New Member - How I got here...

[C.Crouse]

Hello everyone to start, just signed up but def been lurking the boards for a few months. Where to start, how about a novel.

Newish owner of an old first gen Monte (1971), recently my son had shown alot more interest in classic cars then was normal and I got it in my head that we should do a project car, this was something I had did myself 29 years ago. (1971 Malibu, I was 18. Sold it, yes I am dumb.)  Anyway, I ask the wife expecting to get a lecture on priorities with our money and she says go for it, you do you, HELL YEAH.

So after picking my jaw up from the ground, I get to looking, I had already been looking at cars for a few months. Now admittedly I was an A body guy and I did start out looking at Chevelles, El Camino, Cutlass, GTOs and the like, realizing that market is crazy I expanded my search, me and my son (11 year old) kept coming back to looking at first gen Montes and I finally decided this is what we need to look for. Not sure if its age or what but the G body was really growing on me and he absolutely loved it.

So we eventually found one we liked, solid frame, barely any body filler. It was far from perfect but it appeared to have good bones and the price was right, It wouldn't start but I had looked at some rotten cars before this, and we pulled the trigger I didnt want to miss out on a solid car, grabbed my buddy with a trailer and brought it home.

Fast forward 3 months or so, we love this car but it has been a trial. I cant remember the last time Ive seen so many things in a car done wrong, every repair attempt exposes some hackjob or half attempt at a repair. Which is why Im here, this is gonna be a long road.

I don't imagine too much is original on this car, and it will probably never be but its ours.

Now Im off to the brake forum, discovered another hackjob and need advice.

(10 foot paint job, they sprayed over cracked lacquer)

[Chris shipley]

20 minutes ago, C.Crouse said:

Hello everyone to start, just signed up but def been lurking the boards for a few months. Where to start, how about a novel.

Newish owner of an old first gen Monte (1971), recently my son had shown alot more interest in classic cars then was normal and I got it in my head that we should do a project car, this was something I had did myself 29 years ago. (1971 Malibu, I was 18. Sold it, yes I am dumb.)  Anyway, I ask the wife expecting to get a lecture on priorities with our money and she says go for it, you do you, HELL YEAH.

So after picking my jaw up from the ground, I get to looking, I had already been looking at cars for a few months. Now admittedly I was an A body guy and I did start out looking at Chevelles, El Camino, Cutlass, GTOs and the like, realizing that market is crazy I expanded my search, me and my son (11 year old) kept coming back to looking at first gen Montes and I finally decided this is what we need to look for. Not sure if its age or what but the G body was really growing on me and he absolutely loved it.

So we eventually found one we liked, solid frame, barely any body filler. It was far from perfect but it appeared to have good bones and the price was right, It wouldn't start but I had looked at some rotten cars before this, and we pulled the trigger I didnt want to miss out on a solid car, grabbed my buddy with a trailer and brought it home.

Fast forward 3 months or so, we love this car but it has been a trial. I cant remember the last time Ive seen so many things in a car done wrong, every repair attempt exposes some hackjob or half attempt at a repair. Which is why Im here, this is gonna be a long road.

I don't imagine too much is original on this car, and it will probably never be but its ours.

Now Im off to the brake forum, discovered another hackjob and need advice.

(10 foot paint job, they sprayed over cracked lacquer)

Nice grab. As you said its yours . It looks good. Welcome aboard to the fgmcc family 

[Marks71]

Welcome Chris, it appears you definitely have a better than average starting point.

[C.Crouse]

18 minutes ago, Marks71 said:

Welcome Chris, it appears you definitely have a better than average starting point.

Yeah that was the point, I don't do body work! (Mechanical and especially electrical is my thing)Had to find one that wasn't rotten, that being said it has rust around the vinyl top, and the normal rot under the window and into the trunk, already have a guy lined up for spring, me and my son are going to strip the car, and pull the engine and trans and start rebuilding those over the winter.

[Canuck]

Welcome! This is a great group here.

It looks like a nice project to work on with your son. You can still call yourself an A body guy as the Montes are also an A body (technically A special). The Grand Prix of that vintage is a G body. 🙂

[1Bad454]

Welcome Chris! Nice car. Sounds like a fun project. 

[C.Crouse]

4 minutes ago, Canuck said:

Welcome! This is a great group here.

It looks like a nice project to work on with your son. You can still call yourself an A body guy as the Montes are also an A body (technically A special). The Grand Prix of that vintage is a G body. 🙂

See, learning already, Thanks!

[C.Crouse]

Wanted to add this, found it under the seat.

[72 Monte Carlo]

Welcome to FGMCC! 

[Marks71]

31 minutes ago, C.Crouse said:

Wanted to add this, found it under the seat.

The build sheet. Lucky you! That is in way better shape than most. Leeds plant. That’s where my 71 was built. Wish mine had a few of those options. Definitely file that away. 

[cny first gen 71]

Welcome aboard,  looks like a pretty nice starter now you gotta make it yours. Lots of great minds here any questions you have please don't be afraid to ask. We love to help someone will know the answer. 

[Canuck]

55 minutes ago, C.Crouse said:

Wanted to add this, found it under the seat.

Nice find. That’s in good condition.

[FL 72 Monte]

Welcome Chris you’re going to love it and the great times with your son!!!

[Dtret]

Welcome Chris and your son also. As I’m sure at some point he will be on the site too. lol. That’s a great looking 10 footer ( I have them that look worse from further). As you know by your lurking stage ( we all did it) not one person on the site claims to know everything but all of us combined know most. Ask your questions and we will be happy to provide you the help necessary. And we have all been involved in the snowball ( go to do one thing and it multiplies into several) so we can get you unburied. Good luck and keep posting. 

[DragCat]

Welcome to the madness 🤣 A nice father / son project for sure 🤘

[GRAY 70 Monte Carlo]

Welcome to the FGMCC family. Looks like a very nice father and son project. I can promise you are starting off at a much better point than a lot of us so ask your questions upload pictures everyone here is excited to help. Good luck 

[Scott S.]

Hey guys,

Welcome to the site. Looks like you've got a great car to start with. 

Best of luck, I'm sure you'll find everything you ever wanted to know here.  

Scott.

[Rob Peters]

Chris, first off, welcome aboard the boards of the FGMCC website.  We hope you like what you see here and decide to become a full fledged dues paying member of the club.  The information here on the boards and the knowledge of the people here are worth double or triple the amount of our annual dues and it helps keep this club and website operational.

Second.... Beautiful car and father/son project.  Nothing like bonding over a car, especially a first gen Monte.

rob

[Wd71MC]

Welcome to the FGMCC you’ve come to the right place and plus you have your son onboard with the build that is awesome you’ve gotten a real nice Monte to start the journey with so good luck to you and your son and show lots of pics of the build.

[stangeba]

Welcome to the club!!

I picked black when I ordered my 71 Monte Carlo way back in 1971.

Enjoy it and this club is a great place to ask questions about first gen Monte Carlo's.

We love pictures too!!!!

[714024SPEED]

Welcome !!! Great start to a father son project. That build sheet is in really good shape.

[Glen]

Welcome!  And great story… I’ll bet your son is on Cloud 9 that he gets to be part of such a cool project on an even cooler car.  Like many have already said, you’ll find an abundance of knowledge and resources here, not to mention some good laughs on occasion.  Off topic… I’ve gotten pretty good at getting around Davenport as the kiddo just started year 3 at St. Ambrose… GO BEES!!!

[C.Crouse]

4 hours ago, Glen said:

Welcome!  And great story… I’ll bet your son is on Cloud 9 that he gets to be part of such a cool project on an even cooler car.  Like many have already said, you’ll find an abundance of knowledge and resources here, not to mention some good laughs on occasion.  Off topic… I’ve gotten pretty good at getting around Davenport as the kiddo just started year 3 at St. Ambrose… GO BEES!!!

Nice! I have worked with alot of Ambrose students here at JD Davenport works, I actually live pretty close to Ambrose.

[Dtret]

5 hours ago, C.Crouse said:

Nice! I have worked with alot of Ambrose students here at JD Davenport works, I actually live pretty close to Ambrose.

If you see a pea green 71 “SS” or a silver 70 “SS” running around there don’t get too excited they may look like SS cars but they are really not. That would be the previous poster. ( the laughs he also mentioned). lol. 😝 

[Glen]

6 hours ago, Dtret said:

If you see a pea green 71 “SS” or a silver 70 “SS” running around there don’t get too excited they may look like SS cars but they are really not. That would be the previous poster. ( the laughs he also mentioned). lol. 😝 

It’s ‘Booger’ green and ‘Shadow Dark Silver’.  And I see what ya did there with those pesky quotation marks.  🤔🙄