Hi, i'm new to this forum and i'm not sure if there is any interest in my thread but i'm also looking for some advice so if anyone wants to put in their opinion i'd appreciate it....i bought a 1984 monte carlo ls with t-tops about six months ago. At first i thought i got a good deal and i love the car since i have always loved monte carlos especially the g bodies. When i bought it the guy said it ran well and there where no leaks but man was he wrong. I just got it back after three weeks and over a thousand dollars in parts including two different transmissions, new starter, and a new optima battery among other things. Since i bought it i've dumped money into left and right but i refuse to give up on her lol. the body has a few rust holes and its leaking water from somewhere (not the t-tops trust me i already made sure of that.) only my speedo and volt meter works, one speaker up front works, the engine smokes like a chimney, and to top it all off the idiot who i bought it from put an edelbrock manual choke carb on it then rigged the choke so that it is constantly open...(trust me this guy ruined this car i'm taking the role of savior.) ok so that's pretty much it about the car. My main plans is a total tear down and build up. I've been juggling ideas for a long time and money is some what of an issue since it might take me a little bit to save up but i work at a parts store so i have a lot of connections to used parts and several different skilled body men and mechanics. i'm going to use this as a street/strip car and probably drive it every weekend especially at the rod runs here in sevier county, tn....here's what i'm thinking:
ls1 punched out to around a 408, ls7 heads, lsx carbureted manifold, msd ignition setup, some nasty cam (not sure yet which one), power master alternator and gear reduction starter, and i have thought about a centrifugal supercharger.
transmission will be one of two things...T-56 tremec or a 700r4 that's built to handle the power
prob a 12 bolt posi maybe a 9" not too sure which would be better or what gearing i should use i figure i'd build the drivetrain once i have engine numbers.
hotchkis suspension with bilstein shocks and wilwood brakes all around...
So if you have any advice i'd appreciate it and ill update as i go along but it will take a while

 

Welcome to the forum

Sounds like u got a good plan for it & LS motors are awesome, ive got a GTO with an ls1 & a t56 runs like crazy lol, good luck with makin your monte one sweet ride

 

Thanks....I also thOght about an lt1 because I can find them dirt cheap around here. I'd just bore it to a 400 stroker but with the money I save on the lt1 I'll throw a procharger or vortec on it

 

Yeah but LT parts seem to cost more & there a pita at times with the one of a kind heads & the optispark, i believe ud be money ahead with an ls1, i had a 94 camaro & to do wat i wanted it woulda cost alot more than with my ls1

 

Ya you are right....my biggest problem is all the sensors for both engines. I know I can dumby out some on the lt1 but idk about the ls1

 

Well ikn alot of hot rod guys run ls1, & with the computer u can retune it & delete things out i believe

 

True. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get there....I have to get it to quit leaking wen it rains first lol

 

Welcome to the forum. I am looking forward to seeing this build.