'68 Monaco 500 Conv.

[Restorer32]

Employee of mine has inherited what is supposed to be a 1968 Dodge Monaco 500 Convertible. Opinions differ as to whether such a car was ever built. Anyone know anything about these cars? Production #s, value?

[rocketraider]

<span style="font-style: italic">Standard Catalog of American Cars</span> says no 1968 Monaco convertibles built at all- 4d sedan and HT, 2d HT, 6 & 9 passenger wagons. Monaco 500 is listed as 5 passenger 2d HT coupe only, production 3400.

SC shows 1968 Polara 500 5 passenger coupes and convertibles were built. I've always found the SC to be reasonably accurate.

A gorgeous 1966 Monaco 500 coupe showed up at a cruise night in Lynchburg VA last week.

[stexch]

First, determine the correct year model. You can't depend on what the title says. A true '68 Monaco will have a VIN of either DH41-8-100,001&up or DH23-8-100,001&up. If this is in fact a '68 Monaco, then you're dealing with an aftermarket conversion. Such a vehicle would be difficult to value. Purists won't have anything to do with it, so it will have to be valued as a unique custom. The quality of the workmanship will be critical. It appears that there was a Polara 500 convertible in '68 of similar size. Is it possible that what your employee has is really a Polara that was re-badged at some point (perhaps during body work?).

[Guest BruceW]

Maybe they were made but not in the US.

I've seen stated that starting in 1965 there was a "Canada-only" Monaco convertible. I've also seen a couple 1968 Dodge Monaco 500 convertibles listed for sale on the internet (whether or not they really are such I can't say), but in each case they were identified as Canadian models. One such advertisement is located at:

http://www.americandreamcars.com/1968monaco500012504.htm

Just a thought.

[Guest]

I have a 1968 Dodge Monaco Convertible that was made in Canada. (It even has the Winepeg Dealership tag still on the trunk.)

In the Dodge Story book it says that a few were made in Canada using the Polara body shell and Monaco trim (grill, body trim, tail lights, etc.)

I haven't found out exactly how many were made yet but I too have only seen references to these cars on the internet as being Canada only cars.

[Guest]

The car was an available Canadian model. The guy who said check the vin number was exactly right, though. Mopars during these years fairly often were mis- registered as to both year and model name. My grandfather had a 70 Polara that was mistakenly called a Cordoba on the title years before one was avialble in the US.