Not For Parts: 1987 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS
Anyone who has spent any time looking at cars online (which should be most of us here!) is familiar with the frequent ads stating if the vehicle is not sold by a certain date, it will be parted out or taken for scrap. There is something to be said for someone who wants to keep their car whole, even if it is for no other reason than lack of desire to remove parts. The seller of this 1987 Monte Carlo very clearly states “IM NOT PARTING IT OUT SORRY.” While it will need some work to be road-ready again, this Monte Carlo is a great candidate for a light project. Find it here on Craigslist in New Jersey for $3,600. Thanks to Bill W. for sending this one in!
I’m not sure what the parts in the back seat are, but wherever they go isn’t pictured. The seats are certainly worse for the wear, but don’t appear to have any rips (at least from this angle). If nice enough, perhaps they could even be cleaned and dyed! From the ad, “Optioned out car, Sunroof, BUCKET SEATS W/ FLOOR SHIFTER (much more desireable) AC power windows, locks,tilt wheel.” The sale also includes a new headliner!
The engine is one of the better looking parts of this car. The engine is a GM 305 V8 with a 4-barrel carburetor. This is a running engine! According to the listing, features include “3.73 rear, Long tube headers, Edelbrock Intake, True Dual exhaust, (no stock Y pipe no cat) shift kit. New alum. radiator, alternator, MSD ignition, wires and coil pack, Performance Underdrive pulleys, Smog delete, ALOT of engine/performance upgrades.”
This Monte Carlo isn’t the prettiest one out there, but it runs and has no rust! For someone looking to occupy the colder months with a small project, this could be the one. The seller includes lots of new and spare parts including brakes, two carburetors, SS decals, and more. I would love to restore a Monte Carlo SS of this era, as it seems they are rarely seen in good condition. Would you get it roadworthy and enjoy it, or take it all the way to head turner?
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Comments
Both, drive while i fix her up again. Love these.
Why does it look like it’s 4wd ?? What the hell did they do to the suspension ??
Did not know there were ss cars made without buckets and console. Thought that was part of the package
Believe the initial year they had a column shifter and bench seats only. And the dark metallic blue was only available that year as well. Someone correct me if I’m wrong, Mark
Personally, I always like the looks of these cars. Looked faster than they were, but that’s ok.
IIRC, all years had the bench seat. I can’t recall if it was an option or standard with the buckets optional.
I wasn’t aware that a Monte SS had the option of a sunroof. I thought it was a tin top or t-tops only.
My friend in high school had one. It was s fun car. Not fast but still fun.
It’s an affordable classic. like it.
Didn’t the SS have an HO 305 rated at 180HP? 4bbl is part of the deal as well. Cheers
Just sent a question to the seller via CL regarding the unusual suspension height. The guy responded with “Well its not 4wd… Its the way is sitting on the ground. Do you have any serious questions?”
Sad, I was ready to buy it, just wanted to about the suspension and it’s not the way it’s sitting on the ground, that’s clear from several angles.
Is it me or does the suspension look shot?
Well, he may not be parting it, but the next owner might. Not a good idea to get too emotionally invested in a car if you are selling it.
Hey guys look at the pics. He is parked on his lawn that that graded towards his drive way. The springs are doing what they are supposed to do. Push the wheels down and keeps the body level. 4th pic shows the left side is on the drop. It really. Isn’t that bad, drive and tinker alog the way.
Never mentioned mileage in ad. That’s a bit concerning.
Why was it out of commission for the first place?
Smog delete might be a problem if you live in cali.
The most this car is worth is 3,000 there’s many of them for sale on eBay and Craigslist they will never be worth what the first generation s were I own 2 of them 85 and an 86 love this generation but it needs a lot of work definitely not stock suspension and front end appears to have crash damage.
Buckets were an option but most cars had them. It’s unusual to find the power bench (manual bench was stock).
Blue was offered in 83 and 84.
To everyone who has suspension questions, these cars sit high. It’s just how it is. Rear suspension seemed to sag worse than the front (or at least mine does and gives it an odd look). Change the springs and shocks and you are good to go.
These cars had air pumps that recycled some exhaust back to the intake along with EGR. Be cautious about theses mods. If not done correctly, the car will run like crap (have to delete the EGR code in the computer not throw trouble codes). If the seller has removed the computer, make sure the distributor and carburetor have been swapped for non computer controlled versions. Also you’re going to need a lock up switch to keep the 200 4R happy.
Take a closer look at both front wheels. The car appears as though it has no drive train with a large amount of distance between the top of both front tires and lip of fender wells. You could make that argument for the rear suspension but not the front. Either that pic was taken with the engine/trans out of the car or there is something wrong going on that this seller is not divulging.
I have an 81 z-28 that’s all original I bought a few yrs ago and it sits the same way, but its all original … it does look wrong like you said, looks like it has no motor. but in my case its the way it was built and the opposite for the back. my z-28 sits very low, I thinks its weak springs
its that “retro gasser” look…
I agree maybe it’s an old pic while the engine was out don’t think I would waste a trip from Erie PA to be dissapointed definitely some issues with the interior door panels are in the back seat and no center console and no pics of the dashboard
looks like the interior trim for the sunroof on the back seat and maybe a door panel…. since he did say he has a new headliner for it.. maybe he started taking it apart to install but never completed the job
Here in Missouri that car would only have to go thru safety inspection not a smog check because it’s over 25 years old and if you want to eliminate both safety inspection and buying plates every year just go to a swap meet and purchase a set of 1987 license plates and have it registered with year of manufacture plates, we did this with our Mach1 which saves money ( One Time $28.50 for plates and $12.00 Safety Inspection fee every year ) .
Great to hear that not every state has the strict smog regulations that we have in here in California. I don’t believe we have that cushion of 25 years either, probably more like pre ’75. Big brother really has a tight grip on those issues here.
Here’s my ’87 near mint 67k SS I sold a few years back…….regret……
probably can’t make it run right with that computer controlled carb. have to do away with that and the computer control dis. this type of computer sys. all of it has to be on the car working or it will not run right. you can’t bypass any of it like no airpump or 02 censer. were bad for mod. in dis. going bad and acting like the cam is flat. I’ve owned a lot of these and no all the bad comp. stuff. was a bad time to work at a dealership trying to fix this comp. junk
A sunroof was not an option that’s an aftermarket trim ring sitting in the backseat t tops or a power sunroof and I’m pretty sure they were only optinial in the LS model prior to 83 someone correct me if I’m wrong
I have to believe that these cars are at the bottom of their value curve. A lot of 40 something year olds will have empty nests soon and this is what they wanted when they were in high school