So, to fix, or not to fix, 1988 Monte SS

Best use of this car:

  • Shadetree quality rebuild

    Votes: 1 4.5%
  • Part it out

    Votes: 20 90.9%
  • Sell it to someone who will do a frame off

    Votes: 1 4.5%

  • Total voters
    22
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ck80

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So, I decided to give this thing it's own thread. Pick it alaprt, parsie it, not skin off my back. It fell into my lap, about 15 miles from home, and so i saved it - whole for now.
Wife gave the ok, and, asked if I'd build her a fast purple car out of it.

Turns out she likes the looks of the Monte much better than my regals..

Now: the guy they hired did butcher the qtr
Panel:


20220817_184855.jpg


Stoory goes, rear quarter was cut and then interest in the car was lost and it got parked. Would need the drop-off, wheelhouse, and at least an 80% quarter on that side. I guess it could maybe be pieced from smaller patches thar are offeed but I doubt it.

It's got some rust of the type I've seen fixed here - on the package tray near the deck lid, soft-spot on one outer rocker, then your normal issues like door hinges etc. Definitely work.
20220817_184924.jpg

Driver seat was updated with something black leather and no passenger. Heating box was removed. B&m shifter installed and supposedly never driven with. Transmission is actually a Th-350C MV4 case casting. Frame is realy nice, just pine trees did the car no favors on the exterior.
20220817_184958.jpg

20220817_185511.jpg


For me I wasn't really wanting or looking for a car, but, didn't want to see it go in for scrap or somewhere usable stuff would get trashed in an effort to get some other part.
20220817_185136.jpg

20220817_185209.jpg



So the question is, you know, they did build 16,000 of these cars in '88. Is this one better served becoming parts for others that may be in better shape? Given demand and all the rest, would it make a desirable project car these days? Ot, to I just do some backyard and redneck fixes to get it bombing around town?
 
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565bbchevy

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Aug 8, 2011
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If it were me I would part it out, if you are looking to do a Monte project car in the future I would save the SS specific parts and transfer them to a clean standard Monte.
 
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ck80

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If it were me I would part it out, if you are looking to do a Monte project car in the future I would save the SS specific parts and transfer them to a clean standard Monte.
As much as the concept of fixing grew on me over the past night or two, down to me looking up who had what for qtr Panel stuff... I'm leaning that direction, at least do a controlled deconstruction to salvage every usable piece off it. If I do go that route I may need both some pricing tips as I post what I'm getting rid of, and, maybe some ideas on where to best move them along quickly.

I've always been more of a cutlass and regal guy so Montes are fresh territory.
 
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88AZSS

Master Mechanic
Mar 13, 2018
433
1,091
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Mesa, AZ
Id hate to see another one off the road but being from AZ, rust is something I've never had to nor ever want to deal with. If it makes sense to part it out, I definitely would be interested in some parts from you. Either way, itll come down to what makes most sense for you and your situation. We can offer our opinions but at the end of the day youre the one with the car.
 

ck80

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Id hate to see another one off the road but being from AZ, rust is something I've never had to nor ever want to deal with. If it makes sense to part it out, I definitely would be interested in some parts from you. Either way, itll come down to what makes most sense for you and your situation. We can offer our opinions but at the end of the day youre the one with the car.
I used to deal with rust so it's not usually the end of the world for me... still dislike it thoughly though. It looks like the car was hurt, bad, by sitting. And then some poor body work attempt sealed its fate for the prior owner.

*I* think it was covered in pine needles, which rusted the package tray/quarter panel unions, then water started going down in the trunk, and rusted the quarter panels on the wheelhouse seam and then wherever else it went to next. Then eying the size of patch panels someone cut it open panelnsize, rather than expecting to trim down the patch panel, and eventually gave up the job.

I did some exploratory cleanup this morning. I think, unfortunately, the body tub is a sealed fate. Now, what happens to the frame is another story. I may sell the rear end, in which case I sell the frame. Or, I may keep the rolling bodyless chassis assembly to clean up and have ready to slide under a heavily wrecked but clean cabin shell.

Passenger door, which I hadn't opened, has the striker and surrounding metal broken clean off. Looks again, like weak hinge led to contact and lazy owner just slammed away till she broke.

Inner qtr at floor has rusted out at seam.

I now think for pretty sure it's rougher than anyone would want to deal with, and, a better parts car. But even then, a bunch of stuff is slightly damaged in one spot or another.

Some stuff I may try to keep together for a bit, like grille with fascia, window trim as a set for hardtop converstions, so on and so forth. Depending what you need I can let you know how nice it is.

I need to see how intact a lot of parts are. Original column shift car, converted to a black with harness holes. May post to see if anyone can ID if I don't see any obvious marks. Power trunk release, RH remote mirror, either or both may be broken for what I know at this point. Did have part of a spare parts console in it for the aborted shifter conversion.
 

PBGBodyFan

G-Body Guru
Mar 3, 2009
792
1,220
93
Wisconsin
Looks pretty rough to build into anything nice. Parts are easy to move on these cars, nothing goes to waste if you want to take time pulling and selling it. Even items that aren't perfect, many people are reasonable and realize the cars are 30-40 years old.
 
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g0thiac

G-Body Guru
Sep 6, 2020
939
582
93
So, I decided to give this thing it's own thread. Pick it alaprt, parsie it, not skin off my back. It fell into my lap, about 15 miles from home, and so i saved it - whole for now.
Wife gave the ok, and, asked if I'd build her a fast purple car out of it.

Turns out she likes the looks of the Monte much better than my regals..

Now: the guy they hired did butcher the qtr
Panel:


View attachment 204908

Stoory goes, rear quarter was cut and then interest in the car was lost and it got parked. Would need the drop-off, wheelhouse, and at least an 80% quarter on that side. I guess it could maybe be pieced from smaller patches thar are offeed but I doubt it.

It's got some rust of the type I've seen fixed here - on the package tray near the deck lid, soft-spot on one outer rocker, then your normal issues like door hinges etc. Definitely work.
View attachment 204925
Driver seat was updated with something black leather and no passenger. Heating box was removed. B&m shifter installed and supposedly never driven with. Transmission is actually a Th-350C MV4 case casting. Frame is realy nice, just pine trees did the car no favors on the exterior.
View attachment 204926
View attachment 204929

For me I wasn't really wanting or looking for a car, but, didn't want to see it go in for scrap or somewhere usable stuff would get trashed in an effort to get some other part.
View attachment 204927
View attachment 204928


So the question is, you know, they did build 16,000 of these cars in '88. Is this one better served becoming parts for others that may be in better shape? Given demand and all the rest, would it make a desirable project car these days? Ot, to I just do some backyard and redneck fixes to get it bombing around town?
Fix it….if you have the time and $. That should help make up your mind 😂😌
 
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ck80

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Feb 18, 2014
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Fix it….if you have the time and $. That should help make up your mind 😂😌
What I started doing, is, pulling out what would need to come down or out anyways as part of a repair.

Had some heavy rain and saw some water droplets hanging on the headliner trim near the glass this morning. So, obviously that trim and liner need to come out for rust assessment. Likewise carpet, floor shifter, etc.

Except for the dash pad, everything else needs to come out to assess/stabilize if you were doing a repair. And by then I'll have a lot better confirmation on it all as being too far gone for my time/effort/outcome. Rust belt guys maybe build worse, and may even want to save it. Could make a ratty primered car fairly easily as well.

But, inclined at this point to agree with this:
Looks pretty rough to build into anything nice.

Lots of imperfect parts for some who wants to rehab them or is missing them entirely though, so, I'll be trying to save what I can. Pretty confident of northern car, think it's undercoated. That or streetside and their ilk sold it about a year ago
 
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ck80

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Feb 18, 2014
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Fix it….if you have the time and $. That should help make up your mind 😂😌
Maybe you should take a trip down and add it to your fleet. Doesn't look too bad from 200ft away through the rain...

20220818_170110.jpg
 
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