Chrysler's full-size models were all-new for 1974 and their timing could not have been worse. Not only were they were "christened" weeks before the start of the OPEC Oil Embargo in October of 1973, their styling was derided for being derivative of two-to-three year General Motors designs. Our subject here is one of the last from that bumper crop of enormous '74's, a 1977 Dodge Royal Monaco.
Makes you wonder how these cars would have fared if circumstances were different. Call me an old softie but I've always liked their lines, especially the 1974-1976 non-Royal Monaco's with fixed headlights and not this over-wrought, fussy front end. I liked them a whole lot more than the 1969-1973 fuselage models that did not sell well in those pre-gas crunch days too.
Fun fact, the "Blues Mobile" from the 1980 movie, "The Blues Brothers" was a 1974 Dodge Monaco. Note, it was a "Monaco" and not a "Royal Monaco".
What was the difference between a Monaco and a Royal one? Good question. A "Monaco", named for the region on the French Riviera on the Mediterranean, was denoted the top-of-the-line Dodge going back to 1965 when Chrysler "up-sized" after their abortive 1962 downsizing. Prior to adding the "Royal" pre-fix starting in 1975, there was a Brougham model that added the ritzy styling touches and doo-dads that were typical of 1970's luxury cars. Textured fabrics, opera lights, "landau" tops, wood-appliques, etc.
Then came the cake-toppers, the "Royal Monaco" and "Royal Monaco Brougham" for 1975 and 1976 complete with this (god-awful) hidden headlight, cheese-grater grill thing our '77 has. I think this front end treatment on these cars works as well as tennis-shoes with a tuxedo but that's just me; the front end the tuxedo, the rest of the car the tennis shoes. Or vice-versa. Take your pick.
For 1977 Dodge rearranged their proverbial deck chairs. They moved "Monaco" to the old Coronet that was built on Chrysler's defacto intermediate "B-body" of 1962 downsizing fame (or infamy). Meanwhile, all the old full-size, "C-body" Monaco's became "Royal Monaco's: complete with the aforementioned cheese-grater front end.
From what I can see from the interior photos of our '77 "Royal" here, doesn't look like the original buyer got much of a "royal treatment". Aside from the interior being much nicer than the shine-free, patina rich exterior, there's nary a power-window or seat adjuster, no power-door locks or tilting-steering column either. Oh, I can make out some plastic wood on the dash. Break out the Grey Poupon.
At least our subject here has, get ready for a mic-drop, red-carpet.
For 1978, Dodge got out of the full-size car market; after twelve-model years there was no Dodge sold built on Chrysler's 1965 circa "C-body". That left the "B-body" Monaco (nee: Coronet) all by itself as Dodge's largest model. Dodge ditching that and the Monaco nameplate altogether in 1979 when they sold a new car marketed as the "St. Regis" built on Chrysler's warmed over "B-body" they called the "R-body".
Perhaps "R-body" was to denote Royalty.
Dodge named a version of the Eagle Premier "Monaco" from 1990-1992.
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