The tale of the storage unit auction mystery car.

[CopperNick]

So you have one storage unit with the parts shown in the pics. Me from left field here but what if, there is more than just that single storage unit? Scenario that comes to my mind is that For whatever reason, the then owner tore down his M/Carlo SS to the nuts and the bolts. A Monte completely dissassembled takes up a LOT of room as many of us here-abouts can testify so this owner takes his treasure and portions it out into appropriate sized lots and rents Several units. One gets the cabin, possibly on dollies, another gets the fenders and the seats and upholstery, and the front suspension, and the one you scored got the frame, rear end, motor and a transmission and fascia/valence items. That pic of the diff with the cover off shows a posi resident, which is not so normal for a 7.5. No sign of shoes or drums. The rest of it could easily have been spread out to other storage facilities in other neighborhoods.

How come? Well one thought is that the owner landed in the middle of a very messy divorce and, to keep it from being stolen by his/jher vindictive spouse as part of the settlement, tore the car down and stashed it. Knew a guy that did that with a prized vintage HD he had to keep it from his ex. Worked too.

The other thoughts here are that all of what got stashed was removed from a car that had ended up in a local pick a part. Could have been a roll over, or severe enough vandalism that the Insurance mutts wrote it off. Or it is a cumulative stash that the renter had been amassing over time and years in order to do a frame off build or restore once a likely candidate was located and scored. Sort of like that Johnny Cash song where he accumulated the parts to build his Cadillac one piece at a time.


Nick

 

[Sweet_Johnny]

A 4010, eh? Guess that means ya gotta run a supercharger now to make up for the hesitation.

Steering box:



Blakgeesus1 has the GM/ MSD ignition box with rev limiter and Autometer tach for you in the classified section. You can run 2 of the boxes and use a special switch to activate the second if the first fails, and the car is just begging for that type of period correct coolness.

 

[Gearheadwilly]

So you have one storage unit with the parts shown in the pics. Me from left field here but what if, there is more than just that single storage unit? Scenario that comes to my mind is that For whatever reason, the then owner tore down his M/Carlo SS to the nuts and the bolts. A Monte completely dissassembled takes up a LOT of room as many of us here-abouts can testify so this owner takes his treasure and portions it out into appropriate sized lots and rents Several units. One gets the cabin, possibly on dollies, another gets the fenders and the seats and upholstery, and the front suspension, and the one you scored got the frame, rear end, motor and a transmission and fascia/valence items. That pic of the diff with the cover off shows a posi resident, which is not so normal for a 7.5. No sign of shoes or drums. The rest of it could easily have been spread out to other storage facilities in other neighborhoods.

How come? Well one thought is that the owner landed in the middle of a very messy divorce and, to keep it from being stolen by his/jher vindictive spouse as part of the settlement, tore the car down and stashed it. Knew a guy that did that with a prized vintage HD he had to keep it from his ex. Worked too.

The other thoughts here are that all of what got stashed was removed from a car that had ended up in a local pick a part. Could have been a roll over, or severe enough vandalism that the Insurance mutts wrote it off. Or it is a cumulative stash that the renter had been amassing over time and years in order to do a frame off build or restore once a likely candidate was located and scored. Sort of like that Johnny Cash song where he accumulated the parts to build his Cadillac one piece at a time.


Nick

Unit was 10x25 and had an empty spot perfectly sized for the missing parts including the shell and the chassis was leaning up against the wall as if to leave room for the shell, but it's hard to say. I'm checking the online storage place that handles the area for any other related auctions like a hawk believe me. Haha. I'd love to score the rest. You could absolutely be right, anything is possible on this crazy deal. The unit was spotless clean other then dust and not a single track on the floor, not from a tire or dolly wheel. I was curious when I arrived as to what exactly happened here so I was looking for clues. Not a single nut, bolt or clip on the floor, even after I got everything out of the unit. No paint drips on the floor from the silver or black chassis paint, but one of the bfg's from 1999 did blow it's tread off from age, it was still inflated but just had decided it was time to begin the retreading process at some point apparently. As for the rear end, I was under the assumption that this was the original lsd that came in most SS cars. I have one out of an SS in my S10 blazer but I installed it so long ago I can't remember what it looks like.

 

[CopperNick]

One other thought did occur to me this morning; that being what you found were the leftovers. By that I mean that at some point there was a project and that these parts were aquired as part of what was thought might be needed but, for whatever reason, they never were used, or did not have to be used, or were items that were removed and replaced with better quality parts or parts in better condition.

That in mind, what the owner may have done was to stash them in the container just in case another project came along and where they would be needed or desirable. That 25 foot long container is just about the ideal length to store a frame, as you say. If you have a choice between parts that need some work and parts that are absolute junk, well, how badly do you want to be on the road? That the frame is as clean and cherry as it seems to be in the picture only means to me that the former owner was serious about trying to protect those parts from further deterioration while in storage. That that tire blew up, well take age, add in wear, and UV and weather change exposure, even though in the can, and it succumbed to old age disease. As will we all.


Nick

 

[Gearheadwilly]

One other thought did occur to me this morning; that being what you found were the leftovers. By that I mean that at some point there was a project and that these parts were aquired as part of what was thought might be needed but, for whatever reason, they never were used, or did not have to be used, or were items that were removed and replaced with better quality parts or parts in better condition.

That in mind, what the owner may have done was to stash them in the container just in case another project came along and where they would be needed or desirable. That 25 foot long container is just about the ideal length to store a frame, as you say. If you have a choice between parts that need some work and parts that are absolute junk, well, how badly do you want to be on the road? That the frame is as clean and cherry as it seems to be in the picture only means to me that the former owner was serious about trying to protect those parts from further deterioration while in storage. That that tire blew up, well take age, add in wear, and UV and weather change exposure, even though in the can, and it succumbed to old age disease. As will we all.


Nick

Good points. Maybe he had 2 SS's and built one super clean one, saved these good parts for another build down the road or spare parts just in case. That's as plausible as anything else we've come up with I suppose, and in your version he's not dead! Always a plus in my book. The tires are just funny to me because that date of 11/15/1999 is actually 2 weeks older than my eldest child! Just a funny side note, in the bottom on one of the red buckets was a new in box switch I didn't pay any attention to, took a pic of the part # and moved on. Checked it last night and I swear to you, it's a blower switch for my daily driver (97 burban) that hasn't had #3 blower speed in 2 months because I hate dealing with my dash. What's the odds? This fella had absolutely impeccable taste, if I do say so myself!

 

[Gearheadwilly]

A 4010, eh? Guess that means ya gotta run a supercharger now to make up for the hesitation.

Steering box:

View attachment 239063

Blakgeesus1 has the GM/ MSD ignition box with rev limiter and Autometer tach for you in the classified section. You can run 2 of the boxes and use a special switch to activate the second if the first fails, and the car is just begging for that type of period correct coolness.

Johnny, the internet says very clearly that putting 2 crappy fuel filters in line before a 4010 fixes that hesitation so I'm not sure what you mean, this guy was obviously ahead of his time back then. 🤣 It goes on to say that adding a third crappy filter will turn that carb into a BG Demon carb from way back then also? What, no way? I gotta try it! Haha What's a forth filter do, poof..... 2 Dominators on a tunnel ram? Perfect for this little 305! Well I'll be dipped, It worked! It turned into a Demon, still chokeless and everything! Just need 1 more filter! Seriously though that GM/MSD unit is one really nice piece of kit, probably too nice for my stuff, yet anyway. I'll keep my eye on it for sure though. I'll check the steering gear with my degree wheel too. Thanks for that. I'd like to know just for gp. Always great advice on here. Thanks to all.

 

[CopperNick]

Oh yeah, it fixes the hestitation all right.............. by totally stiffling the fuel flow!! It definitely won't hesitate if it won't start or run. And, that point, your stumble bum of an engine has now become a total non running turnip.


Nick

 

[Gearheadwilly]

Oh yeah, it fixes the hestitation all right.............. by totally stiffling the fuel flow!! It definitely won't hesitate if it won't start or run. And, that point, your stumble bum of an engine has now become a total non running turnip.


Nick

I got that little 600cfm, vac sec single pump street demon for a song and had it gone thru by a local legend who should have retired decades ago and be in Florida or something but to this day if you knock on his shop door and sweet talk him, he works magic. The story's you get for free while your around him are absolutely worth the price of admission. Should be a perfect little carb for the 305 Monte engine. 4010 will be shelved permanently.

 

[Gearheadwilly]

After looking high and low for a body in decent condition to put on this chassis and at a price that would make sense to build it, unfortunately I've come up short. With all the projects I've already got up in the air, and the limited space I have, I think it's best to let these parts go and live on in other builds. I do have basically enough parts to build the chassis into a really high quality roller so I may do that before I sell it, if I don't get a solid offer within a couple of weeks as-is. I did locate a large diameter 442 front sway bar I had saved back from years ago in my stash, so that can go on/with the chassis as well if someone wanted it as a roller. I will try to get things listed in the classifieds here as I find time. All parts will be listed locally on FB when I get time next week also. Feel free to PM me with any questions. Thanks to all who followed along and to anyone who ends up with a piece of this mystery on their ride.

 

[CopperNick]

Bummer. You are aware, I trust, that Murphy's Law is completely applicable in this situation and therefore, as soon as you sell off those parts, a suitably useable cabin in decent shape will make an appearance??



Nick