Not A Rolls: 1976 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Custom Cloud

The story of the Custom Cloud modified Monte Carlo is long and tedious...and not one I am willing to recount, other than to give you the quick version..which is; from 1973-1977 a small company in Florida put some fiberglass front and rear ends on the 2nd generation Monte Carlo to make it look vaguely (in the same sense that Danny DeVito looks vaguely like Arnold Schwarzenegger) like a Rolls Royce, until the corporate goons at Rolls sued them and stopped the insanity...anyway, you can read the entire story of the Custom Cloud here and here...or you can buy one of the 14 examples built.  Find this 1976 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Custom Cloud offered for $12000 in Las Vegas, NV via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!

A Few Too Many Mods: 1983 Chevy Monte Carlo Convertible

General Motors never made a G-body convertible so I was pretty excited to find a homemade version searching the interwebs.  The initial excitement quickly changed to bewilderment when I noticed all the strangely chosen modifications made to the car- as if being a Monte convertible is not unique enough in and of itself.  The poor pictures in the listing make some of them difficult to make out, but there is a lot of head scratching and squinting in store once you dig in.  Find this 1983 Chevy Monte Carlo for sale in Clarksville, OH for $5,900 via craigslist.

Brown Wears The Crown: 1981 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

There is no better time to buy up a clean General Motor G-body car than right now.  Variants included the Chevy Monte Carlo, Oldsmobile Cutlass, Pontiac Grand Prix, and Buick Regal.  These were the last cars to follow the classic V8 rwd muscle car formula.  The Grand National was a collector car when new, but in 2018 it is easier than ever to create a restomod version any of these cars.  When they were new, G body V8 engines produced a paltry amount of power even in higher output Hurst or SS trims.  With the info all over the internet, it is easier than ever to create a 400+ hp V8 be it some LS version, big block, or turbo anything.  Today's Monte has a older school 355 set up that might not be a LS, but still delivers the goods.  Find this 1981 Chevy Monte Carlo for sale in Pittsburgh, PA for $9,500 via craigslist.

Clean G: 1987 Chevy Monte Carlo LT1 Swap

In 2018 the number of two door coupes available from car manufacturers are few and far between, but back in the 1980s they were literally everywhere.  The General Motors G-body cars included the Chevy Monte Carlo, Buick Regal, Oldsmobile Cutlass, and Pontiac Grand Prix.  With the exception of the Grand National and T-Type, these were not particularly sporting or fast cars. However, they coupes are one of the last rwd body on frame designs which make them desirable to muscle car fans without a baller budget.  Starting about ten years after these cars were discontinued, V8 engines started making a ton more power stock than the roughly 140 hp wheezed out from the factory.  Today's Monte features a 300hp engine/trans swap from a 1996 Corvette. The G-body cars now also have a host of modern suspension components via the aftermarket that can turn these into a decent handling and much more modern feeling car.  Find this 1987 Chevy Monte Carlo for sale in West Babylon, NY for $6,000 via craigslist. 

Auction Watch: 1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

Find this 1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo here on eBay bidding for $8,300 located in Boaz, AL with 4 days to go.

1973 Chevrolet Monte Carlo S

One automotive genre that was very popular in the '70s, that has completely gone out of style today is the 2 door personal luxury coupe -- a car subgroup with more emphasis on style than speed.  Nothing says personal luxury couple like this 1973 Monte Carlo Big Block for sale for $8200 in Covina, CA. This post is part of DT's 2016 Birthday Celebration of 100 cars; enjoy the ride!

Auction Watch: 1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

Find this 1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo here on eBay bidding for $4,350 with auction ending Thursday at 2:45PM Pacific.

10k: Montel Carlmino: 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Custom

The 6th generation Chevrolet Monte Carlo was indeed an odd duck.  It may have had NASCAR inspired looks but no one was going racing with an underaspirated V6 mated to the front wheels via a 4-speed slushbox.  Of course, there were special editions, the Intimidator, Tony Stewart, Dale Jr, and Pace Car editions -- although all should have been badged as pacemaker editions because only those going blind/deaf would ever consider purchasing such a thing.  Regardless, the boys at GM never created an El Camino edition, so it's been left to the guys with hacksaws and blow torches.  Find this 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Custom El Camino here on eBay currently bidding for $13,200 with 2 days to go, located in Prescott, AZ. Tip from K2.

10k: The Count of Monte Crisco: 1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

The Count of Monte Cristo is an epic novel by Alexandre Dumas that chronicles the life of Edmond Dantès, a young man wrongly imprisoned, who disguises himself as the title character and enacts a stunningly complex revenge on those who had him locked up.  It is long and complicated novel that requires complex flowcharts to understand who is who and is considered a classic piece of literature.  Crisco is a oil based shortening marketed by J. M. Smucker Co, used by Southerners to make pie crusts, cookies, sculptures and to slather on toast.  Combine them and you get a Chevy Monte Carlo; a big luxury coupe with a French name, but pure 'Merican crust on the underside.  Find this 1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo for $11,000 located in Point Loma, CA via craigslist.  To the peanut gallery in the comments sharpening pitchforks: I know that Edmond Dantès wasn't a pirate, but damned if it's hard to find a good excuse to use the Pirate Powered badge...so....today just for fun, we'll pretend he was a pirate, no arrrrguments please.