1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

Description

Is Chevy's first-generation personal-luxury coupe finally getting the respect it deserves? Judging by the quality of the restoration on this 1972 Monte Carlo, someone thought it was worthy of spending a big pile of money to bring it back to top condition and who are we to argue with that kind of dedication?

Dipping into the factory color pallet, this lovely Monte Carlo exchanged its original code 53 Placer Gold for a much more appealing shade of Midnight Bronze. The result is a car that looks period-correct yet quite up-to-date today and a lot of folks will probably stop you and ask about the beautiful paint. It certainly helps that the Monte Carlo is among the best-looking cars to come out of the early 1970s, and with straight sheetmetal and a classic long hood/short deck profile, it looks muscular. Panel gaps and fit are quite good, with doors that are well-aligned and a giant hood that sits flush with the fenders. There isn't a lot of chrome or bright trim on the Monte Carlo, which is possibly why it looks so good to us today, but the stuff that is there remains in excellent shape, including the bumpers, grille, and unique bright metal panel running along the trunk edge.

Beautiful tan upholstery is a great contrast to the copper paint and code 735 Saddle vinyl is this car's original setup. Obviously there's a lot of new stuff inside, including the seat covers, carpets, and door panels, all of which match the original materials exactly. The burled walnut dashboard features round gauges that give the luxurious Monte Carlo a more sporting look and someone has added a very cool custom center gauge panel to house auxiliary oil pressure and coolant temperature gauges plus a tachometer, all from Sunpro. You'll also notice wire hookups for the AM/FM/iPod stereo system, which uses original-style knobs to great effect. There are very few signs of use and the tasteful interior beckons you to hit the road in style. Fortunately, road trips are easy in a Monte Carlo, which features a positively gigantic trunk, which, in this car's case, wears correct spatter-finish paint and a custom trunk mat and a full-sized spare tire.

A nicely detailed 350 cubic inch V8 makes the Monte Carlo more than a little fun to drive and remains as eminently reliable and smooth as always. The fresh Chevy Orange paint makes a great first impression, and that stands up under scrutiny thanks to details like a performance intake manifold, 4-barrel carburetor, chrome air cleaner and what might very well be the longest upper radiator hose in history (that long hood makes for a VERY spacious engine bay). It starts easily and idles smoothly, with just a hint of performance coming from the long-tube headers and twin Flowmaster mufflers. The TH350 3-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly when you're taking it easy, yet snaps to attention when you dip into the secondaries. The suspension is luxury-car smooth but doesn't seem to object to a little hustling now and then and a heavy-duty 12-bolt rear end won't even whimper when you romp on the accelerator. Classic Rally wheels with polished trim rings are a favorite look that's also quite authentic and they're wrapped in fat 255/60/15 Firestone rubber.

If you've admired Monte Carlos from afar, now is the time to take one home, because they can't go anywhere but up from here. Call today!