About

I bought the car in 2002 after seeing it at a garage that my friend's dad's friend owned, and drove it daily for about a year or so.

It was originally a southern car, so it has almost no rust on it (except for the driver's floor where a t-top leaked), but the non-original motor (which I was told was a 305) was beat. The car had 80,000 miles on it, and was black with a grey 60/40 split bench and column shift interior.

In 2005 I decided to go with the 350 HO deluxe crate motor from GM, and have my transmission rebuilt as well to handle the extra power. I also swapped in bucket seats, a new dash, and 15" Firebird rims around the same time, as well as replacing all the T top metal plates and weatherstripping.

I put about 1000 miles on the motor the summer of 2006, and then took it off the road for the TPI swap.

Finished up the TPI swap over the summer of 2007, as well as swapping in an 8.5 rear that I had rebuilt with a new Eaton posi and 3.42 gears. An electric fan, tranny cooler, driveshaft loop, and B&M megashifter were installed as well. I also did a few interior tweaks and bought a set of GTA rims, which will be going on the car once I buy new tires.

In 2008, I finally installed a 12" front disc brake setup, rebuilt the front suspension, and got the car back on the road.

I still need to do a couple of small things, but I'd like to say that it's "done"...yeah, right

Specs

5.7L V8 rated at 330 HP, 380 TQ
*Need to get new figures with the TPI setup

Factory Options

T-tops
A/C
Power windows/locks
Split bench/column shifter

Mods

Motor

- 350 ci "HO" crate motor rated at 330 HP, 380 TQ
- Stock TPI runners/plenum with Vortec intake base
- 22# injectors, Walbro 255 lph pump, -6 AN braided steel fuel lines
- Speed density harness with custom tune
- Hooker Long-tube headers into mandrel-bent 2.5" x-pipe exhaust
- Ramcharger dual electric fans

Transmission/Axle

- 1987 Monte Carlo SS spec 2004r rebuilt with a B&M shift kit 2200 RPM stall and a few other goodies
- B&M Supercooler transmission fluid cooler
- Stock Buick Grand National driveshaft
- Grand National 8.5" 10-bolt axle rebuilt with 28 spline Eaton posi, Moser axles, TA Performance aluminum cover, and Richmond 3.42 gears

Suspension

Front
- Stock F41 swaybar with new endlinks, bushings
- Stock lower control arms with new bushings
- New TRW tierods, centerlink, idler arm
- Edelbrock solid tie rod sleeves
- Hotchkis tubular upper control arms
- Chevy Camaro 1LE rotors mounted on Caprice spindles
- Belltech 1" S10 drop springs (~ 2" drop on a Monte)
- Bilstein shocks

Rear
- Stock F41 swaybar
- UMI tubular upper and lower control arms with poly bushings
- Moog cargo coil springs (~ 1" lift over stock)
- Bilstein shocks

Interior

- Stock SS interior dyed two-tone grey/black
- Autogage oil/water temp gauges in custom heater delete plate
- B&M Megashifter


Exterior

Body

- Stripe delete, 85-86 style "Monte Carlo SS" decals
- GTS blackouts

Rims

- 16" GTA rims with 245/50/16s all around

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