By the time Chevrolet’s Monte Carlo series got to its third iteration, the early-seventies oil crisis had taken its toll and the two-door coupe was downsized in just about every way. Well, at least the V6 from under the hood didn’t have to work very hard, as the Monte Carlo was also a lot lighter than its predecessor. Not that everything we just said actually matters for this built 1980 example that retains only the patina and vintage charm of its former self.
Seen from afar, this 1980 Monte Carlo doesn’t seem to hide too many secrets, save for the color that certainly matches autumn leaves or the rust touches that would be expected from a barn find. But initial looks – especially the ones taken from afar – can be entirely deceiving.
That’s because this Monte Carlo can match the autumn leaves not just with its color, but also with a huge burnout coming from those meaty Mickey Thompson rear tires (275 drag radials, as it turns out).
And the patina is just part of the charming personality of this ‘80s Chevy that turned into a personal project for the current owner and a friend – apparently the same one that snatched the Monte from someone who initially bought the car for his mum's daily use.
Well, it has certainly come a long way since those (probably much calmer) days, because the friends - one of which is a diesel truck mechanic - quickly started messing around with the Monte Carlo and throwing in all sort of stuff they had lying around. Things like an LS motor, transmission, a 10-Bolt rear end... you know, the usual stuff.
But wait, because it gets even better, as the Monte Carlo “slowly progressed into what we have today,” which includes a narrow 12-Bolt and a much larger turbo setup. Speaking of the latter, this Chevy got treated to a twin-turbo setup that was sourced from two different trucks, meaning the LS got slapped with a pair of Series 60 Detroit Diesel Garett GT42 units!
If it weren’t for the TRC footage (which includes a ride-along from 1:40, freeway pulls from 3:20, and owner presentation from 4:30) or the drag strip documentation of a 5.62s personal best for the 1/8 mile, one could even call this custom Monte Carlo to be pretty unbelievable. But it’s certainly not, or at least not anymore.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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