NOT MINE Not Mine - 1967 Dodge Polara
- Thread starter Andrew Ryan
- Start date
patrick66
Old Man with a Hat
This one is a looker! 318 Poly, so it's a Canadian-built Polara. Even has A/C, too! In Lakewood, CA (suburban Los Angeles). No phone number in the FB ad, unfortunately.
It's either a dealer-installed A/C or was put in during restoration. The instrument panel does have the correct switch for a/c, sort of looks like custom bracket and pulley for the compressor. Either the dash pad is in great original condition or it was re-covered, but this seems to be a correct color option. The door cover trim doesn't seem to be correct, the door armrests are not the correct length. But yea, it all looks like a good job, does need the correct arm rests though.
Front bumper guards, but not rear. I have to admit not being to knowledgeable about the differences between Canadian Monaco's and Polara's. Canadian Monaco's were really watered down trim-wise compared to the US versions, so to me it made it harder to differentiate the Monaco's and Polara's. And the "Polara 500" thing is an extra bit of mystery, if indeed such a trim option existed in Canada.
What price are they asking?
Front bumper guards, but not rear. I have to admit not being to knowledgeable about the differences between Canadian Monaco's and Polara's. Canadian Monaco's were really watered down trim-wise compared to the US versions, so to me it made it harder to differentiate the Monaco's and Polara's. And the "Polara 500" thing is an extra bit of mystery, if indeed such a trim option existed in Canada.
What price are they asking?
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azblackhemi
Old Man with a Hat
$16800.
patrick66
Old Man with a Hat
Add-on air conditioning is obvious. I'd bet the dash was recovered as part of the overall interior re-do. I don't recall seeing such a pattern on the upholstery inserts on a stock Monaco, but I like it a lot, nonetheless. It seems to me there were "500" emblems way up at the front of the front fenders, with individual numbers, versus a one-piece emblem like on a '66 Coronet 500, for example. The pic is taken off a Vanderbrink auction page from 2020 that had a '67 500 up for auction when Gesswein in SD was selling off a bunch of his old Mopars (note the '68 side markers on this '67, VIN DP23L74227160).
Rectangular side view mirror?
See this post for a photo of a '67 Polara 500 conv. I can't tell if it's spelling out Polara or Monaco on the rear fender, but note the 5 or 6 vertical bars on the front fender, not "500" numbers.
NOT MINE - 1967 Dodge Polara 500 Convertible - $7,500 - Oconomowoc, WI
For Sale:1967 Dodge Polara 500 Convertible - $7,500 - Oconomowoc, WI 1967 Dodge Polara 500 Convertible - cars & trucks - by owner -... (craigslist.org) Seller's Description: Classic Mopar with big block 383- and 4-barrel carburetor. Power top with parade boot in good shape. Runs and drives with...
www.forcbodiesonly.com
The car in question here has neither the bars or 500 on the front fenders, and has hardly any side trim (you'd expect the wide lower trim on a "500"). I really question what was the point of a Polara 500 model if indeed there was such an offering for a hard-top Polara.
Note also on the car in question, dual exhaust? On a poly 318?
LocuMob
Fluid Technician with a hat
They certainly offered the 500 in hardtop flavor. Give you a sporty interior with buckets and a console. And it has the trim on the lower flanks.
So what did it take for a Polara / Monaco to be a "500" ?
According to the write-up, it was the bucket seats with middle jump seat. The console was a no-cost option?
In your photo, I see bars on the front fender. Monaco 500 had "500" spelled out, but Polara 500 had the bars? When it came to the Monaco ('67-68), I've always been under the impression that if it didn't have the wide lower side trim, it wasn't a 500.
You could have a Polara convertible, but it wasn't a 500 unless it had bucket seats?
The car in question here - bench seat, no fender bars. So how can it be a 500?
According to the write-up, it was the bucket seats with middle jump seat. The console was a no-cost option?
In your photo, I see bars on the front fender. Monaco 500 had "500" spelled out, but Polara 500 had the bars? When it came to the Monaco ('67-68), I've always been under the impression that if it didn't have the wide lower side trim, it wasn't a 500.
You could have a Polara convertible, but it wasn't a 500 unless it had bucket seats?
The car in question here - bench seat, no fender bars. So how can it be a 500?
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LocuMob
Fluid Technician with a hat
Yep, buckets and a console or buddy seat. Polara hardtop had the 500 on the C pillar, while the verts got it on the rear quarter. The bars were on the front fender of both body types.
You might have been able to option a bench seat at the dealership when ordering the car.
patrick66
Old Man with a Hat
A Canadian Dodge dealer brochure from 1967 would definitively settle the matter. As would the build sheet and/or the fender tag.
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Would the VIN or FT indicate a "High-line" designation for a Monaco-500 or Polara-500?
LocuMob
Fluid Technician with a hat
A Monaco 500 would be DP23, a Polara 500 would be DM23/27.
My Canadian "regular" Monaco is DM23. I wonder if people just wanted bucket seats they could add that option if it was cheaper vs buying the "500" package.
Something else about the car in question - I don't see the seatbelts in the photos. Maybe they're all rolled up tight and out of view...
Something else about the car in question - I don't see the seatbelts in the photos. Maybe they're all rolled up tight and out of view...
Fratzog
Old Man with a Hat
There is probably an interesting story about how a Canadian car ended up in LA. Usually it is the opposite, Canadians shopping for rust free examples down south. Somebody must have really loved that car to go to the expense of a custom roof top paint job like that. It triggers a memory of something similar I saw posted here years ago. Nothing wrong with the 318 either.
patrick66
Old Man with a Hat
If I had the cash, I'd be talking a deal on this car. It's an attractive car, appears to be well-built, and I love the top paint on this! A nice, custom touch that fewer and fewer painters are able to do these days. It has me intrigued, to be certain.
LocuMob
Fluid Technician with a hat
According to the 1967 brochure for Canadian models, bench seat was standard on the Polara 500. There was even a Polara 500 wagon you could get.
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patrick66
Old Man with a Hat
Wow, for Canada, there are NO chrome fender spears or a "500" indicator on the front fenders. So, the FS car as shown is correct.
Broke out the Canuck Dodge books..
Polara 500 is Canadian and the VIN starts with DL.
For some unknown reason, Canadian cars started with their own VIN vs US cars-- even if built at the Windsor plant and destined to the US.
Available as 4dr hardtop, sedan,wagon,2dr fastop
Being a lower trim level, the seat pattern is correct on the car for sale.
Same as a Canadian Fury II
Polara 500 is Canadian and the VIN starts with DL.
For some unknown reason, Canadian cars started with their own VIN vs US cars-- even if built at the Windsor plant and destined to the US.
Available as 4dr hardtop, sedan,wagon,2dr fastop
Being a lower trim level, the seat pattern is correct on the car for sale.
Same as a Canadian Fury II
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In the US , yes. Canadian cars have DH Monaco 500 and DL Polara 500.
Here is Grace VIN starts with DH. 8th digit of sequential number starts with a 3.
Canadian spec'd and sold new in British Columbia.
2nd VIN is another Monaco 500, VIN starts with DP..8th digit of sequential number starts with 1
Canadian built but spec'd for US and sold new in Michigan.
I parked next to the other Monaco 500 at the FCBO show this summer to do the comparisons.
This is the American Polara 500.
THe convertible was not available in Canada. We got the Monaco vert, and Monaco 500 vert which was not available in the US.
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