Dodge Monaco - Taking Over For The Custom 880

Taking Over For The Custom 880

For 1966, in the U.S., the Monaco replaced the Custom 880 series and the former Monaco became the Monaco 500. The basic Monaco was available in hardtop coupe, 4-door (pillarless) hardtop sedan, conventional 4-door (pillared) sedan, and 4-door station wagon bodystyles. In the U.S., the Monaco 500 was available only as a hardtop coupe. The Canadian Dodge hung onto the "Monaco" name for the Sport Fury equivalent and Polara 880 for the Fury III competitor.

For 1967, all full-sized Dodges, the Monaco included, would receive a significant face-lift with all-new exterior sheet metal. The Elwood Engel school of design was in full force, featuring generally flat, even boxy, body planes, with sharp-edged accent lines. The hardtop coupes would adopt a new semi-fastback roofline with a reverse slanted rear quarter window.

In Canada, the Monaco name was finally applied for '67 to all of the premium full-sized Dodge products (sedans, coupes, and station wagons), replacing the Polara 880 at the top of the Dodge line. Taking the Monaco's place as a premium full-size model was the Monaco 500, which was available only as a two-door hardtop and convertible.

Changes would be minimal for 1968. Dodge would discontinue the Monaco 500 model at the end of the 1968 model run in the United States and at the end of the 1970 model run in Canada.