1972 Monaco Burnout

hurmit4life

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Hey, All!

Last winter, a buddy of mine was looking for a car/project to work on for his daily driver. He searched the local Craigs Lists, eBay, etc to find something that tripped his trigger. Being a Mopar nut myself, and having helped on my 66 Coronet project-in-works, he looked for old Mopars. He found a 1972 Monaco reasonably close to us...in a farmers field (not joking) and purchased the car. It had a 400 big block and lots of potential. The seller wanted to sell it to someone who "would not turn it into a derby car".

We picked up the car after a snow storm...driving the back roads of mid-Missouri in snow-covered conditions and mud packed gravel roads. It was a miracle we made it out of the backwoods towing a trailer with this car travelling those spongy roads.

I've attached a photo of the car as it was purchased.

Anyway, we started working on the car to get it to run. Over a months time , we rebuilt the gas tank and all the fuel lines...replaced the plugs and wires...and got the stock 400 (2 barrel card and stock manifolds) to run. It was a good day.

That wasn't good enough, so we tore the motor down to the long block. Had the heads rebuilt with new seals and seats, new Edelbrock cam + 4 bbl intake, new Edelbrock 4 bbl carb (who else remembers rebuilding these as "Carter" carbs?), lifters, push rods, timing chain and a set of Headman headers. The day came when we fired up the motor. Once we figured out one small electrical issue, the motor fired up and sounded GOOD! Hopefully the following video link to YouTube will work:

http://www.youtube.com/user/hurmit4l.../0/xlpjQabBSso

Since that time, we've done a bit more body work...pulling that massive dent from the drivers door and remnoving some cancer from the rear quarters.

It's been a fun car to work on, but my buddy has decided to sell the body. He wants to put that 400 motor and tranny in an old Dodge 4WD truck. If anyone is interested in the rolling chassis, or has a 4WD Dodge truck for trade, please let me know. The car is mostly complete (aside from the motor and trans) but still needs work. The interior is all there, as is the drive shaft and 8 3/4 rear end. One thing that has turned him off about this car is the inability to find the headlight door motors.

Monaco.JPG
 
That car has a lot of potential. It would be a shame to see another c-body end up as a donor for some other project. I hope you reconsider its fate.
 
It's been a fun car to work on, but my buddy has decided to sell the body. He wants to put that 400 motor and tranny in an old Dodge 4WD truck. ....One thing that has turned him off about this car is the inability to find the headlight door motors.

:mumum: That would be a crime! Why not bring the motors to any good automotive elctrical shop and they will rebuild them? Here's a link on the Drydock about the motors...
http://www.cbodydrydock.com/forum_viewtopic.php?5.5542
Sadly the car will likely be derbied...:elmer:BB VULTURES
 
I might be interested. . . But I'd like more details. Can we get more pics? Inside? Rust? Damage? Hows the subframe? Rear spring purches. What's the mileage? I got more questions, but don;t want to overwhelm you. LOL

I have a fresh 440 that needs a chassis
 
So give him the fresh 440 and keep the original car intact on an even trade!

Fred is right, the motors are rebuildable and even if not the motors are not hard to find, even in Jersey.
 
Hey, Fellas! Dang...I need to check back with my posts more often!

The problem with the headlight motors is that they were not in the car. So...they are completely missing. My buddy has had a very difficult time finding used ones to even install in the car.

If any of you are interested in the rolling chassis, I will be happy to send you some photos. Send me a PM with your email and I can send what I have. I'll also ask my buddy to take some more recent photos...we did some work on the drivers side door pulling out the big dent in it...and then we towed the car out to his farm where he was going to continue to work on it.

And the reason why I posted originally in this forum is BECAUSE I am trying to consider the cars fate...I know there are folks out there that would really appreciate the car more as a project to fix...vs a derby car driver wanting the car to destroy. I think it's a cool car...and deserves someone who can truly appreciate it!
 
And so what happened to the Monaco?

Hey, Fellas! Dang...I need to check back with my posts more often!

The problem with the headlight motors is that they were not in the car. So...they are completely missing. My buddy has had a very difficult time finding used ones to even install in the car.

If any of you are interested in the rolling chassis, I will be happy to send you some photos. Send me a PM with your email and I can send what I have. I'll also ask my buddy to take some more recent photos...we did some work on the drivers side door pulling out the big dent in it...and then we towed the car out to his farm where he was going to continue to work on it.

And the reason why I posted originally in this forum is BECAUSE I am trying to consider the cars fate...I know there are folks out there that would really appreciate the car more as a project to fix...vs a derby car driver wanting the car to destroy. I think it's a cool car...and deserves someone who can truly appreciate it!

I know this was quite a while ago, but whatever happened to the Monaco? I am parting out my 72 Monaco Wagon and have the motor for the covers if'n he still needs it. Last I recall the motor still worked, but the switch was getting iffy so I just unplugged it.
 
:head_smack:........now they show up. I have a feeling the headlight doors was an excuse to get out of something that he didnt want to finish. I know of a 72 Monaco that had the motors in the car a year ago in a yard. Imagine doing that work and then dumping the car............its not like he sold the car, he dumped it.
 
Hey, All-

He still has the car...it's now just sitting at his farm. I can ask him to take some photos and send them to me. Heck...I might just go up there and take some photos....

I know that he is now wanting to pull the motor and tranny more than ever and put them in another car....so this is probably going to be the best time for someone to pick up a rolling chassis.

I will tell him that some members of this forum may have spotted the headlight motor assemblies.
 
Its too late now.......If already has other plans headlight motors arent going to change a thing.
 
Another C-body thrown away. I just watched the video. It did need a fair amount of work but I've seen a whole lot more done with a whole lot less. It had potential. Someone around my area has or had one of these cars. A '72 Monaco 2-door HT, blue with a white top, same problem with the headlight doors, other than that and dull paint, the car looked to be a "survivor" in beautiful shape. I used to see it being driven around the city three or four years ago. I haven't seen it since. I hope it's a project sitting in someones garage but I'm afraid it ended up the same way as too many other C-bodies. Anyway, seeing this thread made me remember that car.
 
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