Thoughts on engine spec and durability

[Let off some steam Bennett]

I'm considering looking at this monte carlo, what are your thoughts on engine spec and durability. Is this the kind of engine that will need refreshing on a regular basis. Does anybody know the car

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MONTE-CARLO-SS-MUSCLE-C...

[Stove454]

A few things here on this one...this car came standard in 1986 with a 305 cubic inch (5.0L) V8. The only information this poster has provided is that it is a 6.8L, which translates to 415 cubic inches, which has never been a standard chevrolet size to my knowledge. In the one photo of the back the owner put a sticker on saying 406 cubic inch, which is 6.65L. So one of these two things need to be clarified.

My guess is it's a 350 (5.7L) "stroker" motor -meaning it has been given longer connecting rods for more displacement.

Long story short, it's a built highly modified engine, lots of aftermarket stuff - all reputable standard US companies that are trustworthy (holley, lunati, edelbrock, etc).

That said, your question is whether the engine is reliable or reputable - being that it's highly modified, I'm not sure you can get an answer to that, and it would depend on who built it - but the components used are all pretty standard in the US and should work right.

In general chevrolet pushrod small block V8s are one of the most reliable engines ever built, and they've made 10s of millions of them. Easy to work on and modify, tons of aftermarket support.

[Let off some steam Bennett]

Thanks, yes an engine is only as good as the person who built it. I will as the seller who put the car together

[Stove454]

You've posted a couple of these Montes on the board recently, so if you're considering buying one it would probably be worthwhile to read through this:

https://www.hagerty.com/articles-videos/articles/2...


And spend some time on any of these forums: www.montecarloss.com,www.gbodyforum.com, and www.montecarloforum.com

Forums dedicated to those cars will probably yield a lot more and better answers - as I think pistonheads will have limited people with knowledge on 80s US Chevrolet vehicles.

Good luck searching though, I've always loved those 80s Monte Carlos and G-bodies. If you like the body style but can't find the right one, you might also consider the Monte Carlo's "sister" cars, made by the other GM divisions: Buick Regal T-Type, Buick Grand National and GNX (though these are expensive now) or the Oldsmobile Hurst/Olds or 442.

[Let off some steam Bennett]

Great thanks, i have the cash to get a nice one i just cant make my mind up if i want a factory std one or modified

[Matt Harper]

Stove454 said:

A

My guess is it's a 350 (5.7L) "stroker" motor -meaning it has been given longer connecting rods for more displacement.

My guess is that it's an L37 motor, originally with 396ci - stroking a 350 by 1100cc is right on the edge - even if it's feasible without increasing the bore to attain that capacity. 396 big block is a stout motor, but would need way more than a cam and carb to achieve 500hp.

[Let off some steam Bennett]

Do the gm block and fast burn heads count for nothing.The car is not running the std motor

[HD Adam]

It's virtually impossible to give an answer to your question.

The spec looks like a typical aftermarket build.

Nice & powerful but depends on how well the parts match and how well it's tuned.

Could be a nice broad powerband, could be 550hp all coming in over a few hundred RPM right at the top of the rev range.

You will only know by taking it for a drive but generally, the racier you make an engine, the less of a street car it becomes.

It depends on your intended use.

Is this going to be a (semi) daily driver or just a cruise night and occasional Santa Pod car?

As for the durability, it will depend on who built it.

Higher horsepower engines are generally given a bit more clearance so it won't last as long as a stocker but shoudn't need a rebuild every couple of years.

Thing to do is go drive it and ask more questions.

[Let off some steam Bennett]

Thanks all and i know im asking a million dollar question.
I do like to usecmy cars but my toys are never daily driven.
My current tvr has done plenty of miles touring europe etc. I Would want to do the same in a yank.
Im viewing the car Wednesday so hopefully i will get more of a idea on the whole engine spec.

[Let off some steam Bennett]

Thanks all and i know im asking a million dollar question.
I do like to usecmy cars but my toys are never daily driven.
My current tvr has done plenty of miles touring europe etc. I Would want to do the same in a yank.
Im viewing the car Wednesday so hopefully i will get more of a idea on the whole engine spec.

[Matt Harper]

Let off some steam Bennett said:

Do the gm block and fast burn heads count for nothing.The car is not running the std motor

The Performance Parts aluminum block won't give any hp gain - but is significantly lighter (and slightly hotter running) than a stock iron-block item.

Fast Burn heads are also lighter and will add around 30-40 bolt-on hp - assuming that flat-topped pistons are also utilized. These heads are primarily designed for sustained high rpm utility - most BRISCA stock car racers running SBC's in the UK use these heads. Their street performance potential is moot, unless you drive at full-throttle most of the time.

The spec says nothing about the rotating and reciprocating assemblies. I think I'd want to know what's inside - i.e. crank, shells, rods, pins, pistons etc - all those important bits you can't see. I'd also be interested to learn how aggressive the camshaft is, in terms of lift, overlap and duration - that might give you a clue about the other internals.

Giving an estimate of brake horsepower (in this case 500+) is pretty much "suck it and see" and "feels like". To create that level of power, the car would need to be producing between 440 and 460 wheel horsepower, measured on a dynamometer (rolling road). The parasitic losses through an unmodified TH350 will be a LOT more than through a more modern trans with a locking torque converter.

It's certainly a nice looking car, if you are a 3 box fan - but there is SO much bullsh*t spouted about cars like this - particularly when it comes to power claims.

[Stove454]

Matt Harper said:

My guess is that it's an L37 motor, originally with 396ci - stroking a 350 by 1100cc is right on the edge - even if it's feasible without increasing the bore to attain that capacity. 396 big block is a stout motor, but would need way more than a cam and carb to achieve 500hp.

I quickly glanced at the photos and it looked like a small block to me (those valve covers looked quite narrow), so I just figured with the rarity of 400 SBs, it was likely a 350. I wasn't really thinking that yeah - getting an extra 56 cubic inches out of a small block is a lot to ask. Turns out a 406 is what you get if you overbore a 400 SB by .030. Interesting motor as those 400 small blocks are getting harder and harder to find.

Overall I'm just really surprised with the listing not specifying any of this....

[Let off some steam Bennett]

I viewed the car yesterday and it is in very good order, the car drives well and is very easy to drive slowly aswell as fast
The car was built and owned by Any Przybyl. Im trying to get hold of him to chat about engine spec etc

[Let off some steam Bennett]

The block is a gm 400 small block over bored by .30. Machine work done by engine analysis.
It has a eagle crank with 350 rod gernals and 400 mains.
Keith Black pistons
Gm fast burn vortex heads
Holly street avenger carb
John Webster built diff

All this came very kindly from Alan who built the car,i chatted to him at length last night.

He built the car for street and not dragging.
He did take it the strip a couple of times when he first built it.

Car came from texas as a rolling shell.Car was solid with no weldeng etc needed.He did strip and fully paint it though

It would appear from all accounts that the 400gm small block is pretty tough.

He does say the horsepower figure in the add is a little misleading as he never dynoed the car.
He estimates it to be a out 450 bhp with 500 torques. This sounds more realistic to me.

[emperorburger]

Listing has closed. Did you end up buying it?

[Let off some steam Bennett]

Im considering buying it,its a real clean car that looks well put together

[emperorburger]

So engine is sound, bodywork is good. Unless you want something radically different, what's stopping you pulling the trigger?

[Let off some steam Bennett]

emperorburger said:

So engine is sound, bodywork is good. Unless you want something radically different, what's stopping you pulling the trigger?

I'm going back Wednesday to finalise the purchase, i have had my current car for 7 years and its pulling on my heart strings not to sell it. I could keep it and rin the monte a long side it but i only have a 1 car garage
Current car is a tvr tuscan that i do really enjoy but i never keep cars this long, so i really fancy a change

[shovelheadrob]

Let off some steam Bennett said:

I viewed the car yesterday and it is in very good order, the car drives well and is very easy to drive slowly aswell as fast
The car was built and owned by Any Przybyl. Im trying to get hold of him to chat about engine spec etc

I've known Andy for decades, when he had the car it wanted for nothing, he's had some cracking cars over the years & his paintshop does some of the best work in the country. If the car is as it was then you have no worries.

[Let off some steam Bennett]

shovelheadrob said:

Let off some steam Bennett said:

I viewed the car yesterday and it is in very good order, the car drives well and is very easy to drive slowly aswell as fast
The car was built and owned by Any Przybyl. Im trying to get hold of him to chat about engine spec etc

I've known Andy for decades, when he had the car it wanted for nothing, he's had some cracking cars over the years & his paintshop does some of the best work in the country. If the car is as it was then you have no worries.

It still looks bang on and i do not think it has done many miles since he owned it