My wife's dream car

I hope this isn't too new for the forum. If it is I'll delete it. My better half's first car was a white 1980 Monte Carlo and once kids came along so did the four door car to make getting the kiddo's in and out of the back seat easier. So once the kids were old enough we started looking for another one. We looked for several years and just couldn't find the right one. They were either rot boxes or low riders or glorified parts cars. Finally, 17 years later, about a month ago one popped up on the bay. It was in real nice shape, price was right and it was even the same colors as hers (white with blue interior). The way the story goes is, this car was garaged all its life and has only seen rain once due to a surprise un-forcasted storm. It has its original 305 and TH350 and factory air. There isn't a ding or scratch on this car and the paint shows extremely well for its age. It has weld draglite style wheels on it but it did come with wire wheels (14") that kinda look like the original hub caps wires but I don't think they are original as they are unilugs. It has a nice sound system in it and the previous owner actually purchased another radio bezel to cut up and kept the original bezel and factory radio. I think it was originally a 2 barrel car and it has been converted to an edelbrock 4 barrel and chrome CHEVROLET valve covers that leak. It needs a tune-up pretty bad and there is a ton of scale in the radiator. The guy that delivered it to me is kind of a G-body nut and he told me it has the HD F40 suspension package in it. The frame still has paint on it and is not rotted like they all do in the rear. The doors don't drop, it has 64K original miles on it hell even the seatbelt buzzer works! Now I wasn't born yesterday and I don't believe for a minute that the car has only seen rain once in it's life. I've given her a good once over and there are some indications that it hasn't been pampered it's entire life. There is some mud up under the wheel wells, the side mirrors look like they are a shade off from the rest of the car, and there is some silicone around the front window but over all it's a pretty nice car. Best of all Mamma is tickled pink!
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Nice car Jim. I always liked the body lines on the 78-80 Montes.



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Looks like a nice find. I recall about 20 years ago these were really popular (at least in the Seattle area) with the high school kids. You're right, they messed them up a lot. Nice that this one dodged the bullet.

Your story also underscores why folks are interested in the cars they are. It has to relate some how to their own life's experience. We older goats like older cars than the bulk of the hobby now, explains why, as our numbers dwindle, interest in "our kind of car" shrinks with it.

And keepin' Momma happy is what it is all about! Another good lookin' car there Mr. Jim..

Uh oh, that's two 1980's cars on here now lol. Really, nice find. All those types of cars were thick as flies when I was 16, then overnight, they were gone. I had an 80 Cutlass that died as a race car, I'm glad you found a survivor. Looks like she finally got her back seat :)

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Originally Posted by Mike P

Nice car Jim. I always liked the body lines on the 78-80 Montes.



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Thanks man we have a soft spot for the third gen Monte's too.

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Originally Posted by 53 Chevy5

Looks like she finally got her back seat :)

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Thank god! I didn't think it was ever gonna happen. Though I was fine with 30's fenderless coupes.

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Originally Posted by BIG-JIM

I hope this isn't too new for the forum. If it is I'll delete it.

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I'll fight with anyone who says delete it. Carry on.
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These kermudgeons tolerated my 70s models fine, I'm sure your Monte is also welcome.

Besides, now that Momma is happy.. you can make time (finally) to get back on the 34.. right???? ( hint, hint, hint)

First, a very nice looking car and for this young bloke, anything from the '70's or '80's is still cool. Secondly, Uncle Bob, I certainly can relate to your message but as I'm only a child from the mid fifties with a fixation for pre-49 cars whether restored or hot rodded, I'm still doing my best to keep the hobby going in the right direction. Although to be frank, I do look at those restored vintage cars and my mind goes into overdrive modifying them with weight reduction methods us rodders are known for.

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Originally Posted by 34_40

Besides, now that Momma is happy.. you can make time (finally) to get back on the 34.. right???? ( hint, hint, hint)

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I wish. To be honest I haven't even looked at it in a couple years now. It's kinda tucked in the corner waiting for my back to heal. I honestly want to work on it but my back is so bad I'm not sure it will ever happen. I can sleep the wrong way and not be able to do anything for a week. I bent over the hood of the monte the other day just to spray some engine cleaner on it and wash it off (maybe 10 minutes) and I was shot for 3 days.

It's a nice car and considering that it would even be welcome at an NSRA event, I think it's entirely appropriate here. Looks like it could be a hot rod to me.

Sounds like you want to keep it stock, but it sure would look good with an SS nose.

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Originally Posted by Hotrod46

It's a nice car and considering that it would even be welcome at an NSRA event, I think it's entirely appropriate here. Looks like it could be a hot rod to me.

Sounds like you want to keep it stock, but it sure would look good with an SS nose.

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No SS nose but the wife says I have a very limited amount of time to get a cowl induction hood on it or I'm dead meat. LOL We are going to nix all the pollution control crap dress up the engine bay, headers, dual exhaust, and she wants a bigger rake. Long term plans call for some flames. Anyone that knows my wife knows she loves herself some flames. (her old car had flames)
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Nixing all the polution equipt. is a bad move. When you are ready to sell it you are you limit the # of states you can market it in like calif. and many others. and the #s are growing the enviro. people are always pushing the want all cars off the road and you are just painting a bullseye on your back. p/s check 34-40's post here we go agean

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Originally Posted by Whiplash23T

Secondly, Uncle Bob, I certainly can relate to your message but as I'm only a child from the mid fifties with a fixation for pre-49 cars whether restored or hot rodded, ,,,,,,,,.

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Born in the Mid-fifties? Don't know how to break it to you gently..............you definitely qualify as an old goat.............:LOL:

I'd agree with Ted, besides opening up yourself to federal headaches ( it is a crime to remove that "crap".) it will preclude you from selling it in a lot of neighboring states. Mass is getting tougher, the piece I put up is only a primer of what is coming.
Besides, unless you're heading for an all out race car, the stuff doesn't "kill' any real performance.

And of course... I like to breathe clean air. What comes out of the tailpipe in Ct., comes over Rhode Island and falls into Mass.

That sure is a nice car! You can't find them around here because they've all been killed on the circle and figure 8 tracks. I also like those as well as the Regals in the same era. I dig the SS ones and even the SS Elkys. Nice find and good job keeping momma happy!

Thanks so much Uncle Bob for the reminder. My good wife and I didn't have children so to me, I'm still that young bloke who looked in the mirror back in the mid seventies. Yeah, I hear you, in my dreams !!

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Originally Posted by ted dehaan

Nixing all the polution equipt. is a bad move. When you are ready to sell it you are you limit the # of states you can market it in like calif. and many others. and the #s are growing the enviro. people are always pushing the want all cars off the road and you are just painting a bullseye on your back. p/s check 34-40's post here we go agean

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In CT cars older than 25 years old are exempt from emissions and don't have to be inspected. Just about every car at a show has no smog crap on it. I'll probably keep it tucked in the corner of my basement so just in case they change the laws. As for selling it? It's doubtful that it would get sold any time soon. Been looking for one for over 10 years. Safe to say it isn't going anywhere soon.

I'm not sayin' that the Federal smog Nazi is gonna come lookin', but if he or she did, you could be in the bucket for some pretty healthy fines.
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