Peeling paint to the metal, cheap plasticky 1990s interior…no, I understand if you want to have my head examined by a professional for saying that this Monte Carlo would be a dream to own. But hear me out: the 1995-1999 W-body Chevrolet Monte Carlos are dirt cheap. Like a running, driving car for just over a grand dirt cheap. They have a sleek, aerodynamic shape that is it’s only saving grace in the looks department…in full-on NASCAR mode, they looked tough and aerodynamic, but on the street…yeah, they were a pure yawn-fest. The V6 engines weren’t anything to write about at all…the supercharged V6 didn’t make it under the hood until the next body update, and the LS4 V8 was years away. But let’s go back to that dirt-cheap thing: LS engine. Rear-drive swap. Why not? Are you gonna feel bad about hacking up a 1990s Monte Carlo? Sure, there is going to be work involved…fabrication, fitment, and making the electronics talk to one another takes some time and involvement, but you’re righting a wrong that General Motors couldn’t be bothered to fix, you’re building a car that only a handful of people have done, and if you can find one with decent paint and interior, you could have a neat commuter that can do double-duty once the boost comes on. Keep it quiet at low speeds, hope nobody notices until it’s too late, and enjoy. That’s why I’d rock a RWD LS-swapped Monte. How about you?
You had me at dream sleeper! Building a RWD mid-90’s Monte would be a dream come true. Having owned a slew of mid-80’s Monte SS’s, this would be worth building.