FAST

FACTS

The Monaco was the flagship model for Dodge, and the Royal Monaco Brougham station wagon (shown here) was the top of the line trim
The 4 barrel 440ci V8 was the most powerful engine option, which was backed by a 3spd Torqueflite automatic transmission
The Brougham wagon weighed over two tons and offered 101 cubic feet of cargo space
The Torsion “Quiet Ride” suspension featured strategically placed rubber bushings to reduce road noise and vibrations. The wheelbase was a whopping 122 inches – one of the longest in Dodge history (for a car)
This generation Monaco was released just days before the 1973 fuel crisis. As a result, Chrysler received major backlash for offering huge, gas-guzzling cars. To boost their image, Chrysler needed to show that they cared about saving the driver fuel, but it was too late to design or integrate a new piece of fuel-saving technology within the vehicle’s systems
As a last minute approach, Chrysler created an option called the “Fuel Pacer”, which added a vacuum switch to the intake manifold. This switch would shut close at around 4″ of vacuum, triggering the fender-mounted turn signal to flash and alert the driver of excessive fuel consumption. Tapping into the existing turn signal circuitry saved Chrysler the hassle (and cost) of re-designing the dashboard to include a warning light

Key Model Year Changes:

First year of the hidden headlights
First year of the “Royal Monaco Brougham” naming scheme
The 3rd generation Monaco was released in 1974
In 1977, the Monaco downsized from the C platform to Chrysler’s intermediate B platform
The Monaco received minimal changes after 1975, ending production in 1978. The model line was redesigned and renamed the Dodge St. Regis

Specs: