1966 Dodge Monaco or Polara convertibe? Canadian Head scratcher.

[66dodgeconv]

I recently purchased a Canadian Dodge C body convertible. Which appears to be a Monaco Convertible by the Sport Fury interior, But the rear tail lights are Polara. I'm stumped. Which is it? I'm trying to figure out. It's a 383 4bbl which I believe is stock. The vin # suggest Monaco, but there are no model emblems.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

To me it's a 1966 Canadian Monaco with someone having installed Polara tail lights. Otherwise, someone went to a whole lot of trouble switching out the interior and other trim just to leave the Polara tail lights.

Door tag VIN should show model code.

 

[polara71]

I'm certain the polara also received the Fury dash .

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

It did, but not the Sport Fury panels and seats.

 

[Dsertdog]

Fender tag/Vin number on door frame (edit)?
Not sure if it's the same as American built cars

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Fender tag on inner fender, VIN tag on door post

 

[bluefury361]

. Nice car. Check for a broadcast sheet. Not hard to find. Under rear seat bottom cushion, rear seat back cushion, Inspect lower front seat cushions with a mirror and snap off the carped section of the front seat backs. Find one.... questions answered.

 

[polara71]

It did, but not the Sport Fury panels and seats.

Is that what this has?
I'm out of my league on slabbies .

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Yes - Canadian Dodge C bodies all had the Fury dash for 65/66, and essentially model equivilent Dodge-badged Plymouth interiors.

Canadian Monaco was equivileng to USA Monaco 500, but there was no lesser Monaco line in Canada, where in the USA there were lesser Monaco models. Canadian Polaras got Fury II and III interiors, while the Canadian Monaco got the Sport Fury interior. Only Canada had a Monaco vert while there was no Monaco 500 vert in the USA. The Canadian Monaco was the same as the USA Monaco 500.

There are a few more (and confusing) model differences too numerous to detail here...

 

[Bill Watson]

You cannot compare the Canadian Dodge with the U.S. Dodge - they were in two completely different markets. The U.S. Dodge was Polara, Polara 500, Monaco and Monaco 500. The 500 models came in hardtop with the Polara 500 also having a convertible.

The U.S. Polara was priced to go against the U.S. Catalina while the U.S. Monaco went up against the Executive (Star Chief). In Canada the Dodge Polara went up against Plymouth Fury I, Chevrolet Biscayne, Ford Custom, Meteor Rideau and Pontiac Strato Chief.

For the Canadian 1966 Dodge -
PL - Fury I DL - Polara
PM - Fury II DM - Polara 440
PH - Fury III DH - Polara 880
PP - Sport Fury DP - Monaco
The two letters (DL, DM, DH, DP) are the first two letters on the VIN.

The three Polara series share the same taillights while the Monaco had unique taillights filling the chrome moulding on both sides of the trunk. Should also have Monaco in block letters in the section between the taillights and a small "Dodge" script on the left side of thr trunk lid above the taillight.

Your car has the Sport Fury interior, complete with the red, white and blue rectangles on the front door panels.

The three rectangles on the exterior are correct for a Canadian Monaco, but it is missing the "Monaco" nameplate on the rear quarter panels. It's also missing the moulding along the sill from the front wheel well to the rear wheel opening and the section to the rear bumper.

Should also point out that the 1966 Dodge built at Windsor, ON used the same body tag as used in the U.S. (for the first time) but no broadcast sheets. 1970 or 1971 was the first year for that at Windsor.

So, what are the first two letters of the VIN? It should be on the hinge post of the driver's door.