1987 Monte Carlo SS Build - Aka Project Grown

[Tony1968]

Umi has a bumpsteer setup as well that I've had good luck with

 

[Pro86tourn]

so dug into it a little more tonight looks like its not the tie rod ends but actually the spindles themselves. I will send the pics to ride tech tomorrow but I believe if I loosen off the sway bar a bit... it should clear.

A lot of play in the stock steering box... what are you guys using for an upgraded box?

 

[Pro86tourn]

Well guys.gals,... finally got the car on the road on Friday Oct 9th! Put lots of miles on her this weekend and felt awesome to finally be driving it again after all the work!

Car pulls great but I still have been unable to get the Prosystems carb to run on the car it kills the plugs in less than 2 minutes I don't even have time to make any changes, its driving me nuts and everyone I know. Probably going to have to send the carb back and have Patrick go through it.

Another issue I'm having is oil coming from my valve cover breathers and pressed in valve cover vent tubes even with baffles. I am going to order LS3 valley cover with hopes that helps, but with vents on both valve covers I figured that would be enough.

Other than that car runs great, I am going to enjoy it and hopefully the 7.5 rear continues to hold up to my 7000rpm shifts on my stock short block LOL!!! I bought wiesco .070 over pistons to stroke the LQ4 to 416 over the winter. Then we should really be making steam!

 

[Pro86tourn]

Well been enjoying the car as much as I can... just ordered my stroker kit from summit. Engine will be coming back out soon ... less than 1000kms on the build haha!

shooting to push the Lq4 to 418 should go like a scared rabbit mated to the TKO600

I just really need to find a rear end.. Looking for a Ford 8.8

The joys.

 

[mc1984ss]

Well been enjoying the car as much as I can... just ordered my stroker kit from summit. Engine will be coming back out soon ... less than 1000kms on the build haha!

shooting to push the Lq4 to 418 should go like a scared rabbit mated to the TKO600

I just really need to find a rear end.. Looking for a Ford 8.8

The joys.

Glad to hear you've been enjoying it! Who's kit are you planning on using to install the 8.8? I've currently got a 12 bolt but am not happy with it and am weighing my options

 

[Pro86tourn]

Well.. hoping my UMI adjustable uppers will work and the ride tech coil overs should mount right into place. If not I will have to look at buying a kit for the uppers...

If all else fails I am going to simply take my stock 7.5 out and bring the housing to fabricator and tell them to fabricate the mounts in place.

the Ford 8.8 takes a ton of abuse and lots of parts available... I am just waiting to find a cheap housing to work with!

Im surprised the 7.5 Posi is holding up thus far to my abuse lol

 

[DJHull]

Hey guys & girls! My journey with Monte Carlos began before that in 2004, my grade 9 year of high school. Me and my dad drove from Toronto Canada to Maryland USA to pick up my first love a 1986 Monte Carlo SS. The car was in bare primer, crap old 305 and full of rust. Over the next few years I spent countless days and nights with my dad rebuilding the car, I built a 327 myself and mated it to a T5. In those days having a manual Monte Carlo ss was a sight to see and I believe I was one of the first...at least in my area.

I enjoyed the car for less than 5km's as the stubborn kid I was... not listening to my dad, took the car out for a spin without the finishing throttle cable setup. Needless to say I made it two turns on my neighbourhood and put the car into a tree and took out a light post. The throttle stuck, I was scared to blow the engine I spent all my money on, turned back the key, steering locked and the rest was history. Well... it got worse the car didn't have collision insurance at the time and was a complete right off, every penny I put into the car and 3.5 years of work down the drain.

Which takes me to 2010 when I found my latest Monte Carlo SS a super clean 1987. Me and my dad took the car home in 2010, swapped the same 327 and T5 into the car which I enjoyed for a season! Well, the kid in me got in the way again... I wanted more, so I tore down the top end of the engine and sold everything to pay for better performance parts. This is when my buddies convinced me to get a GSXR600 and well, the Monte was back on the back burner again!

After a few seasons with the bike and paying school debts.. the Monte was placed into storage in 2011 where she stayed for many years to come.

Which takes us to 2019 when FINALLY I had the ability to pull the old girl out of the barn and start trying to get it on the road, but in order for that to happen my dad and I had to purchase and install a lift in the garage to be able to store my GT350 & the Monte on top!

So finally we get the car home... I bought a 2004 GMC Denali to savage the LQ4, ripped that beast out of there and parted the truck... ended up with a cool 6k from buying the truck for $750. A fellow Pro-Touring member 'Btmatt' hooked me up with heads, carb, intake, cam from his old LQ4 and we were off to the races!

Got the LS in with plans to connect the T5... to which well that was a nightmare and led me to take a break over the winter.

Which brings me to 2020..

I just got engaged to my wife to be, were getting married in 2021 and well... THE CAR MUST BE COMPLETED!!! Or I fear she will never get back on the road.

So thanks for reading and I promise a TON of great parts on the way from a bunch of Awesome suppliers that have helped me thus far.. Silver Sport transmission, Matts Classic bowties, Rocket Wheels and a special thanks to SSlance for tons of advice along the way.

Stay tuned.. but for now my original 1986...and how the 87 sat for almost 10 years

OUCH!

 

[Pro86tourn]

So lots of updates!!


Put about 1500kms or so on the car and its been great although I still can't get my Prosystems carb to lean out and run... Im ready to throw it in the trash.

Got my stroker kit ready to go with .70 over pistons.. yup that's right going to try.. if my iron block won't take it ill get an aluminum block. Picture of the monte with my neighbours 70 Chevelle!

Also blew my clutch apart and Silversport transmissions overnighted me a new clutch and got the car back on the road today! I also changed all the front end components with the ride tech steering kit and WOW what a difference.

Lastly .. I cannot seem to cure the lean to the driver side. My coil over on the rear driver is dialled much higher than the passenger side to even get it close.. I have all new body mounts and all new suspension. Literally nothing stock remaining.. any ideas why the damn thing has a lean?

 

[mc1984ss]

This may have been mentioned earlier but are those factory inner wheel wells? Did you paint them?

 

[Pro86tourn]

This may have been mentioned earlier but are those factory inner wheel wells? Did you paint them?

I smashed the factory ones with a hammer as they were in rough shape LOL... these I got from Dixie Restoration and I didn't paint them, I left them bare plastic!