73 Monaco and Imperials were the only Fusies that did not have front end styling ruined. Monacos look amazing. Impossible to find today as are most 69-73 C-body.

I love the sound of an old molar starting.

Noice! My first car in 1996 was a 1974 Monaco. Black 2 door. Neighbor gave it to me. He used to tow his boat with it.

The 72 - 73 Monaco was very attractive, the hidden headlights always do it for me!! My favorite fuselage Mopar is the 70 - 70 Chrysler 300 coupe!! Beautiful!!! 👍👍

Had a 70 Dodge Monaco 440-727 Transmission. Great Car. Old Mopar Man. Detroit Muscle 🇺🇸🏁

A '72 is on my bucket list...have always loved that masculine front end with the hidden headlights and the full width taillight. They look, and were, real roadworthy...the basic architecture underpinned the most fully formed cop cars of all time. Actually, '72 is, IMHO, peak style for all American manufacturers...all had winners

Great choice. This was always my favorite of the Monaco series. I remember loving this design as a kid. 😃

I am in possession of a 1973 Dodge Polara Custom. I have been looking into converting it to a throttle body fuel injection as it does have the 400 cid 2 bbl engine and Affordable Fuel Injection does make a kit for this engine that comes with a replacement distributor that has crankshaft position sensor built into it. The only things needed to be added are fuel pump and O2 sensor, which are part of the kit.

My parents had a 2 door 1972 Dodge Monaco Red with White vinyl top and White interior. A very nice looking car.

Had a Dodge Royal Monaco, blue body with white vinyl roof. but can’t remember the year. Loved it!!!!

The hidden headlamps on these cars make them for me. Next to the R-body which were much later, these are my 2nd favorite Chrysler cars. 1972-72 Dodge Monaco Brougham 2 door coupe with a vinyl top and all the trimming is such a beautiful car to behold.

I lived in South Africa and they built Dodge cars there in right hand drive style, but they rebaged them as Chrysler 383. My dad had one, a 1970 with a 383 2 barrel carb. These beautiful cars made it that I also had to have one and in the 90's I owned a 1969 Plymouth Valiant also rebadged Valiant Regal. These were the good old days. Now I live in the UK. Thanks for the video.

Mopar always had interesting design features, especially after the early Fifties. I have to say that I personally think that the 1961 Plymouth and Dodge cars were absolutely incredible sculpture. Especially that Dart with the weird reverse tailfins 👀

My driver's education car was a beautiful blue metallic '73 Plymouth Fury sedan with a 318. I've always had a soft spot for fuselage era Mopars, thanks for showing these things

Interesting that your inset photo (3:26) is a 71 Catalina. In 1978 there was a 71 Catalina and a 72 Monaco in our driveway. I was given the Monaco with a wrecked front end, a 3/4 clip and a quart of paint later, my sister had her first car. Her 16th birthday present. Red with black interior and black viynl top, 440.

My Dad purchase the 1973 Dodge Polara Custom Spring Special new when I turned 16. I told him on the way home from the dealer that I was going to buy it from him. 15 months later, the car had 120,000 miles on it and I bought the car for $1.000.00. It looked and drove like it just came off of the showroom floor. It was a 4-door hardtop. Dark silver metallic paint with a black vinyl top and red inserts on the door moldings. It had the deluxe wheel covers with red center inserts. The interior had split back bench seats with the center arm rest in white vinyl with red/white/black plaid cloth inserts and red piping. The carpet was deep cut pile black. I loved the 360 in it, it would pass anything but a gas station. I never saw another one with this color combination.

Always loved the look of these Dodges

good god that 1961 polaras back end was stunningly gorgeous.

I lucked out and stumbled on a 73 monaco 4 dr hardtop.. I absolutely love it.. gramps had about every c body chrysler and more.. 58 coronet, 61 windsor.. but a loved the 70 fury, 73 new yorker the ones i can remember.. thats probably why i couldnt let monaco go.. was almost a derby car.. very sad many of them ended up there

My grandfather owned a 1973 Dodge Polara 4 door hard top with brown exterior and gold interior. I always loved that car as a boy. He only kept his cars five years and traded. So in 1978 he traded his 1973 for a brand new down sized Dodge Monaco.

Those hidden headlights and the front end treatment remind me a bit of the early Toronados.

I always liked the fuselage cars. My faves were the Plymouths, because they were cleaner-styled and less gaudy than the Dodges and Chryslers. My favourite fuselage was the Plymouth Suburban station wagon.

Love the 72. My father bought one new, and I was 7 years old at the time. It was a striking two door in yellow with black vinyl top and interior. He kept it for only two years. I don’t remember much about the interior though. Wish I could find one, but my efforts during years have been in vain.

Wonderful channel! Your knowledge, presentation and obvious passion for this era of automobile is much appreciated. Always looking forward to more. A highlight for me was the interview series with Bob Lutz. Thanks for hard work you put into this.

I have always love cars from the 1970s. I thought they has some of the coolest designs

Owned a '73 Fury III hardtop sedan with the 360 2 barrel back in the 90's as a daily driver. It was a strong runner with excellent torque, and a very smooth and comfortable car to drive. Easy to work on, always carried a couple spare ballast resistors in the glove box, as they would go suddenly. 15 mpg highway, but gas was cheap back then, and the Fury was far more fun than the average old car from the 80's

I always like these. But I haven't seen one in years, even at car shows. The last one I saw was a green two door rotting away somewhere in Ontario's tobacco country.

Have to heartily agree with the assessment of the styling of the 72-73 Monaco - particularly when contrasted to awkward front end treatment of its stablemate, the '72 Polara .

I agree. I bought a nice '72 Monaco back in about 1991. Very handsome front and rear design.

My grandparents had a 72 Polara, my grandma bought it brand new while my grandpa was out of the country working for Westinghouse (he wasn't happy about it). I found out when I was older it had a 360 2bbl in it, my grandpa had a trailer hitch added and they used it to tow a 5000lb FreeSpirit camper behind it. Wasn't exactly ideal because of the highway gear AND no extra cooling. He kept burning up the trans in it and eventually bought an early 70's Suburban to tow with. I don't know what happened to the Polara, I was probably only 7 or 8 when they got rid of it.

Like the DeSoto in the late fifties and early sixties, by the time these bodies came out it was a tough choice to buy a Monaco over a Newport/Newport Custom. When Chrysler replaced the Windsor with the cheaper Newport it hit Dodge right where it needed the sales. Good for Chrysler, bad for Dodge. Great video as usual!

That’s one bigga front end!

Chrysler nailed the C-Body with the Fuselage styling. The early years (and a few of the later ones) were excellent! The 300s, Imperials, and 72 Fury are my favorites, but there's are magnificent as well.

These weren’t even on our radar as teenagers with GM’s , Fords and muscle cars. These were the old guys cars!

An interesting car but I can see why it was not a big seller for the time. In 1972 the full-size GM cars all had the fuselage look as well and with it the very pronounced tumblehome in the greenhouse area. Yes, the '72 GMs were a refresh of the '71's but the 71's had the same beautiful greenhouse design = GM was more advanced in '71 than Chrysler. My dad had a 1972 Chevy Impala 2-door fastback and I remember the experience of sitting in that car with the massive expanse of curved glass wrapping above your head as being like in a fishbowl. Aside from the greenhouse treatment the overall design - from the side profile, fenders, front and rear fascia etc. was so much better on GM cars than Chrysler cars of that era and of course on the interior GM was hands down the winner! I'm not sure which of the big three can take credit for the fuselage look. The 1969 Cadillac Eldorado's greenhouse featured pronounced tumblehome. When I look at a 1969 Chevy Chevelle SS I can see a fuselage look with advanced tumblehome for the time. I'm not sure why Chrysler gets credit for this styling advancement.

Weird lower side crease just drifting up and fading away in the back door. Those hidden headlights make the front end look alot like are rear end. Nifty.

I always liked the fuselage cars. A neighbor had a 70 or 71 Chrysler 300, all black, in mint condition, with some cool wheels. It was just awesome. I had a 70 Sport Suburban with the 383. Great car, ran excellent. It was a little noisy inside, but not bad. Gas mileage was decent with it ,too, relatively. And yes, carry a spare ballast resistor. I still have the 70 383 engine - I put it in my 79 Dodge Power Wagon. Finding a bellhousing to mate that to the NP 4 speed trans, and a correct flywheel was difficult, even in the 80's.

front end of the early 70s Monaco w hidden headlights...wow!

I knew someone who had a '73 Monaco wagon - it was pretty cool. Would be a nice find today.

Oh that starter, after all these years I still remember starting my Chrysler products and don’t forget the cheap door slam

Another enjoyable watch from Rare Classic Cars. My favorite Fuselage car has to be a 1970 Chrysler 300 Hurst Edition........

One the biggest issues was these cars were on sale right as the first oil embargo was started. Then the recession of the early 19070's also had a effect

This brand and the Chryslers were good sellers during my youth in Fredericton New Brunswick .The local dealer Elm City Chrysler brought in cars with amazing colors . these were great looking cars.

To me the most beautiful fuselage car was the 69-71 300. Dad had a 69 300 coupe 440 back in the day. BTW did you you see the mint 87 Fifth Avenue on Nicks Garage (Friday live).

Man besides the Canadian cars you've featured I thought I knew every American car design known to a kid taking notice of cars but for the life of me I don't recall these dodge Monaco's at all! I remember the Polaras from same years but can hardly believe I've never seen these hideaway headlight dodges whatsoever! Looking at the 72 rear it's very reminiscent of slightly earlier lesabre's and the 73s rear looks a lot like fomoco's of same period. I was wondering when you were going to feature Polaras but you finally came very close! On another note I saw a 1 owner 66 toronado deluxe on marketplace with 47k and was going to send u link but when I went to find it again it disappeared. Was listed for 20k and was thinking 15k might take it. Had no vinyl roof and was maroon which I think is one of best colors for these cars. Was located in San Diego so like all the cars I buy here is rust free. One of the best things about living in southern California!

Adam I can’t agree with you more about the Fuselage era in Mopar. The interior treatment was great and I do enjoy them so much. Your channel has inspired me to start collecting cars and possibly start a Channel of my own.

You should do a detailed video on the 1974-75 Imperials, and the subsequent 1975-78 Chrysler New Yorkers. I admire these, but I'd like to hear your insights on their quality, since as the model years went by, they didn't get the best ratings from Consumer Reports.

Thanks for posting this Adam. I really have come to like these 69-73 mopar fuselage , especially the Monaco and Polara,would like to purchase but as you said in previous post very hard to find

The styling was great but, most people were turned off though by the overly stiff ride as compared to what G.M. and Ford were offering. I can't even begin to stress how important that was at the time. While Ford and G.M. were having the "ride comfort war" in the early 1970s, Chrysler continued with the same stiff suspensions. The transmissions on these cars may have been reliable BUT, they were not as smooth shifting as were those transmissions found on G.M. and Ford products of the same years. There was a definite jerkiness to them through the gears.

I thoroughly enjoyed your well researched presentation.

I love this style on the wagons with the rally wheels. Hidden Headlamps. I agree whole heartedly on that driver cockpit. Really cheap looking and across the board.

I had a '72 Monaco 4dr that I gave $90 for at tow lot auction. We put over 10k miles on it! Sold the 360 out of it for $300, $250 for the trans and made $180 across the scales for the body! I miss that car!

Totally agree Adam. The 72-73 Dodge Monaco was a beautiful car and I saw very few of them on the streets of my hometown. The overwhelming number of 1972 Chrysler New Yorkers around town made me wonder if the monthly payment math worked against Dodge, but in favor of Chrysler.

I really like the 58, 59 Plymouth’s, Dodges and Chryslers. Fins, baby.

I absolutely LOVE the Fuselage Chrysler's. A loaded 73 Monaco is tops, followed in order by the 72 Monaco, 72 Fury, 73 Fury, (best tail lights) 72/73 Imperial. Not ruling out the rest but these are my top favs. I find it odd though that only the Fury's did not offer cornering lights like the Doge and Chrysler's. The 69-71 Sport Fury had enhanced front side marker lights available but nut true cornering lights. just my observation.

I agree with you on your preference for these models as their styling was exceptional. However, the '64 - '66 Monaco's are a close second. Their interiors are just fantastic with the center console and gauge to the sculpted rear bucket seats. The '72-'73 Monaco simply can't touch those mid-60's model interiors. Thanks for sharing this!

I totally agree with you. The Monaco was really good looking especially the front end.

02:01 I drove one of those in 1981 in Denmark. It was impressive. To my knowledge it still exists.

Great video Adam. Thanks for reminding us of that era of the Monaco’s. I always liked those. My parents had a very handsome ‘72 Monaco wagon that was a bright red with the “wood” on the upper shell. I can recall always catching a glimpse of it as I thought it was beautiful.

I agree, these were always nice cars, great running gear, nice looking, and good handling

I wanted one since my dad had one as a kid but I found a polara of the same year and have been pretty happy

U always highlight my favorite cars. 👍 thanks for posting.

No disrepect man, but i use your videos to fall sleep, they work really good for me, thank you.

Always have loved these cars. The '72 in that green... That's just a classic look. Green paisley interior... Really sharp.

My Dad traded in a 66' or 67' Lincoln Continental that had electrical problems that couldn't be resolved and my Dad bought a 68' Imperial that was an olive green with a black vinyl top and olive leather interior. I liked that car, but my own tastes were for Ford or GM.

Thank You Adam to feature these Monacos, they are sharp looking design, and the 440 equipped models are impressive, Cops used these.

It had some fine features.

1972 the greatest year of all time. Anyone born in that year is special and cool.

Adam, you continue to impress with these videos. Balanced and knowledgeable, you also include pictures of cars and car parts that track the narrative.

When i was much younger i should have bought stock in ballast resistor's !

Great follow up to the R-body video that you did a few weeks ago. My parents had a 1970 Monaco 500 hardtop coupe with the 383 V-8. I have a weak spot for the loop bumpers of the early fuselage cars.

I have a 72 Dodge Monaco with the 400 motor. It has 72,000 miles. Original paint and vinyl top, it has been garage kept since it was new. Still a beautiful car. Thank you for the informative video.

Great Video! If you like the fuselage cars you should check out Boats by the River which is a C body fuselage only meet here in Germany. This year about 70 cars participated and drove thru the narrow raods of the Moselle Valley. It was gorgeous!

More beautiful fuselages. I agree that these Monacos were unique and elegant designs.🇺🇸👍

These caught my eye in 1972 with the handsome front end and more balanced sideview proportions imparted by an ample wheelbase that the Plymouth lacked.

Adam, I love your KNOWLEDEGE,

My parents had a 73 Fury III hard top root beer brown with ivory vinyl top. Beautiful car with awesome front and rear styling.

I think the '72 Monaco front end treatment is VERY similar to the '69 Mercury Marquis treatment in many ways; the extended Lincolnesque front fenders, the hidden headlights which are half in the body and half in the baby grille which wraps around the fenders, and finally the loop lower bumper enclosing another grille. The Marquis does is better I think.

Just beauty cars, thanks for video:)

The 1972 Dodge Monaco is a great looker from an era that was starting show the effects of cost cutting. My personal full-sized favorite dates back 5 years, to the 1967 Chrysler 300. As opposed to the seventies era, the 65 to 67 full sized were were crafted from metal.

I always had the urge to become a Taxi driver when ever I drove a Plymouth or Dodge

I love this channel, you bring the best, biggest, sexiest American classic cars ever, awesome,great video & content,thank you

I'm an occasional fan of your channel. I work in the industry for an OEM and have owned dozens of similar and original cars. In fact, I recognize all your test roads. I do enjoy your deep-dives into very interesting and under-explored territory. That said... C redibility among those-who-know would be better served to drop the troupes about ballast resistors and (oddly enough, spark plugs and wires?) It's almost like you need a few seconds of extra material to meet some magic algorithm. I can only imagine this troupe lives on because it's an easy and inexpensive part for shade trees to try. I suspect that often some other part (like a coil) becomes intermittent with heat and swapping the BR gives just enough time to cool it down. As I mentioned, I've literally owned dozens of these cars in 35 years of driving and have only failed one! Incidentally, that was after a collision that I suspect microcracked the porcelain! But perhaps I don't fire the parts cannon or seek internet wisdom. A simple test light or jumper wire diagnoses the BR in 30 seconds. Think about it logically... If these were really the issue the everybody's Uncle Gummy seems to think they are, after about 5 years after using them in the 50s, Chrysler wouldn't have been selling a dozen cars, let alone dominating police fleets through the late 70s. So take a page from LA's favorite honorary policeman... Just the facts. Don't toss in nonsense about spark plug wires (pretty much an industry commodity part) just to fill time. I want to link these videos without having to make apologies. Otherwise, great channel.

Absolutely gorgeous.

The power trains of those 70’s era MOPARS were stout. The engines, from the slant-6 to the RB’s, were among the best on the industry. And their in-house automatics were simple, but durable. They had a lot going for them …

My dad, a Mopar man, always preferred Newports to Dodge's offering.

Hey Adam, again thanks for your excellent review of the 72 Monaco. It was a very beautiful Fuelsage era Chrysler product. Dodge seemed to always take the styling a few steps further to the line, but for me it always worked. I have sorta a love hate relationship with the early full-size Dodges. I very much liked the look but in the early 70s, the California Highway Patrol used Dodge Polaras as their Highway cruisers. I was a new young, heavy footed teenager at the time that had to make a point of learning all the Dodge grills and headlight configurations in a quick glance through the rear view mirror. Luckily those Polaras were pretty easy to spot, even at night. So while I admired the styling, spotting one could mean trouble. It was the Dodge I loved to hate. Same was true for the 68 - 69 Plymouth Belvederes. L.A.P.D. used those as cruisers on the streets of L.A. as I'm sure other cities across the country did at the time, which of course a tribute to how good the Chrysler Corporation cars were in that era. Nevertheless, that Monaco is a real beauty. I particularly liked the Monaco and Town and Country wagons. They were great looking and real work horses. A lot of them were used as tow vehicles, hauling travel trailers and boats to vacation spits. My dad used our 69 300 to haul our trailer. Thanks again Adam, it seems you always know the right cars to review to churn up our emotions of our favorite cars.

While I agree that the fuselage bodies are very attractive, the '74-'78 C-bodies certainly drove nicer. Better handling, better visibility, quieter ride. From the typical full-size buyer's viewpoint, I think the last generation of C-bodies were the best.

Love these fuselage cars for their reserved styling. What’s interesting is the front and rear facades of the ‘72 could easily swap ends with minimal alteration. Don’t mind it at all ☺️

A car exactly like this left turned me at in intersection in my 72 Mercury Meteor Brougham . He got towed< I drove home. Good times.

My uncle had the 72 2 door I remember the raspy key in the ignition buzzer awesome car I think it had the 383 or 440

it's as if exner new....that some...of his designs...would be...rejected in the short run...by consumers... but years later...would be sought after...and applauded by critics...it like looking at an alco. p.a. diesel...just georgous!

Adam: Thanks for another fine chapter. I have read and heard that the "Fuselage" era was originally intended to run four model years, not five... like the '65-'66 and refreshed '67-'68 generation that preceeded it. The '71 large mopars were virtually a carryover of the '70 cars, the product of tight finances, thus delaying the intended '71-'72 refresh to what we know as the '72-'73 cars. This also explains the awkward bandaid appearance of the big bumperguards needed to comply with the 5 mph bumper mandate. Its MY '74 large cars show that Chrysler was working overtime to follow the look and proportions of GM's all new large cars launched for MY '71, and that Chrysler could integrate attractive 5 mph bumpers, given enough time and money. Their arrival a year late and a month before the 1973 Arab oil embargo was about the worst timing that could befall the 3rd place member of Detroit's Big Three. Any evidence to support this?

I liked the Road Runner of that era.

I got a 73 Doge Mónaco 2 door is a such beautiful car

Grandpa had a 73 Monaco. Beautiful car. Also very naughty car.

I like the 72's nose, without the bumper guards

my first few years had me riding in back of a 65 polara (2dr wht/red 318), the next car dad bought was a 72 polara (2dr beige/beige vinyl top 318). started my pentastar love

My first car 73 Monaco, 360...

my 72 monoco 4dr. one of my best. 360 moved it right along, big comfortable seats. only bad thing was lean burn.