This is a 1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo that was modified to fit over a 4×4 Chevrolet Suburban 1/2 ton chassis. It’s said to have been built in the early 1980s as a tow vehicle and it’s now listed for sale on eBay.
The vehicle is powered by a 355 cubic inch small block V8, and power is sent back through a GM TH350 automatic transmission. The body of the Monte Carlo is largely unmodified, though the underside was channeled to allow it to sit correctly on the Suburban frame. It’s now being offered for sale out of Howell, Michigan.
Fast Facts: A 1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 4×4
- This unique 1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo sits atop a 1973 Chevrolet Suburban 4×4 chassis, combining classic 1970s luxury coupe aesthetics with rugged Suburban underpinnings. Built in the early 1980s specifically as a tow vehicle, the conversion involved channeling the Monte Carlo’s body and fitting it onto the ladder-frame chassis, without significantly altering its external appearance.
- Powering this custom four-wheeler is a 355 cubic inch small block V8 paired with a GM TH350 automatic transmission. The drivetrain comes from the original Suburban, providing conventional power delivery suitable for towing and practical road or off road use, all riding on the Suburban’s solid axles.
- The Monte Carlo debuted in 1970 as Chevrolet’s stylish answer to personal luxury coupes gaining popularity in the American market. It had a longer wheelbase, distinctive 1970s styling, and premium interior fitting, as a result it quickly won over American car buyers and achieved commercial success – with over 145,000 units sold in its inaugural year alone.
- Offered for sale in Howell, Michigan, this unusual vehicle is officially registered as an assembled car, and has been since 1987. It received a repaint in 1990, now showing minor signs of age. Despite its unconventional looks, it’s fully roast legal.
History Speedrun: The First-Gen Chevrolet Monte Carlo
The first-generation Chevrolet Monte Carlo was produced between 1970 and 1972, it was Chevrolet’s strategic response to the rising popularity of personal luxury coupes in the American market, cars like the Ford Thunderbird.
Introduced officially in September 1969 as a 1970 model, the Monte Carlo came with a host of premium features uncommon at its price point. Image courtesy of General Motors.
Recognizing the success of fellow GM-brand rivals like the Pontiac Grand Prix, Chevrolet aimed to capture a slice of this market – carefully positioning the Monte Carlo as an elegant (though still accessible) luxury coupe that had been designed from the outset to combine both comfort and luxury with performance, and a strong road presence.
Development of the Monte Carlo began in the late 1960s under the leadership of Pete Estes, who saw a clear opportunity: offering a model that combined affordability, elegance, and solid engineering. Before the model debuted, Estes would be succeeded in his role later by Chevrolet General Manager John Z. DeLorean.
Estes had based the car on the GM A-body platform, this was already shared with cars like the Chevrolet Chevelle and Pontiac Grand Prix. The Monte Carlo received distinctive styling cues and a longer wheelbase to allow more interior space. With a wheelbase of 116 inches – two inches longer than the Chevelle coupe – the Monte Carlo had plenty of room for rear seat passengers.
Introduced officially in September 1969 as a 1970 model, the Monte Carlo came with a host of features uncommon at its price point. Chevrolet offered multiple powertrain options – to appeal to the broadest possible spectrum of buyers.
The base engine was the classic 350 cubic inch (5.7 liter) small block V8 producing 250 bhp, but those who wanted more could choose from larger engines, including a 400 cubic inch (6.6 liter) V8 rated at 265 bhp or the hefty 454 cubic inch (7.4 liter) V8 which was available in the high-performance SS 454 variant, delivering up to 360 bhp.
Stylistically, the Monte Carlo distinguished itself from earlier 1960s personal luxury car designs – it featured clean, classic lines, a prominent grille, distinctive vertical tail lamps, and an optional vinyl-covered roof, a feature popular among luxury coupes of the era.
Inside, passengers enjoyed plush seating, rich upholstery and carpeting, and features like power steering, power windows, air conditioning, power seats, and more were available as optional extras.
The Monte Carlo’s debut was immediately successful, selling over 145,000 units in its first model year alone, far exceeding Chevrolet’s sales projections. Image courtesy of General Motors.
The Monte Carlo’s debut was immediately successful, selling over 145,000 units in its first model year alone, far exceeding Chevrolet’s sales projections, and all this despite major strikes occurring at the factory that year.
It seemed to appeal strongly to American buyers, Pete Estes’ original vision for the car had been on the money – Americans loved this new Chevrolet that combined luxury and performance – perhaps doing a better job of living up to the Monte Carlo name than many had expected.
The 1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 4×4 Shown Here
The vehicle shown in this article is the only one of its kind we’ve come across so far, it’s a first-gen Chevrolet Monte Carlo body that had been fitted to a 1973 Chevrolet Suburban 4×4 chassis.
This ladder type chassis has front and rear live axles on leaf springs, front disc brakes with rear drums, standard telescopic shock absorbers front and back, and this is the four-wheel drive version of the Suburban chassis, as opposed to the rear-wheel drive version.
The eBay listing was written by the current owner who is the son of the man who built the vehicle in the early 1980s. He notes that the body was channeled to sit properly on the chassis, and he explains that the original drivetrain from the Suburban remains in place.
This vehicle is the only one of its kind we’ve come across so far, it’s a first-gen Chevrolet Monte Carlo body that had been fitted to a 1973 Chevrolet Suburban 4×4 chassis.
This drivetrain is a 355 cubic inch small block V8 mated to a GM TH350 automatic transmission. The seller also notes that the vehicle was resprayed in 1990 but that the paint is starting to show its age in a few spots.
It’s registered for road use as an “assembled vehicle” in Michigan and has been since 1987. It’s now being offered for sale out of Howell, Michigan and you can visit the listing here if you’d like to read more about it or place a bid.
Images courtesy of the eBay Seller
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.