Motor Gnomes

Pictures may be worth a thousand words, but they don’t share the complete tale. And, the complete tale might be a bit wordy, so a brief “Reader’s Digest” version….

1973. The newly-redesigned Monte Carlo was named Motor Trend Car Of The Year … and I was born. Coincidence? Fate? Ironic twist?

Three years later my parents bought a brand new 1976 MC, which started my “love affair” with the model. I quickly began pointing at other MCs, saying “arlo”. Then, six years later, my parents bought a 1981 MC SC (leftover in 1982), which I still have today. For a few short years, it was bliss … 2 Monte Carlos in our family. But, within 2 years, “my” 1976 MC was gone, replaced with a 1982 Chevette. At least the Chevette was RWD.

Eight years later, in the fall of 1992, I started my family of MCs when I purchased my first car, a light green 1979 MC Landau (center of the above photographs), in Indiana, which had a 267 V7 (NOT a misprint!) engine, replaced in 1996 with a 350 V8. The black 1976 MC Landau (2nd from right) followed in December 1998.  Even though I swore I’d never own a black car, I couldn’t resist purchasing this one from the mother of a friend of a friend who was only selling it because it wouldn’t fit in her new townhouse garage. A year later, the aforementioned 1981 MC SC (2nd from left) joined. Three years after that, the 1972 MC (far right) was purchased (March 2002), completing my goal of having one of every generation.  (Though, when I was a kid, my goal was to have at least one of every YEAR of EVERY generation!)  Just over a year later, the 1987 MC LS (far left) came from Ohio, after I decided that I missed my former 1988 MC LS “too much”. I’ve come close to selling one or more of my MCs over the last few years, but so far, none of the current family members are leaving.

That written, my car family has had a few revolving doors, including that 1988 MC LS, and hopefully will have a few more revolving doors, including, but not limited to…
…mid-late 1970s LTD/Thunderbird
…1975 Caprice Classic convertible
…1976 Caprice Classic sedan
…1989 Caprice Classic sedan
…1987 MC SS Aerocoupe
…2011 Dodge Charger.

Right now, though, a “winter warrior” 1979 Caprice Classic sedan completes my car family:

And, yes, that is a MAJOR “Reader’s Digest” version…!