MORE 'Pro's & Cons'.............

[Agent-OO6.]

Ok. I was offered a '85 Monte-Carlo SS for $1200. It has only 39K origional miles on it,has just come out of a 13 year slumber(Garaged,although the paint is checked up a bit...). It's got a few scratches/dents/whatever,and it has all the usual Monte-SS schtuff:---305/'200-Trans/8.5 Axle. What I want to know is----What are these Car's strenth's weakness's,ect? Frame issues? Suspension issues? Let me know ;D :D. ~OO6.

[Loren]

Re: MORE 'Pro's & Cons'.............

One of the sweetest-driving cars out there, is a strength. No chassis or suspension issues for normal use.

[Mr4Speed]

Re: MORE 'Pro's & Cons'.............

Those cars all came with 7.5" rears, which is a bit of a weakness. If it has an 8.5" in it the rear itself is worth most of the asking price, which is a steal for a decent SS. The suspension is pretty good, and pretty stout, and the SS cars had the best of it plus the good steering box. Nice,comfortable,fairly quick,great driving cars in stock form with tons of potential. G-body front suspension is the same as S10 so there's tons of aftermarket and junkyard upgrades.

The weakness of all G-bodies is frame rust. It starts behind the rear wheels and spreads both ways. IMO any decent G-body with a solid frame is a steal at that price. I'd love to have a decent MonteSS for daily driver-they're big enough to be comfortable and small enough to drive really good and get decent mpg, rear wheel drive, V8 rumble, good looking-they're just right. I wouldn't think about it too long.

[JOES66FURY]

Re: MORE 'Pro's & Cons'.............

Xs 2 on the rear frame rails.....a very nice comfortable car

[tiresmoke!]

Re: MORE 'Pro's & Cons'.............

Had an '86 SS...Black with the gray interior...miss that damned thing.

Suspension, for the most part, is the same design as used on the old Chevelles....Drivetrain leaves something to be desired in terms of performance, but will last a good while as a daily driver.

Weaknesses:

(1) Rust. Aside from the potential frame rot(haven't seen too many examples of it, but it does exist), the rockers and lower rear 1/4's are the first to go.

(2) Tilt steering....most are as loose as Madonna's morals.....PITA to disassemble and tigten.

(3) Doors....heavy as sin, most bushings are shot. There's some company out there that makes roller pin assemblies for these, the name escapes me at the moment.

(4) Avoid T-top examples like the plague...windshield frame will shake like mad at highway speeds with them out.

The replacement seal kits will send you into cardiac arrest.

(5) easy to break into.....Mine was locked up and parked in front of my then-employer's office with a security camera on it.......no matter, bastards still stole it.. A coat hanger is all you need.

Other than that, they are decent cars that ride well......snap it up!

[Agent-OO6.]

Re: MORE 'Pro's & Cons'.............

Thank's for the replies(so far...)fella's :D. The Trunk is "beyond clean" to say the least,everything is where it's supposed to be. There's even a pair of spare factory Alloy's(no Tires..)& some various NOS/GM bits(Door edge guards/Dizzy Caps,"Chevrolet" Center Caps,Delco Wiper Blades,ect...)in there. The Wheels on the Car,have NO scrapes which was a bit of a suprise,while the Car itself sits a bit high in the rear thanks to some Coil Spring Wedge thingies which I'll remove. Option-wize,it doesn't have any P-Windows/center Console,which I like. The rear end IS a real 8.5(w/the Swaybar..)complete with the Alloy tag on the Cover. If the Car doesn't sell,the Landlord sends it to China in a box . I'm going to offer Him 'an even 'G.' ~OO6.

[82z]

Re: MORE 'Pro's & Cons'.............

I would be all over that car. If smog isn't a concern then anything fits in it.

[outlaw57]

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i'd buy it if it were close and if you passed it up!

[Not A Duster]

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Next-door neighbour had one a few years ago ... (actually his wife's - he's a Ford guy...) I thought it was a pretty nice car.

$1200 seems like a steal if it's not rotted and the interior is serviceable. Guy I know just paid similar to that for a t-topped Mirada in decent shape.

[Ron Ward]

Re: MORE 'Pro's & Cons'.............

Strengths:


They look good like this!




Weakness:


They don't look so good like this:




Glad I could be of service!

Ron

[milner351]

Re: MORE 'Pro's & Cons'.............

I'm generally a Ford guy - but that thing sounds so clean and properly optioned (lack of power heavy window stuff and lack of heavy console - but it has the good rearend and sway bar) with all the extra goodies and 13 years off the road.... you've GOT to buy it!

you can always run the 305 until it flatens a cam or otherwise self destructs- then build a wicked stroked small block/700R4 for it.

[mlcraven]

Re: MORE 'Pro's & Cons'.............

Pro: lots of room under the hood for BB swaps...and there are a number of decent aftermarket swap kits (at least there used to be).

Pro: loads of aftermarket suspension parts.

Con: can't get real big skins out back without mods.

[rightpedal]

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I know squat about the stuff up top, but the suspension stuff is super cheap. Check speedway and the rest of the circle track people.

Steve

[fabricatordave]

Re: MORE 'Pro's & Cons'.............

buy it allredy! ! ! !

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: MORE 'Pro's & Cons'.............

right front framerail under the firewall