Save it or scrap it?

[DysonSS]

My thoughts...Buy the 2nd car, and cut your losses. You will spend more money than that on replacement panels, junkyard trips, and materials trying to fix the 83 SS. IF it's a good donor, you will have your frame, and body issues solved. Now for the $700... offer him $400. The car is not worth any more. If he was going to fix it, he would have done so by now, It has been sitting for a few years to be in the dirt like it is. The mirror holes have let water in all that time. He's not capable of fixing it, and he needs Xmas $$$ . IF he balks on the $400, settle at $500, and spend the extra $200 on the wife!

The guy had another Monte ss he was trying to get $2300 it ran and drove and the roof and around windshield was rotted. I couldn’t even think to offer any money for either of these cars.

 

[DysonSS]

No offense to the Monte guys, but 83s aren't particularly noteworthy other than being first year of reintroduction to the market.

Boring steering wheel, no buckets, funky interior color choice, steel wheels.

What amazes me is the number of bench seat Monte SS that were built in the following years. Bench seat in the "image/performance" model?

Pretty sure I have the body mount if you decide to go down that road

You could rebody, but then it's not a "real" SS anymore for people into that

Does your offer on the body mount I need still stand? I’m going to be fixing this car, let me know how much you would like to get for it and I will pay whatever it costs to ship it. Thank you for your words of wisdom, this forum has been really helpful to me.

 

[Ribbedroof]

PM on the way

 

[lilbowtie]

Be patient - you will find it. You will learn what questions and pic's to ask for and see. Let your friends and relatives know you are looking for a car and your best finds are by word of mouth. I found an 81 monte this way that had been up north in this guy's mothers garage over 20 years and was moving and needed it gone. As far driving to look at cars , you win some and lose some. Two years ago I was looking for a race car (just a roller) and had a $10,000.00 budget. After talks and pic's I left with trailer and cash four different times and the closest was over 200 miles away and came home with nothing.
On the other hand I drove to Tennessee (11 hours one way) to buy an enclosed trailer that was beautiful. As I said don't settle. My Sonoma was such a pleasure to build being a rust free Texas truck - I hope you find the same.

 

[Ribbedroof]

Dangit lilbowtie, I wish you'd stop posting pics of the Monte and GP, because I still kick myself for not looking into those when they were for sale.

Live and learn, I guess....couple of buyers got great deals, IMO.

 

[DysonSS]

Picked this up yesterday. It needs some work but not nearly as much as my SS.

 

[DysonSS]

I have the bullet heater thawing it out right this very second. Not bad for $100. The front floors are solid with only surface rust, the rear floors are tender but I will cut them out of the blue car they are still solid. The rear seat body mout support is sold as well as the inner and outer rockers. It needs a driver rear body mount support and there is a few small spots on the rear inner wheel well lip nothing to terrible. I’m happy with it overall this is going to save me a lot of time and money.
I will have to remove the remaining pieces of 4 of the body mount bolts 2 at the firewall and 2 on the rear trunk section.

 

[melloelky]

looks like a good start especially in new england

 

[Ribbedroof]

MUCH better!

 

[DysonSS]

It’s like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I was pretty bummed about the other car. I’ve wanted another Monte for a long time now. My first car was a 1985 LS. My dad bought it for me when I was 15 and we built a stout little 305 for it. Of course I wrecked it the first winter I drove it.

The only downside is I had to kick my 84 Z28 which is pretty much mint out of my shop to build the Monte. It’s for a good reason but I still feel bad for it