BUILD THREAD Midlife Crisis Monte Carlo Build

[tokarz1]

Lots to update and I'll start here. When I was getting ready to build the TH400 I bought I noticed that one of the fins were broke off. Not that it matters at all, but the OCD got to me.

So, sold it off and bought #2. Upon pulling the pan I found that two of the holes were stripped out, so I Heli Coiled them all.

Tearing into it I found that it was recently rebuilt but I felt the need to go through it and overhaul it to be sure.

 

[tokarz1]

While it was empty, I gave it a few coats of my favorite low gloss GM Black

Reassembled and ready for some torque

 

[tokarz1]

I always had in the back of my head that I should keep an eye out for a core support as the one that came with my car was Swiss Cheese.

I do have a downfall and it's called Facebook Marketplace but this time it was not a bad thing. I came across this ad..

I did some research, and some say it would be too tall, too short, or too wide. I knew the headlight openings would need to be opened up but for $20 and rust free I would be a fool to pass it up. I measured them up together and aside from having to open up the headlight openings they are identical. I also think that GM just used the same mold but punched the headlight opening larger for the later years.

 

[tokarz1]

Another night of looking at crap on FB Marketplace and this pops up..

Binghampton is quite a drive for me, and I just did all that works on those headers, but I sent the guy a message anyways. Well, he was taking his wife to the casino near me, and we agreed on a price sooooo I bought them.

I put the modified ones on that curse of a Marketplace and sold them in a few days.

 

[tokarz1]

From day one of acquiring the Gen VI 454 I knew that I wanted to use the GM ZZ 502 hydraulic roller cam as this had a factory roller but on the low side. Lift is also a concern when using the factory pistons and cylinder heads. This cam is just under the limit. When I picked up this engine, they were selling in the upper $200's. Then it seemed they jumped up every few months and now are almost $400. I was kicking myself for not getting one when they were much cheaper. Well, that damn Marketplace.

Time to swap out the old wimpy cam

 

[tokarz1]

I really had to do my research on what to do with the heads. Aluminum heads are out of reach for me, so I decided to do the next best thing. Upgrade the Vortech heads. They are a decent head, have small chambers, full-size oval ports, and will work well with the ZZ 502 camshaft.

I sent them to the machine shop to have them checked, cut the valve guides for positive seals, and touched up where the rotator eliminators were not seating flush due to the casting. The valve guides were also cut down as the increased camshaft lift would have caused the valve spring retainers to hit the guides. You can get around this by using beehive springs and +.050 keepers. They said the heads were in great shape and only recommended touching up the valves and seats with a bit of lapping which I did.

 

[pagrunt]

I always had in the back of my head that I should keep an eye out for a core support as the one that came with my car was Swiss Cheese.

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I do have a downfall and it's called Facebook Marketplace but this time it was not a bad thing. I came across this ad..

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I did some research, and some say it would be too tall, too short, or too wide. I knew the headlight openings would need to be opened up but for $20 and rust free I would be a fool to pass it up. I measured them up together and aside from having to open up the headlight openings they are identical. I also think that GM just used the same mold but punched the headlight opening larger for the later years.

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Shouldn't have to open up the headlight pockets as your original was ment to also work with the '82 up El Camino/Malibu quad light header panel. My '81 Monte uses that same one you picked up. With the spacing between the headlight buckets & the rad support just clean & paint then send it.

 

[tokarz1]

The stock valvetrain was not up to the task of the increased lift so I ordered up some parts from Competition Products.

https://www.competitionproducts.com...ter-3_8/productinfo/CMPVSA12-38/#.YghbBIjMI2x
https://www.competitionproducts.com...-Set-of-8/productinfo/PVT4779-8/#.YghbBojMI2x
https://www.competitionproducts.com...sion-Kit/productinfo/PVT27-6172/#.YghbA4jMI2x

I learned a little trick to install the positive seals to not damage them

The springs on the other hand, ugh. I bent two different tools, so I made one that was crude but worked

Swapped from the factory zero lash, non-adjustable rockers to adjustable with Gen 5/6 rocker arm conversion kit

 

[tokarz1]

Long overdue update coming tomorrow, just sorting out pictures...

 

[tokarz1]

It seems like forever since an update, and it has been, but lets continue...

I bolted the heads down with some Victor Reinz head gaskets.

The intake I decided on is a 12363406 Chevrolet Performance oval port dual plane.

Keeping with the all black theme, I etch primed it and painted it up along with the timing cover.