GM History.Why long hood on Montes, GP's & Eldo's

[Dans '70 Z20]

Did you know the reason for Grand Prix's, Eldorado's & Monte Carlo's long hood design in 1969-70?

 

Turns out GM was planning on installing a new motor under development in them but it never came to fruition. It was a Single over head cam V12. Only (4) were made with the motor for shows and as far as he knows only one exists (I believe a Monte) in a high dollar collection. He saw pics of it a while back.

 

Got this info from Mark Sevitsky of Sevitsky's Classic and Customs. He has a book on "How to Make Your Muscle Car Handle" that is coming out in a few weeks. It is able to be pre-ordered on Amazon.com. I am sure it will include some of this unknown GM history.

 

Link to Amazon pre-order page I put in "Suspension" forum. Here is link to thread Thread for book from "Suspension" forum

[Jared Richey]

Never heard of this. But it makes since. I'm glad that never was put in production. I would like to see this 1 of 1 concept V12 Monte though. Probably worth BIG BUCKS.

[Kevin Wiles]

I'm glad that never was put in production.

 

why?

[Mike G]

That sounds cool. You could do your own if you have 65k. Doh. This guy makes a SBC v12

 

http://www.falconerengines.com/app/v12_app_1.php

 

I also saw a v12 LS1 at the 2007 SEMA show. It was in a Suburban.

 

 

[N1RND]

Speaking of unknown history of the Monte. I heard somewhere that the body design was originaly for a Cadillac. Hence the vertical tail lights. ?????????

[kc8oye]

n1rd.. I always wonderd about that myself..

 

either that.. or chevy was trying to make a radical departure from the round lights the impala had..

 

[Heckeng]

I had heard it was because GM wanted something more aerodynamic for NASCAR than the chevelles? so they took the chevelle body basically and extended the nose kind of like Ford did with the Talledega etc.

 

Maybe not I guess?

[footballubet]

Whatever GM's reason was....I'm glad they did it!

[Slaman]

A SOHC V-12 in a 1st gen... I think would have been very interesting... Supercar?

[Andy's Auto]

Did you know the reason for Grand Prix's, Eldorado's & Monte Carlo's long hood design in 1969-70?

 

Turns out GM was planning on installing a new motor under development in them but it never came to fruition. It was a Single over head cam V12. Only (4) were made with the motor for shows and as far as he knows only one exists (I believe a Monte) in a high dollar collection. He saw pics of it a while back.

 

Got this info from Mark Sevitsky of Sevitsky's Classic and Customs. He has a book on "How to Make Your Muscle Car Handle" that is coming out in a few weeks. It is able to be pre-ordered on Amazon.com. I am sure it will include some of this unknown GM history.

 

Link to Amazon pre-order page I put in "Suspension" forum. Here is link to thread Thread for book from "Suspension" forum

 

No no no, that is incorrect. The long hood was in response to the big block guys who liked to see that left front fender lift just that much higher than a Shovel or a Goat when stabbing the go pedal from a red light.

[Dans '70 Z20]

Mark also states that the suspension geometry got better the higher the brand on the GM line up. For instance, he says the Cadillac's had better suspension geometry than the Chevy's.

 

He believes it was to substantiate the add'l cost of ownership. By giving it a better overall ride it could justify cost. Obviously, despite other bells & whistles in the Caddy.

[Monteman1971]

We already know that by adjusting our camber 2 degrees from the factory setting makes the Monte ride even better. So all that makes sense.

 

Steve

[stangeba]

Yes, this sounds plausible - according to "deep throat" (my secret source) GM actually had two V12 experimental engines in the late '60's - one at Cadillac and one at GM Engineering Staff. Both were single overhead cam designs.

They had major problems on the dyno and never made it past the initial stages. I can't verify if they made it into a vehicle, but it is possible.

Bruce

[jpnewlin]

Interesting info. I am anxious to learn more.

Thanks for sharing.

[McCall72]

I always heard that the long hood and short deck was considered "exotic" and "European" thats why GM went with that style...Also that the F.G. Monte made a good NASCAR racer because of its better center of gravity due to the engine sitting back a bit further than the Chevelle. Who knows, it's all just stuff I've read though...

[David Mau]

Speaking of unknown history of the Monte. I heard somewhere that the body design was originaly for a Cadillac. Hence the vertical tail lights. ?????????

 

I've never heard of the V-12 engine thing, either. It's certainly possible, but it seems a bit out of line with the fact that Chevy couldn't do some unique features on the Monte Carlo that Pontiac could with the Grand Prix because it would've pushed the Monte's price point higher than they wanted it to be. Instrument panel/console and door handle designs are just a couple of the things that were unique to the Grand Prix, but the Monte Carlo had to essentially make do with items that were already being used for the Chevelle.

 

According to the late Dave Holls, who was Chevrolet's chief stylist at the time the first gen Monte Carlo program was in the works (beginning in early 1968), there were several Chevrolet design staff members who came up with initial body designs specifically for the Monte Carlo. Mr. Holls chose the design submitted by a talented young designer by the name of Terry Henline, simply because he liked it the best. Basing it off the Chevelle made engineering and economic sense, but the rear end design had to be quite a bit different from the Chevelle's to differentiate the two models - especially since they shared the same trunklid. Vertical tail lights were used for their elegance, and being how Mr. Holls himself had previously worked in the Cadillac design studio, I can see how he would have favored such a design. Ever notice how there's a hint of a tail fin above our Montes' vertical tail lights? Well then here's a little FYI for ya; the tail fins on the '59 and '60 Cadillac were Dave Holls designs!

 

Designer Terry Henline wanted to use long hood/short deck proportions for the car. This was a tie-in with not only great classic and European cars (which typically had long, in-line engines and therefore long "bonnets"), but also with the tremendously-popular ponycars of the '60s which were cashing in on these classic proportions. Single headlights were also tie-ins to timeless classics of the past. It was all about style, and the better weight distribution that resulted was a pleasant by-product of the longer front end design which pulled the front wheels 4" further forward than those of a Chevelle, but kept the engine back close to the firewall.

 

Alright, lunch time's over.

 

 

Dave

[Canuck]

This has nothing to do with the V12 but it does add to Dave's post.

 

Dave and I met a retired GM interior designer at a rest area coming back from the 2004 Western Meet. I had my Monte there and he was taking a really good look at it. He explained to us about being on the interior design team for the 70 Monte and one of his designs he submitted was to make it a 4 seater where the console goes from the dash all the way back into the back seat.

[kc8oye]

the engine doesn't actully sit any further back in the monte.... the front wheels are further forward!!!

(guess it sorta depends on where you are measuring from)

 

it sits the same distance from the firewall in both cars.. BUT.. the monte's engine mounts are turned around and mounted to the 'back' of the crossmember vs the 'front' in the chevelle...

 

so maybe it does sit further back? or maybe the engine crossmember is further forward? owww my brain hurts!

[waupachino]

For what it's worth, I heard the Monte's front end was longer because it was supposed to be a front wheel drive car, Like the Tornado's and Eldorado's. The extra length was need to accommodate the front drive axle.

[Montecruiser]

For what it's worth, I heard the Monte's front end was longer because it was supposed to be a front wheel drive car, Like the Tornado's and Eldorado's. The extra length was need to accommodate the front drive axle.

 

This is what I've heard before. Sure glad the didn't go with front wheel drive, if this is true.

[kc8oye]

the monte had a long nose and a short tail to give it a more 'sporty' look.. (go look at some pics of old jag's and ferraris)