In Motion Classic: 1969 Dodge Monaco Hardtop Sedan – Max the Manure Baron’s Monaco?

While stopping at a rural railroad crossing a the small crowd was forming. This land barge was standing out.

My eyes are not trained to recognize American iron from times prior to the mid-eighties. It took me some google sleuthing to actually realize what populated my cellphone’s pixel bank.

I am inclined to speculate that Max, the manure baron, bought his Monaco new and never drove a whole lot of miles and thus the car never wore out. It became unfashionable but fashion may have never been an issue for this man. The trailer hitch, the mismatched front left hubcap and the rust hole at the lower sheet metal behind the rear wheel give me the impression of a practical minded character.

Is he a farmer giving his Sunday ride a work-out? A very moderate work-out I suppose. You don’t brake a sweat outrunning a 2.3 Lima powered Mazda pick up if you have at least a 383 cu.-in 2bbl V8 under the bonnet.

 

Evidently Max enjoyed his ride nailing the apex on the corner of Highway 17 and E26. And again he put some real estate between himself and his pursuer. This man drives with a purpose. We were both heading to Ames, IA and in a residential area he took a left and I went straight.  I never had a chance to see the front of the car.

 

Did it sport the available Super Lightâ„¢ in the grille?

 


What exactly was it that let me guess correctly that this car is a late 60’s/ early 70’s Pentastar product? That fuselage shape, in particular the slope of the rear window and deck reminded me somehow of the early 70’s European Chrysler 160/180. Actually, I recall the late 70’s Chrysler-Simca 1609 best because I got a to ride in a brand new one while hitch-hiking and because Heinz (of COAL fame) owned one of them.

But back to the land of unlimited possibilities: you will find plenty of pictures of the 2 door hardtop fuselage bodies. But pillared sedans? Good luck! If it weren’t for the German website “fuselage.de” I would still be trying to identify this specimen. It appears I am a lucky curbivore to have caught one in the wild.