When I finish this build completely, I'm definitely going to have to look at that

 

I agree the fan base is changing. Many people in a Monte today are becoming a 2nd, 3rd or maybe 4th owner of the car.
It's hard to say if a 5th, 6th or 7th gen Monte will ever become the "older car" people want to get, restore and/or mod. I think it's safe to say there will be some percentage of people in that position, but I think it will be a smaller number. I love my Monte, so I'm not trying to down play it, but by being FWD, many people pass on them as they want a RWD project, or something with a huge aftermarket parts following.

I think you are more likely to see people who are 1st or 2nd owners of the car and love it who will still have it 20-25 years from when it rolled out of the show room. I'm certain Mel, Tadd, Chibi, myself and many others will fall into that position.

Rather then finding people restoring them, you will find people who just drove them, but babied them.

Hope that makes sense....

 

Crazy to think it's coming up to 20 years since rolling out of the showroom

My baby is almost 14.

 

I can't believe mine is now 10 years old.

 

You and me both. Wasn't that long ago a friend of mine that was with me when I bought mine was stunned how long I've had mine. Since September of '08, I'm approaching 6 fun years of owner ship!

 

Count me in Gonna have to bury me in Monte

 

I dont think its the lack of aftermarket thats hurting popularity, its the COST of the aftermarket. I mean c'mon, $100 for a pulley? One guy told me that when he l67 swapped his car it cost him around $300 for the harness and another $300 to have the c100 modified wtf

 

The prices for my CSC kit pulleys and belts are ridiculous.

 

The cost of aftermarket is definitely a factor. But the 5th and 6th gen Montes are from an era when GM watered down performance in favor of gas mileage. The L36 rolled off the assembly line with 200 HP. The L67 had 240 HP from the factory. I think many people are just deciding to start with a younger car that has more HP right out of the box.

You have to be a fan of the car in the first place. And those fans are dwindling. Moving up to Camaros and Mustangs.

 

The 3800 drive train had been a long standing, reliable and reasonable performance engine for a v6. There is an aftermarket following on the 3800 (especially the Series II engines). But it's like anything, technology changes. Even though almost all Series II mods would work on a Series III car, people were slowly moving away from the 3800 in favor of newer engines that are about the same cost with more performance out of the gate OR new performance opportunities.

GM ending the 3800 era, a 90 degree v6 in favor of the 60 degree v6 also has impact.

By the same, there are PLENTY of people who like the Monte for it being a Monte. They don't have wants to modify, that want to just drive.

I like a little of both