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What did you do to your Monte Carlo today?


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While it's not a rocket ship(yet)it sure is fun as hell to drive it like I stole it. I did get a better set of winter tires some 235/60R15 Cooper Cobra's that I'll alternate with the 17/18" Torque Thrust II's and BFG Sport Comps61201177_10156717296794006_7408628262714212352_n.jpg.c75c20bbc34a8c2995dc5d96f895002c.jpg

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I FINALLY got my brakes working good. I have Wilwood six piston front front calipers, four piston rears. Wilwood first said to use their 1" master cylinder but the pedal dropped a long way before and braking action started. They said go to their 1-1/8" master, it was barely better. They have nothing larger.

After a little research and a little effort. I tried a 2010 full size van master cylinder, it has a 1-5/16" bore. Success! I have a great pedal! One less thing.

Something else I learned, speed bleeders are brilliant!

Master Cylinder.jpg

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Had what appears to be an intake manifold gasket go bad and it dumped antifreeze into the engine. At first I thought it was a head gasket but after I took the intake off the gasket was shot so I did a compression check and everything checked out there. So I'm going to replace the intake gasket and keep my fingers crossed.

Steve

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I WAS gonna buy the Restomod tank from Rick's Tanks, it has the ring to use a modern GM fuel module/pump BUT they sold out. Apparently, a batch was custom made for them to their spec and they sold out-and they're not getting any more. šŸ˜Ÿ

SO, I bought a new standard tank on Amazon and a fuel module ring kit from Rick's. It comes with a hole saw!

Today I installed the tank. Tough all day job, on my back, working alone. Everything hurts, I'm too old for this! Finally got it done.

The pump is a ZL1 Camaro pump, good to 830hp at 55psi. Non-return. I'm using a VaporWorx PWM controller to maintain my needed 55psi and keep the pump current and heating down-just like a modern car.

TANK.jpg

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Been cleaning the undercoating and 47 years of dirt from the floor pans and frame....loads of fun. Plenty more to do. Hope to have the body off before I go back to work next week.

On a side note, noticed the driveshaft seemed a bit too long when I removed it, Barely moved forward into the trans to clear the rear yoke (not good). Also seem to remember my old '72 Monte had a big steel ring around the front of the shaft, sort of like a damper that this one doesn't have (that was originally a 350/turbo 350). Anyone have a driveshaft kicking around toĀ confirm what the yoke to yoke measurement may be? This one is 54 1/4" long, center to center at the red arrows. Probably putting a different trans in anyways & will need a new driveshaft, but just curious what length should have been in there. This is a '72 402/turbo 400/12 bolt car just in case it makes a difference.

Thanks!

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Remember, you have the car on a lift, the rearend hangs low causing the distance between the trans and rearend yolk to become closer.Ā 

I have a few of the steel ring driveshafts laying around. I will try to take a measurement tomorrow for you.Ā 

My 71 402 4 speed car does not have the steel ring on it. Neither does my 71 402 auto Monte. Maybe the big block cars didn't have the ring.Ā 

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Hey guys my big block doesn't have the ring either. But I do have the 350 driveshaft that does have the ring.

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Sorry I don't have the length Joe, but I had the same problem wouldn't fit into the rear because it was hanging on lift like Tom stated.

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1 hour ago, MC1of80 said:

Remember, you have the car on a lift, the rearend hangs low causing the distance between the trans and rearend yolk to become closer.Ā 

Ā 

I think you got the backwards Tom, as the rear drops, it arcs away from the transmission.

Them diesel fumes at work, I'm sure....

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Umm sorry Paul. On the lift, the rear moves towards the transmission, making the distance less/smaller. Coil spring rear. 4 link.Ā 

Ever notice when you jack up the car in the rear how the tire is closer to the door in the rear fender well than it is on the ground?Ā 

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Installed a 3.5mm aux in on my Factory AM 8track! Since I couldn't get stations in AM around here anymore I decided to take the output wiring and wire an aux jack. 8 track still works but AM now just gets sound from the aux jack.Ā  All it takes is a couple wires and a good soldering iron

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Thanks guys! I've pulled a lot of driveshafts off on the lift, but this one just seemed unusually tight. I had to pop both u-joint caps off the rear joint to finagle the driveshaft out. If the shaft moved 3/8" to 1/2" forward into the trans, that would be generous. Certainly wasn't enough to clear the rear yoke without removing the caps. One other clue was there was a paint mark on the shaft, like it came from a scrap yard or something. That had also led to my suspicions.Ā  No damage underneath though, floors untouched & perfect, numbers match on engine &Ā trans, and theĀ rear end ID & date codes seem good. (I've hadĀ them break before andĀ they flailed around underneath, certainly left a mark or two :grin:). Odd, but who knows what happened in it's prior life, if it was replaced, and why.

That picture you have Willie is exactly what I remember the old Monte's shaft having as far as the ring. Entirely possible I replaced it when I put the 454/4 speed in the old car with the larger output shaft, and then put it back when I converted the carĀ to stockĀ before selling it. Too long ago to remember now. Certainly seems that you guys don't recall the 402 cars having the ring, so that's good info.

Ā 

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I washed it yesterday afternoon and I'm getting it on a lift this evening just to check up on few things. I dragged something going over the hump before my driveway.

I'm planning on a visit to the Bellmore train station tomorrow, my first "showing" in over two decades.

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46 minutes ago, MC1of80 said:

Hi. Measured from canter of cap to center of cap on my 402 driveshaft. Got 55 1/4". Hope this helps.Ā 

Thanks Thomas. Mine measured out to 54 1/4"...1 inch shorter, but still tight (sometimes I forget to subtract the inch if I use a metal tape measure and start at 1" though). No way mine could add an inch andĀ  still work. It looks like someone added poly motor & trans mounts , but doesn't appear to be set back at all. Did notice that the trans crossmember is bolted solid to the frame with one center bolt. Didn't they have some rubber sleeve, then a metal cap to bolt in 2 places at the frame? I see witness marks that look like it was bolted on both sides of crossmember (red arrows). Might be the poly trans mount is tall, so they eliminated the rubber mount, or they wanted it solid, so eliminated it. Another mystery. Thanks again!

Ā 

Ā 

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I bet if you look deeper, that crossmember is supposed to have the rubber isolators and someone removed them, drilled a hole in the center and bolted the crossmember in. The crossmember on my 402 4speed is like a Chevelle and mounts solid to the frame. I will look Saturday if my 402 auto does or does not have the isolators. I will also double-check my driveshaft measurement.Ā 

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I wouldn't call it a "show" but Friday nights when the weather is good lots of people bring their hot rods out and park for a few hours. I actually don't care for it, the cars are pretty close and commuters are still trying to get their cars out but there's always people I know so I'm going. Cap Tree/OBI on Sunday mornings is better. Again, not a show.

Ā 

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1 hour ago, MC1of80 said:

I bet if you look deeper, that crossmember is supposed to have the rubber isolators and someone removed them, drilled a hole in the center and bolted the crossmember in. The crossmember on my 402 4speed is like a Chevelle and mounts solid to the frame. I will look Saturday if my 402 auto does or does not have the isolators. I will also double-check my driveshaft measurement.Ā 

It looks exactly like it was rubber mounted in the past. Found the brackets and rubber inserts available online and certain it used to be that way. Even the ends of the crossmember look like it was in the rubber sleeve in its past. No biggie, easy to correct. I'm kicking the idea around of installing a 4L85 trans, and it would require a different mount anyways. I hear it's a tight fit, but doable. Open to suggestions though...pro or con.

Rear gears now are 2.73, but have a complete 12 bolt with 4.11 gearset. If I put a 4 speed auto in, the 4.10 would probably work out nice. If I re-use the T-400, then I'll want more gear out back like something between 3.42, 3.55, 3.73 maybe. Decisions.....

Thanks for taking the time to check!

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I wouldn't call it a "show" but Friday nights when the weather is good lots of people bring their hot rods out and park for a few hours. I actually don't care for it, the cars are pretty close and commutersļ»æļ»æļ»æļ»æļ»æĀ are still trying to get their cars out but there's always people I know so I'm going. Cap Tree/OBI on Sunday moļ»ærnings is better. Again, not a show.

Ā 

ill see if i catch OBI sunday. i fly in friday

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15 minutes ago, Paul Bell said:

Sunday mornings at OBI are done by 10:30, everybody comes early leaves early. After this Friday, I'm not back around until the end of the month due to work.

ill keep you posted if i go

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