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2026 Chevrolet Tahoe ReviewA Quick and Slick ‘66 Dodge Monaco
Forget the Bluesmobile, this classic 1966 Dodge Monaco is the epitome of style and refinement.
Not the Bluesmobile
Even amongst car people, when you hear the name Dodge Monaco your thoughts instantly turn to Dan Akroyd’s Elwood Blues intoning the virtues of the 1974 model in The Blues Brothers: “It’s got a cop motor, a 440-cubic-inch plant. It’s got cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks. It’s a model made before catalytic converters, so it’ll run good on regular gas.”
But what if I told you the greatest Dodge Monaco was not a used and abuse former cop car with a bull bar up front and a giant loudspeaker lashed to the roof? Don’t believe me? You might once you look at the 1966 Dodge Monaco we unearthed on Carforsale.com. Black on black with a 432 V8 under the hood lovingly maintained and upgraded for a quarter century by the same owner, this Monaco is the opposite of an A-to-B beater. Here’s what makes this first-generation Dodge Monaco an exceptional classic.
First-Gen Monaco
The Dodge Monaco saw four generations, the first spanning the 1965 through 1968 model years, the second from ’69-’73, the third ’74-’78 (which covers the Bluesmobile), and then a fourth generation copping up briefly in the early 1990s (’90-’92). The Monaco was initially conceived as a personal luxury car intended to compete with the Ford Thunderbird and Pontiac Grand Prix but was pivoted to a full-size taking on the likes of the Ford LTD, Chevy Impala, and AMC Ambassador. The Monaco even had in-house rivals to contend with like the Chrysler 300 and Plymouth Sport Fury.
The first-generation Monaco received visual updates in each of its four production years with one consistent element, its uniquely shaped delta taillights, evolving each time. While the 1965 Monaco had pivoted from the personal luxury mandate it was still given high-end interior appointments. These included a unique three-spoke steering wheel, dual gauge pods, a center console, copious chrome trim, and oddly (or boldly) rattan wicker door trim. Bucket seats front and rear could be optioned as well. The ’65 Monaco was offered with a 383 cu.-in. V8 (325 horsepower) as standard with the option of larger 413- and 426-cu.-in. V8s (340 and 365 horsepower, respectively). The first year Monaco sold decently for Dodge, moving just over 13,000 units.
The 1966 model year Monaco received mostly minor tweaks, like a narrower middle to the grille, as well as one major update. The delta shaped taillights were given giant new lenses that extended to roughly a third of the car’s width and framed the Monaco badging sandwiched between. Dodge’s Custom 880 was redubbed the Monaco 500 and came as a specialty two-door hardtop with high-end trim and unique “shell type” bucket seats. A new 440 V8 making 350 horsepower was added to the engine lineup.
The 1967 Monaco was redesigned yet again with a new eggcrate grille and new body lines that included a chamfer just below the belt line and a smaller “character” line at the bottom accentuated with aluminum bright work. The car was also made larger, gaining an inch to its wheelbase (now measuring 122 inches) and six inches overall for a total length of 219.6 inches. The 440 Magnum V8 joined the roster of engine options. It was rated at 375 horsepower.
The first-generation Dodge Monaco’s final model year, 1968, saw more front-end revisions, this time also accounting for new federally mandated marker lights. The car was given flatter side paneling, but it kept the aluminum side skirting. The taillights were given a major downsizing. The delta angles to the taillights were less pronounced than previously and a large horizontal bar in the middle spanned much of the rear end. Sadly, the distinctive wicker interior trim was eliminated for the ’68 model.
This 1966 Dodge Monaco
Of the first-generation Monaco’s production years the 1966, with its ultra-wide delta taillights and pinched grille, is in hindsight the most visually arresting. The example we found on Carforsale.com makes the most of what the original brings to the table and goes a step or two further. The black-on-black color scheme benefits from the deletion of some of the car’s original bright work, including the side spear trim. The hood with air scoop is custom as are the replacement bucket seats.
The seller refers to this build as a “12 second car,” a claim we’d normally give a skeptical raised eyebrow but under the hood is a 431 cu.-in. V8; that’s bored and stroked from the 383 V8 with the help of some performance bits like a 440’s crank, new heads and pistons, and an upgraded exhaust. Similar 431 V8 builds yield in excess of 600 horsepower. So, 12 seconds? Maybe… The 431 V8 comes paired with a 727 Torqueflite automatic transmission and Dana 60 rear end.
So, will this ’66 Dodge Monaco get you 106 miles to Chicago? Most definitely. Will it evade hundreds of cop cars in a high-speed chase? We’ll leave that for you to discover for yourself.
