ALT-2 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
The Chevrolet Monte Carlo has a long standing history in the US auto market. The first Monte Carlo was available in 1970, and with exception to six years beginning in 1988, was available until 2008. The Monte Carlo has more wins in NASCAR racing than any other auto, and has been featured in several films, perhaps it's most impressive accolade is the memories it has left with those who grew up around the massive car.
While the technical features of the Monte Carlo have at times been very impressive for an intermediate car, it's the memories that most remember. While many cars can leave a lasting impression on a life, for some unexplainable reason the Monte Carlo stands out more than any. Perhaps it's the size of the early models, or the sound of the big block engine, but most people who have ever owned or have been raised in a family that owned one, can tell you story after story centered around that car. Perhaps it was the games played while in the large back seat with a sibling or friend, or the way the clock never worked, or the way the silver paint peeled off of the roof and hood, but someone who has had one of these often forgotten monsters of American automobile history will have a story to tell.
My personal life has been affected by the Monte Carlo in coincidental ways that I have just recently come to realize. As a child my parents owned a first edition Monte Carlo. Silver with the paint peeling off after a few years of course. I can still remember running around the back seat and jumping back and fourth between the back and front seats. Today this would be seen as child abuse, in the 70's this was the norm. My grandparents owned a '77 Monte Carlo, which now belongs to me. I still remember a six hour road trip to Chicago to visit family, which involved me and two other cousins playing many card games in the back seat while the adults chit-chatted in large bench seat up front. The first new car I owned was a 2000 Monte Carlo SS. While I have always been interested in the sporty design and power of the Corvette, Camaro, and Mustang, it has been the heavy "boat-like" Monte Carlo that has always seemed to find its way in my life. For many the car is just a mode of transportation but for those who love cars understand that it becomes a part of you. The Monte Carlo will be remembered by many, and has earned its place in automotive history.
