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A Buyer's Guide for 1983-1988 Monte Carlo Super Sports

As you can see from the pics in the gallery, these cars look awesome in both stock and modified form. For those of you who are now contemplating purchasing an SS Monte Carlo, please read on and take notes from this "mini buyer's guide".

First, these cars are extremely dependable and owner friendly. However, there are certain things you need to look for when looking at a used Monte Carlo SS. If the car has spent a great deal of it's life in the "salt belt" of the Northeast or Upper Midwest, pay special attention to the rear frame rails extending from the rear axle mounts out to the bumper mounts. Salt and slush from the roads have a tendancy to get caked inside the rear frame rails where rust shortly follows. I have seen numerous Monte Carlos reduced to nothing more than parts cars because of this deficiency as there is really no viable way to make these cars road worthy again.

Next, when inspecting the engine compartment, take note of the engine coolant overflow tank. If the car was built from the later part of 1986 up through 1987, there is a chance the engine block has a casting flaw. If the previous owner had had problems keeping coolant in the overflow tank, it's entirely possible the engine has this flaw. For the most part, this defect does not alter the performance of the engine, and in most instances, the driver cannot even tell there's a problem. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to verify this defect. The cracks normally appear in the lifter valley in the top of the engine. The only way to verify this is to remove the intake manifold and have the engine inspected. I doubt very much that the owner would let you take apart his engine to look for this defect. As I said before though, this problem is hardly noticed and does not inhibit engine performance.

If the SS you're looking at purchasing has T-Tops, you must inspect the weatherstrip carefully to ensure there are no cracks or dry rotting. The cost for replacing these seals are extremely expensive to both purchase and have installed. In fact, in some areas of the country, these seals are only available through companies devoted to making weatherstrip for cars. If you're lucky, you may find a local Chevrolet dealership that still has access to these pieces. It is not unheard of to spend almost $1000.00 for the replacement of the T-Top seals between the cost of the seals themselves and the cost of labor to have them installed on your SS.

Another part to inspect on your SS is the rear spoiler. Inspect this for posssible cracks as it is only made of fiberglass. Look for lines in the paint that might indicate a crack underneath. These spoilers are very handy to use when closing your trunk lid, but, unfortunately, they are extremely very apt to crack when they're used for that purpose. A new spoiler goes for around $250.00 before being painted to match your car and can be located at one of the larger Chevrolet dealerships and aftermarket parts companies like The Paddock.

If the SS you're looking at has the center console option, chances are the console lid is broken at the hinges. These covers are available in the aftermarket for about $65.00 and come in black. You paint to match the cover as needed.

The noses on the SS's like to crack on the corners above the parking lights. They do this because of stress on the plastic nosepiece. The covers can sometimes be patched, but chances are they will crack again. The best bet is to replace the nose cover with a new piece. These can be found for around $269 from the aftermarket manufacturers. The NOS pieces may run a bit more.

More and more parts are becoming available through the aftermarket companies for these cars. Alot of these parts are factory NOS, (New Old Stock), pieces. That means they are actually factory replacement parts that have been bought by the aftermarket companies. I'm a firm believer in NOS if they're available. That way, you will know exactly what you're getting in terms of quality.

These are just some things to look out for when in the market for a Monte Carlo SS. As time goes on, this page will expand to include part numbers of commonly sought after parts needed for your SS. Be sure to check back regularly to see any updates which might have taken place since your last visit.