Chevy Monte Carlo

1970 Monte Carlo

Posted on 30. Sep, 2009 by admin.

The 1970 Monte Carlo was the first Monte Carlo to ever appear. The creation of Elliot Estes, who was at that time the general manager of Chevrolet, the Monte Carlo was built mostly as a counterpart of the then-famous new Pontiac Grand Prix. The Grand Prix featured a body style with a much longer front end, and this was a huge hit with the general car-buying public. It was so popular, in fact, that it outsold its larger B body counterparts, even though the Grand Prix cost more.

Even though the Chevrolet Monte Carlo was developed, for the most part, by Elliot Estes, it was formally unveiled by the new General Manager John Z. Delorean in 1969. He had been the one responsible for bringing about the similar bodied 1969 Grand Prix in the Pontiac division, so his knowledge of the body style was pretty much one of specialist status.

The power train that shipped standard on the 1970s Monte Carlo was the 350 cubic inch (5.7 liter) Chevrolet Turbo Fire small block V8 with a two barrel carburetor. This motor was rated at 250 horsepower at 4500 rpm with 345 ft-lb of torque at 2800 rpm. This, coupled with a column mounted 3 speed manual transmission built with synchro mesh technology, helped to give the Monte Carlo a little bit of “buck” for the money. Disc brakes, which were located on the front of the vehicle, came standard with this model as well.

There were also a lot of options available for the 1970 model Monte Carlo. For one, you could get a two speed power glide automatic transmission (available on 350 engines only). There was also a three speed turbo hydramatic available, or a four speed manual. You could get power windows, variable ratio power steering, power seats, air conditioning, strato bucket seats, Rallye wheels, or even full instrumentation. A full equipped Monte Carlo, complete including all of the extras, could bring as much as $5,000, which was a lot back in 1970! But people still bought them, and loved them!

There were also several optional engines available on this year. For one, you could get a four barreled Turbo fire 350 small block V8, which was rated at 300 horsepower at 4800 rpm. There was also a Turbo fire 400 with a two barrel carburetor, which was rated at 265 hp at 7800 rpm. There was the Turbo jet 400 as well, but this is not to be confused with the Turbo fire 400. They were both different designs… while the Turbo Jet 400 was a sort of enlarged version of the 396 big block V8, the Turbo Fire 400 was a small block V8 which was more similar to the 350.

The sportiest option for any Monte Carlo this year was the 454 Monte Carlo SS. It featured a Turbo Jet 454 with a four barrel that was rated at 360 horsepower. Keep in mind that all of these horsepower ratings were made before Chevrolet made the switch to the new SAE horsepower standards.

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The Fourth Generation Monte Carlo

Posted on 25. Sep, 2009 by admin.

The Monte Carlo’s body style took on a new look in 1981, which was the first year of the fourth generation. Other Chevrolet cars took on similar visual overhauls, including the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, the Buick Regal, and the Pontiac Grand prix. The profile was much sleeker than it had been in previous years, and it would sport newer, vertical tail lights as it had in the 1970-1977 models. Available engines were pretty much carried over from the previous year, with the standard being the 229 Chevrolet built V6 with an option for a 267 V8, a 305 V8, and a 170 hp turbo charged 231 V6. Monte Carlo built about 3,000 of these turbos in 1981… Significantly fewer compared to the previous year.

1982 pretty much saw only mild changes in the Monte Carlo. All of the engines were carried over from the previous year, with the exception of the turbo charged 231 V6. This was discontinued when the Monte Carlo Turbo was discontinued. However, there were new options in the form of a 260 V6 and an Oldsmobile built 350 V8. These were both diesel engines. In this year, cars that had previously been considered A bodies were now classified as G bodies. Also, the black Monte Carlo was not offered this year. Another thing that was not offered for the first time in Monte Carlo history was a sporty interior option, complete with the Strato bucket seats. Only the standard benches were offered in 1982.

1983 saw the return of the SS model, which had not been built since 1971. This was the model that became very popular with Nascar teams, mostly because of its sleek and aerodynamic front end. 1983 offered, on its SS model, the L-69, which was a 305 cubic inch V8. This is a very treasured year for collectors, and is one of the most sought after Monte Carlos in existence.

The following year, 1884, saw the SS as a huge hit with buyers, both those from the general public and those who bought for Nascar. The Monte Carlo SS was winning on the racetrack, but it was also giving the public a little bit of the power that they had been craving since the emissions regulations back in the 1970s. This year, the Strato buckets came back as an extra cost option, and it was also the last year that you could get the 350 diesel in the Monte Carlo. There were only 168 of these even manufactured that year! But, 112,730 sport coupes were sold this year. 1984 also saw over 24,000 models ship with the SS option, the engine in which had a 5 horsepower boost from the engine shipped in the SS in 1983!

1985 saw the return of the T-top, as well as a few other cosmetic firsts. The SS model Monte Carlo was offered in black, silver, and maroon in addition to the white, and you could get pin-striping and other options as well. However, even though more new colors would emerge for the SS, the medium blue color was dropped, which would help to make this color a very sought after one by collectors in later years. The 229 V6 and the 350 V8 diesel engines disappeared for good in 1985, and were replaced by a 262 V6 that was fuel injected. Also, the V8s were outfitted with quadrajet carburetors which were computer controlled.

1986 saw four different body styles for the Monte Carlo. There was the basic sport coupe, the luxury sport model, the Super sport, and new to this year was the Aerocoupe. The Aerocoupe was more of a modified super sport body. Modifications included a rear window that was more sloped and a shorter trunk lid with a flatter spoiler. Only about 200 Aerocoupes were sold to the public in 1986.

1987 saw the elimination of the Sport coupe entirely, leaving only the SS, the LS, and the Aerocoupe to continue the legacy. There were some cosmetic modifications to the SS as well, including a smoother bumper on the back… and the Luxury Sport was outfitted for the first time with tail lamps.

1988 saw the last year of the fourth generation Monte Carlo. Appearances and mechanical components remained very similar to the 1987 models, though the Aerocoupe did not return as plans had been outlined by Chevrolet to introduce… and race… the Lumina. The last Monte Carlo with a G-body was produced on the 12th of December in 1987. It was a silver SS coupe.

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The Third Generation Monte Carlo

Posted on 10. Sep, 2009 by admin.

The third generation of the Chevrolet Monte Carlo lasted from 1978 through 1980. The first, most notable difference between these cars was a substantial downsizing in weight and size, that was mostly attributed to the fuel embargo. These Monte Carlos were 700-800 pounds lighter, and about 15 inches shorter than they had been in 1977. 1978 Monte Carlos saw an increased trunk space, and a smaller engine compartment. This year, the 350 and 400 built by Chevy for the Monte Carlo in previous years were dropped, and buyers could instead choose between either the standard 231 V6 built by Buick, or the optional Chevrolet 305 V8. The three speed manual transmission came back this year though, but you could also get the automatic as an option. If you bought the optional V8, then this automatic shipped standard. Another notable addition in 1978 was the fact that you could get a four speed manual transmission with a floor shifter with the 305 if you wanted. This would mark the first time that Monte Carlo would offer the four speed since 1971.

The 1979 Monte Carlo saw a few cosmetic changes, including a redesigned front end grille and tail lights. As far as the engine went, a new Chevrolet built 200 V6 came standard with this year, while the Buick 231 V6 stayed standard in California models. There was a brand new 125 horsepower 267 V8 optional in 1979, and Chevrolet kept the 140 horsepower 305 V8 as an option, as it did the 160 hp four barrel. The transmission remained the same as in 1978, and this would be the last year that Chevrolet would even offer the manual transmission on the Monte Carlo.

The 1980 Monte Carlo saw the automatic transmission become the standard on all Monte Carlo Models. Also, the Chevrolet built 229 V6 ended up replacing both the 200 V6 and the Buick engine used for the 78 models, though cars sold in California did retain the Buick built motor. Also, a new option was added this year in a 231 turbo charged V6 that was rated at 170 horsepower. Other options included a the 267 and the 305… Both were V8 small blocks and both offered up to 155 horsepower. About 13,800 Monte Carlos were built with the turbo charger this year.

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The Second Generation Monte Carlo

Posted on 31. Aug, 2009 by admin.

1973 saw the first year of the second generation for the Monte Carlo, and some changes were definitely noticeable. First of all, it was no longer a hardtop. Second, it included dual headlights, lined up on the outside of the new egg crate grille on which Monte Carlo was displayed as an emblem. Also, the large bumper on this model was a federally mandated 5 mph bumper that was required as a result of the 1973 federal safety standards overhaul for motor vehicles that had passed. The standard engine to ship on the 1973 Monte Carlo was the 145 horsepower 350 Turbo Fire V8. There was also an optional 175 horsepower V8 with a four barrel, as well as a 454 V8 rated at 245 horsepower. This model set a new record for Chevrolet sales, selling nearly 250,000 models.

The 1974 Monte Carlo was pretty much the same as the previous year’s model, though the larger bumper was also added to the back and slimmer vertical tail-lights spruced up the back end. A three speed manual transmission was pretty much the stable equipment shipped on these Monte Carlos, though there was an automatic transmission option with the larger 400 and 454 engines. Official records show, however, that most Monte Carlos of this year shipped with the Turbo Hydra Matic Transmission. It is interesting to note that, despite the oil embargo on Arab oil in 1974, which made lines at the gas station long and prices high, the Monte Carlo managed to set a new record for Chevrolet with 300,000 units sold.

1975 saw the arrival of the Catalytic converter which was needed to meet the new California emissions requirements, which cost consumers more in the way of lower octane unleaded gasoline, but helped out with fuel economy, spark plug life, and also muffler life. The engines in 1975 were basically carried over from the previous year, except that GM’s high energy electronic ignition was made standard equipment. Also, the 454 V8, due to California regulations, was no longer sold in California. For this part of the country, the 400 four barrel was the most powerful engine available in a Monte Carlo. 1975 also saw a plusher interior, and swiveling strato bucket seats were optional.

1976 saw a new 140 horsepower 305 two barrel V8 ship as the standard on the Monte Carlo, though the 145 horsepower V8 350 two barrel and the 175 horsepower 400 V8 were both optional. California vehicles got a 165 horsepower 350 with a 4 barrel carburetor as the base engine, but this engine was not available in the other states. The Turbo Hydramatic transmission became standard on all 1976 Monte Carlos, and the big block 454 V8 was discontinued.

1977 saw the last year of the 1973 vintage design, as the next year would see a downsized 1978 Monte Carlo. Only two engines were offered in 1977 for the Monte Carlo, and these were the 140 horsepower 305 2 barrel V8 and the 170 horsepower 350 with a four barrel. This year, the 400 V8 was dropped as an option, and the Turbo Hydramatic transmission was included as standard.

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