74-75 Fury or Monaco. What is the appeal?

Joseph James

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CL ad. Someone wants a Fury or Monaco, running or not. If you have one to sell...I thought these models were not as desired due to emission systems.

1974 75 DODGE MONACO PLYMOUTH FURY WANTED TO BUY! - $7777777

WANTED TO BUY! ANY CONDITION!!! 1974-75 DODGE MONACO OR PLYMOUTH FURY
SEDAN RUNNING OR NOT!!!

1974 75 DODGE MONACO PLYMOUTH FURY WANTED TO BUY!
 
Personally, I like the “formal” c-bodies and dual exposed front headlamps. That narrows things down to 74-75 Fury or Monaco and consequently I have a 74 Fury sedan and a 74 Monaco coupe. I’d love to add a 74 Monaco hardtop and am always looking for one, but to date haven’t seen a single one for sale.

The emissions stuff is in place on these, but at this point if you want to make it go fast just rip that stuff out and do what you will with the motor. On the plus side the 74-75s all have front disc brakes and have electronic ignition. They are nice on the inside and some even have 9.25in rear ends.

As for this guy and his ad, he’s probably doing Bluesmobile conversions and doesn’t care that the Fury is similar, but not identical.
 
Thanks for the response. I remember buying mid 1970s cars when I was a teenager in the late 1980s and they were a pain. Never had a Chrysler product. Mostly Fords and it seemed like there were always problems with cracked vacuum lines, pollution control components, etc.
 
Thanks for the response. I remember buying mid 1970s cars when I was a teenager in the late 1980s and they were a pain. Never had a Chrysler product. Mostly Fords and it seemed like there were always problems with cracked vacuum lines, pollution control components, etc.

Those Ford em issions systems seemed to harken back to the days when Ford had their own rubber plantation in South America, to me. "Cheap rubber" so use a lot of it? One friend de-smogged a '80s F-150 and left a pile of hoses and such in the floor that was about 1' tall and 2.5' around! I knew there were a lot of them, but not that much!

Next worse vehicle for that type of thing is a later '80s Olds 307.

I like the Fury styling better. Cleaner lines on the front end, to me. More "middle class" interior fabrics, as I recall. "Serviceable" as my grand mother might have said. Looks good, lasts well.

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67
 
Personally, I like the “formal” c-bodies and dual exposed front headlamps. That narrows things down to 74-75 Fury or Monaco and consequently I have a 74 Fury sedan and a 74 Monaco coupe. I’d love to add a 74 Monaco hardtop and am always looking for one, but to date haven’t seen a single one for sale.

The emissions stuff is in place on these, but at this point if you want to make it go fast just rip that stuff out and do what you will with the motor. On the plus side the 74-75s all have front disc brakes and have electronic ignition. They are nice on the inside and some even have 9.25in rear ends.

As for this guy and his ad, he’s probably doing Bluesmobile conversions and doesn’t care that the Fury is similar, but not identical.

74-75 NY'ers and 74-78 Newports all had exposed headlights.
 
74-75 NY'ers and 74-78 Newports all had exposed headlights.

Back when Cadillac had exposed headlights, but Lincolns didn't (some with their "carriage lights" on the headlight doors), Cadillac resisted that hidden headlight trend saying that the headlights were like a vehicle's fine jewels, which should be tastefully displayed (or something like that).

The hide-away headlights were supposed to be more upscale, which is probably why Dodge used them? But Plymouth didn't? Dodge was at a higher price point and their competitors might have used them, so they felt they had to follow suit on the Monaco models? That higher "competitive" price point would have given them the lee-way of covering the added expense of the hidden headlights in the basic vehicle cost.

Problem with the hidden headlights was quality control. Many didn't align with the header panel section, so they didn't look too good to me. Be that as it may.

To each their own . . .
CBODY67
 
I always forget about the Newports and New Yorkers. It's not them, it's me.
 
Back when Cadillac had exposed headlights, but Lincolns didn't (some with their "carriage lights" on the headlight doors), Cadillac resisted that hidden headlight trend saying that the headlights were like a vehicle's fine jewels, which should be tastefully displayed (or something like that).

The hide-away headlights were supposed to be more upscale, which is probably why Dodge used them? But Plymouth didn't? Dodge was at a higher price point and their competitors might have used them, so they felt they had to follow suit on the Monaco models? That higher "competitive" price point would have given them the lee-way of covering the added expense of the hidden headlights in the basic vehicle cost.

Problem with the hidden headlights was quality control. Many didn't align with the header panel section, so they didn't look too good to me. Be that as it may.

To each their own . . .
CBODY67

Monaco's were exposed headlights.
Royal Monaco's had the hidden headlights.
 
For me it's the look of the true 2 door hardtops. Classic yet modern in looks.
Almost had to bring home a 74 Monaco (ebay seller let me back out after issues) And now trying to get a 74 Fury home, not much luck so far.
 
I look at blues mobiles the same way I look at general lee chargers. A waste of a car that may have had porential. Considering the number of chargers destroyed filming that stupid show, and the formals that we’re trashed for the movie, how many are left?
 
I like the Fury styling better. Cleaner lines on the front end, to me.

Those cleaner - and to my mind preferable - Fury lines continue on the sides and the back. The Monaco has more "relief", to use an art term. I have to admit that in certain side views the Monaco has a more muscular look, though.
 
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I look at blues mobiles the same way I look at general lee chargers. A waste of a car that may have had porential. Considering the number of chargers destroyed filming that stupid show, and the formals that we’re trashed for the movie, how many are left?

I think more Monacos and Chargers were claimed by rust than by any one movie or TV series.
Outside of a few c body fans such as ourselves there isn’t much demand for big 70s era 4 door sedans. If they all had survived, there probably wouldn’t be a home for each one of them.
I have a 72 Polara 4 door sedan in above average shape that a bought on eBay for $710. I was one of two people that bid on it and there were only two bids total. I’ve seen countless cars like mine destroyed in movies and tv shows. It doesn’t bother me, I got mine. It isn’t a highly optioned big block and isn’t a desirable color so, even on here it’s regarded as an uninteresting, too bad it’s only a small block, non AC, shameful cousin to the more desirable c bodies.
If not for the Bluesmobile, I don’t think many folks sit around thinking
“Boy I’d like to have me a 74 dodge sedan to drive around! Those cars are cool!”
Just my opinion!
 
As we are talking styling, as far as the sides are concerned much has been made of the similarity to 1971 Buick Electra (for Monaco) and Oldsmobile 88 (for Fury). There is even a site on record that speaks of "blatant ripoffs".

1971BuickElectra-2door.jpg


1971OldsmobileEightyEight-2door.jpg


But what about the tail lamps? Don't they seem similar to 1971 Buick Centurion/LeSabre?

1971BuickCenturionConvertible.jpg
 
As we are talking styling, as far as the sides are concerned much has been made of the similarity to 1971 Buick Electra (for Monaco) and Oldsmobile 88 (for Fury). There is even a site on record that speaks of "blatant ripoffs".

View attachment 266709

View attachment 266710

But what about the tail lamps? Don't they seem similar to 1971 Buick Centurion/LeSabre?

View attachment 266711
That Olds front looks way to similar to a 73 Polara. And the Monaco's tail dose look a little closer to the Buicks of the day, more than Plymouth's.
But then again Ford copied GM in the late 70's, too.

1974 dodge monaco brown 04.jpg


1974 Plymouth Fury gran coupe 3.jpg
 
The hide-away headlights were supposed to be more upscale, which is probably why Dodge used them? But Plymouth didn't? Dodge was at a higher price point and their competitors might have used them, so they felt they had to follow suit on the Monaco models? That higher "competitive" price point would have given them the lee-way of covering the added expense of the hidden headlights in the basic vehicle cost.

Ford used the hide-away head lights from 75 to 78 on the LTD and Tbird received them in 77, so I think that Plymouth stayed on exposed units for another reason.
 
I look at blues mobiles the same way I look at general lee chargers. A waste of a car that may have had porential. Considering the number of chargers destroyed filming that stupid show, and the formals that we’re trashed for the movie, how many are left?
It was NOT a stupid show, it was a great show that happened to wreck a bunch of 12ish year old cars while filming some GREAT scenes. Granted today’s 12 year old cars aren’t anywhere near as kool as they were then....
 
My first car was a white 75 gran fury true ex squad car. Wish I still had it. It was fun as hell. Double headlights. I do agree tho. There are too many bluesmobile clones out there & if you do have a real one or a royal, make a squad car 55 from the movie as a tribute. It would look great at a show next to a bluesmobile plus you won’t have to make it look like a **** box. And please what ever you do, there’s nothing worse than a hardtop bluesmobile with a burgundy interior. There’s some bad ones out there.:realcrazy: :mob:
 
Say what you want about Bluesmobiles and Hazzard cars, but it’s us “fanboys” stepping up to the plate to save them. Most of them did not live charmed lives and were sitting in fields or minutes away from being derbied.
 
As much as i i think tv and movie cars are lame it is true that dorks will save the cars rather than trash them or white trash them in derbys so screw it. At least maybe the "bluesmobiles" can be painted or something in 30 years to represent what they are.
 
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