GreyGhost: Took a look at the new car. Sure is a beauty! I had an '02 SS the same color and was going to use it for this current build (earlier comments in this thread referred to that car also) but life and my kids caught up with me and I had to get creative and find another suitable substitute.
Have fun polishing, waxing and cleaning - it's a keeper -.

 

Thank you very much. This is more maddening at times than building a race car, trying to keep OEM parts on it. Found a cracked back up light lens yesterday and saw one online for $37. Headed to pull a part today to grab what I can. You literally have to keep a spare everything, just like a race car, except you start with a clean sheet of paper. Mine has to match what came on the car. This is like a giant treasure hunt. Just when I thought it was almost over, I took a hard look under the hood and realized just how much work was needed before leaving it open at car shows. The strut towers look terrible, so going to have that painted when I go back for a polish. There is a small car show near me tonight, just a cruise in. Going to "test the waters" and see the reaction. Right now it is looking good, except when he took things off for sanding, we found out that all the badges were put on with two sided tape. I tried to buy two new Supercharged emblems off Ebay for $230 but just missed them. Not sure how I am going to address this. It would be almost impossible to cut two sided tape for something that small. Maybe I just get someone to scan them and make decals for me. Surprised no one has done this yet. I dream of the race car days, when whatever it looked like I could always say it was supposed to be like that....lol. Good luck.

 

Don't know how you are doing the chute, but we welded two brackets on the back of the rear end and ran a 3/4 grade 8 bolt through two holes drilled in them Made taking the chute off and on much easier. You have already seen the hitch pins for the wheelie bars.

 

Greyghost: My buiider has asked the fabricator to run the chute assembly with a disconnect through the license plate hole on the rear bumper. - it too like you suggested will come apart for ease of assembly and take down purposes and when off - I can put the plate back on and no one will be the wiser with everything hidden behind the plate. Not exactly sure where the assembly is going to be welded to under the car - but supposedly it is supposed to be discreet and out of site when disconnected from the portion going through the bumper. And yes, the pin release is something we will be using for the wheelie bars and I suspect the chute also.

Greyghost, race cars don't need matching parts, only fast parts! Your Monte is something you should be proud of - IMO it is a magnificent piece of ART - I should know I have had 4 & 5 if you count the '94 Z34 Lumina I had - along with the 2000SS, a 2002SS, a 2007SS (still own) & now this 2006 (LT) Cloned SS -

 

Well I am sure happy with it. Spent an hour at the boneyard yesterday and they give you a list of Monte Carlos and what row they are on. Very well organized place. On the first car I hit a gold mine. Had my back up lenses for $7, and even my mirror like the one I bought on Ebay for $48...got it for $25. Even had the factory amp, but I didn't know if it worked so passed on it. Grabbed some various tail light screws because this one had a cargo net like mine. Got the net too, and a set of floor mats. So a great day overall. I feel like a kid again when we used to hit boneyards and find 350 HP small block Chevys in station wagons...lol.. Mine is going back to he painter and he is going to polish it out. I got insane quotes here in Nashville of $1800. He is going to do it for $200. Also paint the strut towers so I can open the hood for shows.

Re: Chute. I am not sure you can get a pin for it that is grade 8, but you could drill the bolt and put a pull pin through it.. We just used a bolt through two brackets with holes welded to the rear end. Guess he will fabricate a mount for the license plate and mount it there. Keep us posted, and show us that dyno sheet.

 

Greyghost: If I can't find a grade 8 pin - I can always make a set. I am in the steel business and have access to clients with machine tools, EDM equipment, laser & plasma burning tools as well as Mapp and Oxy-gas, bridgeports, lathes, Mattisons, planer mills - I could go on and on. Fact is on my first build I made 4th gear from scratch from a 4340 heat treated bar and then had it Dyna-blued (similar to carbonizing only) once complete - you couldn't scratch it with a drill or file if you tried it was so strong - high in tensile as well as yield with enough elongation & RA where it was not brittle - guess you could think of it as synonymous with aircraft parts - making these pins with a detent would be easy compared to that 4th gear project I took on. Dyno sheet -I wouldn't have it any other way. My current Monte registered 814+ FWHP - this one I am looking to do 1100 RWHP minimum maybe more - I guess we will see. Boneyard searches - those were part of growing up - loved them, still do - guess I never grew up. SAM

 

Here’s some work being done on the fuel cell in the trunk

 

We didn't have to take our chute off as much as you will, but that being said, it takes no time just to remove caplock nut from a bolt and get the chute hoop out. The pins with detents for the wheelie bars don't need to be near that strong, just a tight. fit.

Just had mine polished out and really happy with it. Looks different with no badges on it, so may leave it that way for a while. Putting my new/old steering wheel I found on it, a DSM switch I hope works to get that stupid airbag light off, and trying to run down a coolant leak. Pretty sure it's not a head gasket, but prepared for the worst. Thought I needed a new radiator, but it was almost a gallon low. Hate the factory gauges. All they have is 140 and 260 for temp, so plugged in my OBDII reader to find out exactly what the temp was. The increment mark at the very top is right at 200 degrees. I will get some more accurate measurements for those with stock gauges. Keep us posted.

Final Polish, before waxing

 

She's a beauty - I like NO badges - gives the car an air of mystic.. Great JOB!!!

 

Well I don’t like how the fuel cell sits in the trunk I want some of it below the trunk floor. Won’t know how far we can or cannot lower until the wheelie bars are installed. Wheelie bars are on order (I think). Then make the chute brackets and it’s back to Utah. I am getting a bit anxious. Coming on two years in California. My builder expects the car to be back late next month, got my fingers crossed.