Moparwilks
Active Member
I’m still trying to get over the crown Vic from blues brothers 2000. Yuck. If it’s saved from the crusher or a derby or rotting field I understand & agree. But there’s no reason to trash good Monaco’s. That’s all I’m saying
74-75 Fury or Monaco. What is the appeal?
- Thread starter Joseph James
- Start date
Chicago Bluesmobile
Member
Not looking to change any minds out there, but I guess it’s all about perception. And the people out there that do crappy rattle-can black and white paint jobs over dirt and rust help drive that. I get it. They’re supposed to look trashed on the outside, but in reality most of us that are fans of Monaco’s and the Blues Brothers go out of our way to shore up the bodywork, get rid of the cancer, smooth the body and paint them with an automotive single stage enamel at bare minimum. Where we differ is instead of cutting the paint and polishing until it shines like a diamond, we cut the paint and polish to various degrees of “distress”. Most of us also spend an ungodly sum of money on interior, suspension, engine work. At the end of the day we put just as much work into a car that a by to book purist would do, except we like black and whites, while a purist would keep it doo-doo brown no matter ugly it was. Either way a car was saved and is enjoyed like they should be.
Moparwilks
Active Member
Maybe my perception is a little bias due to my very first car being a 75 gran fury (real squad) & my parents beautiful 75 royal Monaco. Bluesmobile guys in my day could afford to be more picky in the mid 1980’s. They were front lawn $200 cars in those days & plenty of them. Elderly owned fusies too for a couple hundred more. I guess I’m Being too harsh on guys keeping the black & white faith. My apologies. It’s just that My skin crawls when I see a Black & white with a hardtop or Wing vent windows. Lucky for me There’s just not enough of them in my neck of the woods to put me in therapy. Lol!
Rebuilding a 1974 2 door hardtop. Running out of places to search. I've been looking everywhere and could use a little direction. Where can I buy rear quarters rockers and floor panels. I'm in serious need please help friends of Mopar!
jason99
Well-Known Member
I sold a 74 Monaco coupe that had solid rear quarters to a guy in Florida. Let me see if I can find his info. I have some Brougham interior panels, a solid small block radiator, and some taillights if you are looking for any of that stuff.
jason99
Well-Known Member
Direct message me and I’ll send you a contact who bought my coupe. I believe he was going to take some things he needed and part the rest.
jason99
Well-Known Member
Try again
Chicago Bluesmobile
Member
Unfortunately you may have to make your own pieces. Sheetmetal is non-existent and most parts cars quarters are shot.
rapidtrans
Senior Member
When the new formals first came out I remember being blown away with the ride and handling. The cars just felt so much bigger and seemed to corner nice and flat. Man those big things were a huge advancement from the 73s. Drove a 74 NY coupe to Florida at Christmas. Enjoyed every mile!
C Sickness
Member
I think every 69 charger in existence has at least one layer of orange paint underneath.
When I first sat in a new '74 Chrysler at the local dealership's service department, I was impressed with how much it felt like an improved '66 Chrysler. Lower "elbow-resting" door panel heights, taller glass, as a result. When I drove one for a short distance, it had a more "let's GO" feel than our '72 Newport 4-dr did. I liked what they did. When I later had time to be in some for a while, I generally liked them as much as our '66 Newport.
THEN, when the '75 Cordobas arrived, I was even more "in love". Chrysler luxury in a smaller package, which sold very well in many age demographics, by observation. From younger professionals all the way to "Marcus Welby". With the possible heart of a prior Charger R/T underneath it all.
Unfortunately, the normal B-bodies just didn't seem to be very exciting, in the '75-era. Performance was "down" as "formal luxury" was "up". But you could buy a Ford Torino Elite with the 351HO and trailer package for lucury with performance (as a friend did, in burgandy and a white landau top). The Road Runner still existed as a stripe/decal package and little more. But probably could still be optioned with the 360HO or 400HO and HD suspension, IF the dealer was so motivated. In a time when big engines and higher power were NOT selling points to the average buyer.
Just as a Cordoba could also be equipped with the 360HO and 400HO motors. Motors which still had many of the prior 340/275 and 383/335 parts in them, but with a lower compression ratio. Now relegated to "police" duty with full dual exhausts (even with two cat converters as late as 1981!). In '75 and '76, those two HO engines, along with the 318 2bbl, were spec'd cat-less and leaded regular fuel, from the factory. With "Non-Cat" stickers on the lh door by the latch (as the cat-less original Lean Burn cars also had).
"Performance" could still be had, IF people had cared to look AND knew how to work the options when ordering a car. Unfortunately, that tended to be the exception to the rule. By observation, Chrysler could have built some neater cars if the dealers had cared about ordering/stocking/selling them. The other observation is that few dealers' car orderers seemed to really care about learning how to order a Chrysler product (what was needed for best customer satisfaction) and tended to only mirror what they'd probably done at their former employment (other brands, IF from the car industry). Such a shame!
But, as it turned out, this was also the time "pre-bankruptcy" when Chrysler was shorter on money than they might liked to have admitted. Which tended to result in some more efficient designs and also in some poorly-sourced parts (as in the famous Slant 6 carb base gaskets, which got major news coverage with the Aspen/Volare cars' emissions issues, it seemed). Some less-expensive other items, too.
Enjoy!
CBODY67
THEN, when the '75 Cordobas arrived, I was even more "in love". Chrysler luxury in a smaller package, which sold very well in many age demographics, by observation. From younger professionals all the way to "Marcus Welby". With the possible heart of a prior Charger R/T underneath it all.
Unfortunately, the normal B-bodies just didn't seem to be very exciting, in the '75-era. Performance was "down" as "formal luxury" was "up". But you could buy a Ford Torino Elite with the 351HO and trailer package for lucury with performance (as a friend did, in burgandy and a white landau top). The Road Runner still existed as a stripe/decal package and little more. But probably could still be optioned with the 360HO or 400HO and HD suspension, IF the dealer was so motivated. In a time when big engines and higher power were NOT selling points to the average buyer.
Just as a Cordoba could also be equipped with the 360HO and 400HO motors. Motors which still had many of the prior 340/275 and 383/335 parts in them, but with a lower compression ratio. Now relegated to "police" duty with full dual exhausts (even with two cat converters as late as 1981!). In '75 and '76, those two HO engines, along with the 318 2bbl, were spec'd cat-less and leaded regular fuel, from the factory. With "Non-Cat" stickers on the lh door by the latch (as the cat-less original Lean Burn cars also had).
"Performance" could still be had, IF people had cared to look AND knew how to work the options when ordering a car. Unfortunately, that tended to be the exception to the rule. By observation, Chrysler could have built some neater cars if the dealers had cared about ordering/stocking/selling them. The other observation is that few dealers' car orderers seemed to really care about learning how to order a Chrysler product (what was needed for best customer satisfaction) and tended to only mirror what they'd probably done at their former employment (other brands, IF from the car industry). Such a shame!
But, as it turned out, this was also the time "pre-bankruptcy" when Chrysler was shorter on money than they might liked to have admitted. Which tended to result in some more efficient designs and also in some poorly-sourced parts (as in the famous Slant 6 carb base gaskets, which got major news coverage with the Aspen/Volare cars' emissions issues, it seemed). Some less-expensive other items, too.
Enjoy!
CBODY67
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rapidtrans
Senior Member
Yep. My ‘75 Cordoba came with front and rear sway bars and the biggest radials offered. The closest mopar has come to a Monte Carlo with F41 handling package. Perfect combination of handling and ride. That ‘doba was a highway star.
That's interesting! Do you mean bigger on the outside, on the inside or in the way the car handled?
rapidtrans
Senior Member
Low cowl and beltline made the car, at least feel, wider and bigger. Much nicer interior materials. Quieter cabins. And the cars had impressive ride and flat cornering. Just my guess but these cars were probably designed from the start to take advantage of radial tires.
The "formals" were a bit larger on the outside, absent the factory bumper guards. Interior space was at least as much as the Fuselage cars, in most dimensions. But it was that lower beltline which made them feel so much more "open" and "fun to be in" than the Fuselage cars did. Can't forget that HUGE center glove compartment and coin holder! Not unlike the center tray on the '65-'66 Chryslers, just BIGGER and lockable.
The '74 Chryslers' trim codes changed to be normal colors rather than having the metallic/pearl tints of the prior times. Something you might not notice until you put the interior material swatches side-by-side, and then it is very obvious. Brocade fabrics gave way to velours, some of which were more like DEEP wide-wale corduroy. Leathers were soft and pliable to support the deeply-buttoned leather upholstery designs. Not to forget the first-use of hidden icon warning lights! Classy lines and ornamentation for the times. A more substantial look, to me. AND, the lower beltline meant lower front fender (line) elevations, which, to me, made them easier to work on (leaning over the fender) than our '72 Newport and more akin to our '66 Newport. Lots of space under those hoods!
To be sure, the Fuselage cars were a big departure from the prior cars, with style and grace and size. But some of their changes also tended to have other issues, in later life (or even during the basic warranty period). Mostly on items changed from the tried and true '65-'68 models (which were probably too good for their own good, possibly).
So, to me, the '74 Chryslers felt like an improved version of "home" ('66 Chryslers) than the '72 Newport we'd bought new ever could (as good as it was). But I liked them all.
Enjoy!
CBODY67
Rustyrodknocker
Senior Member
Go North young man. I suspect the Canadians are sitting on a pile of parts cars like we have not seen since the 80's it's just finding them. And finding them that are not rusted to hell.
Their out there.
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