This Underappreciated 1973 Muscle Car Was Number One 53 Years Ago

The 1973 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, one of the of the most underappreciated Chevrolet muscle cars, won the Motor Trend Car of the Year award back in 1973. 1973 was the first year of the second-generation Monte, which continued through the 1977 model year until the third generation hit the scene.

The 1973 Monte Carlo landed during a time when the muscle cars were being hit by increasingly strict emission controls, higher insurance premiums, and the October 19, 1973 OPEC oil embargo that caused an oil crisis. There were two different 350 ci Turbo-Fire V8 engines available, a two-barrel carburetor version with 145 horsepower, and a four-barrel with 175. The big-block 454 ci Turbo-Jet V8 with a four-barrel had 245 horses.

Something else that the 1973 Monte Carlo had was excellent styling, which was penned by a team lead by legendary GM designer Bill Mitchell. It had a longer wheelbase compared to the utilitarian Chevelle, featuring an vertical grille, a very long hood, and deeply sculptured fenders. The roof featured opera windows and plenty of velour inside, if you were into that sort of thing. 

There was some significant engineering that went into the 1973 Monte Carlo, much of it due to the ascendance of John Z. DeLorean to the top spot at Chevrolet. DeLorean liked cars that handled well, particularly the Mercedes-Benz models of the day. GM engineers discovered that it was the radial tires on the Mercedes that contributed much to its high-quality handling, while additional caster angle helped the car to track straight and made the steering feel better. These changes were incorporated into the 1973 Monte Carlo and its siblings, greatly improving the quality of their handling. 

While most 1973 Monte Carlos were powered by a Turbo Hydra-matic three-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels, the most basic 1973 Monte Carlo Sport Coupe could be specced with a three-speed manual transmission. 

This kept the base price low, while the addition of an automatic transmission automatically meant an upgrade to the Z76 Monte Carlo S option package, which added a rear stabilizer bar, extra sound insulation, and radial tires. These upgrades, as you'd imagine, improved the car's handling to Car of the Year standards. Another notable option for 1973 was swivel front bucket seats, which could rotate 90 degrees to make it easier to get into and out of the vehicle.

The Monte Carlo was an important vehicle for Chevrolet and General Motors. However, all good things must come to an end, and the Monte Carlo was eventually discontinued in 2007. It made many film and TV appearances, most notably the 1979 Monte Carlo in the film "Training Day."