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 excellent 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 seat covers are new, with both the front and rear seats in excellent shape, but everything else is original. 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. The dash offers a sporty look with lots of round pods for gauges and vents, and factory A/C is a desirable option. With a faux burled walnut fascia, it has an upscale look and the newer Pioneer AM/FM/CD stereo head unit provides a welcome dose of 21st century entertainment. The trunk is sizable and carries a full-sized spare and jack assembly. 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. Nicely finished in Chevy Orange, it still carries all its original equipment and runs like new. Given the propensity for people to try to find more horsepower in anything wearing a bowtie, it's remarkable that this one is still as the factory built it. That means a single exhaust system with original catalytic converter, TH350 3-speed automatic transmission, and a 10-bolt rear with 2.73 gears inside so it just loafs along in traffic. The chassis is original yet quite clean, so there are no worries about enjoying the car as designed. And with classic Rallys all around, now wearing 215/65/15 Uniroyals, it looks like a lot of fun to drive.

Always popular, these vintage Monte Carlos remain desirable machines today. They don't come much cleaner than this, so if you've been looking for a good one, you've just found it. Call today!