Monte Carlos from the ’80s create two seemingly at-odds impressions in the mind of the casual car observer — one being an unremarkable and downright ugly coupe that never quite sustained the high-performance car mold it once flirted with in its ’70s counterpart when the 454s came factory-equipped with 360 hp. The other impression, however, as Shawn Chambers likes to see it, is one of a fire-breathing dragon rolling on Mickey Thompson slicks, making more than 1000 hp that you hear blocks away before you ever see it coming.
Despite images of the glamorous French Riviera getaway in Monaco tied to the name, the Monte Carlo was the quintessential working man’s car. With six generations under the belt and built in cities like Baltimore, Pontiac, Mich., Flint, Mich., and Kansas City, Mo., the car was being marketed to the same people producing it on the factory assembly lines.
While Chambers keeps the car trailered most days to save it from the inevitable wear and tear of road debris, his 1988 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS hasn’t always enjoyed a pampered lifestyle. Inherited from his parents who handed it over as a graduation gift to their son, the car was anything but a head-turner in those days. After the car was totaled in 1998 by Chambers’ brother, Chambers decided on a major rebuild effort.
Ten years after attending his first Monte Carlo SS Convention in 1989, Chambers started work in February 2000 with every intention of resurrecting a mild-mannered coupe into a road-worthy rebuild. Almost immediately he ran into problems. Having put the car in a local body shop expecting the work to be completed in six months, after two years and no progress, Chambers took action. He hired a lawyer, and the shop was eventually court-ordered to refund more than $13,000 he had invested.
When Chambers noticed that the car had rust spots from sitting as long as it did, he decided to make another radical change. Instead of a renovation, he would have the car turned into a race car that was as comfortable on the strip as it was competing in high-quality shows.
After four attempts at painting the car, the final result was a custom orange PPG paint that Chambers asserts looks like nothing else out there. The next endeavor was to ditch the anemic 5-liter 305 factory engine for a 468 big block Chevy engine. Smith Service Center in Eldersburg, Md., performed the swap. The setup would include a two-stage nitrous oxide kit to spray a 225 shot on the first stage and 200 on the second stage, making an impressive 400 hp on the spray alone.
Auto Fab Car Racing in Elkridge added the customary Ford 9-inch rear, 4.30 gears for high rev capability, upgraded the fuel system and stabilized the ride with aftermarket shocks and control arms. With more than 650 hp on the motor, Chambers’ best pass time in the quarter-mile was at 163 mph in 9.42 seconds.
After $70,000 in raw investment, Chambers takes care where he parks these days. Still, not every accident is avoidable. A few years back, Chambers was lined up to check in at a show when the Monte Carlo was hit from the side. He covered the damage at the show that day with his car club’s banner and even walked away with a trophy for best Monte Carlo, a fact that didn’t sit too well when he removed the banner to reveal the unsightly damage. As early as this month, his Monte Carlo absorbed more scarring when the trailer rod pin fell through the front windshield. Chambers, however, chalks it up to the ordinary hardships of custom car ownership, knowing that maintenance and unexpected mishap fees come with the territory.
What do you drive? A 1988 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS.
Why do you drive it? I have loved cars since the age of 10. This car is not driven. It is trailered to custom car shows.
What makes this car so special? It was purchased by my parents and was passed down to me.
What is your most memorable driving experience? Leaving Jerry’s Chevrolet dealership after the purchase was complete on May 23, 1988. I went with them to the dealership. It was going to be a graduation gift. I mostly had it for the weekends.
What was the first car you owned? The Monte Carlo is my first car.
What music are you currently listening to in your car? There is no music or radio in the car.
And your first ticket? What was it for? A speeding ticket on 695. I was doing 95 mph in a 55 mph zone.
