🔧 BUILD Turbo Monte project

[Cruzin]

Picked up a 84 Monte SS from my cousin a few years ago. He bought it back in 89, and somewhere in the 90s swapped in a 454 from my dads old truck.

For a stock truck motor it sounded awesome (my first big block) but It was a turd and I can’t loose to mini vans. So I found another block to build. GenV 454, added dimple rods, 9.5:1 pistons, large oval heads, rpm intake mid length headers, serpintine drive, etc. I was super excited thought it’d make 500hp or so and look/drive/ sound awesome. Annnnnndddd then it ate the cam on start up.

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[Cruzin]

Broke and discouraged, I sold the 454 for $1k and spent all of that doing a 5.3 swap. My coworker gave me his old block that had lost oil pressure (cracked pan) for free. 220k miles but the price was right. Redid all the gaskets, stuck a lq9 cam in, and did a diy head porting.

nothing crazy, mostly just cut back the guides and shortened the swirl ramps. Ran great compared to the 454. I drove it about 1,000 miles NA with the stock th350 trans

 

[Cruzin]

It was a great start, but for a dream build it needed more power so I started on a budget turbo setup. eBay manifold, eBay 7875 billet, deccaped injectors (74lb/hr), eBay intercooler piping kit, and I splurged on a mishimoto intercooler.

I screwed up when I ordered the turbo and got a .68 ar exhaust. It’d take a couple weeks to get it swapped out, and I’m impatient so I decided to run with it and swap housings later. It ended up being really responsive and boost starts to build around 2,000 rpms

 

[Cruzin]

Currently I’m guessing 400-450hp, I’m running 89 octane on 7psi. I’d really like to try 87 octane and meth injection and see how much I can get out of it. Not a big fan of 65¢ more per gallon for 91 when it only needs it 10% of the time and I’m driving it a lot. But it does huge rolling burnouts on the 15 year old tires. Next was the stock 7.5 10 bolt waiting to break.
I worked out a trade for a set of moser 28 spline axles and a eaton posi. Later I found out the “posi” was a blazer gov loc lol. I ended up converting it to a LSD by pulling the lock up stuff and shimming the clutches tighter. Works awesome so far. Hopefully it lasts until I get an 8.8

 

[Cruzin]

Im working with a single income with a wife and baby so everything has been very budget oriented, while trying to keep from having to redo things later on. Here’s my diy exhaust pics I forgot to add earlier.

crossover is made from scrap I had laying around

I got some bends off eBay for the down pipe so I can clear the ac box. It’s too hot in the summer not to have ac in a street car.

Came out great. I ovaled it between the body and frame for extra clearance and wrapped the whole thing with header wrap.

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

That govlock delete is awesome. What did you use to shim the clutches?

 

[Cruzin]

Most recent pic of it together and running. Has a new, larger filter behind the headlight now. Next up is the transmission because 3,200 rpms at 70 sucks.
I found a 4l80 at the scrap yard for $150, and worked out a trade with a local trans builder to have it redone for cost. Also threw in a ck shift kit, dual fed the direct, And blocked off the accumulators. I tried a BTR 10” converter first and it was horribly mushy in the car. 1,700rpms or the car wouldn’t move. Swapped it for a 2,800 rpm circle D and I’m much happier. Down to about 2,500 rpm at 70 now. Roughly 20mpg average

 

[Cruzin]

That govlock delete is awesome. What did you use to shim the clutches?

I used 8.8 clutches I had laying around and cut them down until they fit. A better option would be to use more gov loc clutches either new or from the junk yard. They would fit much easier.

 

[Gav'sPurpleZ]

 

[Cruzin]

Most failures I’ve seen are from the locking cam slamming in and splitting the carrier. So I pulled all that, tacked the camplate in place, removed the wave spring, and shimmed the clutches until I barely got the center pin in lol. It’s pretty tight.

 

[Cruzin]

Other things the car has gotten over the last few years,
Speedway tubular upper control arms to clear the big block
.5” taller upper and lower ball joints to help front end geometry
Aligned to umis street spec
Umi 2” drop springs
Abody bilstien shocks (they’re shorter to match the springs)
Ws6 hollow front sway bar.

 

[Cruzin]

Got some blazer brakes/spindles for free so I swapped them out. They’re a touch bigger than stock plus use slip on rotors. I have ls1 Camaro brakes whenever I can find some larger rims. They won’t clear stock 15s.

Old engine bay pic, but it shows my Astro van steering shaft.

New seats courtesy of a Hyundai tiburon at the junk yard.

Also added a cupholder to the console for the milk shake runs.

 

[Cruzin]

Made friends with a local body guy and he mixed me up some paint. Hopefully it’ll look as good as it runs within the next few months. I need to fill in the old antenna hole, and find a cowl hood, but barring any more crazy life events it’ll get done.

This is the color he mixed me, all of the trim will be a satin black, along with the front lip and rear spoiler.

Similar to this, but low, and probably 17” n90 wheels.

 

[Cruzin]

So question time, I’m torn between a Fox body 8.8 that I have, or selling it and using a crown Vic 8.8. I’ve got a f150 center that’s 3.55 lsd and 31 spline so it’s getting new axles either way. The upper ears are low on the mustang, and high like the Monte on the crown Vic. I can use monte control arms on the crown Vic, but I’ll have to shorten it like 3” per side. The mustang axle needs new control arms around $350-400 and I believe the geometry is worse over all because of the low mounting points for the upper arms. What do you guys think?

 

[Gav'sPurpleZ]

So question time, I’m torn between a Fox body 8.8 that I have, or selling it and using a crown Vic 8.8. I’ve got a f150 center that’s 3.55 lsd and 31 spline so it’s getting new axles either way. The upper ears are low on the mustang, and high like the Monte on the crown Vic. I can use monte control arms on the crown Vic, but I’ll have to shorten it like 3” per side. The mustang axle needs new control arms around $350-400 and I believe the geometry is worse over all because of the low mounting points for the upper arms. What do you guys think?

HILROD

 

[v6buicks]

I like how that console had the perfect amount of space for a cupholder and GM still chose to give everyone that blank/boring/worthless shifter cover. That's a very nice and hardly noticeable addition.

 

[Cruzin]

I like how that console had the perfect amount of space for a cupholder and GM still chose to give everyone that blank/boring/worthless shifter cover. That's a very nice and hardly noticeable addition.

I know right? All you need is hole saw and a boat cupholder. And they still make those plates so there’s nothing to loose. I used one of the large cup holders, but one that fits a 12oz can is smaller and would be a bit easier to install

 

[EmersonHart13]

This is good content. Super budget builds are best builds.

 

[Cruzin]

The whole car has been extremely budget minded. I’m in the car $5-6k total. And that counts $1,000 for the car, $1,250 for the terminator, and $1,000 in the 4l80 build.

Speaking of, I forgot my $20 crossmember. This is with the stock trans and preturbo, I needed to clear dual exhaust and I snagged a 95-05 crown Vic crossmember and made it fit. Shorten about 2” on both sides, re flatten and drill your mount holes. Works great. I’m still using it with the 4l80, but to get the transmission where I wanted it I had to weld some mounting flanges to the ends and move the mounting pad in the center.

 

[HILROD]

My 84 has the same color interior. I couldnt find a bolt in-ish solution for a rear cheaply. I found a Lincoln Versailles and used its 9in and parted the rest of the rotted junk out. You can buy the weld on upper mounts. You can use early mustang or granada 9in as well but dont come with rear disc. I swapped over all the lower control arm/spring brackets but it would be easier to swap the whole axle tubes if you wanted to keep stock rear brakes.

 

[Cruzin]

My 84 has the same color interior. I couldnt find a bolt in-ish solution for a rear cheaply. I found a Lincoln Versailles and used its 9in and parted the rest of the rotted junk out. You can buy the weld on upper mounts. You can use early mustang or granada 9in as well but dont come with rear disc. I swapped over all the lower control arm/spring brackets but it would be easier to swap the whole axle tubes if you wanted to keep stock rear brakes.

I’ve already got brakes, so that’s not a big deal and I plan to buy axles either way to get Chevy 5 lug bolt pattern. It’s pretty rare I find a 9” locally though.

 

[Cruzin]

Almost forgot my budget gps speedo. $50 amazon find. Pretty sure it’s for a motorcycle. Pulled the plastic cover off and mounted it in the factory cluster. It’s accurate and should get me by until I can afford a Holley dash.

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

You’re an inspiration.

 

[Cruzin]

You’re an inspiration.

 

[IDAFC21]

I love this build. And good god it is going to look amazing in that color.