1970 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

Description

For reasons that aren't altogether clear to us, the first-generation Monte Carlos remain extremely affordable. These cool coupes have a classic look that's a bit sporty and a bit elegant, and with the right upgrades, they make fantastic resto-mods that drive beautifully and have room for the whole family.

If you're going to drive a 1970 automobile, you need a 1970 color on it, and the Autumn Gold paint this Monte Carlo sports is what's shown on the cowl tag. Of course, nothing in 1970 looked this good, thanks to a full repaint four years ago. The shiny paint really emphasizes the Monte Carlo's classic good looks, particularly the subtle fender curves that are highlighted when the light hits it just right. Fit and finish are excellent and totally out of proportion to a car this affordable, and the recent white vinyl roof provides welcome contrast and an athletic look. As Chevrolet's top-of-the-line personal luxury car, it just wouldn't do to have it look anonymous, so the chrome was restored, the stainless was buffed and polished, and the grille was nicely restored. When the quality is this good, you don't need bright paint to really stand out.

The gorgeous gold interior also replicates the factory specifications, and offers room for six and that unique '70s brand of cool. The seat covers, carpets, and headliner were recently installed so it's all quite fresh, and a few custom upgrades make it more enjoyable today without spoiling the factory look. Check out the sporty steering wheel and nicely integrated stereo system that uses an AM/FM/CD stereo head unit and upgraded speakers hidden behind a custom bulkhead in the trunk. The gauges appear to be original and in good shape and the dash pad might very well be original and in great condition. The burled walnut dashboard gives it an upscale feel, and there's plenty of room in the spacious trunk, even with the custom stereo equipment stashed in there. Someone was really sweating the details in this car.

The 350 cubic inch V8 moves this big coupe with ease, offering plenty of smooth torque and a few performance modifications to make it entertaining. The engine itself is nicely detailed, wearing Chevy Orange paint on the block and heads, a chrome dress-up kit, and an Edelbrock intake with a Holley carb on top. The matching Aztec Gold inner fenders suggest that the paint job was a full disassembly job, and there's a lot of new equipment under the hood, including the master cylinder and brake booster, chrome alternator, and the air cleaner. The TH350 3-speed automatic transmission has been fitted with a 2000 RPM stall torque converter, so it's a little snappier off the line and 3.73 gears out back can only help. With a top-end rebuild about eight months ago, it's a strong runner and has a great sound thanks to long-tube headers and a pair of Flowmasters that exhale through a pair of oversized chrome tips peeking out from under the rear bumper. The chassis is shockingly clean for a car in this price class, and there are even cross-drilled rotors for the front disc brakes. Staggered Centerline wheels give it a modern look and carry 225/55/16 front and 275/50/17 rear performance radials that are tall enough to fit properly in the Monte Carlo's big wheel arches.

It's crazy that these cars haven't caught on yet, but the upside is that you can get this extremely nice specimen for the price of a used Hyundai. How cool is that? Call today!