Nick H.

I have heard the same about the Sniper EFI from someone else I was talking to about this, but they suggested that I may be better off just sticking with the carb, and that my low efficiency is likely caused by a poorly tuned/adjusted carb or ignition. The Sniper setup I bought is still in the box, I haven't started the install yet. I may try to recoup some of my money, it was a pretty expensive setup, but I'd rather "buy once, cry once" as they say. I was planning to go with EFI and electronic ignition, in the hopes that the combination would help reduce detonation more effectively. It's already got an MSD electronic distributor, but that's just a standalone ignition setup that was supposedly "top-of-the-line"... 30 years ago. I'm going to list the Sniper EFI kit for $900obo, see if I get any interest. I paid just under $1,400 shipped in 2021, but it sells for $1,200 now, so I figure 25% off is probably the best I can hope for out of it. I just don't know nearly enough about this kind of thing to really make the best decisions on my own. I can fix just about anything on a car, but engine building is something I've got zero experience with. 😭 I currently have tailpipes that dump shortly after the rear axle. I'd consider extending the tailpipe either out the rear, or out the side just ahead of the rear bumper. The car sounds good, it's just SUPER loud. The stereo (factory single-speaker AM/FM/8-track) is useless with the engine running, and carrying a conversation is impossible. It's likely that I'll pull the interior to install some Dynamat or similar sound deadening material, that should help a bit, but I'm hoping to stop setting off my neighbor's car alarms by driving down the road (with a 3200rpm stall converter, there's no way to "idle" down the road sadly) I'm going to do some more research on EFI setups, and I'll reach out to the manufacturers I've been looking at for heads, and see what they suggest. I'm leaning toward a port EFI system instead of TBI, but if I can get this beast to run on pump gas with the current carb, it's likely I'll just go that route. Old pics are in the linked thread above, the car hasn't really changed much since then, unfortunately. I'll be grabbing more pics along the way though, and I'll be sure to share them here!

I posted here 11 years ago looking for advice on my dad's '70 MC, trying to make it more street-friendly. Problem was, I was 25 at the time, and simply didn't have the income to support the changes that I needed to make. So the car sat. And sat. And sat some more. It was garaged the whole time, and I've started it up every once in a while to keep things from seizing up, but it still needs some work before I'd consider it road-worthy. I have made progress in my career, and I have the income to finally get moving on the car. I started buying parts a few years back, and I'm hoping to get the car on the road this summer if possible, just wanted to run my plan by the folks here for a sanity check. First, details of the engine as it sits: 468 BBC 4 bolt main 12.5:1 static CR (Dad said it had "12.5:1 pistons", still don't know what that's supposed to mean) Closed-chamber iron heads - some machining done @ rebuild time, but I have no details. Holley 850DP Carb w/ no choke Offenhauser intake Hooker shorty headers 3" dual exhaust w/ h-pipe Crane CC-314-2 cam (cam card details below): Lift: Intake @ Cam: .3334 @ Valve: 567 Lift: Exhaust @ Cam: .3468 @ Valve: 590 Rocker Arm Ratio: 1.70 Advertised Duration @ .0136 Tappet Lift: Intake: 314 Exhaust: 324 TH350 trans, professionally rebuilt w/ shift kit 3200rpm stall converter (I think? Not entirely sure, my memory is fuzzy) The plan: Replace heads w/ open chamber aluminum heads (still looking for these) EFI retrofit - Holley Sniper EFI kit w/ Sniper EFI fuel tank (Already have the EFI kit, ordering the tank/pump soon) Electronic ignition (Holley Sniper 2? Hoping that this will further mitigate detonation, but not set on the specific model, as I haven't ordered this yet) Replace headers - Current shorties are shot, rust holes on primaries. Already have a set of Hooker stainless long tubes. New mufflers - Current 3" duals w/ fake flowmasters is loud enough to set off car alarms from 20 yards, I'd like to be able to hold a conversation while driving. I know, I'm being demanding. Serpentine belt retrofit - Not really for any performance purpose, just would prefer to only worry about 1 belt, and the v-belts tend to squeal on cold starts, from what I recall. My goal: Get the car to a place where it can run on pump gas. I was told years ago by the mechanic that did the cam break-in that this engine requires minimum 105 octane leaded, currently run 110 Turbo Blue race gas (not street legal. This car is the opposite of inconspicuous - Bright yellow, 4" cowl induction hood, and an exhaust note that wakes the dead. I'm going to start turning wrenches soon. Hoping that this plan will be enough to run 93 octane without pinging. Car's been sitting for quite a while, so before I start the car again, I'll be replacing all filters and fluids. It will also need new tires before it sees the street, the BFGoodrich Radial T/A's that are on it are like new, but VERY old. Fronts were replaced in 2010, rears are at least 25 years old. Once the mechanical work is done, the car will be going in for body and paint work, probably next spring, and I'll probably pull the seats and drop them at the upholstery shop for new padding and vinyl (already have that too, thanks Dad) My question is this - The original advice I received in 2013 wasn't entirely consistent. Do you think the plan I've outlined will succeed? Am I missing anything? Any other parts I should replace while I'm under the hood?

Alright, what about the clutch? Will the f-body clutch work? How about the speedometer?

Guys, I'm looking for a little input here. . . I have decided that it's time to cut down my "collection" a bit, and I want to make my Monte a bit more enjoyable to drive. It currently has a built TH350 behind a 468BBC. It's fun to drive, but it is terrible on gas, and I think I would really enjoy banging gears in this car. Now, one of the cars I'll be getting rid of is a '94 Firebird Formula with the LT1/T56. I plan on parting the car out, but I've been told that the T56 will bolt right up to the BBC in the Monte. I have a few questions. As far as I know, I won't need a bellhousing, the input shaft is the same, and everything will line up properly. Will the LT1 flywheel/clutch setup work? Can I use the Firebird tunnel to modify the Monte trans tunnel for the shifter to fit through? Will I need to get Monte specific pedals, or can I use the Firebird pedals/master-slave cylinder setup? Is it possible to use the SS console with a manual transmission, and how far off will the opening be for the shifter after installing the T56, assuming I don't relocate the engine at all? How about making the factory speedometer work with the T56? I'm going to be rebuilding the T56 with stage 2 internals from thegearbox.com, which they say will handle 600-650HP. I will also be installing a clutch that's up to the task. I am fairly certain I'll need a custom driveshaft, which isn't a problem. This is something I had talked to my Dad about before he passed away, and he thought it would be pretty cool to see it done. I'd like to keep the engine as close to the way he built it as possible, but I may need to drop the compression a bit so I can run it on pump gas. . . Any suggestions? I am parting out two LT1 Formulas, one's a 700R4 car, the other a T56 car. Most of the money is going toward paying my Mom the rest of what I owe her for the car, and I'll probably sell the TH350 to help cover the cost of any additional parts needed for the trans swap, such as the driveshaft, trans k-member, clutch, etc. I don't have a specific timeline for this project, although I would like to see the Monte Carlo back on the road within 2 years, and hopefully finished completely at that time, although I'm not going to be upset if things take longer than that. Any help is appreciated, and if anyone here has done this swap, I'd love to pick your brain for a bit about the challenges you faced. Thanks!

Thanks for the information, I will continue looking for a set of aluminum heads then. I didn't know the head composition could cause pinging. . . I'm still rather new to all of this, I've only helped rebuild engines before, when it comes to choosing parts, I've always had to ask for help. Should I go with a hydraulic roller cam instead of the mechanical that's in it? Maybe something a little more mild? Anyone know where I can find a decent deal on a set of long-tube headers? Hopefully something ceramic coated or stainless, as the mild steel headers that went on when the engine was installed have rusted through.

Here's a couple pics and a video: Pic of Dad with the engine back in '96 when he started the tear-down: And here's a link to the YouTube Video of me driving it out of the garage after doing some work in January 2010, getting the car ready to be driven to Dad's funeral.

I like the idea of the gear vendors overdrive, essentially turning the 3 speed TH40 into a six speed with .78 overdrive ratio. . . Hard pill to swallow though, that's almost half what I paid for the car. Worth considering though, and I will look into it.

Well, I went out to fire the car up today, put a new battery and cables in it, and got her to fire up without doing anything but cranking and pumping the gas pedal a few times. Bad news: Passenger side header primary on cylinder 3 (or 2, not sure which side is #1) has a rust hole in it about the size of a dime. Time for new headers. I'll get them ordered after new tires go on, I found some hooker full-length ceramic coated headers for $400 (same as what's on the car, but coated rather than uncoated). Need a new battery tray also, can't find mine. Found a new stamped tray, with hold down, tray support bracket, and bolts for $75. Probably get that ordered too. Also, I mentioned before in another thread that I needed a new left quarter glass, as someone broke mine out. . . Well, I popped open the trunk, and what do you know, there's a full set of factory glass at the bottom of the pile of body trim and moldings! I already had the glass! Heading back home this morning, should have a few days next week or the week after to continue parting out my Firebird, and I'll make some progress on the Monte. Starting to get excited! Also, I had a guy offer me a set of ported oval-port iron heads for $300, he says they have larger valves than stock, and are ready to bolt on. I'm waiting on the specs, but is there any reason why I should shy away from iron heads, aside from the weight?

You should be fine with some stock replacement rotors in that case. Delco rotors w/ hubs are $43.79+shipping on RockAuto.com, and you can find discount codes online to save even more. O'Reilly Auto Parts has "BrakeBest" brand rotors available at $57.99 each w/ hub, so ordering online is going to save you money AND get you a better part. These parts were looked up for a '70 454 Monte Carlo, although I imagine they are the same parts, regardless of drivetrain. Do you have rear disc brakes too? Or are you running stock equipment? One thing to consider, on a street-only car, you won't gain much by going with a drilled and/or slotted rotor. They can actually cause issues if used in a car that only sees the streets. The slotted rotors will increase the wear rate of your brake pads, and while increasing initial "bite" a small amount, you likely won't notice a significant improvement over a stock-style blank rotor. The best way to improve braking performance, IMO, is to research the pros/cons of the different brake pad and rotor options available, and decide what you are willing to compromise with. Is excessive brake dust a concern? Brake noise? If you aren't going to drive the car hard (i.e. racing events), you don't really need anything more than a blank rotor and some decent pads. I run semi-metallic pads and stock rotors in my '94 Formula, and the brake performance has never left me wishing for more. Granted, that's a completely different animal, but regardless, gaining an understanding of how it all works, what pads/rotors offer as benefits (and drawbacks) over one another, and choosing the best fit for your driving style is the best option. Hope that helps. I remember reading a VERY detailed article explaining the braking systems, differences between different types of pads and rotors, and explaining which work best for different types of driving. If I can find the link, I'll post it here for you.

Cam Specs are (posting as shown on cam card) Lift: Intake @ Cam: .3334 @ Valve: 567 Lift: Exhaust @ Cam: .3468 @ Valve: 590 Rocker Arm Ratio: 1.70 Advertised Duration @ .0136 Tappet Lift: Intake: 314 Exhaust: 324 It's a Crane Cams CC-314-2. The card describes the cam as: ROUGH IDLE, MODERATE PERFORMANCE USAGE, GOOD MID-RANGE H.P. I'm not sure what the actual CR is, Dad always referred to the pistons as "12.5:1 Pistons", so I'm sure that is just the static compression ratio. I'm probably going to try to take it to a tuner to have everything dialed in, and find out what kind of fuel was required. I've been told 105 is the lowest I could safely run in the car, but honestly, I really have no idea how accurate that statement was. It may already be able to handle 93 No-Lead, but I won't know unless I pay someone to figure the engine out. I'll post the head casting #'s when I go home a week from Tuesday. I'll likely be tossing another $50 worth of Turbo Blue in it just to get it moving around the driveway again, get the shift linkage adjusted, and start reassembling the engine compartment.

That's what I thought it was. I'll get that taken care of when I go home. Is there any place where I can order a replacement parking brake cable? The brakes in this car need work regardless, but the rear drums I don't believe have been touched. I'll likely wind up replacing with discs at some point, but that's not a priority at the moment.

Just trying to figure out what I need to do to fix this. Car has a TH400 (maybe a TH350, not sure at the moment), and when it's parked, simply putting the trans in "Park" won't keep the car from rolling. Any incline/decline at all will overcome the parking gear, and the car will roll, and the trans makes a "clicking" noise, almost like a ratchet. I'm guessing it's either an adjustment issue in the trans shifter cable that isn't putting the car all the way into park, or there is something wrong with the trans itself, but you all would know better than I would. Trans was rebuilt, has a shift kit, and works flawlessly in all gears and reverse. Car was originally a column shifter/bench seat car, was swapped for buckets and a console w/ horseshoe shifter before the trans rebuild. Never had issues before the trans rebuild, but I was in High School when the trans was re-installed, and I don't recall exactly what Dad did to adjust the shift cable or anything else when we did it. All I know, I want to take the brick out of the back seat, so I need to be able to make the car stay where I park it, whether that's through repairing the park issue in the trans, or repairing the parking brake. Any ideas? I'll be home in 2 weeks, planning on getting the battery cables re-installed, putting the inner fender wells back in, getting it started up, and doing some thorough cleaning. Still working on a plan for the project, but those are the first things I'm going to do. If there's anything I need to check when I have access to the car, I'd like to know what/where to look while I'm there. I'm only going to be able to work on it 6 days a month until I get a place with a garage.

I'm going to look through my records and see if the head specs are in there. I'll also grab the cam card, and see if I can find out what pistons are in it. I was trying to figure out the final CR last night, and I just don't have enough of the information to figure it out. Are the casting numbers under the valve covers? Or are they elsewhere on the heads? I just want to know if I need to pull the covers to figure out what they are. Originally Posted By: ripleydale Hey Nick, I was under the impression you didn't want to sell the motor, so if it would just be sitting and doing nothing, I thought it might be better to rebuild it. I think you could make a nice motor and replace your torque converter for $3500, and you could sell some of the parts you pull from the motor. Open chamber heads will drop the compression and solve some of your gas problems. If you do it, make sure you check the piston to head clearance. I remember doing that to a 396 once upon a time and the dome of the piston was just catching an edge of the combustion chamber. I have a feeling that band aids like a head swap aren't going to make you happy. That engine and drive train were designed for racing, not cruising or gas milage. I agree, which is why mileage isn't my primary concern. Well, it is, and it isn't. I want better gas mileage, but only because it costs me so much to drive the car. If I could get around 10-12mpg on 93 octane, I'd be happy. As the car sits, it costs FAR too much to drive. After running the numbers, it comes out to $3.83/mile just in fuel costs alone, assuming the current price of $6.99/gallon for 110 Leaded fuel, and the cost to drive 50 miles each way in my daily to purchase fuel. Add to that the fact that a FULL 19 gallon tank of fuel in the Monte Carlo will only get me 38 miles during city driving, and it's a ridiculously impractical car. At 10mpg on 93 octane no-lead, which is currently $3.89/gallon, it would only cost me $73.91 to fill the tank, and I'd have a range of 190 miles/tank. It's a no-brainer. Not to mention, from what I've read, open-chamber heads are MUCH more free-flowing than the closed chambers that are on the car. My only objective is to make the car run on pump gas, any increase in fuel economy is merely a bonus. At 2MPG, I'll still drive it to shows, cruise around town when I'm at home, and enjoy the car, but at 10mpg, I'll do the same, further away from the garage. haha And I will admit, I have a lead foot. It's not just going to be "cruising" all the time, I'll take it to the strip to see what she can do, go on "spirited" drives, etc., but by and large, I simply want to be able to enjoy the car.

Before I sink money into heads, I just want to make sure they will solve the fuel issue, as I would hate to spend the time/money on them, only to find out that I'm still in race gas territory, and it won't run on pump gas. Dropping the compression like that, would I need to replace the carb as well? It has a Holley 750 double pump carb on it now, would that be too much after dropping the compression to 10.5:1? It would need re-jetted obviously, but would it be too much carb for the engine at that point?

Thanks, I'll look into it. Any idea what it would cost? I'm guessing I'm probably around 600-700hp right now, but the car has GOBS of torque, and I really don't want to try launching just to hear the trans grenade on me. The TH400 was built to handle the power, but 3 gears isn't doing it for me, as far as gas mileage is concerned. Once I drop compression and get everything set up right, I think I should still be around 500hp, and still have gobs of torque, but at this point, keeping the BBC in place is going to limit my budget, as the cost of the parts was going to be determined by what I was able to sell the whole drivetrain for. Any ideas on the compression issue? Can a set of open chamber heads and some thicker head gaskets really drop the compression by 2 points? Seems like a bit more than you'd expect, but I guess the open chamber heads really are that much different. Just want to make sure before I spend the money, you know?

I bet the biggest detractor from the fuel mileage in this car, besides the high compression, is the stalled TH400 behind it. . . Is there an easier 6-speed to swap in that can handle the power output of the BBC, or is the T56 about the only one that can do it? I had considered a Richmond 5 or 6 speed, but I don't know much about them. I know the T56 can be built to handle upwards of 800hp, which is why I was going to go that route.

Yeah, but how will the mileage be? I live about 2 1/2 hours from where the car is kept, when I go home, I'll be driving the Monte Carlo almost exclusively, only on nice days. If it got good enough gas mileage that I could drive it home for a week and drive it to work until I go home next, I would do it. I know a BBC isn't going to get great gas mileage, but I'm hoping for better than 10MPG on pump gas. I don't beat on the car, because honestly, it scares the crap out of me. It's the fastest car I've ever driven, and it simply roasts the tires off without even trying. I've never gone full throttle in it, I've never raced in it, I've never gone over 55mph in it. It's simply too much engine for what I intend to do with it, which is just cruise around and think of all the memories of working on it with Dad. Another consideration, this engine is brand new, has less than 100 miles, and was designed and broken in by 2 people, one is well-known in the local racing community, and the other is a retired GM engineer who specializes in engine development and research. Top-Shelf parts were used in the build, the break-in was done properly, and I have receipts for everything, including the block. I could easily sell this engine for $3,500-$4,000. That would more than cover an LQ9 with all the wiring and ECM, as well as a used LS1 T56. Sell the built TH400 for another $800-$1,000, which would cover the other incidentals, like engine mounts, trans mount, tuning, driveshaft, etc., and I'm not going to any expense at all, I'll probably have some money left over, to be honest. A 6-speed, however, was something we had discussed before he died, he thought it was a great idea, so I plan on doing that, but it'll cost me at least $2k for the parts, plus I'll need a new driveshaft, trans crossmember, and a way to convert the speedometer to electronic, unless there's a way to convert the T56 to mechanical. . .

Will compression drop by a full 2 points with just a head swap? What will the gas mileage be like? I'm liking the idea of an LQ9 build, since it will make power, have a newer engine that's proven reliable, and it will get much better mileage. I'd rather be able to enjoy driving the car without stopping at every other gas station, but if I could see double digits out of the big block, I'll just go that route. Any idea what kind of cost I'm looking at for heads?

I would consider it, but this one has some sentimental value, if you know what I mean. Dad's gone, and this is the engine that he and I built for this car. If I do anything with the car, it's likely going to be a mild SBC with a 6 speed manual behind it. Even then, the car is unlikely to be driven much. I'm not sure how many miles are on it, but I know it's low, and I'd like to keep it that way. The car was originally a 350 SBC car, Dad bought for $500 from a junkyard. Southern car, no rust, fantastic shape, but showing it's age. He drove it for 2 years, then blew the motor. We took it down to bare metal, fixed every dent, ding, and crease in the metal the old fashioned way, and it was repainted. He bought a 4 bolt main 454 truck block for $650 in 1996, and we built the engine over the next 2 years. Those 2 years were probably the most influential in my education about the mechanics of the internal combustion engine. By the time I was in 5th grade, I could look at a part from inside a BBC, tell you what it was, where it went, what it did, and what other parts were connected to it. This is the engine that I learned how to build engines with, I don't think I could bring myself to sell it. 10mpg on pump gas is a LOT better than 2mpg on race gas. If it's going to take an LS engine to make this thing streetable and economical enough for an occasional weekend cruise, I'll see what I can find for a 5.3 or 6.0 truck block to rebuild. I will say, a twin turbo 5.3 LSX backed by a built T56 would be a pretty fun drivetrain, but it kind of defeats the purpose of selling off all of my LT1 vehicles to get back to my old-school roots. . . Arrgh, why does this have to be so darn complicated?

Not opposed to swapping converters, but my plan is to eventually go with a T56 6-speed behind the 468. If I can't accomplish decent drivability through the 468, even if I do change pistons, I'll go with a standard small block. The car currently isn't driven, it's seen the road maybe 50 miles in the last 10 years. I just want to be able to drive it to car shows, go for the occasional sunday cruise, and have some fun with it every once in a while. It's not going to be an everyday driver, I just want to be able to get gas for it locally, and make it from gas station to gas station without running out. haha I LOVE the torque of the Big Block, but the car was originally a SBC car, so I'm not opposed to swapping out. If I could get this thing to hit 18-20mpg highway, I'll be happy. City mileage isn't as much of a concern, as it's only going to be driven maybe 250-500 miles a year tops. Heck, at 2mpg, that's still only about $1500 a year in fuel. . . lol

Hey guys, it's been a while since I've been here. I finally convinced Mom to sell me Dad's Monte Carlo. It was a father-son project car for many years, and we enjoyed working on it together from when he purchased it in 1993 until his death in 2010. It still isn't finished, but I know when Dad built it, he wanted it driven, not just stared at and wiped down every few weeks in the garage. . . Which seems to be what has become of it. Anyway, when we rebuilt the new engine, we went a little over the top with it, and it is a bit less street-friendly than I'd like. It's got a 468 BBC 4 bolt main block, 12.5:1 CR, with closed-chamber heads and a big lumpy cam. Holley 850 double pump carb, Offenhauser intake, Hooker headers, with true duals through Flowmaster's, 3" all the way back. The car is an absolute beast, always starts on the first turn of the key (2 pumps of the gas pedal, turn the key, fires right up, no choke), and scares the bejeezus out of me. Roasts the tires under light acceleration (thanks to a big converter), and averages 2MPG city. I'm not kidding, you read that right. I drove it 36 miles in 2010, and it took 18 gallons of Turbo Blue leaded 110 octane race gas to do it. I'd like to get this thing to run reliably on pump gas, and double-digit fuel economy would be fantastic. My question is, would a set of open-chamber heads and thicker head gaskets lower compression enough that it could be run on Premium No-Lead pump gas? I'm also seriously considering new rear gears and possibly a trans swap down the road to improve mileage, but right now, I'd really love to be able to put gas in it at the gas station down the road, rather than having to load up 4x 5 gallon gas cans and drive 15 miles to get Turbo Blue, drive back, pour it in, and make it to the corner before I have to do it all again. Anyway, what all would I need to do to get this thing running on pump gas? How much could I drop compression with open-chamber heads and thicker gaskets? I'm thinking my target CR is around 10.5:1, which SHOULD allow me to run 93 octane. Your thoughts?

Thanks a lot for the links and info! My plan was to re-pin the PCM from the Camaro to work alone, without input from the BCM or any other computers in the Camaro. I would be using LT1 F-Body headers with the O2 sensor bungs already in place. As far as I can tell, re-pinning and re-tuning the PCM to operate only the engine would be my best bet, it would be more cost-effective, yield better fuel economy than switching to a carb setup or any other option, and I would be able to use more of the stock LT1 parts. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have AC in an LT1/T56 1st gen Monte, but it would cost ridiculous amounts of money to accomplish it, and it's really not that much of a concern, since I live in Michigan. I'm still waiting for a response from the guy selling the roller. He was more interested in trades than anything, but if I could get him to name a cash price, I'd be in better shape. I have 2 LT1 cars right now, a '93 Firebird Formula Hardtop with the LT1/700R4 (needs head work, doesn't run very well) and the '94 Camaro Z28 with the LT1/T56 (runs great, but the PO lost control and skidded sideways + backwards into a ditch at 50mph) So far, the body work to repair the rust damage on the 'bird is gonna run around $300, and the frame work and rocker panel replacement for the Camaro is estimated at $1000 without paint work. I'd rather have a badass old-school muscle car than drive something mediocre that everyone sees daily. And to be honest, $800 is a VERY attractive price, I was looking to swap a 6 speed in place of the TH350 behind the 468bbc in Dad's Monte, and the cheapest trans I could find (just the trans, nothing else) was going for $1400.

I haven't been around here for a while, I actually completely forgot about the site during my cars' hibernation for the winter months. Now that spring is in sight, I'm starting to get ideas. . . Anyway, I wanted to know if this idea I had has ever been done. . . I found a '70 Monte roller (original BBC car), in primer, and I'm waiting for a response to see what the guy is asking for it. I picked up a wrecked '94 Z28 Camaro with a low-mileage LT1/T56 REALLY cheap last month, and my mind started thinking LT1/T56 + Monte Carlo = AWESOME Summer DD. I don't really need AC, none of my current vehicles have it, and the powertrain would be somewhat modern, so after all the kinks are worked out, it should be a pretty reliable vehicle. I know it would be heavy, get crappy gas mileage, and probably take a LOT of work to make it happen, but honestly, I can't really risk taking Dad's Monte out on the roads, it seems like I have a near-death experience. Someone either cuts me off, gets distracted by the Monte and nearly hits it, or people park too close for comfort in parking lots. I'd really like to avoid all of that hassle by making a clone of the car, that could be enjoyed more often, without feelings of guilt if it were to be damaged. As far as I can tell, I have MOST of what it would take to make the swap work. Engine/Trans are complete, I could make everything out of the Camaro work in a Monte Carlo, but I would need to fabricate engine mounts/crossmember, trans crossmember, have a driveshaft made, new radiator brackets, and the stock mechanical gauges would have to be swapped out for some aftermarket options that will work with the newer engine/trans. Exhaust would also be on the list, but I think the placement of the headers under the car would really make a clean true dual setup based on the stock exhaust VERY easy to accomplish. I'm not looking to break any records with the car, just make something reliable and fun to drive during the summer months. So, do any of you guys know of anyone who has made this happen before, or have suggestions? It's not etched in stone, I would need to come up with money to buy the roller first (assuming he's not crazy and asking $5k for it as it sits), and accumulate parts to make it happen, but if I can pull it off, I'll need all the help I can get with the logistics. . .

I just wish I could have been there for him the last couple of years. I was away in the Army while his health was declining. The best thing I can do now is take care of the family he left behind and remember him the best way I know how. I don't think I'm going to put a hood spear on it, it just wouldn't look right with a 4" cowl and racing stripes. I wouldn't mind doing something with the grille emblem though, the idea of the hood spear and emblem was a REALLY cool idea.

I have Dad's DOB and DOD in a tattoo on my arm, I'm probably going to get a vanity plate made for the car, but I wanted to do something more permanent. I'll probably do the ashes in the paint. Seems like it would be pretty simple, relatively safe (I don't think it'll have any adverse effects on the finish, especially with all the prep and finish work I'll be doing). Even if there were fish-eyes or orange peel in the paint, it would make a good conversation piece at shows.