The Chevrolet Monte Carlo was an American-made automobile. Originally introduced by Chevrolet for the 1969 model year (as competition with the Ford Thunderbird), it has gone through six generations as of 2007. All Monte Carlos to date have been two-door personal luxury coupes, closely based on a contemporaneous full-sized sedan.
First generation
1970
The Monte Carlo was originally created as Chevrolet's counterpart to the new G-body Pontiac Grand Prix, which had been introduced to great success for 1969. For the 1968 model year, GM had instituted a split-wheelbase policy for its A-body intermediate cars: 112 in (2845 mm) for two-door models, 116 in (2946 mm) for sedans and station wagons. The Grand Prix was a two-door coupe riding a special 118 in (2997 mm) version of the A-platform (known as the "G-body "). Rather than add the extra length within the body to increase passenger space (as was customary on sedans) the G-body (also known as the A-body Special) spliced the extra length between the firewall and the front wheels, creating an unusually long hood. The look was very successful, and the new Grand Prix greatly outsold its larger, B-body predecessor despite higher prices.
The Monte Carlo was the brainchild of Elliot M. (Pete) Estes, general manager of Chevrolet, and Chevrolet's chief stylist, Dave Holls. They modeled the styling on the contemporary Cadillac Eldorado, although much of the body and structure were shared with the Chevrolet Chevelle (firewall, windshield, decklid, and rear window were the same), adding new front end sheetmetal, wider C-pillars, and new rear fenders. Bulges were added to the fenders to create a more muscular appearance. The Monte Carlo also had the then-fashionable concealed windshield wipers.
A mid-1990s article in Chevrolet High Performance stated that the first generation Monte Carlo was known to Chevrolet brass under the working name Concours (a usual practice where all Chevrolet models started with a "C"). At one point, the proposal called for a formal coupe, sedan, and convertible. It has been noted that the sedan resembled a full-size Oldsmobile 98 prior to the use of the GM G platform with at least one photo showing the pull-up door handles that would be introduced on the 1970 1/2 Camaro and 1971 Vega and full-sized Chevys, but not appear on Monte Carlos until the second-generation model debuted in 1973.
Though the Monte Carlo was developed at Chevrolet under the leadership of Pete Estes, it was formally introduced in September, 1969 by John Z. DeLorean, who succeeded Estes as Chevrolet's general manager earlier in the year after previously heading the Pontiac division, where he led the development of the similar-bodied 1969 Grand Prix introduced the previous model year.
The standard powertrain was the 350 CID (5.7 L) Chevrolet "Turbo-Fire" small-block V8 with a two-barrel carburetor, rated at 250 hp (186 kW) (gross) at 4500 rpm and 345 ft·lbf (468 N·m) of torque at 2800 rpm, mated to a Turbo Hydramatic 350 Transmission. Front disc brakes were standard equipment. The dashboard was basically identical to the Chevelle except for fake wood trim, according to Holls a photographic reproduction of the elm trim used by Rolls-Royce, and higher grade nylon (or vinyl) upholstery and deep-twist carpeting were used. Base priced at US$3,123, the Monte Carlo cost $218 more than a comparable Chevelle Malibu.
Various options were available. A two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission (on 350 CID engines only), three-speed Turbo-Hydramatic, or a four-speed manual; most Monte Carlos carried the Turbo-Hydramatic. Variable-Ratio Power Steering, power windows, Four Season Air Conditioning, power seats, Rallye wheels, Strato bucket seats, center console, full instrumentation, and various other accessories were also available, bringing the price of a fully equipped Monte Carlo to more than $5,000.
Optional engines included the four-barrel carbureted Turbo-Fire 350 CID small block V8, rated at 300 hp (224 kW) at 4800 rpm and 380 ft·lbf (515 N·m) at 3200 rpm, the Turbo-Fire 400 (400 CID/6.5 L) with a two-barrel carburetor, rated at 265 hp (198 kW) at 4800 rpm and 400 ft·lbf (542 N·m) at 7800 rpm, and the Turbo-Jet 400 (402 CID/6.6 L) with a four-barrel carburetor, rated at 330 hp (246 kW) at 4800 rpm and 410 ft·lbf (515 N·m) at 9200 rpm). Note that the two Chevrolet 400 CID V8s offered this year were actually two different designs. The two-barrel carbureted Turbo-Fire 400 was a Small Block Chevrolet V8 engine, similar, but very different internally, to the 350, while the Turbo-Jet 400 was a slightly enlarged version of the 396 CID big block V8 and had an actual displacement of 402 CID.
The most sporting option was the Monte Carlo SS 454 package. Priced at $420, it included a standard Turbo-Jet 454 of 454 CID (7.4 L) with a four-barrel carburetor, rated at 360 hp (269 kW) at 4800 rpm and 500 ft·lbf (678 N·m) of torque at 3500 rpm. It also included heavy-duty suspension, wider tires, "SS 454" badging, and an automatic load-leveling rear suspension. The Turbo-Hydramatic transmission (with a 3.31 rear axle) was a mandatory option with the SS package, although it still cost $222 extra. Weighing only a bit more than a comparably equipped Chevelle SS 454, the Monte Carlo SS was quite a fast car, although it accounted for less than 3% of Monte Carlos sold in 1970.
A labor strike at Chevrolet's Flint, Michigan assembly plant (where most Monte Carlo production was scheduled) during the early months of the 1970 model year immediately following the car's introduction on September 18, 1969 limited overall model-year sales to 159341, short of the 185,000 projected. During those early months, Monte Carlos were in short supply with full-production not getting underway until February, 1970, leaving many would-be prospects disappointed after going to their Chevrolet dealers and finding no Monte Carlos in stock. However, once full production got underway, Monte Carlos sold briskly and mostly at full list price (usually loaded with options), making it a very profitable model for Chevy and its dealerships. Only 3,823 of the 1970 Monte Carlos were SS 454s.
1971
The 1971 model year saw only modest styling changes. Inside, the SS model got new "European symbol knobs", and a four-spoke steering wheel became optional. 1971 Monte Carlo also saw the addition of a stand-up hood ornament. Mechanically, it was largely unchanged, although the small-block Turbo-Fire 400 two-barrel engine was dropped. Other engines had compression ratios lowered to allow the use of regular leaded, low-lead, or unleaded gasoline, per a GM corporate edict. Engine ratings fell to 245 hp (183 kW) for the base Turbo-Fire 350 CID (5.7 L) two-barrel, 270 hp (201 kW) for the Turbo-Fire 350-4V, and 300 hp (224 kW) for the Turbo-Jet 400. The SS 454 engine was actually raised to a nominal 365 gross hp (272 kW) despite the reduction in compression ratio. This increase in horsepower was a result of the 454 engine using the more aggressive camshaft from the 390 hp 454 used in the 1970 Chevrolet Corvette and full-sized sedans.
Chevrolet listed both gross and SAE net horsepower figures in 1971 with the impending change to SAE net ratings in 1972. The ratings compared as follows:
There has been no documented case of a 1971 Monte Carlo SS car with the 425 hp (317 kW) LS-6 version of the 454, with solid valve lifters and a longer-duration camshaft, previously found in the 1970 Chevelle SS 454 (where it was rated at 450 hp (336 kW) however, they did come with an LS5 454. The Turbo Hydramatic officially remained the only transmission for the SS, but a heavy-duty clutch option on the order form suggests that it may have been possible to special-order a 454 LS-6 with a four-speed manual transmission (the four-speed wasn't listed officially as an "SS" option but was available as an RPO in regular Monte Carlos with the 350 and 400 engines). The exact number of such combinations, if any , is unknown since they were not officially listed as factory options but possibly assembled through Chevrolet's "Central Office Production Order" (COPO) process that had previously made possible model/engine combinations not officially available. However, there has never been a documented case of such a combination. Chevrolet records indicate that the factory only installed the LS-6 installations in Corvettes that year.
The SS 454 package would be discontinued after this year following production of only 1,919 units, but the 454 CID V8 engine would remain optional in Monte Carlos through 1975. The reason given for discontinuing the SS was that the Monte Carlo was marketed as a luxury vehicle instead of a muscle car. The SS nameplate would be resurrected 12 years later. Yet, at the same time that the Monte Carlo SS was judged a failure in the marketplace and discontinued, the Monte's reputation as a performance car on the race track was gaining strength because Ford and Chrysler were ending their factory-backed racing support due to declining muscle car sales and the need to divert dollars to meet costly Federal safety and emission regulations (General Motors' official policy had prohibited factory racing efforts since 1963). As factory support ended at Ford and Chrysler, the stock-car racing mantle switched to independent teams and sponsors, who overwhelmingly c
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