Slow cars!?

[olds307 and 403]

I agree on the 260, not as awful as I thought it would be. Like all Olds V8 a nice flat torque curve, similar to the swirl port 307. A 9 to 1 Olds 350 with a mild cam, 2004R and 3.90 posi in the 8.5" Type O will go in later this year and move much quicker. To original poster, get some 3.73 gears in there and have some fun. We are fairly flat, this is a great highway cruiser as is, 2450 rpm at 60 mph with 3 SPD. I will run at 1500 rpm at 60 mph with OD running my shorter tires, probably will until the gear swap.

 

[olds307 and 403]

My Sister had a 95 Jeep with the 4L HO, that thing had surprising torque. One of worst was my Wife's Sister's 85 Dodge 1/2 ton with the Slant 6. Floor it around a corner, did 10 km/hr. My neighbor had a 78 Volaire and another 85 1/2 ton with the Slant 6, both dreadful. My Olds 260 would beat that Slant 6 hands down.

 

[oldmansmonte]

First let me say: Holy sh*t your car is dope! Black 1980 with red pinstripe? If I was in the market, I would be all over that.

Second I think the posters here are right. The car is what it is and shouldn't be messed with. And so what, it's not that fastest car. My Monte has TBI(throttle body injection) and 2:73 gears with no posi. It's quick and fun but basically anybody with a real car of any kind is going to beat me in a race. But then again it's like people say, no matter how tough you are there is always someone tougher. I could have put a big block in my car but at the end of the day it would still lose to some else's car.

I get what you are saying though, the weather finally gets nice, you hop in this nice as car and it's pedestrian. No rubmle, no ripping the tires. You have a few options.

1) Do a Grand National drive train setup. Assuming you have the money it's the only thing that will give you the performance you want while still maintaining the basic idea behind the 3.8 Turbo.

2) See what rear end gears you have. If you're rocking some granny gears like mine, a rear end rebuild/replacement can make all the difference.

3) Learn to love it for what it is. My daily is a Chevy Colorado, but I also have the 85 Monte, 95 Caprice Wagon(LT1) and an '88 FWD Cutlass Supreme 5 speed. The 2 latter cars aren't fast but I own them simply for the driving experience. They are like automotive time machines sitting in my garage.

4) If none of the above are options, sell it and get a different Monte. A good condition SS can be had at a reasonable price. Good looks, an HO v8, 4 bbl and either 3:42 or 3:73 gears depending on the year. And of course the window is open for an engine swap while not trashing a rare piece of history.

 

[HAFROD]

I have noticed the last few years around here that you can get into a lot of stoplight drags. Lots of diesel guys running the streets around here. Also the new muscle car wars going on. Crap, you need a 13-14 second (1/4 mile) street car just to compete. I very seldom initiate a stoplight race but I sure as hell will go if challenged. Lol. Just pulled out my Goodwrench 350 and built a flat top piston 350 with ported heads and mild cam for my El Camino. If I ever get it lined out hopefully will run some 14s. Not a rich guy but did it in my driveway on a budget. Would love a 10 second street car but have to be realistic since it's my daily driver.

 

[pontiacgp]

My GP is fast enough for me. I don't drag race and it makes me smile when someone at a stop light feels so inferior by my car they have to show me their car or truck is faster. On the other side of the coin the cops are in every type of car so you never know where they are. And if the police don't see you this city if full of people calling in to report cars they think are drivign too fast. I listen to the police scanner and people must have way to much time on their hands. If you just take off quick from a light or a stop sign so you can make a lane change you can be charged with stunting and in Ontario that means you lose your licence for a week, your car for a week, then you pay $180 to get your licence back and a few hundred to get your car out of impound and then you still have the traffic violations to deal with. Once that is all done your insurance company hikes your premium if they don't cancel your insurance. Slow cars do have their advantages and if you enjoy driving your car why do you want to get a a place as fast as you can, I like to take my time when I'm going somewhere

 

[oldmansmonte]

My carb turbo 3.8, even in its worst untuned condition is far from the slowest car I've driven.

Worst- 86 AMC eagle, 4.2. Wore out, untuned. Pressing the gas pedal requested the engine to make popping sounds and not really do anything
Runner up- 01 grand am 2.4. I have never experienced a car so slow that shouldnt have been. I didnt know it was possible to be so slow. Stomp on it from idle and it wouldnt chirp a tire or anything, took like a block to go 35ish. Ive been in older 2.4's and they werent terrible.

My old 88 cherokee with a renix 4.0 would absolutely boil the rear tires at will. That jeep was deceptively fast.

I would hate to get in an old deisel volvo or mercedes from the 70's/80's. They are legendarily bad.

I had a '96 Grand Am 2.4 with a 5 speed. Car went along pretty nice and had some decent torque.

 

[565bbchevy]

If you just take off quick from a light or a stop sign so you can make a lane change you can be charged with stunting and in Ontario that means you lose your licence for a week, your car for a week, then you pay $180 to get your licence back and a few hundred to get your car out of impound and then you still have the traffic violations to deal with.

As of right now I am going to officially ban my Monte from going over the border to Canada.

 

[HAFROD]

Makes me proud to be an American. Lol.

 

[G-Body_Vet]

Slow is driving anything with a stock 231, while trying to merge onto the highway. It's probably the only time I've yelled at car saying COME ON! COME ON! You almost have to turn on your flashers to warn people that you can't accelerate for sh*t!

 

[jiho]

There must be something wrong with it. They aren't THAT slow.