1975 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

Description

In the 1970s, if you wanted personal luxury, you shopped at the Chevy store and bought a Monte Carlo. The 1975 Monte Carlo seen here was a sales juggernaut and in the years before SUVs and sport sedans dominated the market, cars like this were the vehicles of choice for people going places. Today they're interesting pieces of automotive archaeology and offer a fantastic view of the wild and often wacky 1970s.

The 1975 Monte Carlo wasn't much changed from the 1974 model, but why mess with success? The swooping fender lines and forward-arching profile give it a classic look that works with the long hood/short deck styling that suggests luxury and power. The light blue paint is recent and replicates the original Medium Blue color, and I'm quite certain it looked right at home on the streets of 1975 where pastels and big collars ruled the day. It has also lived someplace dry, because the sheetmetal remains in excellent condition with no signs of rust or rot, something for which these cars were notorious, and which helps explain their relative rarity today despite record-breaking sales figures. This one came without a vinyl top, identifying it as a base model, but today it looks sleek and clean and I'm guessing most of you prefer it that way. There's also a ton of chrome that's still in decent shape, including the bumpers, grille, lower rocker cladding, and the unique taillights that would become a Monte Carlo trademark for years to come.

It turns out that Chevy's personal luxury coupe was pretty darned nice inside. The blue vinyl buckets are in great shape with few signs of age, and they're very cool swivel buckets that are perhaps a feature that deserves to make a comeback. Of course, it helps that the materials the factory used was as durable as a granite countertop, but you don't keep a car looking this nice by accident. Even the door panels are clean and smooth, without so much as a depression where the driver's elbow used to rest, and the speakers are neatly installed to help them blend in. The dash offers a sporty look with lots of round pods for gauges and vents, and factory A/C, power windows, and a tilt wheel are all desirable options. With a faux burled walnut fascia, it has an upscale look and the newer AM/FM/CD stereo head unit provides a welcome dose of 21st century entertainment. The trunk is sizable neatly upholstered with black carpet and still has plenty of room even with a big custom subwoofer. Nice, right?

The 350 cubic inch small block V8 was still the powerplant of choice for a majority of Monte Carlo buyers, and its smooth, torquey performance is ideal in the personal luxury coupe. It's a small block Chevy, so upgrades like an Edelbrock intake manifold and 4-barrel carburetor are certainly welcome and it runs superbly. The balance is pretty stock with a few dress-up pieces and while it's not detailed for show, it runs great. There's also a true dual exhaust system with Flowmaster mufflers, so it sounds a bit racier than when it was originally built, but with a TH350 3-speed automatic transmission and a 10-bolt rear with 2.73 gears inside it's an easy cruiser. Classic Keystone wheels are fitted, which give the conservative Monte Carlo a sporty look, and they wear earing 235/60/15 BFGoodrich T/A radials.

Always popular, these vintage Monte Carlos remain desirable machines today. Very affordable, this one has a lot to offer. Call today!