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1971 Restoration - A long road


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About 9 years ago now my father in law bought this 71 Monte Carlo, running and driving, but in need of restoration. As time has passed and he gets closer to retirement, he's lost interest, wants to put his spare income towards retirement and so the car is now coming to me in order to finish it and get it back on the road. First though, I have a garage / workshop that  needs to be built (it's about halfway done at the moment, stupid COVID + the insane cost of materials are slowing it down massively). I can't find pictures of the car when we first picked it up, although I know I have a bunch, as well as various pictures through the tear down of it. Here's where it sits currently, in need of blowing the dust off...

 

 

The bodywork and frame are all done, suspension and brakes done, transmission rebuilt, engine rebuilt (mostly). So looking at it I don't think it will take a huge amount to get it back on the road, I believe a bunch of the trim is in a barn nearby, but I need to determine what there is. I think to get it on the road I need:

Interior

Wiring

Exhaust

Drive shaft

Lights

Bumpers, trim, grill

Finish the engine - It's a 350, likely going to go with a fuel injected set up. 

 

Maybe I am missing something, I think that is the bulk of it though. I'm torn on whether to add a vinyl top, I wanted to add one, but someone mentioned that they can be problematic with regards to rust, which I'd like to avoid. It'll likely be kept garaged and not driven in the rain, so maybe it's a moot point, but still something to think about. The goal is to simply have it finished as a nice car to cruise around in, not worried about originality or performance, just want it to be back on the road where it should be. 

Once I get it here and start to work on it, I am sure I will have a ton of questions, likely beginning with what should I do first... I'm thinking either get the engine and transmission complete and in, or wiring harness. One of those, then get the exterior complete, before finally working on the interior. 

So, hopefully, in the not too distant future this will be back on the road.

 

 

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Looks like you have a good start on your project. Love the color. I would think the engine and trans in first. Good luck with getting the car back on the road....

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Looks great! Getting to drive it even just up and down the street helps to get things going. Good luck and take lot's of pictures.

 

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Welcome! Your father in law gave you a great start. I personally would purchase new wiring harnesses, install them and then concentrate on the drivetrain. Then finish up the outside of the car. This way it can run, drive and look good. Save the interior for last. She can still be driven with worn seats. 

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20 minutes ago, MC1of80 said:

I personally would purchase new wiring harnesses, install them and then concentrate on the drivetrain. Then finish up the outside of the car. This way it can run, drive and look good. Save the interior for last. She can still be driven with worn seats. 

That's not a bad idea, getting the engine running will feel like a huge milestone. Although at the moment, I have no seats, worn or otherwise!! 

Is this a good harness to get the majority of things up and running - https://www.opgi.com/ignition-electrical/electrical-wiring/american-autowire-classic-update-wiring-harness/wiring-harness-kit-american-autowire-classic-update-1970-72-monte-carlo-m240171.html

I forget if the car came with AC or not, will have to determine whether it did. I want to say yes, just can't remember right now for certain. I should grab a picture of the garage that it will eventually end up in (hopefully, with a 65 Mustang that is currently in need of everything thanks to the previous owner letting it sit and rot for 20 years).

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I agree wiring first. Before you put the engine in get the firewall all set up. Inside and out.  The a/c box is not fun to do with a loaded engine compartment. It’s going to be rough enough with the fender and wheel wells in. I just did a 71 “ my 71 restoration project “ in the general section. I have over 1200 pictures of tear down and reassembly so if you need any let me know. Don’t put the front and rear  glass in yet save that for one of the last things. That way you can work the the holes. So much easier for dash work. Don’t worry about asking too many questions. That’s what we enjoy doing. There are a bunch of people with a heck of a lot more experience than I have. Please read , listen and learn and if we put something out there that you don’t understand ask more questions. The group is very patient ( in print lol). Good luck. 

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Hi Harry, It really looks like you have a great start on this project.  It looks like there is some pretty heavy metal flake in that paint, bet it looks great in the sunlight.  

I also agree with doing the wiring with no engine installed.  I see you are in Virginia.  You may want to drive up to Carlisle at the end of June where we will be having our Eastern Meet at the Carlisle Events GM Nationals.  They have a swap meet there too.  It would be a good place to meet a large number of our members and see a lot of First Gen Monte's.

rob

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Heading up to Carlisle is not a bad idea at all, I've been up there the last 2 years for Ford Nationals, but it makes perfect sense to check out the swap meet for GM parts in June. I'll have to see about heading up for that, the Ford swap meets are huge and I imagine the GM one equally so. Will just need to make sure I at least get some idea of what I need before heading up.

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4 hours ago, abcdefghii said:

Heading up to Carlisle is not a bad idea at all, I've been up there the last 2 years for Ford Nationals, but it makes perfect sense to check out the swap meet for GM parts in June. I'll have to see about heading up for that, the Ford swap meets are huge and I imagine the GM one equally so. Will just need to make sure I at least get some idea of what I need before heading up.

One of our members, Jared, has a good number of parts and he is coming to the meet.  You may want to touch base with him to see if there is anything he could bring with him.  

rob

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Yep, welcome Harry, a real fine machine there, start plugging away.. nice color! Hope to see you in Carlisle, youl get  good advice there also...

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Welcome Harry!!!!   She looks great, i love the blue, and the flake!!!   Your father in-law gave you a diamond right there.   

Don't stop asking questions, we love to answer them.  Maybe you will make Carlisle, love to see/meet you there.

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Welcome!! My car doesnt have AC but I would probably install the evap and then put the motor and tranny in that way when you do you harness a major part is in and can be hooked up. Just my thoughts. 

Great lookin car!! 

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  • 4 months later...

Well, my garage is finally at the point that I could move the car up here...

 

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The garage door is scheduled for install sometime in late October, for now I put the Monte on dollies and turned it sideways behind the Mustang. Going to pick up some sound deadening soon and start that on the Monte Carlo, then will pick up a wiring harness to get that in. After that I will likely try to get the engine and trans back in, then fuel / brake lines and so on. 

So, not much in the way of progress, but at least now it is in my posession.

 

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Thanks for the update.  Just a suggestion, wouldn't it be easier to install the fuel and brake lines Before the Engine and Transmission.  Nothing in the way that way.

rob

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Thinking about sound deadening, while I don't want to go crazy with it, I at least want a reasonable amount done - thinking floor, firewall, doors, trunk and maybe roof, does 100sq ft of material sound like it should cover the majority of that? Looking at using liquid deadener from somewhere like Second Skin (used their products in my Volvo, nice quality stuff). A 5 gallon bucket is about $400 and covers 100sq ft, Not looking for the car to be dead silent, just not excessively loud when it comes to road noise either. 

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  • 1 month later...

The Mustang has been taking up my time lately (rear end swap and all the suspension as well as other little bits and pieces) but I want to do something with the Monte Carlo. Some annoying medical expenses have meant I cannot buy any new parts, but I still want to do something. 

Having said that, I have a steering column here for it. Is it possible to install that now? Will it be a problem if I install that now when the time comes to put the engine back in? Or is it good to go with putting it in. Sounds stupid, but I want to do something to at least feel like I am making progress. 

If anyone has an answer to the sound deadening question above as well, that would be great. 

 

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I don't know of anyone who has used a liquid sound deadening material.  I also don't know of anyone who has used it in the trunk.  Most people use a foil backed material like Fatmat for the interior floors and interior firewall.  Getting something like a foil backed material or even a liquid into the door panels may be hard.  As far as square footage I can't answer that.

rob

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I know you want to do something. But I would hold off until the dash goes in. It will just be something in the way. The dash and all that goes with installation is a tough job and that will be in your way. Can you do it. Absolutely. 

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I fully understand wanting to do something, however I too would wait to install the steering column, as said it will be in the way and you will just double work yourself unnecessarily.  

If you really want to do something, I'm sure you have some parts that you could clean up and paint as need be. 

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