We find lots of mid to late ’60s full-size Detroit iron all of the time, Fords and Chevrolets in particular. Plymouths? Not too often. How about Dodges? Nope, hardly ever. Well, it’s about time and here we go with this 1967 Dodge Monaco 500. But this example is not your father’s Dodge. Yeah, yeah, I know I have that mixed up with a different marque but stay with me on this one and you’ll see what I’m talking about. This big D is located in Downers Grove, Illinois and is available, here on craigslist for $20,700. Thanks to Pat L. for this most unusual discovery!
Now the Dodge brand is hardly a stranger to Barn Finds but they usually surface as Chargers, Challengers, Power Wagon trucks, and Coronets; the full-sized C-Bodies are a lot fewer and farther between. Our subject car is from the Monaco’s first generation, ’65-’68, and starting with the ’67 model, the stylists at Dodge went for a very distinctive reverse C- pillar. But that’s not the most visual standout feature of this Dodge, as the seller suggests, “Love it or hate it you’ll get plenty of attention!“. I’ve seen a lot of different brands/models go the gasser route, cars like an Anglia, Willys, ’55 Chevy, etc. but a ’67 Dodge Monaco 500? Apparently so, and this one has it all going on with a solid front axle, ladder bars, fuel cell, and opened rear wheel wells.
Well, if you’re going to look like a gasser, you have to be able to go like one and that shouldn’t be a problem with this Monaco’s 1958 vintage Chrysler 392 CI “Hemi” V8 engine. It’s not stated how it motivates but how could it not be outrageous with its 4.70 rear gears spun by an automatic transmission?
Other than the obvious B&M style floor shifter, there’s not much going on inside to report, it looks pretty original and stock. There are engine gauges attached to the bottom edge of the dash, and a tachometer that has been inserted into an instrument binnacle but there’s nothing else that perpetuates the gasser vibe – and certainly not a rollbar. The driver’s seat upholstery is in tatters but the rest of the environment presents pretty well. This gasser even appears to have power windows!
Are we talking serious racer here? No, not at all though the old suggestion of “sit down, strap in and hold on” is probably appropriate. This Dodge is more of a car show/cruiser kind of vehicle, one that could make quite a show leaving cars & coffee. Impractical? Yes. Fun? How could it not be?
I am in . See this body style any more?
Thankfully, no.
370,
I disagree – I really like this style,just don’t like
what they did to this poor car.
I like it, I think I would add a 4-point roll bar with a fire extinguisher for effect then 1970’s panel and endless line paint.
This reminds me of some of the plastic models I used to make. Didn’t make a lick of sense, but sure looked cool. Got to admit, it looks sharp, but gassers are inherently unstable, like this video shows, a slight hiccup results in this. I remember as a kid, slot car tracks were all the rage. One day, a guy brings in his obvious pride and joy, a gasser type car, 1/24th scale, all chrome, it looked neat. He places the car on track 1st( big mistake) hooks up the control wrong, it takes off hitting a wall full speed, pieces everywhere, just like this real gasser.
This whole car is all wrong, but who am I to say? A 392? That takes me back when they were oily slugs in some derelict Chrysler, or DeSOTO, that nobody wanted,, what one is doing here is anyones guess.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goBc2SM-NVA
Howard you took the words out of my mouth. We must have grown up in the same time frame. I used to build kits like this all the time. Back then the kits didn’t cost over 20.00 or more like now. I went crazy when the candy paints came out in spray cans. Cars like these didn’t have to make sense or be safe just look cool was enough back then. Crazy times but alot of fun kinda miss some of it.
Yah they were 50 cents…..Every two weeks or so we would go the 60 or so miles to my grandparents house to visit. My grandmother would give me the .50 to go up to variety store to get a model….I’m assuming it was a small price to pay to keep me outa their hair for the day….I built a lot of models….I retired couple of yrs ago and decided on -10 degree winter day here that I was gona get a model an build it….shocked when I saw the 27.50 price tag….changed my mind on taking that up for a winter hobby
If you find a DeSoto with a 392, it wasn’t original. And a 392 is hardly a slug.
I appreciate your knowledge, I only used the word “DeSoto” as a term from the Byzantine era, and for the record, most people couldn’t tell one from another. “HEMI” is a Madison Ave. buzzword today, to seemingly indicate all hemis are 10,000 horse, fire breathing monsters, when in fact, it’s really nothing special. A nitro hemi has almost nothing in common with the motor in grandpas Chrysler. Hemis were actually very common in the 50’s, but most all I dealt with WERE oily slugs, that a smooth running small block could eat for lunch. Granted, the hemis were usually in 5,000 pound cars, but I remember junkyards had PILES of hemis. Whether 392’s or not, didn’t matter. I think the 392’s biggest appeal was, it was simply one of the biggest motors made at the time, and went from there.
What size are those rear tires? Back in the day, you could get a M-50/15 that you ran on a 15×10 Cragar SS wheel.
They were N-50-15’s.
I would have loved to take my three boys to school in that bear.
A paint job away from every people’s choice trophy in the state.
Drop it back to normal with little angry tire stance , beautiful car.
What an interesting take on a not so popular body style. I like it. A lot.
It’s comical…the other end of the gasser spectrum for a Henry J or Anglica.
I would have kept it as a lowered cruiser given all the options.
Maybe a member could find/post a picture of a comparable Lincoln, Cadillac or Imperial gasser?
When I scrolled down and saw this, I hated it lol. But being a Mopar guy who likes big boats, I decided to read the article. The more I look at the car, the more I like it. It is not much more than a rolling cartoon character, but I can dig it.
This is aStreet Freak “Not a gasser” and very cool
I see here the inspiration for those Super Bee tailights that would come along in a few short years.
How to ruin a perfectly good car. Some people have nothing better to do.
Look up “ludicrous” in the dictionary and it’ll describe this unfortunate car. To call this 4,000 lb. barge a “gasser” is a misnomer of epic proportion. While not the prettiest face at the party this is (was) not a bad looking car. From it’s stock configuration a subtle lowering and a nice wheel/tire combo would be all it needs. Then the Hemi would give it a cool “Sleeper” vibe. But done the way it is, this definitely goes into the “What were they thinking” file! I don’t blame the owner for wanting to sell it… I would too!
always liked those Monacos….when i see them now they really need larger wheels and tires…this is a little too much though…still a cool car though
Did anyone notice no master cylinder on the firewall.
I noticed the car is pictured in various stages of building. Some photos have no “zoomies”, and the engine isn’t complete. I don’t think it was meant to be competitive, just good ol’ boys( or girls) having fun,,in a straight line, that is.
It does seem strange that the only engine compartment photo appears to have been taken just after the engine was dropped in, with the hoist support fixture still attached to the intake manifold. Maybe the master cylinder had been removed in case there was any interference when squeezing that 392 into that tiny engine compartment!
Love the gassers…very cool car.
I love the stance of this car….the second picture, says it all. I can remember when every 3rd car at the drag strip looked like this…..NICE!!!
These things were unstable boats at their best when new
I ´m guessing it not handles worse than a seventies winnebago !
FUGLY
I owned a few of these and they would out corner both GM and Fords
“Are we talking serious racer here? No, not at all.”
All sizzle and no steak.
Like an order of fajitas lol
If executed properly, it could have been cool. The radiusing of the rear wheelwells pretty much sums up this turd.
rESTORED THIS CAR IS NOTHING, BUT A REAL MAN CUT IT UP, MADE IT A HOT ROD AND i LIKE IT–WANT IT AND NEED IT
As RW commented above, its a street freak not a gasser. But still a cool cruiser nonetheless. Beats a ricer.
If you’re going to take it to Cars and Coffee better get there early cause parking this thing would be a bear….and most importantly, if you’re planning on taking the your gal along, keep a step ladder in the trunk. Hips ain’t cheap.
Depends on how old the hip is. I see your point though. Most of the hips on those related to the BF demographic were gound to a fine powder 20 years ago.
right the M50 was a 14, N50 were 15 inch
BARN FINDS…….
what is with all the advertisements? All of a sudden we have to scroll through multiple ads before finding a nice classic. Whereas before, only had to scroll through one or two ads.
I know advertising pays the bills, but jeeez, you went overboard. The same freaking ads over and over.
So disappointed.
Two words: Adblock Plus.
Its easy
The more traffic they get
The more advertisers want to pay for the traffic
So , here we are
Multiple corny ads and weird cars
With us old corny keypad warriors …
try logging in again, Happened to me and and after I log in again they went away
Looks to me like someone took a really nice Monaco 500 and turned it into something his kid drew in pre-school.
i like it, its odd but cool, be something different from all the mustangs and camaros you always see at shows, besides when was the last time you saw Dodge Monaco of any year anywhere.
Use Duck Duck go,the ads won’t appear.