'84 Monte SS

[Tin Roof]

Photos brings back memories, my aunt and uncle had his and hers Monte Carlo SS with t-tops. His was maroon, and hers was white, bought them new together. Kept them showroom condition until early 2000’s when they past. My idiot cousins each got one and within a year had destroyed them both. White ones in the family junkyard now and barely resembles a car, and the maroon one was a demo derby car after it was in a few accidents, no idea where it ended up.

I know a guy from HS that totaled out 3 of them drunk driving before he was 20yo. A lot of these cars ended up wrecked or on dirt tracks.

 

[Tin Roof]

I finished up the rear lines Sunday afternoon, got the gas tank siphoned out and fresh gas in, and we took it for a shakedown run. The brakes need bled out more but the bleeders are frozen in place so I was cracking the lines to at least get to the point I had decent pedal to stop.

It runs/idles good with all fresh gas. We did do one smokey burnout and afterwards my daughter looked at me and said "****, we forgot to video it" We were both busy just enjoying the fact that it's driveable now.

It's decent off idle, but really comes alive over 3500rpm.
It's going to need some TLC. Brakes, shocks, etc. The basic stuff you'd expect. I'm going to drive it a little further at a time until I'm comfortable that there's nothing major that needs attention.

 

[Gtrplyr78]

I finished up the rear lines Sunday afternoon, got the gas tank siphoned out and fresh gas in, and we took it for a shakedown run. The brakes need bled out more but the bleeders are frozen in place so I was cracking the lines to at least get to the point I had decent pedal to stop.

It runs/idles good with all fresh gas. We did do one smokey burnout and afterwards my daughter looked at me and said "****, we forgot to video it" We were both busy just enjoying the fact that it's driveable now.

It's decent off idle, but really comes alive over 3500rpm.
It's going to need some TLC. Brakes, shocks, etc. The basic stuff you'd expect. I'm going to drive it a little further at a time until I'm comfortable that there's nothing major that needs attention.

Hit the bleeders with some heat followed up by PB Blaster.
Rinse and repeat...

 

[Tin Roof]

The rotors are pretty warped so I ordered new rotors, calipers and pads. I probably don’t need to swap everything but I’m the type that if I’m going to go through the process I’m replacing everything.
The rear drum brakes seem fine so I’m leaving them as is for now. I’m considering doing a rear disk swap this winter.

So far everything seems solid mechanically. Just a few leaks here and there as expected.
Once I get the front brakes done it will be time to take it on a longer ride and see how it does. The daughter and I have had fun taking it on short cruises and doing a few smokey burnouts.

 

[Grendel]

Trying to figure out why you're not doing the rear wheel cylinders? They have to be ****e from sitting and they're cheap.

About 30 mins a side, too.

 

[Tin Roof]

Trying to figure out why you're not doing the rear wheel cylinders? They have to be ****e from sitting and they're cheap.

About 30 mins a side, too.

I will eventually. They are working for now.
In a couple weeks we are going to put it on my buddy’s lift and do the front brake lines, front brakes, and open up the rears and see what we need.

 

[Tin Roof]

Some parts were delivered while we were on vacation.
New rotors, calipers, pads, and bearings for the front.
That will be this weekend’s project. After we go for a cruise tomorrow.

 

[Drummer79]

I've always loved this body style. I'm very nostalgic about my 81 Camaro Z28 I had in high school that had traction bars, built motor, welded diff and 4.11 gears, and kick myself often for selling because it would now be worth 30 grand probably. I also miss my first car that I had, an 83 Firebird that was admittedly a turd with it's 305 and all, but I had alot of fun in that car, driving it like it was the General Lee or KITT on the dirt roads around home before I totalled it.
I still always liked those body style Monte's because that's what Dale drove, and always wanted one. I subscribed. Now off to look for Monte Carlos to buy or trade for my 1970 chevy truck lol

 

[Tin Roof]

Our schedules haven’t been lining up for me to get this on my buddies lift so I’ve been driving it as is.
It’s been running great. I can feel a little bit of vibration that I think is from the 15yo tires being flat spotted from sitting for 10 years.
It was almost two quarts low on trans fluid when I got it and the PO told me that it had leaked the last couple times he drove it. After driving it a bit letting the trans get warmed up and topping it off, it leaked about 1/2 - 3/4 quart the first 100 miles. In the last 200-300 miles it’s been staying full. I’m assuming it had been leaking from a dry seal from only driving a couple short trips the last 10 years.

I have 400-ish miles on it so far and am comfortable with taking it on longer rides. Depending on the weather I might take it to work a day or two next week. That’s about 90 miles round trip.

Every time we’ve taken it out for a ride I’ve gotten a compliment on it. Hell, just leaving it sit outside the garage I’ve had guys slow down when driving by and yell “nice car!”

 

[350TacoZilla]

I might be part of the minority that prefers the non SS monte look but I still like the SS. When I was in high school my dad bought an 87? 4.3v6 monte cheap and we cleaned it up and sold it to a kid I went to school with. He wanted a v8 and his dad had wrecked his work van with a brand new crate engine in it so he swapped it in..... a 185hp 350 crate engine. I swear the V6 felt faster.

 

[bad zuki]

I can feel a little bit of vibration that I think is from the 15yo tires being flat spotted from sitting for 10 years.

Just make sure the spare holds air. I learned that lesson in the Camaro.

 

[rattle_snake]

Cool project. I've cut a similar shaped hole in a hood before.... No I don't have a mullet but maybe you do haha.

 

[350TacoZilla]

I forgot all about the hole in the hood. Needs a small deflector in front maybe clear with SS on it.

 

[Tin Roof]

I have some free time this afternoon so I’m putting the new front rotor/hubs, bearings, calipers, pads on. One side is done, after a beer break I’ll get to the other side.
The new wheel cylinders for the rear were delivered yesterday so I’ll probably get to those tomorrow.

 

[Tin Roof]

I’ve had starter issues and hope I have that sorted out.
Two new starters latched in engaged the morning after I took it on a long drive and I had to disconnect the battery to get it to stop.
It’s either **** starters or heat from the headers or a combination of both. The two that failed were from carquest.
This time I bought from a different vendor and I added header wrap by the starter and a heat shield. Today I took it to work, 45 miles away, and also drove it around to jobsites. If the starter works fine in the morning I’ll assume the problem is solved.

I have a lot of minor electrical issues to work through this winter. Various lights not working, dim switch not working, etc. Nothing major but still annoying.

It’s been running great and is a blast to drive. What’s surprising is how much attention it gets. To me it doesn’t seem that “old” because these cars were around when I was in high school. But, it’s a 41yo car in good original condition and I get thumbs up and waves every time I drive it.

This winter I’m going to get the electrical issues addressed and have a list of other maintenance and upgrades to do.

I’d like to change the gearing to 4:10 and install a limited slip.
Need to get a working stereo system in it.
It needs new exhaust, which will turn into all new from headers back.
New front end wear parts like ball joints and tie rod ends.
If funds allow, I found a guy on FBMP in Illinois that has been rebuilding TH350 transmissions for 40 years and has decent prices. I would like to swap one of them out for the factory TH200 transmission and install a 2800 or 3000 stall.

I’m still well under $10k into this car and am enjoying the **** out of it.

 

[Tin Roof]

Due to funds needing to go other directions the trans swap, gear swap, and exhaust upgrade are on the back burner for now.
I might collect parts over the next year for those items though. We’ll see how it goes.

I’m just doing some of the maintenance and cleanup items this winter.
I bought short spark plugs from accel to get a little more header clearance and insulated plug wires from Livewires.
I have a battery main disconnect coming and another fuse block to add under the hood as I clean up some of the wiring.
I have one rear wheel cylinder to replace yet.
I bought a pioneer Bluetooth radio and kicker speakers that should be direct replacements. The current radio doesn’t work and the rear deck speakers are missing. I need to be able to listen to some 80’s hair band **** while driving this.

The daughter wants to pull the seats out and scrub them and the carpet to get the rest of the mouse and mildew smell out of it. I told her we will pick a weekend with nothing else going on to do that.

The only other thing on the list for now is a good buff and wax. I’ll probably wait and do that once everything else is done.

 

[72Pstroke]

Pull the carpet out, hang it up, and pressure wash it. You will be surprised how clean it comes. Spray it down with some simple green before you start.

 

[Ranchtruck]

I'd keep the TH200-4r in it and put deeper gears in the rear. The overdrive makes cruising much nicer than a th350 with deep gears. If it feels really doggy getting moving, the stator shaft splines may be stripped. Then the torque converter just works as a fluid coupling with no torque multiplication. They sell hardened ones.

 

[DMG]

I’ve had starter issues and hope I have that sorted out.
Two new starters latched in engaged the morning after I took it on a long drive and I had to disconnect the battery to get it to stop.
It’s either **** starters or heat from the headers or a combination of both. The two that failed were from carquest.
This time I bought from a different vendor and I added header wrap by the starter and a heat shield. Today I took it to work, 45 miles away, and also drove it around to jobsites. If the starter works fine in the morning I’ll assume the problem is solved.

I have a lot of minor electrical issues to work through this winter. Various lights not working, dim switch not working, etc. Nothing major but still annoying.

It’s been running great and is a blast to drive. What’s surprising is how much attention it gets. To me it doesn’t seem that “old” because these cars were around when I was in high school. But, it’s a 41yo car in good original condition and I get thumbs up and waves every time I drive it.

This winter I’m going to get the electrical issues addressed and have a list of other maintenance and upgrades to do.

I’d like to change the gearing to 4:10 and install a limited slip.
Need to get a working stereo system in it.
It needs new exhaust, which will turn into all new from headers back.
New front end wear parts like ball joints and tie rod ends.
If funds allow, I found a guy on FBMP in Illinois that has been rebuilding TH350 transmissions for 40 years and has decent prices. I would like to swap one of them out for the factory TH200 transmission and install a 2800 or 3000 stall.

I’m still well under $10k into this car and am enjoying the **** out of it.

If you do 4.10s and eliminate the overdrive transmission, you won't want to drive it anywhere with a 65 mph speed limit.

 

[DMG]

Pull the carpet out, hang it up, and pressure wash it. You will be surprised how clean it comes. Spray it down with some simple green before you start.

We have done this with flood cars and it really works.

 

[Thatg9659]

Do the seats with the pressure washer too. Some of the crud will get pushed further in, but a lot of it rinses out.

 

[Tin Roof]

I'd keep the TH200-4r in it and put deeper gears in the rear. The overdrive makes cruising much nicer than a th350 with deep gears. If it feels really doggy getting moving, the stator shaft splines may be stripped. Then the torque converter just works as a fluid coupling with no torque multiplication. They sell hardened ones.

It's not the overdrive trans.
99% of the roads I drive on with it are 2-lane county highways at about a 55-60 mph cruise speed.

The motor is built to live at higher rpm, and I'm looking at options to utilize that band.

 

[Outahand]

Then leave it in third?

Back in the day I put a t350 in my Grand National and hated it. Changed 3.42s to 3.08s and put on some 275/60s to make it halfway livable.

Still ran low 12s but enjoyed the car so much more when I put a 2004r and 3.42s back in. It just was not near as bulletproof as the t350.

 

[Tin Roof]

Then leave it in third?

Back in the day I put a t350 in my Grand National and hated it. Changed 3.42s to 3.08s and put on some 275/60s to make it halfway livable.

Still ran low 12s but enjoyed the car so much more when I put a 2004r and 3.42s back in. It just was not near as bulletproof as the t350.

I should clarify, it is already in 3rd, it’s not the r4 trans with overdrive. Some of the ‘84 SS’s came with the TH200 3 speed. The 4R with OD was used in ‘85.
This car is a 3 speed.
There’s a chance it might be a TH350, but the PO was fairly confident it wasn’t. I do need to get under it and verify.

I also need to verify gearing. From what I’ve been reading the 83 and 84 typically was 3:42 and when they started using an OD trans in 85 they switched to 3:73.

The glove box sheet is missing so I’ll need to figure it out the old fashioned way.