1974 Monte Carlo

The 1974 Monte Carlo was a lot like its 1973 predecessor, except for a few minor detail changes. The revised grille on the front end of this Monte Carlo was one of the biggest differences first seen, but upon a bit closer inspection, one could also notice that that taillights were not only vertical, but that they were also taller and slimmer than they had been. There was a relocated license plate as well, and the 5 mph bumper, which had been federally mandated on the front a year earlier, was also included on the back in this model. The base Monte Carlo, which had been equipped with standard suspension, a manual transmission, and bias-ply tires was discontinued in 1974, leaving the “S” and “Landau” models the only choices for buyers. These models were equipped with radial ply tires, standard power steering, disc brakes on the front end, and also upgraded suspension for a smoother ride.

In place of the old transmission was a three speed manual that was listed as standard on both of these models, with the 350 V8 being the standard motor. If you wanted the optional 400 or 454 V8 motors, then you would need to get the automatic transmission. Most Monte Carlos shipped in 1974 with the Turbo Hydra Matic transmission installed. The 350 Turbo Fire V8, which was standard on all Monte Carlos of this year, was again rated at 145 HP. If you lived in California though, your standard changed to the 350 Turbo Fire V8 four barrel, rated at 160 HP.

1974 Monte Carlo with 350 V8

The option list for 1974 brought back an old favorite in the motor department. The 400 Turbo Fire small block V8 was back, rated at 150 HP, and was outfitted with a two barrel carburetor… though you could also get it at 180 HP with a four barrel. The top engine available in the 1974 Monte Carlo was the 454 Turbo Jet big block, a V8 rated at a whopping 235 HP.

Even though the Arab oil embargo really helped to kill sales for intermediate sized cars, this classic Monte Carlo performed stronger than ever on the sales floor. Chevrolet moved a staggering 300,000 units, and that was despite long lines at the gas station and inflated oil prices! The Monte Carlo was a hit, once again! The Monte Carlo led the automobile industry with Intermediate sized car sales, closely followed by the Grand Prix. Other competition included the Mercury Cougar, the Chrysler Cordoba, the Ford Torino Elite, and even the redesigned Dodge Charger. But still, Monte Carlo outsold them all, even in a year that was tough on larger cars.

1974 Monte Carlo Rear

1974 Monte Carlo Interior

1973 Monte Carlo

To improve the handling and the overall smoothness of the ride in the new Monte Carlo, Chevrolet shipped them with new radial ply tires, high caster steering, pliacell shocks, and front & rear roll bars. There was also a new model Monte Carlo introduced this year, and it was called the Monte Carlo Landau. The main difference between the Landau and other Monte Carlo models was that the Landau had an “S”, a rear quarter Landau vinyl roof, passenger and driver side sport mirrors, and turbine II wheel covers.

As far as the engine went on the 1973 Monte Carlo, here is what was available. The standard engine shipped with the Monte Carlo was the 145 HP 350 Turbo fire V8. But available as options were the 175 HP 350 V8 four barrel, or the carbureted 454 Turbo Jet V8, which was rated at 245 HP. Because of all the new styling, and also because of its focus on Euro-style handling and the smooth ride it offered, this Monte Carlo was named Motor Trend’s Car of the Year in 1973. Monte Carlo also set a new record for model year sales for Chevrolet, shipping almost 250,000 units in just that year alone! It was a huge success for Chevrolet. In fact, the success of the Chevrolet Monte Carlo, as well as the success of Pontiac’s Grand Prix (which was very similar), led to a new line of luxury vehicles on the part of Chevy’s competition. The Mercury Cougar, the Chrysler Cordoba, and even the Ford Torino Elite were all a result of this push to compete, not to mention the new restyled Dodge Charger.

1973 Monte Carlo

1973 Monte Carlo with Swivel Seats

The 1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo saw a few noteworthy changes cosmetically from the previous year, but remained largely the same. The egg crate style grille, which was very similar to that of a Cadillac, was the most noticeable change cosmetically to the 1972 Monte Carlo. Actually, this was a very similar version of what was found on the Chevrolet Caprice in 1971. Also, the metal rear trim molding was different, highlighting the final year of the first generation Monte Carlo.

1972 Monte Carlo

In 1972 the Monte Carlo SS was dropped. However, there was a new custom option available this year only, which included a lot of special additions that were only available on the SS option. But the difference was that, while the SS only shipped with certain engines, this new custom option could be shipped with any engine you desired that was listed on the order roster.

1972 Monte Carlo

Due to the SAE net horsepower ratings, the engines seemed to take a decrease in rated power. This was the first year that Chevrolet did not even list gross HP ratings for their Monte Carlo… they simply stuck with the SAE ratings. As far as what they were rated, the available engines were listed as follows… the 350 two barrel was listed at 165 HP, the 350 four barrel was shown to pull 175 HP, the 402 four barrel boasted 240 HP, and the 454 four barrel showed a whopping 270 horses under the hood.

Because California had passed additional emissions standards that were a lot more strict, the only engine available for the Monte Carlo that was allowed in California was the four barreled 350. Also, the only transmission shipped in California was the Turbo Hydramatic. 1972 saw the four speed manual transmission discontinued as an option, with the brochure giving the excuse “Sorry, no four on the floor”. The only transmissions offered with the 1972 Monte Carlo were the standard three speed manual, with the two speed power glide automatic offered as an option, but only with the base 350 two barrel. 1972 also marks the first time that variable ratio power steering became standard on the Monte Carlo.

The 1972 Monte Carlo was a very hot seller for Chevrolet. 180,819 Monte Carlos were produced for this year, which set a new record for Chevrolet for the final year for the first generation of the G-body style.

1972 Monte Carlo

1972 Monte Carlo

1971 Chevy Monte Carlo SS 454

In 1971, there were slight changes made from the 1970 model. For example, on the cosmetic front, new European symbol knobs were found on the inside of the SS Monte Carlo. Also, it became an option to get a new four spoke steering wheel in 1971. The stand up hood ornament also saw its debut on the Monte Carlo in 1971, but that wasn’t all that Chevrolet had going for its still new coupe.

In the way of motors, the Turbo fire 400 two barrel from 1970 was dropped. On all of the other motors, the compression ratio was lowered due to a GM corporate edict that would allow the use of unleaded, low lead, or regular leaded gasoline. So, as a result, engine ratings fell a little bit in 1971. The base Turbo Fire 350 two barrel fell to 245 horsepower, the Turbo Fire 350 4V saw a new horsepower rating of 270 horsepower, and the Turbo Jet 400 would now run at 300 horsepower. But even though other engines saw a cut in the horsepower as a result of the edict, the SS 454 actually saw a minor increase, being raised to 365 gross horsepower… and that included the reduction in compression! The reason as to why the SS 454 could crank out a higher horsepower, even with a lowered compression ration, is because a more aggressive camshaft was used. This was actually the same camshaft that was used on the 454 in the Chevrolet Corvette in 1970.

1971 Monte Carlo

1971 marks the first year that Chevrolet would post horsepower ratings in SAE net terms, as well as in gross horsepower as they had in the past. 1972 would see a complete change in how the ratings were displayed, as net horsepower would become the main measurement used. In 1971, the engine ratings were displayed in net HP terms as followed… the Turbo Fire 350 V8 two barrel had 165 HP, the Turbo Jet 400 V8 four barrel had 260 HP, the Turbo Fire V8 Four barrel boasted 175 HP, and the Turbo Jet 454 V8 four barrel pumped out a whopping 285 HP.

It was at one time believed that the Monte Carlo SS in 1971 could have been shipped optionally with the 425 HP LS-6 version of the 454, a version of which was available in the 1970 Chevelle SS, though this is not specifically listed anywhere. Though the Turbo Hydramatic was officially the only clutch available on the SS, a heavy-duty clutch option did exist on the order-form. So, this makes it seem as though it might have actually been possible to order a special 454 LS-6 with a heavy duty four speed manual transmission attached. Factory records indicate that those motors only shipped in the corvette that year, though there is a slight possibility that some Chevrolet Monte Carlos may have been specially made this way through Chevrolet’s central office production order.

1971 Monte Carlo

1971 would mark the last year that the 454 would ship in the SS, even though 454 CID V8 would remain an option through the year 1975.

Even though the Chevrolet Monte Carlo was developed, for the most part, by Elliot Estes, it was formally unveiled by the new General Manager John Z. Delorean in 1969. He had been the one responsible for bringing about the similar bodied 1969 Grand Prix in the Pontiac division, so his knowledge of the body style was pretty much one of specialist status.

1970 Monte Carlo SS 454

The power train that shipped standard on the 1970s Monte Carlo was the 350 cubic inch (5.7 liter) Chevrolet Turbo Fire small block V8 with a two barrel carburetor. This motor was rated at 250 horsepower at 4500 rpm with 345 ft-lb of torque at 2800 rpm. This, coupled with a column mounted 3 speed manual transmission built with synchro mesh technology, helped to give the Monte Carlo a little bit of “buck” for the money. Disc brakes, which were located on the front of the vehicle, came standard with this model as well.

There were also a lot of options available for the 1970 model Monte Carlo. For one, you could get a two speed power glide automatic transmission (available on 350 engines only). There was also a three speed turbo hydramatic available, or a four speed manual. You could get power windows, variable ratio power steering, power seats, air conditioning, strato bucket seats, Rallye wheels, or even full instrumentation. A full equipped Monte Carlo, complete including all of the extras, could bring as much as $5,000, which was a lot back in 1970! But people still bought them, and loved them!

There were also several optional engines available on this year. For one, you could get a four barreled Turbo fire 350 small block V8, which was rated at 300 horsepower at 4800 rpm. There was also a Turbo fire 400 with a two barrel carburetor, which was rated at 265 hp at 7800 rpm. There was the Turbo jet 400 as well, but this is not to be confused with the Turbo fire 400. They were both different designs… while the Turbo Jet 400 was a sort of enlarged version of the 396 big block V8, the Turbo Fire 400 was a small block V8 which was more similar to the 350.

The sportiest option for any Monte Carlo this year was the 454 Monte Carlo SS. It featured a Turbo Jet 454 with a four barrel that was rated at 360 horsepower. Keep in mind that all of these horsepower ratings were made before Chevrolet made the switch to the new SAE horsepower standards.

1970 Monte Carlo SS 454

1970 Monte Carlo SS 454

1984 Monte Carlo SS

The Monte Carlo’s body style took on a new look in 1981, which was the first year of the fourth generation. Other Chevrolet cars took on similar visual overhauls, including the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, the Buick Regal, and the Pontiac Grand prix. The profile was much sleeker than it had been in previous years, and it would sport newer, vertical tail lights as it had in the 1970-1977 models. Available engines were pretty much carried over from the previous year, with the standard being the 229 Chevrolet built V6 with an option for a 267 V8, a 305 V8, and a 170 hp turbo charged 231 V6. Monte Carlo built about 3,000 of these turbos in 1981… Significantly fewer compared to the previous year.

1982 pretty much saw only mild changes in the Monte Carlo. All of the engines were carried over from the previous year, with the exception of the turbo charged 231 V6. This was discontinued when the Monte Carlo Turbo was discontinued. However, there were new options in the form of a 260 V6 and an Oldsmobile built 350 V8. These were both diesel engines. In this year, cars that had previously been considered A bodies were now classified as G bodies. Also, the black Monte Carlo was not offered this year. Another thing that was not offered for the first time in Monte Carlo history was a sporty interior option, complete with the Strato bucket seats. Only the standard benches were offered in 1982.

1983 saw the return of the SS model, which had not been built since 1971. This was the model that became very popular with Nascar teams, mostly because of its sleek and aerodynamic front end. 1983 offered, on its SS model, the L-69, which was a 305 cubic inch V8. This is a very treasured year for collectors, and is one of the most sought after Monte Carlos in existence.

The following year, 1884, saw the SS as a huge hit with buyers, both those from the general public and those who bought for Nascar. The Monte Carlo SS was winning on the racetrack, but it was also giving the public a little bit of the power that they had been craving since the emissions regulations back in the 1970s. This year, the Strato buckets came back as an extra cost option, and it was also the last year that you could get the 350 diesel in the Monte Carlo. There were only 168 of these even manufactured that year! But, 112,730 sport coupes were sold this year. 1984 also saw over 24,000 models ship with the SS option, the engine in which had a 5 horsepower boost from the engine shipped in the SS in 1983!

1985 saw the return of the T-top, as well as a few other cosmetic firsts. The SS model Monte Carlo was offered in black, silver, and maroon in addition to the white, and you could get pin-striping and other options as well. However, even though more new colors would emerge for the SS, the medium blue color was dropped, which would help to make this color a very sought after one by collectors in later years. The 229 V6 and the 350 V8 diesel engines disappeared for good in 1985, and were replaced by a 262 V6 that was fuel injected. Also, the V8s were outfitted with quadrajet carburetors which were computer controlled.

1986 saw four different body styles for the Monte Carlo. There was the basic sport coupe, the luxury sport model, the Super sport, and new to this year was the Aerocoupe. The Aerocoupe was more of a modified super sport body. Modifications included a rear window that was more sloped and a shorter trunk lid with a flatter spoiler. Only about 200 Aerocoupes were sold to the public in 1986.

1987 Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe

1987 saw the elimination of the Sport coupe entirely, leaving only the SS, the LS, and the Aerocoupe to continue the legacy. There were some cosmetic modifications to the SS as well, including a smoother bumper on the back… and the Luxury Sport was outfitted for the first time with tail lamps.

1988 saw the last year of the fourth generation Monte Carlo. Appearances and mechanical components remained very similar to the 1987 models, though the Aerocoupe did not return as plans had been outlined by Chevrolet to introduce… and race… the Lumina. The last Monte Carlo with a G-body was produced on the 12th of December in 1987. It was a silver SS coupe.

1980 Monte Carlo with T-Tops

The 1979 Monte Carlo saw a few cosmetic changes, including a redesigned front end grille and tail lights. As far as the engine went, a new Chevrolet built 200 V6 came standard with this year, while the Buick 231 V6 stayed standard in California models. There was a brand new 125 horsepower 267 V8 optional in 1979, and Chevrolet kept the 140 horsepower 305 V8 as an option, as it did the 160 hp four barrel. The transmission remained the same as in 1978, and this would be the last year that Chevrolet would even offer the manual transmission on the Monte Carlo.

The 1980 Monte Carlo saw the automatic transmission become the standard on all Monte Carlo Models. Also, the Chevrolet built 229 V6 ended up replacing both the 200 V6 and the Buick engine used for the 78 models, though cars sold in California did retain the Buick built motor. Also, a new option was added this year in a 231 turbo charged V6 that was rated at 170 horsepower. Other options included a the 267 and the 305… Both were V8 small blocks and both offered up to 155 horsepower. About 13,800 Monte Carlos were built with the turbo charger this year.

1980 Monte Carlo Interior

1980 Monte Carlo Rear

1973 saw the first year of the second generation for the Monte Carlo, and some changes were definitely noticeable. First of all, it was no longer a hardtop. Second, it included dual headlights, lined up on the outside of the new egg crate grille on which Monte Carlo was displayed as an emblem. Also, the large bumper on this model was a federally mandated 5 mph bumper that was required as a result of the 1973 federal safety standards overhaul for motor vehicles that had passed. The standard engine to ship on the 1973 Monte Carlo was the 145 horsepower 350 Turbo Fire V8. There was also an optional 175 horsepower V8 with a four barrel, as well as a 454 V8 rated at 245 horsepower. This model set a new record for Chevrolet sales, selling nearly 250,000 models.

The 1974 Monte Carlo was pretty much the same as the previous year’s model, though the larger bumper was also added to the back and slimmer vertical tail-lights spruced up the back end. A three speed manual transmission was pretty much the stable equipment shipped on these Monte Carlos, though there was an automatic transmission option with the larger 400 and 454 engines. Official records show, however, that most Monte Carlos of this year shipped with the Turbo Hydra Matic Transmission. It is interesting to note that, despite the oil embargo on Arab oil in 1974, which made lines at the gas station long and prices high, the Monte Carlo managed to set a new record for Chevrolet with 300,000 units sold.

1975 saw the arrival of the Catalytic converter which was needed to meet the new California emissions requirements, which cost consumers more in the way of lower octane unleaded gasoline, but helped out with fuel economy, spark plug life, and also muffler life. The engines in 1975 were basically carried over from the previous year, except that GM’s high energy electronic ignition was made standard equipment. Also, the 454 V8, due to California regulations, was no longer sold in California. For this part of the country, the 400 four barrel was the most powerful engine available in a Monte Carlo. 1975 also saw a plusher interior, and swiveling strato bucket seats were optional.

1976 Monte Carlo

1976 saw a new 140 horsepower 305 two barrel V8 ship as the standard on the Monte Carlo, though the 145 horsepower V8 350 two barrel and the 175 horsepower 400 V8 were both optional. California vehicles got a 165 horsepower 350 with a 4 barrel carburetor as the base engine, but this engine was not available in the other states. The Turbo Hydramatic transmission became standard on all 1976 Monte Carlos, and the big block 454 V8 was discontinued.

1977 saw the last year of the 1973 vintage design, as the next year would see a downsized 1978 Monte Carlo. Only two engines were offered in 1977 for the Monte Carlo, and these were the 140 horsepower 305 2 barrel V8 and the 170 horsepower 350 with a four barrel. This year, the 400 V8 was dropped as an option, and the Turbo Hydramatic transmission was included as standard.

]]> http://www.classicmontecarlos.com/second-generation/second-generation-monte-carlo/feed/ 1 http://www.classicmontecarlos.com/first-generation/first-generation-monte-carlo/ http://www.classicmontecarlos.com/first-generation/first-generation-monte-carlo/#comments Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:26:42 +0000 admin http://www.classicmontecarlos.com/?p=34

The Monte Carlo was created, originally, as a counterpart to the Pontiac Grand Prix, which had been introduced in 1969, and had been met with a very good track record of success upon its release. In these models, GM had instituted what they called a “G-body”. A G-body was a sort of happy medium between the A-body, and the sedans and station wagons. On these, a two door model would ride on a 112 inch split wheel base, and a sedan or station wagon would ride on a 116 inch wheelbase. But the Grand Prix was different in the way that it road a 118 inch wheelbase, which was called a G-body. This allowed for more growth from side to side for space, and the result was a much longer hood. This look instantly became popular with car buyers, and that new Grand Prix even outsold its larger B-body cousins that sold for a lower price! This is where the inspiration came from for the Monte Carlo, and it was from this design that the first generation Monte Carlo was spawned.

The Monte Carlo was mostly modeled after the Cadillac Eldorado, although a lot of the structures and body of the new car could be seen to be the same as the Chevrolet Chevelle, such as the decklid, rear window, firewall, and windshield. New front end sheet metal was added, along with wider C-pillars. Also, bulges were added to the fenders of the Monte Carlo to give it a more muscular look. Its concealed windshield wipers were considered very fashionable back in its day, as were the new rear fenders!

Running this first 1970 Monte Carlo was a 350 Chevy turbo-fire small block V8 engine. It was rated at 250 horsepower and had a 2 barrel carburetor. It had 345 ft-lb of torque at 2800 rpms, and sported a column mounted, 3 speed manual tranny designed with synchro-mesh technology. It shipped standard with front disc brakes, and was priced at $3,123 back in 1970.

1972 Monte Carlo

1971 saw a few styling changes to the new Monte Carlo, and the addition of a stand up hood ornament. It was mostly unchanged from a mechanical standpoint, except that the small block Turbo Fire 400 two barrel engine was eliminated. So, basically, your choices on the 1971 Monte Carlo as far as engines went were a Turbo Fire 350 V8, 2 barrel carburetor with 245 gross horsepower… a Turbo Fire 350 V8 with a four barrel carburetor with 270 gross horsepower… A Turbo Jet 400 V8 with a four barrel and 300 gross horses… or a Turbo Jet 454 with a four barrel carburetor that boasted 365 gross horsepower. The Turbo Hydramatic was officially continued for use in all SS models, but a heavy duty clutch option did exist. This leads some to believe that you might have been able to special order a 454 LS-6 with a four speed manual, but this is not officially listed on any factory options for that year.

The 1972 Monte Carlo saw a shift to SAE net horsepower ratings, which showed reduced power on all of Chevrolet engines… though they remained largely unchanged.