The first-generation Monte Carlo was introduced in 1970 to give Chevrolet a medium-sized car that offered luxury and style in a mid-sized package.
The Monte Carlo had an exotic name because Chevy wanted to separate it from its medium-sized stablemate (Chevelle) in terms of overall luxury.
Jim Sutherland
The 1970 Chevelle garnered plenty of attention in the muscle car world, but the Monte Carlo was the car that grabbed the spotlight for Drew Nolan’s grandfather at the time. So much so that his granddad bought a first-gen Monte Carlo and kept it long enough to see it passed along to his son before it was eventually inherited by Drew.
However, the family heirloom Monte Carlo is not the only Monte Carlo in Drew’s life because he also owns a beefed-up 1970 Monte Carlo that he purchased in 2015. His other Monte Carlo allowed Drew to answer the car guy more-power question because he swapped out the car’s 400 cubic-inch small block for a massive 489 cubic-inch big block with a very bad attitude.
Drew is a licensed heavy-duty mechanic, so he was able to do the engine upgrade in only a few days. The result was a stylish medium-sized Chevy model that could best be described as a sleeper in an upscale car body.
Drew was able to disguise his muscular Monte Carlo under a conventional outer skin, complete with a black vinyl top that used to be white, according to Drew. It also has Corvette-style rally wheels from that era, but they are subtle enough not to give away the Monte Carlo’s brute force power.
The Monte Carlo retains its creature comfort features because the car has air conditioning and power steering to make a trip easier for passengers and driver. Drew had a large collection of 8-track tapes in front of his car and added the Monte Carlo’s 8-track player will still play them.
However, the Monte Carlo now sports Porsche 911 bucket seats to keep Drew in one place when he is behind the wheel. The car has “been on a racetrack”, in Drew’s words, but now he uses it primarily as “a summer driver-rain or shine”, again in his words.
Drew added his car is “meant to be driven and has never been trailered by me”. The car is a very capable performer and is comfortable at highway speeds in his opinion. The Monte Carlo is also capable of stopping in a hurry because it has front disc and rear drum brakes to handle the task.
Drew was influenced by his grandfather when it comes to his vintage vehicle choice because he bought his own Monte Carlo to keep the family tradition alive and well. His granddad’s original Monte Carlo still holds a place of honor in Drew’s world and was parked right beside his ’70 Monte Carlo at a summer car show.
It seemed like a fitting place for the family heirloom to us here at MyStarCollectorCar.
Jim Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
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