The seller of this 1970 Chevrolet Monte Carlo declares this is a “once in lifetime opportunity to own a true piece of American automotive history.” Those are very strong words and I’m sure our Barn Finds readers will debate, but the seller’s stance doesn’t seem terribly far-fetched. This Monte Carlo was sent to us by a Barn Finds reader who found it here on eBay in Richmond, Virginia. Strong bidding appears to support the seller’s belief as after 31 bids the current high bid is $31,100.
The Monte Carlo was introduced in 1970 as a sort of sister car to Pontiac’s Grand Prix. The first generation lasted until 1972. There were powertrain changes and a few discernible cosmetic differences among the three model years, but the first-generation Monte Carlo generally didn’t break something that wasn’t broke. This was the heyday of the personal luxury car and the buying public responded to the new Monte Carlo favorably. There were 145,976 Monte Carlos built in 1970 and although production dipped a bit in 1971, 1972 proved to be the most popular year for the first-generation Monte Carlo.
The seller has provided a link to 130 additional photos as well as a 12-minute long walk-around video, but it doesn’t take too deep of a dive to see this Monte Carlo has lived an easy 50-year life. It’s also covered just 6,356 miles, which is documented. There seems to be a love/hate sentiment toward fender skirts, but once you know the story of this car, they seem fitting. The paint still looks new, the vinyl top looks excellent, and trim all appears to be perfect. The seller says there’s a few nicks, but I don’t believe I’ve seen a car of this vintage more near perfect.
This Monte Carlo has always been stored indoors, which is reflected in the condition of the interior. The tan seats look perfect and every surface appears clean and shows no signs of wear. The seller’s description of it being “spectacular” looks to be spot-on. It is equipped with bucket seats and a console which, in my experience, seems to typically be reserved for the more performance-oriented Monte Carlos. In my opinion, that horseshoe shifter is the best looking shifter ever put into a car. Ever.
If there’s anywhere this Monte Carlo shows its age, it’s under the hood. Here you’ll find a 350 cubic-inch 2-barrel V8 which is backed by a TH350 transmission. The seller believes only the battery, water pump, and belts are non-original.
This is the first and only time this Monte Carlo has been offered to the public. The seller says: “This car was a demo car for the mother of a local car dealer here in Richmond, Virginia. The car is still titled in the dealership name and has been that way all of its life.” Is that story and the original, low-mileage condition worth the price of admission?
I was just at an auction in Granger Iowa, a Chevrolet dealer that sold earlier this year was selling some of his collection. He had a 72 Monte Carlo the the ordered for his demo, had just over 3000 miles, on the mso until February when he sold the dealership. It sold foe $105,000 plus 5% premium
That car in Iowa was a special order paint car, with factory rally wheels and the L48 4bbl 350. Much more eye appeal than this one, and a local billionaire bought it for his extensive collection.
Must’ve got his first something in one, or maybe his wife gave her first something in one, stupid money
I think that this car was listed on here a month or so ago. Nice car.
Nice car but… are my eyes deceiving me… Why is the front left quarter panel and left drivers door of a slightly different shade of paint…?
You are correct John. Something is a little off. Certainly the color match is as you have noted. In the lead photo take a look at the hood contour versus the fender. Near the windshield the hood rides a little high. Midway between the windshield and nose it appears the hood is slightly below the edge of the fender. By the time the hood gets to the nose the alignment in that area looks pretty much like it should. This is more than just a hood hinge issue that sometimes plague this model. I could not imagine paying the big money this car is bringing without an inspection.
Dangle of angle of Pic.
Lft quarter is in shadow.
There should a rubber piece in middle of hood to bump the beast up.
Hood is good 4.5 feet long or longer. JS.
Oh no – that hood is all of 6 feet. I owned a ’72 in high school. I could lie flat on the hood without my feet hanging over. We would have 4 people on the hood at the drive in. Cozy but comfortable!
I looked at a 1970 Monte Carlo in 1977 for my college commuter car. I didn’t buy it, but i remember reading Petersen’s Chevrolet book at the time. That was the longest Chevrolet hood in their history up to that point.
love first gen Montes but I think this ones priced a little high. How many of you guys have seen factory four speed mantes? I have personally seen two one of which is about five houses away from mine. this one is loaded 350/300, PW, P locks, Gauge package, Buckets and console, 12 Bolt rear end, Rally wheels but no skirts. I would rather own a Monte than a Chevelle!
Is this car another of Bill Mitchell’s brilliant strokes of genius?
Mitchell may have styled it but the DeLorean concept of the ’69 Grand Prix, one of the last products intro’s during his reign as honcho at Pontiac, was the real starting point for the gen 1 Monte.
Another glaring fault I see is the fender skirt being a different color from the rest of the side of the car. Still a nice car but questions bound.
The documentation offered in the ad dated May of 1972 doesn’t seem to match the story the seller is telling.
Jus’ sayn’
Called Pregnant Chevelle’s as they were built on Chevelle station wagon frames .
Incorrect 70-72 monte carlos only shared the frame with Pontiac grand prixs. The monte did share the same trunk lid with the chevelle and skylark. The monte carlo was style after the Cadillac eldorado,
Same back window as well.
seems pretty correct to me.with that low mileage,its probably worth the price!
Even with such low mileage & indoor storage, can the orig R12 a/c still be expected to blow cold?
Best lookin old car trunk floor i think i ever seen.
The only things i can see that do not match outside are the fender skirts – is that typical or maybe ordered later at dealer’s parts counter & painted by a body shop?
Ony thing that doesn’t match inside is the driver’s lower plastic armrest – compare to the passenger one. With such low mileage it should not be a different shade – or should have been replaced.
Fender skirts were optional but rarely ordered on the Monte Carlo. They were not available with the SS or Custom Packages or with the P02 Special Whelp Covers because of clearance issues I believe
Looks like to me the whole nose from windshield forward has been repainted. It just might be the photo.. The fender skirts look like a different color also, of course that could have been purchased separately but I dont remember if the Monta Carlo came with skirts.
The fender skirts could be ordered from the factory with the car. Mine(1970 Monte Carlo) had the skirts on it new and they are on the original build sheet; found in the springs of the rear seat cushion.
No. The price is way too high, it’s a production car no matter who owned it.
If it’s really nice try it at $25,000.00 provided you don’t have to do anything.
Otherwise look elsewhere.
Needed a new water pump after 6356 miles ??
Water pumps leak just from sitting long periods… Have had that happen to me..
Car is truly a time capsule, too bad it was so unequipped in the engine department. It would be a sin to start changing things on a car of this pedigree.
Maybe with the 454 option or a 402 4 speed.
After looking through the photos this car appears to have been in a significant collision and not that well repaired. The low mileage may be due to it sitting awhile in an unrepaired state. 30K is a whopping price for this. The seller should be thrilled.
It’s a nice Brown car, call it whatever you want, it’s brown, low miles but not the most desirable
combo, only has a 350, no power windows, that’s 454 money, in brown, if red add 15k,
The color is called champagne gold. My Dad bought one exactly like this in October 69 when the Monte Carlo first debuted. Plus it had the fender skirts and hubcaps painted same color as the car. Same engine 350 2bbl. Although it had no A/C and no power windows/locks. We lived in upstate NY back then it wasn’t needed. The interior was black knit cloth interior w/bench seat and automatic 3 speed on column.
I’m surprised at that bid ! If it had the 454 …maybe ?
Looks to me like the entire front clip is a different shade, and consistently in all the pictures. Also, that does not look like a 6000 mile engine compartment.
38,000 bid, reserve not met?, that cars gonna be back on again next yr too, it ain’t going nowhere,
A 1972 Monte Carlo with 3,000 miles just brought $105,000 at the Beneventi Chevrolet sale in Granger, Iowa on July 25th, 2020.
Yep – that triple black Monte brought more than that nice silver SS Chevelle…..
A brown 350 car brought 105,000? Or a 454 in the rite colors?
No. A triple black 175 hp 350 Monte Carlo brought $105k.
I had the 454 c.i. version of this car. 1970 as well. Except for the small SS script down on the rockers and the dual exhaust no one knew they were about to get smoked at a red light drag race. Fun car.
Y’all DO know, the walk off front ends were painted “down the road” from the rest of the car, before final assembly, don’t you ?
No! I did not. BUT, that said with time and conditions paint colors applied in different environments could age differently.
That could be the rational explanation of the slightly different paint hues noted in earlier comments.
Gotta say, the market surprises me, triple black is gorgeous, but do u think 105,000 is a good investment, maybe a 454, but that’s Chevelle money, that must have been some car, what like 3,000 miles?
Friend of a friend had a 70 or 71 SS 454 red w black interior, around 1977, smokin hot car, fast
Something is going on with the paint. Skirts and front clip don’t match rest of the car. Skirts are not that rare. They are correct (I personally love them). It is unlikely but possible that skirts would have been added to a non skirt car. If so the original wheel lip molding would have had to be removed to install the skirt. That does not explain color mismatch between front clip and door though. You can see rust spot on rear edge of fender. This means door was rubbing on it. Which could mean door was repaired or replaced and not adjusted properly. Strange they have all this documentation but no window sticker. Tires are modern radials turned inside out with the whitewalls on the inside and blacked out. The outside has had a dual stripe whitewall put on it to match the original (see spare). Not sure how this was done and there are no closeups. An appealing car but would have to see it in person to assess these irregularities.
If you watch this video, you’ll see that the bodies were painted separately from the hood and fenders. A mis-match wasn’t unusual between body and front clip. Judging by these photos, the fender skirts were probably painted with the front end.
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2016/04/22/how-fisher-body-built-them-in-1970
At first, I though this one was a little overpriced when it didn’t meet the reserve at almost $40k.
But then a 1970 with 3000 miles goes for $105k! NUTS!!! If I decided to buy a 1st gen model, it seems likely, after checking out a few on line, that I could pick up a nice one with some decent options, for perhaps $20-30k.
70-72 Monte Carlos are $15K-30K in todays market pending color, condition and options as well as other items.
This car is worth perhaps a bit more for someone who likes the uncollectable color scheme and THIS ONE IS WORTH more due to the lower miles. (If the miles are true).
105K Monte at recent auction: The Black, 1 of 1, again Black (cult color for a 70’s GM car), the story and the actual “Like New” condition COMBINED with the comments that 2 people at an auction with DEEP POCKETS wanted this car (like the Batmobile a few years back at BJ) and spent WAY more money than the car (awesome car) will EVER bet worth to 99.99% of the interested buyers.
A 70 Gloss Black 4 sp SS 454 version with low miles isn’t worth half that money UNLESS AGAIN you have a guy with deep pockets and wants it. That will always be true.
Paint conflicts are both understandable and not, based upon all the informative comments.
Skirts, either you love them or hate them.
I too am not buying the mileage simply based upon the engine compartment condition. It COULD be but the engine compartment does not line up for me.
This car is IN NO WAY comparable to the black monte that sold at that auction for 105K++ . Just 2 different cars, 2 different stories.
I’m in the same thought pattern, 2 guys with way too much money loving the same car,chasing they’re youth, it’s a passion that no one understands,excel car guy, see me, if someone told me they had my, 73 Luxury Lemans that I owned from 77 to 79, I’d give up my 18 Mercedes for it, cause it’s a passion
I had the same car, same color combo but black bench interior with 56k miles in the earl 90’s. Bought from the original owner. Sold it to go on a hunting trip to Colorado. Should’ve kept the car, the trip was a disappointment!
The Iowa sale is not market value, nor is it investment value. It’s who’s got the deeper pocket value. Its not even the same car.
Wrong hubcaps, should have the Caprice one.
But the double lip white lines tire are correct for 1970.
Those are the correct wheel covers. Those are the correct wheel covers. Those are the standard ones