Big cars are luxury cars; always have been, and they always will be. They also got the nickname “tuna boat” because they not only weighed as much, but handled like one, as well. But sometimes you see one that breaks the mold, and Danny managed to make this 1972 Dodge Monaco a cool cruiser.

Danny likes taking cars that most people wouldn’t want to own and turning them into something that just about anyone would want to own. For example, when the Monaco was delivered to his shop, the guys at the body shop next door thought he was crazy. Now they ask if they can drive it.

Dodge’s design engineers probably got started designing the ’72 model year cars around late 1970, so they still had some of the influence from the 1960s in their design concepts. You can see those in the soft bench front seats covered with a “foofoo” fabric with a somewhat psychedelic look. The tucked leather trim on the doors and panels complete the executive look.

With the exception of the new Shaker hood, the ’72 Monaco isn’t much to look at from above.

This was and still is a car that tells everyone “you’ve arrived” and gets you to your destination in comfort and style. The split bench seats are also comfortable and don’t leave you feeling like you’re sliding around inside the car uncontrollably like most older bench seats did.

The 360 Dodge put in the Monaco isn’t the same one that went into Chargers and Challengers. If you’re lucky, this one puts out a maximum of 200 HP, and maybe 220 with Danny’s functional Shaker hook.

Dodge’s engineers put their 360 engine under the hood of the ’72 Monaco. Now, we know that this engine is one that can put out boatloads (pun intended) of power, but this particular engine doesn’t. Slash Drive host Mike puts the pedal to the floor and has enough time to make and eat a sandwich before the car gets up to 65 while he’s taking it for a cruise.

With luck, the 360 that went into the Monaco made as much as 200 horsepower, but being as big as it is, that’s not enough to have any respectable get up and go. As a “car for the upper executive or Mafioso” it didn’t have to. You’re not going to be leaving any burning rubber behind you when you hammer the gas pedal on this baby. Acceleration is slow and smooth, in line with the car’s emphasis on comfort and craft. But with a car like this, you don’t need to do burnouts to look cool.

The 20-inch wheels and Wilwood brakes help improve the looks, and bring this hunk of metal to a stop.

A car like this is being depicted as a mobster’s car in the video, because it’s just in your face and takes up more room than a six-pack of Smart cars. With that in mind, Danny first dropped a functional shaker hood on it, giving the Monaco a bit more breathing room as well as some attitude.

Next, without using airbags, he slammed it. It’s not quite low enough to pull the reflective lane markers off the ground, but it’s pretty close. Being that low also takes quite a bit of the “boat tossed around in high seas” feel away from the big car. Danny then capped it all off with staggered oversized wheels – 20s up front and 22s out back. With the size of the car and the stance of the suspension, those oversized wheels work awesome. They perfectly complete the picture.

Danny’s philosophy is: “You know, the thing I strive to do with these cars is to give them complete attitude. You give them a stance You put the right set of wheels on it. You gotta have the notes coming out of the exhaust. And that’s the formula with some tinted windows. You can take about any car, and you can just make it bad ass.” We agree Danny, you’ve made this ’72 Monaco “just bad ass.”