Matt Harwood Posted March 21, 2020 Share Posted March 21, 2020 (edited) *SOLD* Why are all the best survivors low-key cars? Maybe because the best owners who maintain their hardware are likewise low-key people. Whatever the case, this spiffy 1967 Dodge Monaco hardtop sedan is exactly the kind of car I like--mostly original, beautifully maintained, and a pleasure to drive. It was ordered by Willard Trefrew of Vallejo, California on June 16, 1967, but an interesting note on the original order form says "Factory Drive" which indicates Mr. Trefrew went to Hamtramck to pick it up and drove it home himself. The list of options on his new Monaco was extensive: A/C, power windows, power seat, disc brakes, tinted glass, a rear speaker, and of course the big, honkin' 440 cubic inch mill up front, to which he also added dual exhaust to give it 375 horsepower. Sure, it's got four doors, but this thing can only be defined as a muscle car. Think of it as a 4-door GTX. Gold is a great period color and it appears that it has been touched up here and there but never fully repainted. Thanks to a lifetime in California (Mr. Trefrew kept it until 1991, when the second owner bought it and took it to San Francisco until 2017), the vinyl top is in great shape with no visible issues underneath. There's no evidence of previous accidents or rust, and all four doors fit well and close with a fantastic kerCHUNK sound. There are, of course, a few signs of use and a slightly amateurish touch-up on the right rear quarter where it probably grazed the side of a garage door opening, but like all good survivors, it has weathered the past 53 years and 51,000 miles rather well. The chrome is in fantastic shape without even a parking ding on a bumper and I really dig those giant taillights. Experts will note that this 1967 car has side marker lights, which weren't mandated until 1968, but apparently the first owner--a mechanic--added them after seeing them on later cars simply because he liked the look. The black vinyl interior is positively cavernous and in great condition. It's possible that the carpets have been replaced simply because they look so good, but it also has factory floor mats front and rear so perhaps they're just well-preserved. The dash has two big squarish pods with a full set of gauge, all of which are working correctly. You also get Chrysler's unique AM radio with vertical thumb knobs as well as factory A/C that works extremely well thanks to R12 refrigerant inside. At some point, someone added cruise control with the switch on the turn signal stalk, but that's the only non-stock modification. I'm not positive that the carpets in the trunk are correct, but it fits quite well and adds a luxurious touch. There's also a full-sized spare with a jack assembly. The 440 cubic inch Magnum V8 is the same one that delivered legendary performance in all of Chrysler's most potent muscle cars, delivering 375 horsepower and 480 pounds of torque, all with hardly a vibration. There's a newer Edelbrock carburetor on top, but otherwise the engine is unmodified and runs beautifully. Quick starts, a nice idle, and plenty of grunt at virtually any speed make this big sedan feel more expensive than it is. The engine bay is nicely detailed and shows plenty of evidence of conscientious maintenance--we have one receipt dating form a few years ago adding up to more than $2000, which included things like a new radiator core, water pump, the aforementioned carburetor, a full brake job, master cylinder, and new mufflers. The original invoice shows undercoating was part of the deal in 1967 and it's still clinging to the bottom of the car, so rust is obviously a non-issue. The TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic spins 3.23 gears out back and the ride is like all American luxury cars--smooth and disconnected. Factory wheels wear special hubcaps advertising the newly-available disc brakes and carry recent 235/75/15 whitewall radials. Documentation is extensive: we have the original owner's manual, service manual, and warranty booklet, plus the dealer invoice. There are also receipts for more than 40 years' worth of maintenance, title history documenting three owners (1967-1991, 1991-2017, 2017-2020), and a cool Dodge Monaco press release packet with photos. Smooth, quiet, fast, and well-optioned, this is the kind of car that renews my hope that not all old cars are full of gremlins. But be warned--driving a car like this will make most others feel unfinished. And because it's a 4-door, the price is quite reasonable at $19,900. A no-compromises hobby car that works even better than it looks. Thanks for reading! Edited April 9, 2020 by Matt Harwood (see edit history) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8E45E Posted March 21, 2020 Share Posted March 21, 2020 I'm very surprised it doesn't have a clock, which I thought was standard equipment on a Monaco. Here is the dash of a very sparsely equipped '67 Monaco four door sedan that is all original, and was sold new in Vancouver, B.C. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Luddy Posted March 21, 2020 Share Posted March 21, 2020 Canadian built Monaco's have different trim levels than USA built. Always less seems to be the Canadian content cars. Cheaper looking trim, hubcaps, details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTX5467 Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 As I've learned from another forum (www.forcbodiesonly.com) there were LOTS of differences in the USA-market and Canadian-market cars. Mainly in trim and such than optional or standard equipment. In the library section of www.hamtramck-historical.com, you can find dealer order guides and such which detail the USA-market cars model year by model year. Even many Automobile Manufacturers' Association (AMA) data books for many cars! A HUGE resource for several decades of Chrysler Products. I always leaned more toward Chryslers, but the Dodges were very spiffy. Kind of like Buicks compared to Pontiacs, back then. A very nice car (pictured), Matt! Nice color combination and equipment. Enjoy! NTX5467 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6T-FinSeeker Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 Very nice looking Monaco, Matt, a real throwback to the Swinging Sixties! Love the gold paint -- good luck with sale! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniel boeve Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 8 hours ago, 6T-FinSeeker said: Very nice looking Monaco, Matt, a real throwback to the Swinging Sixties! Love the gold paint -- good luck with sale! Indeed very nice car , it takes me back to 68-69 when i was working in Canada to pick tabacco ,where students who went to help Belgian farmers in Ontario near Delhi in Glen Meyer .Family from the farmers drove a car like this .Each farm had an old car sitting behind the barn in those days but the climate is very bad down there and they where all very rusty .All memories from the past . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Luddy Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 2 hours ago, daniel boeve said: Indeed very nice car , it takes me back to 68-69 when i was working in Canada to pick tabacco ,where students who went to help Belgian farmers in Ontario near Delhi in Glen Meyer .Family from the farmers drove a car like this .Each farm had an old car sitting behind the barn in those days but the climate is very bad down there and they where all very rusty .All memories from the past . Always lots of money being made in tobacco back then in Delhi. I lived in Woodstock, 30 miles north of there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexRiv_63 Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 C-body Chrysler products from the 60s are great highway cruisers that still handled well and with the 440 had great performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted March 22, 2020 Author Share Posted March 22, 2020 We were moving cars around the shop today and my 11-year-old son Riley and I took this big Dodge for a ride. Just so smooth. Riley verified that everything works--gauges, A/C, heater, radio, fender-mounted turn signals, windows, all of it. Not a single squeak or rattle anywhere in the car. Whispers along at 60 MPH but flatten the throttle and it rears up and lunges ahead--we blasted from about 40 to 80 in the blink of an eye. Very impressive. I love cars like this simply because they work right--as my good friend BillP used to say, it's "unf*cked with." I know 4-doors aren't exciting, but if quality matters, this Monaco totally nails it. What a nice car! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldIHtruck Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 Seeing the photos of that car brings back fond memories. In Chi-Raq, my lifelong friend, Steve Van Maldegiam, had a gold 2 door equipped with a 383. That puppy was fast. How those cars were exercised in high school. A great back seat for double dates... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrustmag Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 I love this car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted April 2, 2020 Author Share Posted April 2, 2020 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plymouthcranbrook Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 I sure would love to have that car. Maybe the 3rd or 4th stimulus package... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted April 9, 2020 Author Share Posted April 9, 2020 SOLD! Thank you! Three weeks of drought but this week it seems that the faucet is turned back on and cars are selling. Good news! 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted April 9, 2020 Share Posted April 9, 2020 On 3/22/2020 at 4:46 PM, Matt Harwood said: We were moving cars around the shop today and my 11-year-old son Riley and I took this big Dodge for a ride. Just so smooth. Riley verified that everything works--gauges, A/C, heater, radio, fender-mounted turn signals, windows, all of it. Not a single squeak or rattle anywhere in the car. Whispers along at 60 MPH but flatten the throttle and it rears up and lunges ahead--we blasted from about 40 to 80 in the blink of an eye. Very impressive. I love cars like this simply because they work right--as my good friend BillP used to say, it's "unf*cked with." I know 4-doors aren't exciting, but if quality matters, this Monaco totally nails it. What a nice car! We use the term unmolseted..........same thing, just more polite. I rather a rusty car left in a field for 20 years, than a tractor mechanic hacked up car. Much easier to fix. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chistech Posted April 9, 2020 Share Posted April 9, 2020 5 minutes ago, edinmass said: We use the term unmolseted..........same thing, just more polite. I rather a rusty car left in a field for 20 years, than a tractor mechanic hacked up car. Much easier to fix. Ed, You must come from a “sophisticated” part of MA. Down here along the waterfront of the south coast, Matt’s terminology works just fine! 😁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted April 9, 2020 Share Posted April 9, 2020 1 hour ago, chistech said: Ed, You must come from a “sophisticated” part of MA. Down here along the waterfront of the south coast, Matt’s terminology works just fine! 😁 Yup....that's me.....Mr Sophisticated! 🎱 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6T-FinSeeker Posted April 10, 2020 Share Posted April 10, 2020 12 hours ago, Matt Harwood said: SOLD! Thank you! Three weeks of drought but this week it seems that the faucet is turned back on and cars are selling. Good news! Congratulations, Matt! No one creates a better presentation for his listings than you! 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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