About

***** Under Construction *****

((( Please see the other tabs for all the details on my custom Monte as well as my photo albums for the pictures of all the hard work that has been put into this car over the last 5+ )))


This Monte's History
I bought this Monte Carlo in late summer 2000 from a farmer. About 1 year after I had been hit and run in my first Monte Carlo, a 1972. (It was totaled) The farmer was asking $2,500 for it. I talked him down to $1,000 and took her home.

The Monte was in BAD shape when I got it. It had a 1972 dog house on it, due to the guy wrecking it after getting drunk one night. So that was the first thing I had to fix. After that, I found a LOT of rust when taking off the stainless steel trim around the bottom edge of the car to get ready to start the body work for a new paint job. (It was 3 colors by this point.)

With the help of my Dad and husband, we cut out all the rust and bad spots and replaced it all with new medal. After getting all the bad spots fixed, I decided to just keep off the stainless steal trim, so I shaved the side markers, mirrors, emblems, and hood ornament off to give it a different look from all the other First generation Montes out there.

After having the car for about 2.5 years, I got a great job working at Firestone Industrial products working in the engineering department in their Air Ride division… I get killer deals on Air Ride and tires, So thought, why not. I could not pass up the chance to put full Air Ride on the Monte for way less then market price. Just one more way to make it stand out from all the other First Generation Montes out there.

*** I did not plan on going this extreme with the Monte, but why not, if you can get good deals on the stuff, and it dues not mess up your car.. Air Ride lintels little to no cutting needed, unlike Hydraulics. Plus, Air Ride, rides a lot better then stock suspension. ***

This car has come a LONG way with a lot of hard work, time and money put into it, a little at a time. As I had some extra money to get the parts needed to do the work, I would get them, and install it or fix the car more.

I do 70% of my own work on it, and the other 30% I had helped with or had someone do it that knew what they where doing, and I did not… Such as the system install and build. I never pay for anything to be done on it. I traded favors, like I would do something on there car for them in return for there help on mine. Or do some horse trading. The only thing I pay for to be done on the car is it’s alignment, tire mounting and balancing. Witch I get discounts on with work as well.

I just started showing my Monte in 2004, and since I stared showing it up till July of 2007, it has won 4 trophies in its class… It did not win anything during 2004, but 2005 and 2006 it took home 4 trophies out of the 5 shows I took it too. 3 for best unfinished and 1 for best Lowrider.

This year, 2007, I took it to the Indianapolis World Of Wheels in February to be in my car club’s display we had at the show (Low Budget Customs)… And yes, I drove it, no trailering of this baby. Good thing it did not snow for that week. I did not expect to take anything home with it, since there where a lot of great looking cars in it’s class. I was surprised by getting 2nd place in its class of “Best Nostalgic Custom”…
I also took it to Slamology 2007 and it took 1st for best unfinished for the 3rd time in the last 4 years I have gone to the show.
I also took her to Indianapolis Import and Truck Bash 2007 for the first time, and she took 1st in best unfinished car!

(I will keep this updated with her wins and shows we go to.)

Wining now and then makes all the hard work worth it! And makes you feel good, because it tells you that people can tell that you put a lot of hard work and time into it…

((( See the "Specks", "Factory Options" and "Modifications" Tabs for more info )))