Strange '73 1ton question(s)

[DirtyLarry]

Now that is a curve ball I wasn’t expecting to hear. This thing screams UCBC by the window frame and roof. Never heard of Monarch. Wonder if this was some kind of joint venture with UCBC or one of the kits UCBC created where another company assembled it. Now I really want to find the literature I have with one of these and see what it says. The weirdest thing is we had one at the UC plant. BTW, Monarch’s Union City office is in California. The UCBC was based in UC, Indiana.

[DirtyLarry]

Originally Posted by farmall

http://www.monarchtruck.com/

They do have a shop in Union City.

I don’t think this Monarch is the same one from back in the day. This link looks to be just a commercial sales and service dealer with the name Monarch.

[thefraze_1020]

One of these just came up on the Seattle Craigslist today.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/pts/4734612398.html

[83GMCK2500]

Originally Posted by thefraze_1020

One of these just came up on the Seattle Craigslist today.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/pts/4734612398.html

Holy crap! P'bo is my current location, I wonder who has it...

This is a really interesting thread, I have enjoyed reading/learning about these trucks.

[sonofasalesman]

Okay guys, here is what I know about the Chevalier. My dad sold chevys in the 1970 s and I remember seeing one on another dealer's lot when I went with my dad on a dealer exchange. El Dorado, the company that makes motorhomes had ordered a large shipment of these van chassis to turn into motorhomes. Then the Arab Oil Embargo / Fuel Crisis of 1973 hit. People were not buying very many motorhomes this year and El Dorado was stuck with all these chassis. They brainstormed and came up with an idea to turn them into trucks, hence, the Chevalier. In a marketing agreement with GM, they were sold through Chevy dealerships. Every dealer got one. They all were built as box trucks. Lots of capacity, but only a one ton payload. These are a low limited production "one-off" kinda deal. A wicker furniture company near me owned two of these trucks. Good for that kind of hauling. Well, hope this info helps.