Words: Tommy Parry Images: Bernie
Though gorgeous on the outside, this Monte Carlo’s beauty was, initially, only skin deep. Bernie had his fair share of rust to contend with; the passenger footwell and trunk were almost entirely corroded. So he established his aims: Clear away the rust, stiffen the frame so it could handle serious power and then improve the suspension geometry. Once he put the car up on a rotisserie he could address those issues, but that would have to wait – the motor came first.
With the aim of adding two turbos one day, he bought a 355 that was slated for a Procharger. He then fitted it with a forged Eagle crank and rods, forged SRP pistons, Dart Pro1 215cc heads, a Crane cam and Edelbrock Elite valve covers, their Q-Jet carburetor, as well as their Performer intake. This setup provides roughly 330 horsepower, which is driven through a Blue Tag ZF gearbox from a C4 Corvette.
Bernie then turned his attentions to the interior, where he accepted the inevitable sneezing and congestive issues that come with crafting your own fiberglass dash. Once the pieces were mostly finished, Bernie could breathe a sigh of relief; they were certainly worth the red eyes and boxes of Kleenex.
In addressing the rust in the rear, he decided to widen the rear tubs slightly – 315-section tires are in this car’s future – and once complete, he covered the floor and trunk in POR15.
The rollers are Trackstars measuring 17×8” in front and 17×9.5” in the rear, which are wrapped in BFG tires. Though they provide staggering grip, the weight of the car – roughly 3,700 pounds – and stockish springs kept Bernie from maximizing the potential of the chassis when he first went autocrossing.
So, he refreshed most of the suspension components including a new center link, idler arm, inner and outer tie rods with sleeves, upper and lower ball joints, upper and lower control arm bushings, upper control arm offset shafts, polyurethane sway bar bushings and poly end links. Lowered on IROC cargo coils, the car sits beautifully.
Most recently, Bernie grabbed a new frame from a local dirt track racer. This will eventually receive rear mini-tubs, a 3-link conversion, and front suspension/steering geometry revisions. It will also get some torsional stiffness modifications and maybe increased room for front tire clearance. With big cars like the Monte Carlo, having as much meat as possible at either end of the front axle is a necessity for quick lap times.
This purple monster is far from complete, but it holds plenty of potential that, with Bernie’s understanding of vehicle dynamics and DIY bodywork, will likely be met. For a masterclass on metalwork and more on this exciting build, consult its pages here and here.
