1/43rd 1974 Chevrolet Monte Carlo ….by DeAgostini “See You Later Alligator” – David Houston

Being held up at the window overlooking the driveway by our Grandparents (at their home early on weekday mornings during the late 1970s), my brother Eric and I (who weren't even old enough to start pre-school yet) would yell out of the window while both saying… 'See you later alligator!' ..as our mother in her shiny triple black Chevy Monte Carlo backed down the driveway into the street, as she put her car in drive, she would reply back 'After while crocodiles!'…. as our now late mother pulled off to work in her shiny triple black Chevrolet. That was the first car that I ever remembered our mother owning.

Ironically DeAgostini released a 1/43 in the exact same color combination and wheels (minus the white walled GM factory tires). So, I applied decals which I ordered online and resolved that little detail. Now, I'm looking back to before my own pre-school day years in 1/43rd, I am again reminded of our fashion forward and professional mother, who had also done some modeling in New York Years prior just after college. I owe a lot of my own passion for cars to both her and my Grandfather.

“Mommy” has influenced us so much culturally via music, style and for me personally, cars! She was not faking it ether. She really loved nice cars. Prior to the Monte Carlo featured here, my Grandfather had bought her a brand new 1968 Dodge Charger R/T (which I was obviously not around to see). I heard about the Charger and had seen photos of it in family albums. One day, when I was in the garage circa 16 or 17 years later in the early 90s, I was showing my friends my new Nissan 240SX SE Fastback that I had gotten starting my second year of college. Mommy walked out to the garage in front of all of my friends and said this '….you think that car is fast? huh, daddy bought me a car that ran 150mph off the showroom floor', then she turned around and walked back into the house like a mic drop diss. That was her telling me that my car was not impressive. Especially compared to her first few cars.

Due to our Mom's taste in automobiles, I have sat in many a seat from the featured Chevy Monte Carlo here to imports from Germany and Japan owned by her. I'm saving those cars for future articles. However, what I do remember is that her Monte Carlo de ella featured a gorgeous all black vinyl interior (I presume vinyl versus leather being a 1970s American intermediate sized car), which was as immaculately clean as the exterior. What was so special about her Monte Carlo de ella was, that it had the really nice silver turbine style OEM wheels with the polished lip. From what I do remember as a child hearing was, that our cousin, who was one of the former Head School Board Admin, as well as a Pharmacist & Pharmacy store owner helped specify and gave her a hand in ordering it. Our cousin and his wife (who were both slightly older than our mother) actually drove a brand new 450SEL 6.9 in baby blue with an all-white leather interior.. That car was GORGEOUS, even though I didn't even know what a Mercedes -Benz was at that time, he knew that it was special.

That Monte Carlo was classy and gorgeous as well to me memory wise! I miss that personal luxury coupes have been replaced by boring and top-heavy SUVs or Crossovers. Automakers, please bring back the Coupes!

As I was around three or four years old in the very late or rather end of the 1970s when Mom owned that car, my memory is a bit fuzzy. I do remember her next car clearly, a 1978 Chevy Camaro from AJ Foyt! Back to the car of topic, I'm not sure if Mom's Monte Carlo was a 1974 or 1975? The rear lights I can't remember. For some reason, I was thinking that her car featured 1976 taillights… but, the front end was certainly a 1974 or 1975. So, I presumed that it was a 1974? However, I think that the rear lights might have wrapped around the edges of the rear panels on the sides? So, that would make it a 1975, but I can't remember if it had the body-colored slats that horizontally broke up the vertical light pattern? I was thinking that her rear lights were solid red and clean, so maybe it was a 1974? I honestly can't say. Also, if I remember correctly, her car didn't have a vinyl half top at the rear? I think that hers was an all slick and clean metal roof. It really was a slick car overall. Our slightly older to my brother and I's cousin Flora (you hear her name a lot in my articles, as she baby sat us and also influenced me to like Toyota Supras years later), said that our mom's Monte Carlo was really a nice car for that time (before downsizing at GM happened). Flora had also said that when she first pulled up in that car, it was really beautiful and fitting our mother's style.

Last summer (2022), DeAgostini released a drop-dead ringer to our late mother's Monte Carlo (nearly minus the half vinyl top and lack of white wall tires). I immediately had to purchase it! It was so strange that a model company picked those exact same color combinations! I had to call my brother and tell him about it out of fascination!

The miniature itself is in a 1/43rd metal die-casting sitting in an acrylic case with an image carded background. I believe that this model is coming from a “Mexico” series selection and is also a licensed GM product. My one influenza with this piece is (as well as a couple of other DeAgostini miniatures with casted front bumpers), that the front bumper is attached as if the car has slightly rammed into an object. So, the front bumper is a wee bit turned upwards, just slightly. Looking at images online, it seems like most of them have that issue. Also, the model sits a bit low in the front, but looking at a Chevrolet Monte Carlo Ad from the 70s, it does seem to sit like that in reality, so it might be totally accurate.

The details look really sharp for what is part of a so-called “Magazine Series” budget piece. I love that DeAgostini selected the top line turbine wheels as well as going with the triple black paint job. I rarely ever buy black miniatures smaller than 1/18th scale anymore, due to details being masked in darkness, but this one, I had to have. Additionally, I had also stopped buying 1/43rds years ago, unless it was a Japanese or an American brand that I really had some sentimental connection with. This one really “fits the bill.” I was and am so grateful to get this piece into my collection! It reminds me of my very earliest years and of my now late mother, who left us too early five years ago now.

What I can say in closing is, that until someone makes a fully detailed 1/18th scale mid 1970s Chevrolet Monte Carlo, this piece is a good placeholder and I'm still amazed every time that I see it. It is so ironic how much this piece reminds me of the first car that I personally could ever remember our mother owning down to the spec, trim and color. It really feels like a message from beyond just to me. Until we see each other again. '….After While Crocodiles'