John Burns

Awesome!

A vented cap won’t vent enough to solve the issue!

Hi Joe- I see in your link Bruce Stang posted this from his 71 Monte assembly manual. I'd imagine all of those vents are connected inside that "Separator ASM"- pretty cool! And the 71 tank had 3 vents- they figured it out and yes, you can't have too much venting! I didn't know these existed and they are only available used, but I'm going to try to buy one.

A stock style tank with vents is relatively inexpensive. https://www.opgi.com/air-fuel-delivery/fuel-tanks/1970-76-fuel-tank-kits/fuel-tank-kit-1970-chevellemonte-carlo-20-gal-w-2-vents-ch31518.html?size=&color=GV&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwOPx0vzlhwMV9jEIBR3P4BjYEAQYASABEgIVA_D_BwE

Hi all, For years (decades) I have seen many posts and interesting remedies regarding "vapor lock", gas smells when the car is parked in the garage, hard to fill the tank, that big whoosh that happens sometimes when you take the gas cap off... etc. My classic car experience has been mainly with 68 and 70 Camaros and a 70 Monte. These cars all have terrible factory fuel tank venting- if any at all! I drive these cars a lot in all sorts of temperatures. Certainly these issues are more prevalent in the warmer months, but who wants a car they can only drive when it is cold? Here is what I discovered: a gas tank needs a vent- and the bigger the better! A "vented cap" isn't going to do the job. It will spew fuel if you have a car that "leaves hard" (ask me how I know 😉) and it is often difficult to fill the tank without it spitting up the fill pipe. I haven't seen anyone really address this- they talk about venting but I've seen some questionable attempts. "Tanks" has maybe the closest diagram but it is important to get the vent well above the fill neck. This is hard to do on these cars- unless you run the vent pipe through the trunk. (NOT into the trunk!) Some makes (Pontiac and Mopar) made various attempts at this in the 60s but they used really small pipe. The photo is the vent pipe in my 68 Camaro. (It has an Aeromotive tank with a vent in the top of the tank.) This is a 3/8" hard line that runs from the tank, through the trunk floor, and then back to open atmosphere under the car (and I wish the line was 1/2" actually). The important thing to remember is that a big vent will NOT let fuel vapors out of the tank! I have seen people say their hot rod makes their garage smell like gas. It isn't vapor leaking through the lines... What is happening is that the tank gets pressurized and pushes fumes out. If a tank is properly vented- and this is important- it will not push fumes out! The vapors will stay right where they are in the tank if the tank pressure is the same as atmospheric pressure. And my theory on "vapor lock": when the tank becomes pressurized, it will push fuel up the line, through the needle and seats, and flood out the engine. OR if the tank goes into vacuum, it won't allow fuel to flow up the line. Yes, electric fuel pumps can overcome some of this vacuum / pressure, but it is really hard on the pump. A nice mechanical pump and a well vented tank gets the job done. Next time your tank "whooshes" when you open the cap, or you don't want to drive it because it might "vapor lock", or the wife is complaining she smells gas in the garage- take a hard look at how well your tank is vented!

I love my big red 1970, but I’m looking for one with a much better body and paint. Specifically: 1970, non-vinyl top, red preferred, no green (sorry greenies!), as stock as possible. If anyone sees a 70 for sale that might fit this description, please let me know. Thanks, John

My solution- for now! I finally found the right size leather cover- $15 on Amazon. It is Belinous size L1 and the most important thing- it has the stitching. This makes the install so much easier because you don't have to jam the needle through the holes in the leather a few hundred times. (I'd add a link but I can't even find it again - they must be out of L1). It looks great, doesn't seem cheap and feels nice!

I've dug around for it- no luck so far. Parts spread out over 4 garages in 2 states

"Tribute" SS car!

Cool! I'm learning I fixed my post.

I wasn't able to post with my phone- josephc7952. The decals are vinyl coated. He has all sorts of stock looking decals that can be customized. Here is the link: josephc7952 on eBay

There is a guy on eBay making these- you can customize the numbers. These are really nice! Looks like they’ll hold up better than the normal repops.

Those green interiors- the steering wheels and consoles were also green? How many different colors did they have?

Now THAT is ambitious! The trick would be to make the whole interior look like it was born that way! Good luck!

Nice! Love that detail- what is the material on the seat and seat back?

Awesome!

Yup! The factory emblem is 2" wide. Your mod looks factory- so cool.

As the owner of 1970 with a black interior, I always get blown away that they made other colors. Has anyone created a "Show us your non-black interior" thread? I could drool over the other colors for a long time! I especially geek on the all of the many little pieces they had to make in the the different color plastics.

THAT is awesome! Now I'm wondering if I could use the factory insert emblem to do that. Gorgeous interior! (Love the factory non-AC heater controls! ;))

I like that! I'll probably go that route to start.

Do you mean the original wheel? It is a cracked disaster!

When I got my Monte, it had a well worn steering wheel with the big horn pad with "Monte Carlo" off to one side. I'm assuming it was the factory wheel, but it was beat. I went back and forth about what to replace it with: Rosewood or the 2 horn button "standard" version. I ended up with the Rosewood (very nice repop), but I have never gotten over how it looks contrasted to the burl wood! I might put a leather cover over the Rosewood, which seems kinda dumb because that wheel is all about the Rosewood! Or I might get the "standard". Has anyone used the repop "standard" wheel? I have a factory insert with the Monte Carlo emblem. And I'm just curious: did any Montes come from the factory with the Rosewood wheel?

I thought I put these up:

If someone has a time machine, please pop back 20 years ago and tell me not to install that radio!

Thanks- I'm actually recovering from a detached Achillies tendon... too hurt to work my day job, but I'm able to slowly pick away at the Monte with many long rests in between. Strange times but I'm rolling with it. I guess the Monte is therapy!