Long time Monte Carlo owner

by Greg Mon Aug 06, 2018 10:32 pm

Hi Folks,
I bought my '73 Monte Carlo 30 years ago and was a typical teenage driver. It was a beautiful car that I destroyed. Sad

I drove it for 8-10 years and it has been a garage shelf for the last 20. I've thought countless times of selling but i just can't get rid of my first car. The other day I pulled the cover off for the first time in 10 years and I'd be a fool to get rid of it. The lines are just beautiful! I just sat in it and took a big whiff of air that smelled like 45 year old seat foam. So I sat a little longer. I looked out the dusty windshield at that long, long hood and enjoyed that feeling you get when your with an old friend that you haven't seen in years. Exactly how I felt when I first saw Han & Chewy on The Force Awakens commercial. Man I love that feeling! Maybe I'm having a mini mid-life crisis but I want to make her beautiful again and take my to soon to be grown kids on a road trip on Rt.66. Drive out to PA to see that great friend that moved away.....

by Mcarlo77 Mon Aug 06, 2018 10:59 pm

So cool to hear of someone rediscovering their passion for these cars! And, you're right...the body lines of the Monte Carlo are awesome. Look forward to following along as you progress towards getting it back on the road. There is lots of information on this site to help...as well as very knowledgeable people who are always willing to share.

by thatfnthing Tue Aug 07, 2018 9:23 am

Greg wrote:The other day I pulled the cover off for the first time in 10 years and I'd be a fool to get rid of it. The lines are just beautiful! I just sat in it and took a big whiff of air that smelled like 45 year old seat foam. So I sat a little longer. I looked out the dusty windshield at that long, long hood and enjoyed that feeling you get when your with an old friend that you haven't seen in years.

Couldn't have said it better -- had those same feelings myself. Welcome aboard, and we're all happy to help save another one!

by Joe73 Tue Aug 07, 2018 9:41 am

Awesome story and nice car. I know the feeling. My chevelle is my first car. Glad I never sold it. Bought it in '82 before I had a license.

by Greg Tue Aug 07, 2018 3:18 pm

Thanks guys! My neighbor has been on me for quite some time to get it going again. I think he was born with a screwdriver in his hand and he basically has a mini shop in his 2 car garage. Im hoping before the end of the year, he'll have some free time and we'll push it over to his garage for a weekend and get it running again. In the meantime, I'll pick up a carb rebuild kit, plugs, tranny filter and other goodies that it won't hurt to have. I need to pick up a newer video camera to document this journey. It will be fun to have my own "will it start" video on youtube. Thanks again!

by impalamonte Tue Aug 07, 2018 4:52 pm

I feel the same way looking over the big hood....doesn't get any better!!

by Greg Tue Aug 07, 2018 10:50 pm

Hey, your Monte Carlo is the car of the week! Very Nice looking vehicle!

by 77camino Tue Aug 07, 2018 11:04 pm

Great story and glad to here that it will get on the road again. Still sad that I sold my first car, but was lucky enough to find an exact duplicate El Camino.

by Zaptiah Wed Aug 08, 2018 9:28 am

Embrace the mini crisis and make her shiney amd chrome again 😀 welcome to party ... lol

by Greg Thu Aug 09, 2018 10:06 pm

Thanks guys for the welcoming messages! I didn't put the cover back on and its pretty nice looking at it whenever I'm in the garage. Keeps me motivated!
Long time Monte Carlo owner 1st_ti10

by ant7377 Thu Aug 16, 2018 6:37 am

Looks great don't sell it. My 77 is my first car as well. Almost 30 years too. You get in and start driving a song comes on and it's it's 1990 again and on your way to school.

by REVINKEVIN / Mr. 600+HP Thu Aug 16, 2018 1:00 pm

Mid life crisis=Red Corvette and 20 year old blonde
Being a MAN is restoring a '73 Monte. Let's get this build going. Get that engine running, change all the fluids, clean the crap out it and make a list of what needs attention, drive it around the block. '73 Monte Carlo's are pretty cars. You already have the car, now you need the motivation. You will get that here for sure. Welcome to the site, now it's time to get to work.

by Greg Mon Aug 20, 2018 9:55 pm

Thanks guys! I look forward to getting her back on the road again. Look forward to the inspiration and friendships that are bound to happen on this site. Look forward to road trips to meet some of you in person. MAYBE even a Power Tour! I remember when HotRod started those, '95 I think...

by REVINKEVIN / Mr. 600+HP Mon Aug 20, 2018 10:04 pm

That's the spirit. Here is what I did to get motivated. I started this thread awhile back and it got me kicked off. Look at what some of the guys did and how motivated it got me. http://www.g3gm.com/t10882-where-are-you-at-picture

by 77cruiser Wed Aug 22, 2018 5:39 pm

Owned this for 40 yrs. to the day, I know how you feel. Get the dust off & have fun.

by Greg Wed Aug 22, 2018 7:18 pm

REVINKEVIN wrote:That's the spirit. Here is what I did to get motivated. I started this thread awhile back and it got me kicked off. Look at what some of the guys did and how motivated it got me. http://www.g3gm.com/t10882-where-are-you-at-picture

Great thread! About a third of the way through. Plan on finishing the rest of it before I hit the sack.

by Greg Wed Aug 22, 2018 7:21 pm

77cruiser wrote:Owned this for 40 yrs. to the day, I know how you feel. Get the dust off & have fun.

Happy 40th anniversary!! Wow! Thats great! Hopefully you where easier on yours than I was. Has it been a driver all this time? Really looks like it has been well taken care of.

by Greg Wed Aug 22, 2018 7:42 pm

ant7377 wrote:Looks great don't sell it. My 77 is my first car as well. Almost 30 years too. You get in and start driving a song comes on and it's it's 1990 again and on your way to school.

HA! Thats exactly what I was doing in '90 in that car! Going to Meramec, a junior college in St. Louis county. I remember these two girlies chattin away downwind from my car on the parking lot. At that time, the Monte would fart blue smoke at every start up. I was a little embarrassed before I ever started it up because I knew what was going to happen. Well, I turned the key, she farts a blue cloud and it slowly drifts right toward them and I'm just watching all this transpire while the cloud envelopes them. On cue, they stop talking, turn to me like I'm the one that farted and give the stink eye and walk the other way. 28ish years later it's kind of funny picturing the look on their faces..

Ah, good time; good times...

by Greg Wed Aug 22, 2018 7:58 pm

O.K., so I've eluded to how I wasn't the best owner of such a beautiful vehicle. It was nothing intentional, I was just such an AIRHEAD!
Case in point: I had the Monte maybe a month, not more than two. Winter time and I'm heading to the girlfriends place after work. I'm 19 at the time and had never seen what a busted heater core does. All I know is I have steam coming out from under the dashboard and drifting through the cabin. I'm just watching the steam thinking "What the hell" while going down the road at 45 mph.

It was a pickup that was stopped waiting to make a left hand turn. I saw it and hit it. Never had time to even take my foot off the gas.

I agree

by 77cruiser Thu Aug 23, 2018 7:38 am

Greg wrote:
77cruiser wrote:Owned this for 40 yrs. to the day, I know how you feel. Get the dust off & have fun.

Happy 40th anniversary!! Wow! Thats great! Hopefully you where easier on yours than I was. Has it been a driver all this time? Really looks like it has been well taken care of.

It was a summer driver, tow car 79-80 towed my 68 GTO that I bracket raced. Had a paint job in 96 I think, now it gets about 2-3000 miles a summer. 421 sb with a 200-4r has run the best of 11.93 at the track. Still will get 19 mpg highway.

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