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
Status
Not open for further replies.

565bbchevy

Geezer
Aug 8, 2011
9,591
12,612
113
Michigan
I think this will be one of those cars that the more you tear it apart the more you realize it is never going back together.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: 1 users

CopperNick

Comic Book Super Hero
Supporting Member
Feb 20, 2018
3,347
3,011
113
Canada
Well, I do happen to have a 305 Vortec long block sitting on an engine dolly and collecting dust. it was a running motor when I pulled it out of my 85 for the sin of being politically incorrect for what I wanted. It should bolt right up to that 350 although what probably used to be in there was either TH200-R4 or possibly a 700R4. As it happens, I do still have the 200 as well and it too was a completely functioning unit when it got yanked.

The A/C is bit more complicated to work with; I haven't decided whether or not to re-assemble mine yet. All the guts are still there as is the dash controls so that is half the battle. It would be the compressor and the drier that i would have to acquire; =$$$.

If you do discover that the floor pans are evil and need to be exorcised, well then it all falls to how much work you want to put in for what you want to get out of it. The pans can be had as complete sides or smaller location specific units. I do recall that there was an individual a few months back from one of the rust belt states that was in need of a good frame for his build; not sure what thread he attached his comments to now, too many threads per day to keep track of.

Up here, given the scarcity of these rides now, yours would get some serious consideration for a rebuild. So far, just as an example, using my own 85 project as a reference, I have replaced one rear frame horn and rebuilt the other, repaired the rear trunk pan, replaced both halves of the floor pan; (left the tunnel intact as a body brace while i did them), reconstructed and reskinned the driver's door and still have the passenger's to do, rebuilt the pockets in the frame for the body mounts, replaced the driver's side A pillar from just below the lower door hinge mounting plate all the way to the toe boards, replaced part of the firewall beside the A/C-heater housing that had rusted out due to a leaky heater core, replaced the rad cradle with one that I harvested from my old 78 Monte. And, oh yeah, along the way bent and installed a complete new brake line system from stainless tube and pulled the rear end and rebuilt its brakes from the backing plates out, along with adding an upper frame stiffener bar as well. Apart from all this, just for the uniqueness of it, I chose to convert the drive train to a Muncie 4 speed with a Hurst Comp Plus Stick.

Point here, to me, is that if you have a good frame and a clear title and the vin plate under the front windshield is where it ought to be then everything else is acquirable. But, and I do get it, the final choice is yours.



Nick
 
Last edited:

PBGBodyFan

G-Body Guru
Mar 3, 2009
792
1,220
93
Wisconsin
The whole leftover 88’ thing isn’t true, yet I keep hearing it from time to time. They are built in the 1988 model year, so they are 1988’s. 87’ Regals and I assume Grand Prix’s were made in the 88’ model year and called 87’s, so if anything it’s the opposite for them. The Regal and GP had the new body style coming out in 88’ so it didn’t confuse people.

1988’s have at least one minor difference too that isn’t easy to find but specific to 1988’s. Another thing proving the “leftover” 87’ thing incorrect.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

g0thiac

G-Body Guru
Sep 6, 2020
939
582
93
Maybe you should take a trip down and add it to your fleet. Doesn't look too bad from 200ft away through the rain...

View attachment 204980
Lmfao don’t tempt me….if I wasn’t banned from crossing the border I’d be there with a trailer overnight 🤔🤣🤣🤣
 

ck80

Moderator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Feb 18, 2014
5,742
9,114
113
Well, I do happen to have a 305 Vortec long block sitting on an engine dolly and collecting dust. it was a running motor when I pulled it out of my 85 for the sin of being politically incorrect for what I wanted. It should bolt right up to that 350 although what probably used to be in there was either TH200-R4 or possibly a 700R4. As it happens, I do still have the 200 as well and it too was a completely functioning unit when it got yanked.

The A/C is bit more complicated to work with; I haven't decided whether or not to re-assemble mine yet. All the guts are still there as is the dash controls so that is half the battle. It would be the compressor and the drier that i would have to acquire; =$$$.

If you do discover that the floor pans are evil and need to be exorcised, well then it all falls to how much work you want to put in for what you want to get out of it. The pans can be had as complete sides or smaller location specific units. I do recall that there was an individual a few months back from one of the rust belt states that was in need of a good frame for his build; not sure what thread he attached his comments to now, too many threads per day to keep track of.

Up here, given the scarcity of these rides now, yours would get some serious consideration for a rebuild. So far, just as an example, using my own 85 project as a reference, I have replaced one rear frame horn and rebuilt the other, repaired the rear trunk pan, replaced both halves of the floor pan; (left the tunnel intact as a body brace while i did them), reconstructed and reskinned the driver's door and still have the passenger's to do, rebuilt the pockets in the frame for the body mounts, replaced the driver's side A pillar from just below the lower door hinge mounting plate all the way to the toe boards, replaced part of the firewall beside the A/C-heater housing that had rusted out due to a leaky heater core, replaced the rad cradle with one that I harvested from my old 78 Monte. And, oh yeah, along the way bent and installed a complete new brake line system from stainless tube and pulled the rear end and rebuilt its brakes from the backing plates out, along with adding an upper frame stiffener bar as well. Apart from all this, just for the uniqueness of it, I chose to convert the drive train to a Muncie 4 speed with a Hurst Comp Plus Stick.

Point here, to me, is that if you have a good frame and a clear title and the vin plate under the front windshield is where it ought to be then everything else is acquirable. But, and I do get it, the final choice is yours.



Nick
You know Nick, I get it. You should've seen how bad the '51 3600 I saved from a scrap yard when I was a regional manager for the new england territory in the late 1990s was. Probably somewhat analogous.

Now, saying that, I've got enough other irons in the fire that this car would draw too much time for me to even consider anytime soon, option being I leave it parked to sit outside for a while myself which wouldn't do it any favors. It was going to wind up with the rear end pulled and rest scrapped, and, I thought I could give it a reprieve at the least if not fix it up but it was in a low access area and the giant boot I wear for the fibula and ankle didn't help my look it over ahead of time. We agreed on a price, and I hauled it home where more space made looking it over easier.

I can't change the condition it arrived in, vis-a-vis what was removed by the PO. But, I'd be happy to sell it warts and all to a known enthusiast. Of course, at some point I do need to move forward down here with taking some things apart and getting my money back on it. Wouldn't even ask what it's value as parts adds up to.

Lmfao don’t tempt me….if I wasn’t banned from crossing the border I’d be there with a trailer overnight 🤔🤣🤣🤣
If you got interested enough and we worked out a price there's legal ways around that :unsure:
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

g0thiac

G-Body Guru
Sep 6, 2020
939
582
93
You know Nick, I get it. You should've seen how bad the '51 3600 I saved from a scrap yard when I was a regional manager for the new england territory in the late 1990s was. Probably somewhat analogous.

Now, saying that, I've got enough other irons in the fire that this car would draw too much time for me to even consider anytime soon, option being I leave it parked to sit outside for a while myself which wouldn't do it any favors. It was going to wind up with the rear end pulled and rest scrapped, and, I thought I could give it a reprieve at the least if not fix it up but it was in a low access area and the giant boot I wear for the fibula and ankle didn't help my look it over ahead of time. We agreed on a price, and I hauled it home where more space made looking it over easier.

I can't change the condition it arrived in, vis-a-vis what was removed by the PO. But, I'd be happy to sell it warts and all to a known enthusiast. Of course, at some point I do need to move forward down here with taking some things apart and getting my money back on it. Wouldn't even ask what it's value as parts adds up to.


If you got interested enough and we worked out a price there's legal ways around that :unsure:
Lol, once my other project gets a door that’s not dented and motor that runs? Sure thing 😭🤣
 

ck80

Moderator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Feb 18, 2014
5,742
9,114
113
Lol, once my other project gets a door that’s not dented and motor that runs? Sure thing 😭🤣
I'm sure this car will be a mixture of the earth in my yard and a new washing machine before that.

Actually, one of the neighbors is said to melt his own metals to make stuff, I may offer the scraps up to him first.

It's pretty rotted. Even by Canadian standards. Sorry CopperNick but I don't think the volume of work here is worth it to me, and i think youd need Rktpwrd to join Clutch in trying to make this servicable for pagrunt . I get anything is fixable. But I don't know of anyone who would put that time in here.

Cleaned the mess, and pulled the carpet. Floor had been fully boogered in the past, metal screws with a few spot welds. All pans changed out, poorly, including not just the rear foorwells but the rear seat panshelf too.

20220819_131941.jpg


Body mounts are easy access and many don't require removal.

20220819_131919.jpg


Package tray looks like it's going to be GONE:
on both ends at a minimum:

20220819_131849.jpg


88AZSS had asked about the rear headliner trim, it'll be cheap to ship and save on painting costs....
20220819_132114.jpg

20220819_132110.jpg

20220819_132106.jpg


Rear trunk gone too, both sides.
20220819_131823.jpg

20220819_131820.jpg

20220819_131834.jpg


I *guess* someone could build a new body around a dash and roof if they were desperate enough for an ss, although, looking at that rear headliner trim too is suspect to me - think either front or rear frames leak and it held water.
 

Attachments

  • 20220819_131908.jpg
    20220819_131908.jpg
    766.2 KB · Views: 52
  • Wow
  • Haha
Reactions: 3 users

Clutch

Geezer
Apr 7, 2017
5,183
10,900
113
Brick NJ
I'm sure this car will be a mixture of the earth in my yard and a new washing machine before that.

Actually, one of the neighbors is said to melt his own metals to make stuff, I may offer the scraps up to him first.

It's pretty rotted. Even by Canadian standards. Sorry CopperNick but I don't think the volume of work here is worth it to me, and i think youd need Rktpwrd to join Clutch in trying to make this servicable for pagrunt . I get anything is fixable. But I don't know of anyone who would put that time in here.

Cleaned the mess, and pulled the carpet. Floor had been fully boogered in the past, metal screws with a few spot welds. All pans changed out, poorly, including not just the rear foorwells but the rear seat panshelf too.

View attachment 205048

Body mounts are easy access and many don't require removal.

View attachment 205049

Package tray looks like it's going to be GONE:
on both ends at a minimum:

View attachment 205052

88AZSS had asked about the rear headliner trim, it'll be cheap to ship and save on painting costs....
View attachment 205053
View attachment 205056
View attachment 205057

Rear trunk gone too, both sides.
View attachment 205058
View attachment 205059
View attachment 205060

I *guess* someone could build a new body around a dash and roof if they were desperate enough for an ss, although, looking at that rear headliner trim too is suspect to me - think either front or rear frames leak and it held water.
Now see what we got here is "speed holes" she's just about ready to come apart for the drag racing modifications she longs for. You don't need all that extra weight holding you back. Get yourself a prefab back half kit from one of those catalog stores gone internet cut all that bottom away and start running some tube steel. Don't follow GMs plan follow the nhra plan on that one. Hell it's almost apart now think of all you'll save on saw blades and chisel bits LoL 😂😂😂
 
  • Haha
  • Like
Reactions: 4 users

Texas82GP

Just-a-worm
Apr 3, 2015
7,981
18,676
113
Spring, Texas
Definitely a parts car here.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: 3 users

pagrunt

Geezer
Sep 14, 2014
9,127
15,257
113
Elderton, Pa
Sorry @CopperNick but I don't think the volume of work here is worth it to me, and i think youd need @Rktpwrd to join @Clutch in trying to make this servicable for @pagrunt .

Makes my '81 which lived its whole life in western Pa look like a southern car & it needs some trunk & passenger compartment repairs. As for the ride, looks like it'll be locked in tomorrow.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Status
Not open for further replies.

GBodyForum is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

Please support GBodyForum Sponsors

Classic Truck Consoles Dixie Restoration Depot UMI Performance

Contact [email protected] for info on becoming a sponsor