Only One Family: 1976 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
In the mid-1970s, one of the hottest cars on the market (sales-wise) was the Chevrolet Monte Carlo. This was when many buyers were downsizing their transportation needs for better fuel economy, yet the Monte Carlo was as big as ever. Located in Fall City Washington, this nice survivor is a one-family car with a little tweaking done under the hood. It’s available here on craigslist for $10,000 and is a tip brought to us by T.J.!
The styling of the second-generation Chevy Monte Carlo (1973-77) no doubt struck a responsive chord with buyers. Sales were better than ever and 1976 was a record (353,000 copies) that would be broken just a year later in 1977 (411,000 units!). 1976 Monte Carlos switched to stacked headlights, making them instantly and visibly different from their predecessors. A new 305 cubic inch V8 was standard and the big-block 454 was gone. The 350 was a popular option and is what lies in the seller’s survivor-quality vehicle.
As the story goes, this Chevy has been in the same family since Day One – an astonishing 48 years. It’s the Landau edition which came with a half vinyl roof. The body and paint look great and we assume the latter is original. The matching interior is spotless, too, hardly showing its near 97,000 miles. This machine has been treated with kid gloves and looks like it.
The 350 V8 has been upgraded from the likely 2-barrel version it came as. A new intake manifold has been added to accommodate an Edelbrock carburetor and we’re told the camshaft was upgraded, too. With dual exhaust (is the catalytic converter still there?), this Monte Carlo should be a little zippier than before. The seller backs up the car’s presentation with four videos that can be found here, here, here, and there.
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Comments
Beige and buckskin looks pretty good among all the grey cars today. Has a good host of features and seems to be in nice shape. Hope it finds a good home.
The only NEW car I ever bought was a 77 triple black Monte Carlo. Great car lasting for 5 years with only routine maintenance. Loved the so called Go for Baroque styling. Unfortunately even though Ziebarted when new, while washing the chrome trim piece between drivers door and wheel well fell off revealing a hole in the body. Ziebart claimed it was surface rust not covered. Regretfully traded, but still have great memories, especially looking out over that long sculptured hood. The list price for mine was $6,500. Price on this Monte Carlo seems like a true Bon Marche. Although not in the market for a second car, I can feel my check book calling .
Back then, i believe, most exterior chrome trim was of course not plastic & bolted on, instead of glued on – meaning holes in the sheetmetal behind them – best to have ordered a car with as little such trim as possible, including around wheel wells & on rocker panels, tho such trim did make vehicles look good.
But i do not like the excessively wide wheelwell trim on cars of the late 70s & newer – even on some pintos!
In the craigslist add it looks like it has two converters on the exhuast. I like that it has the rear sway bar!
I think all Montes of the Collonade era had rear sway bars
I remember my uncle owning one exactly like this down to the color. That had to have been the early 80’s, so I was probably 6 or 7 years old. He passed away last year.
Sorry for your Uncle’s passing. Unfortunately these great cars are Like Sands Through the Hour Glass passing as are The Days of Our Lives. LOL and treasure all those memories.
These were such nice cars, but I dont think I will ever get used to the stacked square headlight set up – it really took a lot of the style out of the front IMHO.
Same with the ’78 chrysler cordoba, & to a lesser extent, the 1979 Lil Red Express truck – all compared to prior year’s model.
Big fan of these, but have to admit I would prefer a more stock looking engine bay. Something about an Auto Zone open element air cleaner that just looks cheap on this car…
That said, it is very nicely priced and appears very clean. If I didn’t own one already, I would look at this car.
Had a navy blue on blue ‘76. Nice car. Mine wasn’t a Landau so it had the rally wheels. Always like the look of the turbine wheels on the Landau better. These cars look better in the darker colors IMO. I’d pass on this one with the engine mods. Nice low mileage completely stock examples are out there.
The videos of this Monte are great. I wish most sellers were this transparent. One of the first cars anyone in my high school group of buddies got was a triple black $500 rusted Monte with the 350. It was a fun car. Drivers door would not open because of rust so we all had to get in and out through one door.
From looking at the videos you can tell this one is a real nice survivor.