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Oct 07 – Sept 08: Started major upgrades in the winter of 07, finished in Sept of 08
General:
All new Painless wiring harness and fuse box #20102
Complete Classic Auto Air A/C system
Detroit Speed intermittent wiper motor
Separate windshield washer pump
Shiney-Hiney rear LED taillights
Body:
New trunk lid
New remote trunk opener
Engine:
Removed the supercharger and swapped an Edelbrock Air Gap intake manifold and Edelbrock 800 cfm Thunder Series carburetor
Proform chrome valve covers and breather
March pulleys for V-Belts
Aeroquip braided stainless A/C hoses
Coolflex bypass hose
Interior:
Rear electric windows
New rear interior side panels
New black armrests with chrome backing plates
New black leather racing bucket seats
New black repro dash pad
New black sunvisors
Rearview mirror, auto-dim with map lights and compass
Billet switch knobs all around
New Innovate wide-band A/F ratio monitor
New Sony Xplod rear speakers
New rear package tray and insulation
07/18/07: Attended the FGMCC Meet in Indianapolis. The Monte drove beautifully.
02/06/07: Custom Trunk Panels covered with red vinyl and gray carpet and installed.
01/06/07: Lokar Hood Prop Rod installed. MrG locking Hood Pins installed
12/30/06: Changed JVC radio to Sony CDX-FW500 head unit
12/26/06: New rear view mirror installed, added 6" Hood Scoop, changed Air Filter to 9" Round, painted Hood, Trunk Lid and Rear Spoiler in Hot Rod Primer
05/05/06: Changed front airdam to 68 Camaro front airdam
03/05/06: New exhaust routing fried the speedo cable. New cable installed aith better heat protection
04/27/05: Installed electric cutouts in the exhaust. Now the Monte has open headers by the push of a button... Yeah Baby!
06/13/04: Just returned from the Monte Nationals in Bowling Green, KY. 500 miles without any problem. Overdrive averaged 19 mpg on the highway, WOW!
05/05/04: Installation of Power Windows & Door Locks completed. Sweet! Also installed brand new door panels...
04/25/04: Started the installation of the Power Windows and Remote Power Door Locks. New Door Hinges as well...
04/15/04: Installed a Steeda Manual Shifter for the TREMEC. Now I do not miss 3rd gear anymore
03/31/04: Changed the old instruments in the dash to new Autometer Gauges (Tach, Fuel, Speedo). Odometer reads 0 miles now....:-)
03/07/04: Oil Change at 73,360 miles on the odometer. Castrol Syntec 5W-30.
02/28/04: Took off the Demon Carb for tuning. Larger pump nozzles, 3 steps larger on all Main Jets and a 8.5" instead of 6.5" Power Valve did the trick. Monte is now running slightly rich under all conditions, which is a GOOD thing with the supercharger...
02/14/04: Weather was nice, so I took the Monte for the first longer spin with the supercharger. Runs good while cruising, but when I stomp the loud pedal, the Monte has a lean spot. Have to work on the accelerator pump nozzles and maybe the main jets, I guess...
02/12/04: Small stuff. Straightend the front and rear bumbers...
02/08/04: Installed Standard Flowmaster Series 40 Mufflers. Now the Monte sounds as mean as it looks...
01/25/04: Supercharger & Carb tuned a bit better...
11/26/03: Supercharger installed and running! Just need to tune the carb and tie up some loose ends...Had to cut a hole in the hood to clear the Hilborn style air cleaner...
10/03/03: Swapped the Super Turbo Mufflers with MAGNAFLOW mufflers. Very quiet at idle, and a deep 'Ferrari' sound when you hit the loud pedal... Maybe a bit too quiet, hmmm...
09/30/03: Polished Stainless Steel 3" diameter straight exhaust tips installed.
09/22/03: Cut the bends of the exhaust over the rear axle shorter. Tailpipes are now at the optimal height. Still have to buy nice exhaust tips...
09/15/03: Exhaust system installed. No major problems except that the tailpipes hang too low.
09/08/03: The supercharger will need a primo exhaust system. I ordered a complete mandrel-bent 2.5" dual exhaust with super turbo mufflers from Jeg's. Should be able to install it this weekend...
09/04/03: The supercharger arrived today. Bummer, shipping damage. The idler pulley bracket was broken off. Called Summit and they will have Holley drop-ship a new bracket to my door at no cost. That's customer service!
08/20/03: Big plans for the Monte! Ordered some nice engine goodies from Summit: A Weiand 177 polished Supercharger and a Mighty Demon Blower Carb 825 cfm.
08/18/03: Back from the 4th FGMCC Meet in Branson, MO. Check out the pics on this site on the Car Show Pic page. The Monte drove 1,500 miles without any problem, averaging 18 mpg on the highway....
08/01/03: Installed fiberglass front and rear bumpers in body color. Looks even meaner...
06/25/03: Back from the Monte Carlo Nationals in Elyria, OH. The FULMNTE ran flawlessly for 960 miles. Won 3rd place in the tough 'super-modified' class.
06/20/03: Redone some trim. Blackened out headlight buckets, front grill, real bezels, rear trim above the bumpers. Looks mean...
05/30/03: After a long delivery time, the Global West front tubular lower control arms finally arrived. Just as the rear control arms, it is a very high quality product. Installation took about 4 hours...
05/11/03: Took most decals off the body to give it a cleaner look and added some 2" wide black moulding instead... I am very pleased with the new look, check it out on the Resto Pics page...
04/03/03: After I burned my leg on the sidepipes the third time, I decided they had to go. They sure look very cool, but are not too practical. Ordered Flowetch Red Hot Glasspacks and installed them with side exhaust exit right in front of the tire. Sounds great and looks 'stealth'...
02/19/03: The Baer Brake kit arrived end of January and I finally got around installing the 13" front brakes and also new brake lines to the rear. Great product. BIG difference in brake 'force'...
11/14/02: Installed a pair of QA1 adjustable front coilover shocks. Was a simple bolt-in. Now I can fine-tune the handling of the Monte! Waiting for a Bear Track Front 13" disc kit to be delivered...
09/30/02: The wheels & tires are here and I have installed them on the Monte. AWESOME! Took the Monte for a spin for the first time since 09/06/02...
09/25/09: Got the rebuilt tilt steering column installed. Monte can be driven again! But now it rains heavy outside...:-(
09/19/02: Ordered a set of American Eagle Wheels Series 211 17 inch and 245/50/17 front 275/60/17 rear BFG Comp TA HR4 tires from www.1010tires.com
09/06/02: While having the Monte out for a serious run, something snapped in the steering column. I can pull the steering wheel appr. 1/8" towards me. No good. Since I have rebuild the column already twice, I went ahead and ordered a prefessionally rebuilt TILT floor shift column. The Monte is grounded until it arrives...:-(
09/02/02: The driveshaft is in! Turned out to be a much larger project than expected. Had to remove the whole rear axle to get the old pinion off. Also had to use a 3 ft breaker bar on it, umpf. After that, everything went smooth and the Monte is back on the road again.
08/21/02: Denny's Nitrous Ready Driveshaft arrived. Very nice piece of equipment, high quality and all... Will be a while before I get to install it...
08/10/02: Swapped the fiberglass racing seats with vinyl covered 3ARacing racing bucket seats. They have an adjustable back and slide forward/rearward. Also more padding and much more comfortable...
08/06/02: 10 disc CD changer stopped working, took it back, got a refund and bought a PIONEER 6 disc CD changer and installed it. Works flawlessly...
08/05/02: Installed the stereo sound system upgrade. The 10 CD Disc changer did fit into the glove box compartment, but I had to cut out the rear wall of the glovebox. REAALLLY sweet sound now, WOW!
07/24/02: Installed a BULLDOG 2030 alarm system. Took less than an hour, will still have to put the LED into the dash, though...
07/19/02: Replaced the red vinyl steering wheel with a leather-wrapped red/black Grant Corsa GT steering wheel. Sweet!
07/17/02: Bought some stuff to upgrade the sound system a bit: 300W Jensen Amplifier, Two 8" Jensen Subwoofers, 10-Disk CD Changer and ordered two more speakers (the kickpanel type from custom autosound). This is in addition to my 4 speakers and 4x22W JVC radio.
07/15/02: Ordered a beefy driveshaft with 1350 u-joints from Denny's Driveshafts. Will ship next month. Installed a Lakewood drivshaft loop on the Monte.
07/10/02: Finished installation of the sidepipes. To say the big block sounds like serious business now is a blunt understatement!
07/09/02: Started installation of the chromed side pipe exhaust. Installed 2 1/2" dia. Hedman H-pipe crossover and the first side pipe. Looks sweet! Can't wait to hear how it sounds...
07/06/02: Final break-in oil change. Switched to MOBIL 1 Synthetic 5W-30. Odometer shows 69,314 miles.
07/05/02: Installed the new fast ratio steering box from www.corvettesteering.com. WOW! What a difference in handling!
07/03/02: Removed the old power steering components.
07/02/02: Installed a Cyberdyne Fuel Pressure gauge.
06/30/02: Ordered a set of side pipes with stuff to install a 2.5" exhaust. My Monte should look like this with them:
Pic of a Monte with side pipes
06/27/02: Swapped the Carter fuel pump to an Edelbrock street pump. No leaks and better fuel pressure.
06/25/02: Installed a "5-speed" emblem that I got off ebay
06/23/02: Drove back from Nashville. Nice show (see pics in Car Show Section). Monte ran great, just a leak at the fuel pump.
06/21/02: The steering pump & box arrived! I left to Nashville for the Monte Carlo Nationals today. Got stuck in traffic on I-40. Monte idled at 106F outside for 1/2 hour. Coolant temperature did not exceed 180F!
06/19/02: Blackened out the rain drip moulding and front/rear/side windshield trim. Installed a "Hurst Equipped" emblem
06/18/02: Ordered a new fast ratio steering box and new steering pump.
06/17/02: Removed the old airdam (started scraping the asphalt) and manufactured a new NASCAR style airdam. See pictures on the Resto Pictures page.
06/16/02: Blackened out the window and side trim on the Monte. 500 mile oil change.
06/14/02: The monte had some vibration around 65 mph on the highway. I suspect the tires. Installed the older American Racing rims & tires again, no vibration!
06/02/02: After a GREAT TIME in Commerce at the show, drove back today. Fuel filter started leaking on the way, had to disassemble, clean and assemble again. The Monte went 440 miles without further incidents. Averaging 14 mpg. No oil burned on the whole trip. 2000 rpm at 70 mph on I-40 in overdrive, yeah baby! Engine temperature never went over 175 F, even at 105 F outside in heavy traffic! LOVE this Big Block/manual tranny combo!
05/31/02: Drove down to Commerce, GA through the Smoky Mountains (Highway 441) for the Annual FGMCC Meet and Super Chevy Show.
05/30/02: The 50 mile break-in oil & filter change
05/28/02: Took the Monte to work every day. Still smokes a bit (guess the rings are seating). No leaks, which is good. Seems to run a bit rich, will have to fine-tune the carb...
05/26/02: Bumper, air dam, grille, hood re-installed. First test-drive. Lots of low-end torque. Smooth idle, very good throttle response....!! Adjusted clutch linkage...
05/25/02: Re-set the distributor and the 454 FIRED UP! Yuppie! Set timing. Checked for leaks, none! Odometer shows 68,333 miles
05/24/02: Tried to fire the engine, it backfired on me...
05/23/02: Engine oil-filled and primed. Spark plug wires, distributor, radiator, fan&shroud installed. Driveshaft installed.
05/20/02: Pulleys, Brackets, Nitrous system and carb hooked up.
05/13/02: Installed the Dynomax Headers. Had to dimple them quite a bit to clear the lower control arm on the passenger side. Also installed the starter.
05/10/02: Swapped the engines!! The 383 is now in my '86 Monte and the new 454 is in the '71. Hope I can get it running for the show end of this month.
05/09/02: Prepared for the engine swap (drain oil & antifreeze, remove parts, etc.)
05/07/02: Got the 454 HO in my garage now (see pics in the Resto Pics Section). Ordered all the aux. stuff for installation (headers, pulleys, brackets, yadda yadda...)
05/03/02: It is here! The 454 HO has arrived today! Now I will have to haul it from our company's warehouse to my garage...
04/20/02: In preparation for the Biggy Block, I changed my single core radiator to a bigger double core (1") aluminum radiator
04/19/02: Ordered the 454 HO from www.friesenchevy.com today :-)
04/15/02: After lots of thinking, I decided that the "Grey Mouse" will get the 383 stroker engine and the "Full Monte" will get a brand spanking new 454 HO big block! Yeah, baby...
04/10/02: Yanked the engine out of the "Grey Mouse". It blew a head gasket. The ZZ4 will be sold to my hot rod buddy, he will rebuild it and drop it in a 32 HiBoy
03/16/02: Nitrous bottle filled for the first time
03/12/02: Installation of an Edelbrock Performer Nitrous Oxide System (50-100 HP) finished. Also needed some other upgrades (RPM switch, Fuel Lines, etc.). The installation will be published in the FGMCC club magazine "The Knight" :-)
02/14/02: Major ignition upgrade is finished! MSD 6AL box, MSD Pro-billet distributor, MSD Blaster coil, MSD 8.5 mm plug wires. Also installed a bigger tach (Autometer) with shift light
02/10/02: RJS four point seat belt harness installed.
02/05/02: Installed slotted front brake rotors along with new bearings and HAWK HPS brake pads. Also cut 1/2 coil off the front coil springs to drop it a bit
02/01/02: New rubber for the IROC wheels! Futura Ultra Z tires 245/50/16 all around!
01/30/02: Aircraft-style Speedtek clutch linkage installed
01/15/02: A set of March Performance Pulleys and Serpentine Belts installed
01/01/02: Swapped a couple of things from my 86 Monte to the 71 Monte: Crane Gold Full Roller Rocker Arms, the 16" IROC-Z wheels (painted them black)
12/13/01: Hurst shifter handle and boot for the new tranny!
11/21/01: Finished the installation of the manual TREMEC TKO 5 speed transmission. Also had to replace the headers with Hedman Hedders (ceramic coated). Sweet! Now I have Overdrive!
06/20/01: Yanked out the bench seat in favor of a set of fiberglass racing seats.
04/19/01: Small stuff: Emblems, Decals, Underhood Insulation, Windshield Wash Squirters.
04/18/01:I am always open to try something new. So I went to the Midas shop yesterday and looked at their new Ravin HP mufflers. They look great, black powdercoated... I also saw the flow numbers for a 350 Chevy and they flow about 20% more than the Flowmaster 40 series. I immediately left my car there to have the old restrictive Turbo mufflers yanked and put in some of the Ravin Z33 series. Also told them to put in a H crossover pipe. Picked up the car today and WOW what a difference in sound and you can feel that the engine breathes better. Like someone pulled out the cork...
04/14/01: Installed the new vinyl top and all the window chrome
04/13/01: The Full Monty got a new windshield today. Diamond Triumph autoglass did a great job.
04/08/01: Installed fog & driving lamps. Installed Air Lift air bags in the rear coils springs. Wow, they are good!
04/07/01: Installed a set of 1/2" Moroso hood pins for the fiberglass hood today.
04/03/01: First ride in The Full Monty since I garaged it for the paint job last year. What a feeling! These polygraphite body bushings sure make a difference! The Full Monte is now 30 years old (delivered March 1971)!
04/01/01: Spent the last few weeks with the re-installation of bumpers, trim and other stuff. Also installed VISIBOLTS instead of the side markers.
03/31/01: The new Sylvania "Cool Blue" Halogen headlights sure brighten up the night!
03/19/01: Need to wait for the paint to dry and then buff out some imperfections.
03/18/01: The starter died on me today, so I swapped in a mini-starter. Prime-sealed the car with Sherwin Williams JET-SEAL and finish coated with acrylic ALKYD enamel paint w/o hardener.
03/17/01: Tommorrow will be paint day. Masked the Monte and prepared the garage for the paintjob.
03/05/01: Installed another 12" perma-cool fan in front of the radiator.
02/12/01: Replaced the stock fan with a 16" perma-cool electric fan. Tested the fan, works fine but I think it could need even more fan.
02/10/01: Small stuff, new alternator bracket, new power steering bracket, reconditioned the water pump, PS and crank pulleys, new overflow bottle.
01/28/01: Shifter base trimmed.
01/27/01: The shifter is installed! Have not trimmed the base yet, but it looks great even like this.
01/26/01: Started installation of the B&M Megashifter. Got it bolted down and the cable routed.
01/22/01: Small stuff, fitted the washer nozzles and underhood lamp to the cowl hood...
01/20/01: Took off, cleaned, re-painted and re-installed the hood hinges. Look like new :-)
01/15/01: Installed the gauge pod and the new gauges today. Gives a very clean and organized look to the dash...
01/10/01: Ordered the new Autometer gauge pod and a set of Autometer Performance Gauges. Waiting for warmer weather for the paint job.
01/06/01: It was warmer today. Gave the Monte a good wash and wiped it down with WINDEX. It is ready for mask & paint!
01/03/01: POR-15'd the rear window channel and inside the doors.
12/29/00: Went to Sherwin-Williams Automotive today and bought the primer and the acrylic enamel paint.
12/28/00: Finished the installation of the inner fenders.
12/27/00: New low-tension hood springs installed.
12/23/00: The fiberglass cowl hood arrived! I have test fitted it and it looks great!
12/22/00: Installed the new steel front inner fenders. Also, I yanked out the old non-functional air conditioning system.
12/15/00: Got all body mounts replaced!
12/09/00: Lifted up one side of the body to remove the old body mounts. Works pretty well.
12/05/00: Since the bumpers are off the car, I decided to replace the worn rubber body mounts with polygraphite ones. Started removing the bolts. When I took off the front inner plastic fenders, they basically fell apart. Ordered new steel inner fenders from musclecarsonly.com.
11/23/00: Brought the bumpers to Knox Custom Chrome for re-chroming.
11/22/00: Wet sanded the whole body with 400 grit paper. The car is about ready for paint.
11/19/00: Spent the last weeks sanding, fixing rust, using bondo and glazing putty and sanding, sanding, sanding.
11/15/00: The Olds 442 rear spoiler arrived! I test fitted it on my Monte, check it out here
10/29/00: After looking at the Monty, I decide that the side chrome will not go back on. Should look way cool w/o it.
10/28/00: The paint/bodywork project starts. Took off all trim, vinyl top (yes there is some rust), front/rear bumper, front/rear fender extensions and grille.
09/25/00: Since the rear tires still rub a little bit, I jacked up the Monte's rear with some spring savers by an inch. Everything is cool now...
09/19/00: Brought the Full Monty to the Chevy Dealer for a front end alignment.
09/16/00: First Gen Monte Club meeting in Pigeon Forge, TN!!
09/15/00: Went to Pep Boys and had tires installed. 225/70/15 in front and 255/70/15 in rear. The rear tires scrub very little, must be the only 3.75" backspacing of the rims.
09/14/00: The American Racing Rims (15x7) that I bought off Ebay arrived today.
08/18/00: Replaced the radiator and dropped in a brand-new Modine Aluminum unit from a 89 Camaro Iroc. Check for pics of the installation in my Tech Tips section. Also, changed to a 160 degree thermostat. The Monte runs very cool (<190 degrees) now...
07/01/00: The new carpet is in and, boy does it look good!! While I was at it, changed the window felts in the rear, washed all seatbelts and painted the setbelt buckles red. Also, the new steering wheel is installed...
06/29/00: POR-15 for all floorpans.
06/28/00: Started with the final restoration of the interior. Took out the old carpet and sound deadener (yuk!). Some surface rust on the floorpanels will be fixed with POR-15. Took off the rear sidepanels for reconditioning. The new carpet will be RED and I also have bought a nice, RED Grant GT steering wheel. New Sound-Deadener, too.
06/23/00: This weekend, I will attend the Monte Carlo Nationals with The Grey Mouse.
06/17/00: Took the Monte to the Thunder Road Car Club Show. Did not win anything, but had fun...
06/01/00: Strange noises from the car's front. Checked it out, all brake bolts were loose!! Tightend them up pretty good and used Loctite.
05/27/00: Installed a Summit Brake Vacuum Reservoir, since the Monte idles with 10" vacuum.
05/26/00: Oil Change!! Filled it up with Castrol Syntec 5W-40.
05/24/00: Installed the old starter again, works without problems.
05/22/00: The starter still has engagement problems.
05/21/00: Reset the valve lash, recharged the battery. After some cranking, the engine FIRED UP and ran nicely! Broke in the cam with 20 min at 1500-2000 rpm. Nice present one day after my birthday!
05/17/00: Checked the compression, its zero! The valve lash was adjusted too tight!!
05/16/00: Installed the alternator, power steering, fan with new clutch, starter, distributor, etc. Cranked the engine, got good oil pressure and sparks, but it won't start. Why?
05/14/00: Installed chrome oil and tranny dipstip. Re-installed the headers.
05/13/00: Replaced the u-joints in the driveshaft. AND, dropped in the 383 and rebuild tranny today!! Was a major PITA to get it in and align it with the tranny. Now, I just have to hook up the aux components and fire it up!
05/09/00: Installed the aux. B&M tranny cooler. Installed the B&M tranny temperature gauge.
05/07/00: Cleaned the driveshaft. Will replace the u-joints soon.
05/06/00: Finished the tranny rebuild and put it back together. Finshed the valvetrain & intake on the 383 engine. Ready to drop in now :-)
05/01/00: Re-assembled the front pump. Changed the friction and steel bands in the direct and forward clutch assembly.
04/28/00: Torn down the tranny front pump, cleaned everything and replaced the seals. It is in surprisingly good condition.
04/22/00: Cleaned and painted the tranny casing. Knocked out the old U-joints from the driveshaft.
04/21/00: Torn down the tranny today. Looks good internally. Will install new friction paper, seals and a shift kit.
04/20/00: Borrowed the cherrypicker from my neighbor. Lifted the old engine out without any problems. Also removed the transmission and driveshaft. Next step is to start the tranny rebuild.
04/19/00: Unbolted more stuff from the engine.
04/18/00: Started the engine swap project. Took the hood off, removed all accessories from the engine.
03/21/00: During the last days: Took the door off, rebuild the hinges, installed new weatherstripping, filled rust holes and installed a 74 Monte bullet-style mirror. Result: An awesome closing door, just like new...
03/14/00: While waiting for the right moment to drop in the new engine, I decided to do something against the sagging drivers door.
03/10/00: Installed the waterpump and timing cover.
03/07/00: Just a little bang was necessary to make the oil pan fit.
03/03/00: Test fitted the new oil pan. Of course, it does not fit (due to the stroker crank). Will get out the ball peen hammer and make it fit :-)
03/01/00: Installed a new, single wire chrome alternator (63 amps). What a difference! The turn signal is faster now and headlights do not dim when I press the brake!
03/01/00: Degreed the cam. Installed the Edelbrock heads.
02/28/00: Installed the oil pan seals and painted the oil pan to match the engine.
02/27/00: Torn everything apart again and cleaned the block another time. Assembled the cam, crank and the pistons. Ring gaps: Top 0.017", Second 0.021", Cam installed 4 degrees advanced. Installed the new oil pump. Installed the flexplate and timing gear drive.
02/26/00: Started with new paint on the block (red). Pre-assembled the rotating parts w/o rings to check clearances. Had to grind on the base of two cylinders to clear rod bolts. No clearance problems with the small basecircle cam. Checked crank endplay, 0.007".
02/25/00: Picked up the block from the machine shop and gave it another good cleaning.
02/19/00: Painted the armrest bases and the horn button in red to match the dash. Looks nice.
02/12/00: Finally got around to bring the block to the machine shop today (Top Gun Racing Engines in Clinton, TN). They will bore 0.030" over, install new cam bearings, install the pistons on the rods and balance the assembly.
02/05/00: Took the woodgrain insert off the dash today. The insert was fastened with the four screws on top, six metal pins through the dash and two lashes. It was a bitch to take off. But I made it, painted it bright red and re-installed it. Looks sharp with all the red accents in the interior...
01/23/00: Spent some time today cleaning and deburring the block.
01/21/00: Drove to Atlanta today and picked up a low-mile 350 4 bolt engine block for $90. Looks great and will make a nice base for the 383. And UPS brought me the new pistons, oil pan and other stuff..
01/13/00: I installed the GM #3932220 speedo ratio adapter today. The 1.35:1 ratio brought the speedo right back on the money!
01/11/00: Thinking about starting the 383 project with a spare 350 block. This will leave me with my 350 engine as a backup. Good idea, hmmm...?
01/10/00: I bought a special ISKY cam for the 383 stroker on ebay. It has .490/.510 lift and should make the 383 stomp.
01/06/00: Christmas and Easter toady! The friendly UPS guy brought me the ordered Edelbrock RPM cylinder heads, Edelbrock timing gear and Edelbrock valve covers.
01/03/00: Replaced the negative battery cable. The Monte starts like a champ again. This was probably also the cause why the reman starters did not turn (see below)
01/02/00: The Monte quit on me today. Standing at the gas station, it wouldn't start again. A nice guy gave it a jumpstart and it made it home. Checking the engine compartment, I found that the negative battery cable had only a few copper wires left at the connector.
01/01/00: Took the Monte for a longer spin on the first day of the millenium. It runs G-R-E-A-T... The Speedo is still way off, I have to change the driven gear...
12/25/99: Christmas is here and I am planning the next step in the Monte restofication: Build the 383 stroker...
12/23/99: Today, I took the Monte on the road for the first time since 5 weeks. Here is what I did to the rear end: Auburn Posi, Richmond 3.73 Gears, Timken Bearings, Moser Axle shafts and a Bear Rear Disk brake installation. I also installed a Hellwig 1" sway bar on Global West lower control arms. All the goodies pay off BIG TIME: The car is very tight now and handles extremely well, very close to my 86 Monte (with all Hotchkins goodies!!) The gear change from 2.73 to 3.73 feels like the car picked up 100 Horsepower. I have to keep the gas foot very light or the tires chirp. I runs around 3000 rpm now on the Highway and is a bit noisy (performance gears), but I use the Monte mainly around town. I am very happy with the outcome of this modification and could recommend it to anyone who is looking for a bit better off-line performnace in the 70-72 Monte.
12/20/99: Finished the installation. The Monte is ready to go.
12/13/99: Waiting for the Axle Bearings to arrive. When they are here, I can bolt on the rear disk brakes, button up the 12 bolt with the new Summit rear end cover, fill it with gear lube and break it in. Can't wait to see the difference with 3.73 gears and Posi!
12/12/99: Installed the Upper Control Arms with new Rubber Bushings and the 12 bolt axlehousing. Installed the new Hellwig 1" rear sway bar. Received the brand-new Moser axle shafts, they look like excellent quality.
12/07/99: Mid-South Gear here in Knoxville put the 12 bolt rear together, set the backlash and all the other stuff. I picked it up today, looks great!
11/30/99: Painted the rear axle housing and upper control arms with POR-15. Received a new 12 bolt cover from Summit. Ordered new Moser axle shafts and a 1" rear sway bar.
11/21/99: The rear axlehousing is out! Removing the upper control arm bolts was, again, very difficult after 28 years. The bushings in the upper control arms are cracked and will be replaced. Removed the rear brake assemblies. Removed the differential from the housing. I painted the underside of the Monte with rubberized undercoating. Next is to remove the pinion gear and have new bearings pressed on the new equipment.
11/18/99: Started the "Rear End Project". Disconnected the driveshaft. Took off the rear differential cover and drained the gear oil (yuk!). Pulled the axles, they are in bad shape and will need replacement or equal. The ring and pinion gear looks almost brand new after 160,000 miles! These 12 bolt rears really last...
10/29/99: Well, the Monte runs just great! Brakes are settled in, much better braking power! And the handling is terrific! Time to attack the next part of the restoration: Rear End Upgrade with Posi, 3.73 gears, a rear disk brake set and maybe new axles... Also, I am collecting parts already for next year's engine rebuild (it will be a 383 stroker!)
10/13/99: Picked up the car from the Chevy Dealer. Good Job on the alignment and WHOA, what a difference in handling. No more sway or "steamboat effects", the car handles like a '90s car. Some brake noise, but that should go away soon.
10/12/99: Brought the car to the Chevy Dealer for alignment today.
10/10/99: The master cylinder arrived. Bench-bled the thing and installed it. Noticed slight improvement on the brakes. I guess the new rotors and pads just have to run in for some miles.
10/8/99: Ordered a new master brake cylinder as I bled the brakes again to no avail.
10/7/99: Removed and replaced the right lower control arm. Found the coil spring to be not seated correctly, so I re-installed it.
10/6/99: Removed the left lower rear control arm. Loosening the bolts was painful! Installed the new Global West control arm. Looks great!!
10/4/99: Installed Russell Speed Bleeder Screws on all wheel cylinders. Installed new rear brake shoes.
10/3/99: Took the car out of the garage for a short drive around the block. First time since 8/10/99! Front end not yet aligned, but a great improvement in handling noticed. Still not enough brake pressure. The car looks great now, back to the original ride height.
10/2/99: Installed rear coil springs. Very easy job! Brought the new starter back to Advance for a Refund. Still do not have enough brake pressure. Bled the Brakes two more times.
10/1/99: Installed another new starter that Advance gave me. Nothing! Installed my old starter, the car started like a champ! Guess the old starter has to do it for a while.
9/30/99: Brought both new and old starters back to Advance. They tested both, both were spinning fine on their machine.
9/29/99: Tried to start the car after charging the battery. Nothing! The new starter just had the voltage drop to 9 Volts, it did not turn!
9/28/99: Repaired the stripped thread with a heli coil set. Bled the brakes.
9/26/99: Installed the new, beefy front sway bar. Of course, I stripped a thread on the bushing's attachment (#$@%&!!!).
9/23/99: BUSY DAY! Installed the left lower control arm, new coil springs, brake assembly and calipers, shocks and steering linkage. The front end project is almost finished!
9/22/99: Installed the front brake lines. Filled the cracks in the front plastic inner fenders with epoxy putty (GREAT STUFF!).
9/21/99: The new front brake lines arrived! Pulled out the old lines from the master cylinder to the metering valve. Installed speed bleeder valves in the front calipers
9/11/99: Installed right front lower control arm. It was a pain to get it into the brackets!
9/10/99: Installed the new starter with heat shield
9/8/99: Pulled the starter & solenoid out, since it is engaging badly. Bought a remanufactured starter for $27. Installed upper front control arms.
9/7/99: Removed old front steel brake lines.
9/3/99: New Bushings and Balljoints are in the Control Arms. Waiting for delivery of new brake lines
9/1/99: Realized that the Monte needs a brake job. Installed the new rotors and repacked wheel bearings
8/25/99: Pre-assembled the new steering linkage (Tie rods, adjusting sleeves, idler arm, center link).
8/20/99: All old bushings and balljoints are out. Had the front control arms sandblasted and painted them with POR-15
8/15/99: All the front suspension parts are disassembled.
8/10/99: Started with the complete disassembly of the front end. Hammer and Chisel become my best friends
5/20/99: New Comp Cams Cam, timing gear, valves, lifters. realized the engine in my Monte is a non-original 307 cid :-(
4/10/99: Edelbrock Intake, Carburator and Air Filter installed
3/10/99: Got the bench seat and rear seat recovered with vinyl
2/20/99: Bought 'The Full Monte'
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