A 1968 Dodge Monaco 500 Convertible from a Canadian-market production run recently arrived at Nick Panaritis’ shop for a front brake upgrade. The red example featured on the Nick’s Garage YouTube channel appears to be in excellent condition, although one major mechanical change separates it from the configuration it had when it left the factory.
Rare 1968 Dodge Monaco 500 convertible hides a major upgrade under the hood
Dodge originally fitted this car with a 383-cubic-inch, 6.3-liter V8, but the owner later replaced it with a larger 440-cubic-inch, 7.2-liter V8. The swap added nearly a liter of displacement, which means the car no longer has its original engine. The owner therefore chose to upgrade the mechanical package while preserving the body of this rare Canadian-market convertible.
The latest project involves replacing the front drum brakes with discs to improve stopping performance. The video follows the Monaco during its visit to the shop and gives viewers a close look at the car, although it does not include a road test. Panaritis usually focuses on high-performance Mopars, making this less familiar Dodge a departure from the Chargers and Challengers that frequently appear in his shop.
Inside, the automatic transmission shifter sits on the center console between the front seats, a less common arrangement than the column-mounted shifter found in many related cars from the period. That detail adds another distinctive feature to an already unusual convertible body style that American buyers could not order under the Monaco name.
Dodge introduced the Monaco in 1965, choosing a name inspired by the Mediterranean principality for the most prestigious model in its lineup. In Canada, however, Dodge used the Monaco name differently from its US counterpart. The Canadian model shared close ties with the Plymouth Sport Fury and also came as a convertible. During its early years, it even borrowed its dashboard from the Plymouth lineup.
Canadian production therefore gave customers access to a Monaco body style that Dodge did not sell in the United States, where buyers looking for a full-size convertible could instead choose the Polara. Dodge also kept the Monaco 500 name alive in Canada through 1970, while the US version ended after the 1968 model year.
Production figures for 1968 show just 3,687 Monaco 500s built in Ontario, including only 468 convertibles. No reliable figure shows how many survive today or how many still retain their original engines.
The broader Monaco line remained part of Dodge’s range through 1978, while Dodge discontinued the US-market Polara after 1973. The company later revived the Monaco name from 1990 through 1992 for a completely different sedan.
