Mystery Monte
 

as i look around and learn the details of the monte carlo, things get strange with mine.

the vin says it is in deed a 2004 monte carlo ss.

it looks like one and behaves like one. but it only has one item stuck to its outside besides the front monte carlo badge. it has about 1 1/2 inch tall silver SS on the lower right side of the truck lid.

if you look close at the left side of the trunk lid you can make out a trace of where Monte Carlo SS used to be.

there are no markings anywhere else. on the passenger side of the dash it says monte carlo. there are no ss logos anywhere other than the silver/chome SS on the trunk lid. no bowties anywhere.

it appears it got nailed on the right rear corner and maybe shoved into a curb because two of the ugliest wheels in the universe have their lips ground off. the license plate light doesnt work and the 2 backup lights dont match.

it tried to take some pictures of the underside to see if it has been out four wheeling or stump jumping and only found what looks like a sleeve or piece of metal tubing welded onto the right rear trailing arm.

it had a pair of bridgestones up front and then two different off brand tires on the back.

the first thing i did was take it to valvoline and flush the cooling system, replace engine oil and filter and *cringe* transmission fluid. got a spiffy new air filter and cabin filter.

its been to the shop to get all new steering parts and tie rod ends and the magnaflow exhaust stuck on and then 4 new tires. no one would say anything looked suspicious underneath.

from what i have been able to see its readily apparent that it needs all of the rubber parts underneath it replaced. the rubber parts look dry rotted.
cracked and grey looking.

under the hood it looks brand spanking new except the bazooka bubble gum in the radiator and puke bucket.

i bought it last october with 48000 miles on it.

after throwing a fit at me for leaving the reading lamps on all night it hasnt done anything weird and after a week nearly exactly, it quit flashing the security flag at me.

i think its going to need the axel/ shafts/ joints replaced because if i make a left turn hard enough it will go whump whump whump for a while until i turn right or it hits just the right kind of bump. im thinking the mount for the back of the engine is shifting around too.

oh yeah, the 4 way hazard button is broke and the guts flop around in the dash causing the turn signals to quit until you poke around in there at it. im hoping some good ole jb weld might stick the button housing where it belongs and replacing the switch and securing the wiring will fix that.

it has the remote head end of a valentine radar / laser detector behind the dashboard "glass" on the right in front of the check engine light and there is a little tiny push button stuck on the top of the steering column. im guessing that it dealt with the detector.

theres an rj 11 plug hanging out of the back of the rear view mirror. probably for the detector too.

it looks like it was maybe wet sanded and then clear coated. that probably explains the missing artwork. there is a slight crack in the right corner of the rear bumper going along with something going on back there.

would the 2004 have the white and red monte carlo ss graphics on the sides behind the doors close to the ground and then on the trunk with a red bowtie outline in the middle? can i get those?

Ok this is just a guess from the things you have described in and around the vehicle...

Did you buy this from a private owner? Or a dealer?

It sounds like its a stolen recovery vehicle...
A tell tale sign is the broken turn signal switch/column...(That's generally where to access the ignition/lock mechanism)
At least the way you described it... It could have been quite possibly after the Insurance company paid it off as a total... Then they generally go to an auction and people buy them and then get them re titled to be road worthy.
Fix them up with no regard to proper badging etc and sell them...

The best way to find out what is going on with it would be to carfax it...and see what comes up.:thumbsup:

I believe:
You can still get all the proper badging for it from a dealer or a scrap/Junk yard... or Ebay.:)

The only reason I know some of these things is that I use to work for 1 of Michigans Largest towing outfits for a few years.

Hope this helps
Thanks for joining the MCF Family!

what you are saying makes perfect sense...

i bought it off the used car lot of the chevy dealer here.

im really curious now. there' s a second string car history report i have filed away and it was funny looking. it had like 3 years of nothing but oil changes every 3 months.

i sort of like it being a sleeper with no clue what it might be - but the wheels have to go.

the mf exhaust is great about putting around in traffic quietly and then getting out in the open and making sure the carpet under the gas pedal is firmly seated.

thats another odd thing... the gas and brake pedals are like euro tech bare machined metal. no rubber surface at all.

so it averaged 5000 miles a year and something the "original 1 owner" did was worth a 500 dollar or more radar detector and was worth the effort to conceal.

maybe the owner ran moonshine through virginia - the only state in the nation where detectors are not allowed.

the second i opened the door and smelled the leather and pulled out of the dealer lot for a test spin it had me.

WOW, sounds like this Monte had a rough life before you got it!

Here's what I can tell you from badging on an 04 (as I understand it and being a fellow '04 owner).
- An '04 SS has a non-supercharged 3800 (L36).
- An '04 Supercharged SS has a Supercharged 3800 (L67) - Note I do not know if the vehicle title distinguishes a difference in SS and Supercharged SS (but if your VIN can confirm that if you don't think the right model engine is under the hood).
- On the rear trunk lid, lower left, you should have a Monte Carlo script in the same color as the body and a red SS following it. A red Chevy bow tie in the center of the trunk lid.
- On the lower rear quarter panels, an L36 has simply SS badges (no Monte Carlo script, just the SS part, I know, odd). An L67 will have Supercharged in silver, followed by a red SS on the lower rear quarters.
- Front nose has just a Knights Crest badge in the center.
- An SS does not always have the High Sport package (which includes a different style ground effects).
- On the interior, passenger side of the dash will have a badge with the Knights Crest and the script saying "Monte Carlo".

What I know about badge colors from GM *may* vary, I won't swear to that being 100% accurate.

Now, I hated that I did not have Monte Carlo scripts on the quarters and that the trunk script was the same color as the body. I changed all that. I got silver Monte Carlo scripts for the quarters and the trunk (they pop real nice on a blue/silver Monte).

I don't recall what I paid, but I contacted ZSPOT and ordered them brand new through him (and I don't think it was that much honestly).

If you wish to contact ZSPOT, see the thread below:
https://montecarloforum.com/forum/pr...m-parts-28933/

ive looked several times and it still isnt supercharged hahaha

i cant imagine what it would be like with any more hp.

Sweet! Glad you like your Monte. Seems it has an interesting story to tell. I like the idea of it being a "shine "runner from VA since I am from VA!:congrats:
You are right about the radar detectors being illegal here. A co-worker of mine that had a nicely modified mustang used to race me home some days. We had a blast, but he got more "radar detector use" tickets than speeding tickets!:nono:

Let us know what you find out about your car.