Growing up in the United States, almost everyone becomes familiar with the Sesame Street song and regular feature, “One of These Things Is Not Like the Others.” Here is an instance of the Sesame Street classic rebooted for classic-car enthusiasts. The bright blue Chevrolet Monte Carlo clearly occupies the privileged position in a trailer otherwise filled with minivans, SUVs, and bland-color sedans. Having boarded first like a first-class passenger, it looks down from its perch at those mere transportation devices.
You see how sleek, low and well-dimensioned that classic Chevy is ?
The rest ? Tex Avery drew better cartoon cars.
Nice Peterbilt though !
Encountering auto transporting trucks out on the road, I’ve been seeing this more and more- a nice old classic car occupying the penthouse while generic late-model shitboxes are stuck downstairs.
You wonder why, surely something more disposable should be taking rock strikes instead?
I’ll be the one to point out that the green Grand Caravan is ’96-’97 SE with the available sport package. ’98 Sports would gain a new front fascia and rear spoiler, but loose the cool “Sport” graphics on the side.
Interesting, in that the ‘cool “Sport” graphics on the side’ was essentially the sport package….
I was going to guess the CR-V was the standout, until I saw the Camry. I’ve always associated Monte Carlos with people that wear cologne.
Careful, I resemble that remark. 🙂
Me wanty the Monte! (Looks to be a ’71?)
And I associate CRVs with guys whose, er, “manhood” is in their signifignt other’s purse… just sayin’…
And I associate CRVs with guys whose, er, “manhood” is in their significant other’s purse… just sayin’…
Everytime I see a ’73-’77 Monte Carlo I picture a bottom-rung mobster wearing an expensive velour jogging suit and a gaudy gold chain.
The Camry and Regal are almost new, the CR-V, Eclipse and Venture are all neither new nor old – same deal with the Saab 9-5 (!) while the Caravan is fully clapped-out (doesn’t look like a beater, though). Soup to nuts, even without the Monte Carlo.
A while back, on the Massachusetts Turnpike, I passed a small car carrier loaded up with the following:
1) A 1966 Chevrolet Impala convertible, in somewhat rough but serviceable condition
2) A 1980s or 1990s Jaguar XJ sedan
3) An Oldsmobile Aurora
Did these leak oil like our Holdens of the same era? If so the owner of the silver whatever is in for a surprise!
It depends. Usually the engines stay pretty leak- proof unless they’re poorly maintained or abused.
On the other hand, I’ve seen THM350 transmissions get weepy for no apparent reason. Usually after being in storage. Hope the tailshaft bushing & seal on that one is in good shape.
My dad had a 70 Monte Carlo like that when I was a todler. And yes, my dad was Italian and an Old Spice man. 🙂
Those first generation Monte Carlos are interesting. They’re not bad looking, they sold a lot of them, and a decent one can be had for not much coin. Yet, no one seems to give them much respect, not even the rare SS454 version.
All I can figure is that no one considers a Chevy ‘upscale’ enough to be considered a true, personal luxury car. The 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix really had that market cornered and the Monte Carlo seemed almost like an afterthought (at least until the more dramatically styled 1973 version arrived on the scene).
My friend owns that exact Monte Carlo – his is identical in color, but is fitted with Cragar SS wheels – and a fiberglass Cowl Induction hood add-on that he had installed when it was repainted. If it was mine, I’d source an unblemished hood, and throw on a set of classic Chevy “Rally” wheels – and just drive it. Up here, whoever shows up on cruise night with an early Monte Carlo usually has the only one in the parking lot . . .
The Monte owner is not going to be happy. All the crap and stone chips are going to be collected in that “privileged spot”
Beautiful Monte Carlo. Too bad the Bubbas used these as engine donors for their POS Primered out Chevelles. Nice color on the Grand Caravan. Barf me out/gag me with Spoon on the rest.
I wonder if the problem with the ’70-’72 Monte Carlo was that it was too similar in appearance to the Chevelle of the same period.
The difference between the 1973 colonnade Chevelle and Monte Carlo was much more pronounced (with the Monte Carlo coming out on top in a much bigger way).
I don’t think there’s been a CC on the first generation Monte yet. It would be an interesting one.
A couple of months ago we had a rig pull in to pick up a couple of lease turn-ins that had a ’76 Trans Am and a ’78 LTD Cleveland Edition (Seriously LOL!) loaded on it.