.
This car looks pretty nice, other than the missing vinyl half-top, and the paint could use some “correction” – a cut-and-buff or at the very least, a go-’round with some polishing compound. What say ye? The third-gen Monte Carlo was actually bigger on the inside than the formerly bigger-on-the-outside Monte Carlo models were, believe it or not. This is a first-year car, made for the first year of the third generation (1978), which lasted until the 1980 model year.
The interior looks shockingly nice, and that’s probably because the seats have been recovered in red vinyl. They look perfect both front and rear. The seller included five interior photos and one shows the odometer with 50,842 miles on it. I have to believe those are actual miles but we don’t know for sure. Given that Iowa gets its share of snow, some underside photos would have been nice. They do mention that the headliner is also new, so there’s that.
The engine should be a Chevrolet 305-cu.in. OHV V8 with 145 horsepower and 245 lb-ft of torque. It sends power through a THM-325 three-speed automatic to the rear wheels and the seller says this one has a new gas tank but could use some carburetor work. How much would you pay for a rust-free ’78 Monte Carlo with a 305 V8 and a new interior?
The THM-325 was the front-wheel-drive transmission used in the 1979-1981 Eldorado, Riviera, and Toronado, and the 1980-1981 Seville. This Monte Carlo probably has a THM-200, aka “The Grenade Gearbox.”
CCF, you’re probably right, thanks. I got that info here:
https://www.automobile-catalog.com/car/1978/204725/chevrolet_monte_carlo_305_v-8_automatic.html#gsc.tab=0
Wiki lists the TH-350 so it’s all over the board.
GM did have a THM 250 and 250 “C” ( torque converter lockup). For RWD models, I never did quite get that, I guess it was supposed to be a little better than the THM 200.
The most ridiculous application for the THM 200 was my 77 Olds Delta 88. It had 260 V8 and a THM 200. It was the only one I ever saw with that combo. They were probably fine in a Chevette or Vega or Monza. But not the full size RWD models.
It’s also missing those plasti-chrome strips from the bumper covers. I think it looks better w/o the vinyl top; fix the paint and cruise. GLWTS!! :-)
@Scotty
There’s a typo in your write up. You have ’87 when it should be ’78 not to be anal =). These cars came with V6s also. I had one with buckets and auto on the floor.
Thanks for catching that, Frog! Dang my skeleton-like fingers. Thanks much!
beware of G bodies that lived in the Midwest, bodies don’t rust as fast as the frames, had many Gs that had no rust bodies but the frames were bad especially the kick up over the rear axle.
I went to work selling Chevy’s in the fall of ‘77 just as these were being introduced so I drove many and had a couple as my “demo”. They are pretty nimble and fun to drive. The 305 wasn’t super quick but was enough engine for the new, lighter body to give it some pep and make it feel faster than it really was. In the right color and with some wire caps they were pretty attractive cars too, IMO. With that said, I still prefer the look of the previous gen to this car.
I bought this car and very happy with the purchase. No rust on the car – Its now in Texas.