I felt like calling this beautiful 1973 Chevrolet Monte Carlo a “survivor” rather than a “restovivor”, but it is wearing replacement paint on the hood and trunk lid (not huge in my book). With one family owning the car since new apart from the current flipper, it has been taken care of very carefully for its 96,895 miles on this earth. If you like what you see or just want to check out the auction listing, you’ll find it here on eBay. Bidding starts at $5,000, or you can end the suspense and buy it now for $9,950. If you do buy the car, you’ll have to travel to (or send a transporter to) Milford, Iowa to pick it up.
This is the generation of Monte Carlo I remember from growing up, with NASCAR entries (Darrell Waltrip won the first stock car race I ever saw in person in one of these) and lots of friend’s parents having them. We were a Ford family, so Dad had an Elite instead, but the two-door luxury coupe was a real thing back then. Looking at this picture, I can see why.
As you can see, the good looks carry through to the rear of the car as well. The closeup pictures look just as nice, with one single touched up scratch highlighted in them.
The interior is really nice as well. As you can see, this is a pretty plain car, with bench seats, no air conditioning and fabric upholstery. The seller tells us it looks like it’s from a time capsule, and although I’d prefer some more closeups, the pictures we see look very nice.
This is presumably the original 350 cubic inch two-barrel carburetor V8. The seller says they wouldn’t hesitate to drive the car anywhere, and to be honest it doesn’t even look like it has the miles it’s claimed to have. So what say you–does this look like a good buy? Anyone else have fond memories of this big Monte Carlos?
SoCal looooow rider material!
nice but for the BIN I’d want bucket seats and power windows…
And air
They look so much better with the round headlights. The stacked square lights from 76-77 was just too much glitz.
My 2nd love!! mustangs were first. This car is a miracle. Most were rotted out by ’80 in my neck of the woods.
The pinnacle of Colonnade styling flamboyance – I love these cars. Didn’t Richard Nixon give a white one to Leonid Brezhnev? I would love to see Chip Foose take one of these on and tighten up the bumpers and do something wild with the paint.
It was a Cadillac Eldorado
I’m with ED THE WELDER it needs a few more factory options for the BIN price. Got to have my a/c , power windows , seats, locks, cruise control and of course an 8 track stereo . Anybody know what year these came out with the 454 SS option ?
73-74 I believe. But not an SS.
I had a 73 454 for my demo when I was selling them. It was not a performer like you would think. We could not get rid of them without A/C
70 and 71 were the only years for the SS 454 Monte Carlo. It only came with a 360 HP LS5 454. Literature said the 71 would offer the LS6, but it never showed up. I pass by one of these that is under a cover on the way to and from work every day.
73 thru 75 had the 454 as an option (as well as in the Chevelle). There was no SS option in this generation of Monte Carlo.
My Aunt bought one, brand new. She sold it to my Grandparents about 6 months after she bought it, as she got married and moved to Germany. My Grandparents LOVED this car. It was a wonderful car; having driven it several times myself. It had a 350 2bbl, A/C, p/s, p/b brakes, clock, and…power locks ! That was in the day when you didn’t have to opt for “packages”. The basic Monte was actually a 250 6 banger and a 3 on the tree ! Never seen one. People that bought a Monte Carlo were a bit more “well heeled”, but Chevy decided to make it available. There WAS a 454 4bbl available, with swivel bucket seats (my ’77 did), full gauges, floor mounted console shifter, ect., but was not referred to as an SS. The swivel seats made the M/C a uber chick magnet ! Monte SS was not available until around 1985. I think that if you got the straight 6, there would have been enough room in the engine bay to do a tune up, in a storm, with the hood closed, with you sitting underneath, and staying dry !
This car drove & rode like a dream, and for being quite the sled, it really handled the corners with aplomb.
By the way, the color of this car is “Persimmon”.
There was 454 SS package for Monte Carlo in 1970. Discont after 1971.
Grandma had one of these. It was maroon with matching interior and A/C. I wanted to buy it from her when I was 18. But when I was 17, she locked the brakes and crossed the center line, totaling it in a head-on. But she walked away with minor injuries and the car still started the next day!
Over the years, I’ve had seven Monte Carlos including the ’72 I have now. I had a ’77 that was a great car. For me they were just the right mix of size and style.
I had one of these with the front swivel bucket seats. What a cruiser.
A friend of mine bought one of these new with swivel bucket seats and black on black. As I recall, it even had a sunroof. It was a very nice ride.
Unfortunately, he traded his perfect condition 67 Camaro convertible in on it. The dealer gave him $1,700 for the Camaro.
I saw a black 1970 SS454 one time with a 4-speed, was shocked…nice ride…..long time ago.
Great Ford plate for a GM car
I can’t get into the 73-77 GM coupes. 70-72 Monte’s were gorgeous, 78-87(8) were nice (especially the early ones).. But these.. Too bloated IMO
I know it’s heretical to say so, but this is my favorite Monte Carlo year. The nearly identically styled ’74s have to go through emissions here, which can ground them even though they run smoothly. A Delorean design, and just the right swoop for what had to be an otherwise slab-sided car shared across the buick pontiac olds platforms in other flavors. Since they’ve narrowed parking spaces, they can be a joy to get in and out of at the grocery store. Ubiquitous in the day, but now you will not “see yourself coming” out on the road.
My ex-wife’s parents had a ’75 Monte when we were dating in high school. I drove a ’75 Cutlass back then as well. I loved those cars. The Cutlass is the one car I owned back in the day that I wish I still had.
I love any GM car from 1973. This was the first year for the colonnade styling and all were one off cars for that year with many styling ques like rear bumpers and grills only available in 73.
MY Gramps had a 76 with ac and a bench. Traded it in for a 93 euro Lumina which my son still drives. It only had like 40,000 miles on it.
My oldest brother bought a ’73 Monte used in ’77. White with a black landau top and black vinyl interior. The car came with AM/FM, but an under dash 8 track was added, along with a book of matches to wedge under the tapes. Stock wheels were eventually replaced with Appliance wires. A great car!
@Dan-I too have heard the ’70 factory 4-speed SS 454 MCs existed. That is what makes the automobile manufacturing industy so intriguing back in the day. The First Generation Monte Carlo Club has this to say. “Here, too, rumors have long existed that an occasional four-speed-manual-equipped Monte Carlo SS escaped the assembly line; understandable in light of examining the aforementioned training manual, which stated that a four-speed would be available with the LS6. But members of the First Generation Monte Carlo Club who are well-versed in the car’s history–including production details and the finite differences between model years–staunchly debunk the four-speed rumor. To date, no documentation or evidence exists to prove any such car was ever made.” They do however, invite anyone with a build sheet to prove them wrong. The Club does say that other engine options were offered with a factory 4-speed which I would love to find and own one day.
@jw454-beautiful ride! Did you do the drop top conversion? Looks factory!
RoughDiamond,
Yes, I did the conversion. As I mentioned, I’ve owned several so I wanted to do something different with this one.
This is the before picture.
This is when you’re at the point of no return.
That’s very close to me! If anyone is interested I can scope it out for you
I bought a new ’75 Monte Carlo & this sure looks like the same model year. Is that possible? We loved the car!! This one looks great for sure either way!! 👍
I was selling Chevies in 72, When these were introduced they were so hot we were getting over msrp for cars in stock. I sold two the first month. And I was not a star salesman. By mistake, we got a car in the first load with no air. We couldn’t give it away until we put aftermarket air in it.
A friend of mine had a 70 SS 454 triple black loaded I would love to have it today They 70/71/72 were beautiful cars and hard to find
The demo derby guys really used these up in the ’90s.
Had a ’73 LeMans Sport Coupe in this color scheme. Pontiac called it Valencia Gold. GM had some great colors at that time.
@jw454-that is one impressive build!
In 1976 bought a 74 Monte, all options, swivel buckets, sunroof, AM FM 8 track, 454. Was black with white landau roof. Vinyl roof was soon gone, now all black with small red pinstripes on fender bulges. In 78, traded for a California 66 El Camino, 396 4 speed with AC. In 81, sold El Camino for money towards down payment on our 1st house.(sigh).
My father bought a used 74 Monte Carlo from 1981 to 1983. I was a teenager then and frequently would sneak the keys off the top of the fridge and joyride the car when my father was asleep after working the graveyard shift. That Monte was a smooth tight running car. Chevy didn’t believe in split bench seats with an armrest in any of their cars back then so of course my fathers Monte had the full bench with AC
with the 350 2 barrel with the Keystone wheels which really made the car look nice and sporty. However the only gripe I would have to say with the 73-77 Monte Carlos were the lack of leg room in the back seat. My sister and I were not big kids back then but we certainly struggled trying to get comfortable back there I gotta tell you that. But overall that car was a nice good reliable vehicle and this one seems nice and well preserved.
My sister had this car, same color and options! Her husband threw a 350 crate motor in it and I can’t remember the mods he did to it, but it was a BEAST.
My first nice car when I was 17 (in 1985) was a 1975 Landau Monte Carlo. Had a 400 4bbl black with black vinyl top, red cloth interior, split bench seat, tilt column, power trunk, tach and guage package, light warning buzzer, rear window defoster (blower type) and polycast wheels. I had it repainted, cleaned up the interior and added vette 8 inch rally wheels. My girlfriend (and still my wife) lived on a gravel road so I hardly drove it. Have never owned another black car since!
Love these cars…power was down, but ride and handling with the radial tuned suspension it shared with the Grand Am brought it way ahead of the competition. add F-41 suspension, and you got a very stable still comfortable car. Ford and Mopar were outclassed…at least for a year or two…
For me the 73 with the bench seat seemed to be the most comfortable car I’ve ever been in, I think the 73 is a one year fit on some of the parts. The 350 was plenty happy on the highway, big heavy doors, Agreat and different body style, I’m doing one now but it has the swivel buckets, I hope it’s as comfortable