Paul Bell

OK guys, looking at all the major needed parts: Transmission $2,427.00 http://www.crateenginedepot.com/store/Transmission-Assembly-4L85-E-2WD-24227618-P834C0.aspx Controller: $737.50 http://www.compperformancegroupstores.co...egory_Code=ELEC Controller cable: $140.00 http://www.compperformancegroupstores.co...uct_Code=377502 Spedo converter: $300.00 http://www.bowtieoverdrives.com/catalog/catalog_inc/viewitem.php?ITEMID=3 This puts you at $3,604.50 You'll still need to mess with the driveshaft and crossmember. My transmission pros (Select Performance) thinks the trans tunnel may need to be dinged up a bit to clear the unit but I've heard elsewhere it'll clear with no problems. It'll fit into a 93 and up F body.

You'd still need a stand alone transmission controller and a speedo cable converter. There may be some mmods to the driveshaft yolk and crossmember. All together, I think yo can do the conversion with the above 4L85-E transmission for less than four grand.

I wrote: After it's all fully cured, lay on a coat of low gloss clear coat to seal and protect it. I kinda meant the low gloss clear to go on top of the splatter paint, not on the primer.

I think I got this one. As I recall, most splatter paints are water based. It would be best if you prime raw metal first. After it's all fully cured, lay on a coat of low gloss clear coat to seal and protect it.

Hey Hooter, I can’t seem to find anywhere in this thread or any thread you’ve been in what engine you’re running. Small block or big block? How much power are you producing? Rear ratio? Posi, hooking good? The 700/4L60 transmissions really aren’t all that strong. Good torque and traction and you’ll break it. It’s easy to upgrade to the 4L65E level, it replaces the input and output gear set with five pinion gears. There’s also hardened input/output shafts, thicker clutch housings, more clutch packs, etc. Even better sprags and stuff in the converter. Plenty to do BUT it’ll be costly. When it comes to transmissions, you get what you pay for. A fully beefed up unit will cost beyond $4,000.00. OR you could go one better, get a brand new GM 4L85-E. They can be had from http://www.crateenginedepot.com/store/Transmission-Assembly-4L85-E-2WD-24227618-P834C0.aspx This baby's got the five pinion gearsets also making it better than the TH400 or 4L80-E. OH yeah, go get your money back from those guys who sold you on their poor workmanship.

I know a guy that ordered a '70 Monte SS with the LS6 option checked on the order sheet. It wasn't built or delivered. He got a LS5 SS instead.

Yeah, without rear bumper guards, you should have the rear rub strip. The strip had a steel spine in it that had the bolts through to the bumper. This steel spine would rust & rot and the strips would budge and split. Their availability was limited as only a few cars (71 SS cars without bumper guards) had them. Many folks pulled off the original bumpers and installed plain ones. Some time in the mid 80's, I had sent an original rub strip to (I believe) Metro Mould in or around Chicago. From that, they made the mould that the repro rub strip is made and can be bought today. I think the spine is stainless now. Check for the air ride equipment, the lines and fittings, the valve and the shock protectors. All SS cars had this option. While your air pump is gone, the rest of the stuff should be there. Nice looking car, I think it’s real. Re-do the interior with bucket seats and the floor shifter. Not easy but it’ll really feel like a sports car. I’d love to find a triple blue 71 SS, we can all dream... I'm in The Bahamas doing a sound install for a week, it's sooo nice but no Monte's of any year so far. -Paul Bell

I destroyed a well built TH400 in my Monte as well as the 9 inch rear. If you're producing power with any size engine, and you hook good with these heavy cars, you'll surely break a TH350. I had a TH350 behind a very mild 350 engine in a '73 Impala and it broke twice. There may come a day when we can buy and install the new 6L80/6L90 in our cars. Imagine a super duty six speed auto!

This transmission problem started when you swapped to the higher stall converter? Did you do any other transmission mods? How's that hose and while you're at it, as well as the vacuum modulator? A bud of mine with a blown '66 got a converter tagged wrong. The tag was what he wanted but the unit was not.

From the factory, the sport mirror (bullet style) only came on the left side. Dual mirrors could be had but they were the chrome ones. The Chevy Nova of the same years had the same angle and mounts for the kinda flat spot on the doorskin top as the FGMC's. Find a Nova right side sport mirror with the mounting bracket and correct spacer/gasket and you'll have your correct looking dual bullet mirrors. I had done this like 20 something years ago.

The G67 air suspension option could be had with any car, any year. It was manditory with the 70/71 SS package. I have no idea if it was manditory with a 454 motor in 72. -PB

That would be my 71. It was a lot of work to mate the two hood frames together but we got the job done. It did make for a heavy hood. I would say it was about 17 years ago that we did it. It would have been alot easier to just put the CI hood skin right on the Monte hood like others have but then it wouldn't work. We started with a new Chevelle CI hood from a dealer. Paul Bell