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Keith's 70 Monte build


Palmbchmonte

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I am starting this thread and not really sure where it should go in this forum.

 

I want to document and share our 70 Monte build. I guess some would call this build a Strip/Street car. We will call it our grocery getter. We live a few miles from the Palm Beach International Raceway...so it might be a little tough to resist taking it to the track 4-5 times a year. Especially since it was my wife's idea to build a go-fast car. I think she got a little bored with our last project ...restoring the 80 Z-28 to original....even she calls it a " Pig in a Prom Dress".

 

We have decided to put the original 402 numbers matching engine on the shelf. A 489 stroker is being built by Rich Jones at Redline Automotive in Davie, Fl. So far we have only decided on the forged Eagle internally balanced rotating assembly, we are still working on the fuel and air delivery. (Rich is a big fan of No2)  Most likely we will end up around 650 hp and maybe 530 Tq.....I still have to determine what the rear end gears are, I am guessing it is 3:31...but the car is stored in the container right now so crawling under it is not an option.

 

I just got the rotisserie (Atlas Auto spin) setup at my home shop so I will finally drag that ole girl out and get started this weekend. The 400 transmission will be upgraded to handle the additional power. Dash gauges will be upgraded to add tach etc. We will be adding some suspension mods to help saddle the additional power..these days with the sticky tires bad things can happen when they hook up.

 

The rest of the car we are going to TRY to keep mostly stock. There will be no resto mod body modifications. We are going to change out the bench seat for a set of buckets and console which means that we will also be changing the steering column shifter. We also will be changing the hood to a cowl hood.

 

The toughest part of this project will most likely be the complete trunk pan and rear deck removal and replacement as the car was literally forked with a loader and drug out of a barn in South Dakota. The forks smashed the fuel tank and push it up trough the rusty trunk that was leaking through the rear deck. The rest of the car is pretty straight but it had been in a front end collision at some time in its life.  The floor pans are great !! Quarters all look pretty solid...but we will see after it is stripped. There is no evidence of any type of body work being performed on this car. The car's last day on the road was in 1976, so we are looking forward to the day we bring her back to life !

 

Now we are looking for recommendations for the parts. We are familiar with the major wholesale houses, but we are looking for your experience with the manufacturer's such as AMD, Goodmark, etc and comments on the products you purchased.

 

We will need: Front fenders, fender wells or let's just say entire front clip will be required, complete trunk pan, bucket seats, console, gauges, wiring harness, fiberglass cowl hood and pin system.

 

Thanks for reading

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Keep us updated on your progress. That one would be considered too far gone to most people, it is good to see another Monte being rescued.

rob

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Mo,

It was wrecked in 1976 and the front end was gone no damage to the frame but basically the whole front clip was damaged. So somebody through some fenders and hood and a grill on it just to sell it. It had 72 Grill on it that was really nice that I sold for enough money to buy a nice 70 Grill.. but other than that I need the whole front clip. We're still establishing the budget for this restoration. I'm not sure what's going to cost but the one thing I am sure of is going to take me a long time. But I just want to do it right and I'm in no hurry.

 

So there was a question in all that long [censored] original post any preference on body part manufacturers AMD, Goodmark etc ?

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I was wondering if I can get a full trunk pan in the car without disassembling the back half of the car. I was thinking I would get the three piece but if a full pan would fit I would rather put in a full pan. Looking for recommendations from anyone who has done the complete trunk pan.

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boots ..frame is coming off this week so I thought it would be a lot easier and I should be able to do a one piece from underneath once the frame is out if the way. I was wondering about twist...no frame, no pan... i thought i better consider twist. It will be on a rotisserie I think I can stabilize it across the doors and back to rotisserie frame.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Making some progress.

 

Will be ready to put it on the rotisserie this week. (Sucks to have full time regular job)

 

Still thinking about how much the body will want to flex when I cut the trunk out and rear deck panel and there is no frame...If I am leaving the backseat panel, it should stay stable when I flip it on the rotisserie ?

 

Does anyone have any comment on their complete trunk replacement they installed ?

 

Just got my list of parts together this weekend and I have to say.... that it is pretty damn overwhelming !

There was a lot of metal I knew I would need to be replace and found a few spots I didn't know about.

Right now I am spending time researching the different body panel manufactures and that is a pain in the rear.

 

Trying to find old GM parts whenever I can ..cant go NOS or the motor budget will be hurting.

 

Most of them do not give you all the information and I have to call for metal gauges etc. so I can compare. For example Rear deck filler panel can be $49, $79, or $142.

 

So who has best quality / fit for non GM body parts?

AMD - Sherman - Goodmark - Golden Star 

 

Take a look at this 48 year old original dash pad :-) Just wiped it off with water.

Too bad the rest of the car isn't it that good of shape !!

 

Thanks 

Keith

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Update: Finally got her on the rotisserie and started paint removal. I really wanted to have it dustless blasted but it was over $ 1,200 and I kept thinking that is my motor money being spent so I went old school just like I did in the 70's, paint stripper.

 

It is amazing when you remove the old paint, the car goes from looking like an old piece of crap to looking like a nice project. 

 

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Update:

Got the tub stripped. I have to say it was not that bad using the paint stripper.

I think it was around 20 hours total to strip the tub to metal....cost less than $ 45. 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

One solid Monte from Florida? too nice. Up where we are from that would be a Great place to start from. Mine was from the doors back all replaced with good metal. Keep up the good work, It will be very nice when finished for sure!

Jim

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  • 1 month later...

might be too late to help you on the trunk floor, but I'm just finishing up mine. Buying it in pieces cost a lot more in time and money because you also have to buy all the braces, and there are 5 of them, L/R floor braces, L/R tank mounts and the front cross brace that goes between the wheel wells.  The complete floor comes with all the braces already installed. They don't make a complete trunk floor for a Monte, you have to use a chevelle piece. What I did was buy the chevelle floor, which goes from the top of the under rear seat floor all the way to the base of the tail light panel. The problem is that where the rear of the floor kicks up tp meet the tail light panel the shape is different....all A body floors are the same until you get to that area, they are all different because of the different shape of the tail light panels. I bought the part that goes from the bottom of the trunk Floor up to the tail light panel from a parts yard out west. they sold me that part and the rear floor brace for $175 shipped. Took the body off the frame, blocked it up, cut out the main sections of the floor and then spent a lot of time drilling out spot welds. I got a GoodMark piece and it fit very well...It's a big job but not complicated, I had never done one before, did it by myself and it came out very good. 

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Yes I chose to just cut out the center of the trunk pan and put in a partial 46" pan. I left all the braces intact and yes it was more difficult to do it this way but it turned out really nice. I didn't mess with the structural Integrity of the tub at all. Where the partial piece turns up the rear of the trunk pan I just cut it off where the double metal started and welded it solid.

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But if you were paying labor to strip it.. 20 hours X $45 hourly is $900 plus the cost of the stripper.

 

Dustless blasting cost me $1100 and I'm 2 weeks ahead of time when they leave.

 

This is working on customer cars.

 

But you did the work and saved the cash.

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Yes that is the difference. I enjoy it and I am in no hurry...doing it for a customer would be different.

I am getting older and it's really tough on my hands. It's hell to get old. I remember being able to sand for hours on end whenever I was younger now 4-5 hours on the weekend is all I can handle. This will be my last build so I am doing best possible I can. When I die and someone gets this car they will be glad I took the time.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have not got much farther with my bodywork....however there is a little progress with the motor !!! 

 

454 (489) 4 bolt stroker   

 

Eagle forged, balanced rotating assembly,  4.250" stroke 4340 forged crank, 6.385" 4340 H-beam full floating con rods with ARP bolts, 4032 alloy forged 18cc dome pistons (9.9:1 CR w/118cc chambered heads, file-fit moly rings, and "H" main & rod 

 

Just getting ready to order the custom ground cam... haven't come up with the exact specs yet, but it will be .600 to .630 lift, and around 250-260 degrees of duration @ .050, and 110 lobe separation. Brodix Race Rite BP RR BB2 PLUS heads CNC/Angle milled.  

 

Wont be long I will have to make that decision on fuel and electrical...most likely Fitech Power adder.

 

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Coming along nicely, forward progress is good. Keep us updated on your progress cause following along with someone else's snowball effect is priceless.

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