Project "Cheap Trick" 1977 Monza 2+2

[MonzaRacer]

Well still in the engine building phase but since its coming up on my ESOP cash to come in I figure Ill get the 283 together and wasthinking of getting Vortec for a 305 as that will give me a reasonable compression. I do have the double humps but no bolt holes are hard and the fact Iwould have to mill the crap out of them. A local car show is coming in Sept and I figure on the car being in primer for that unless I can swing the cheap paint job (if since my mom moved and doesnt sell old home she has a garage I could paint in I would just have to wire in the 220 for my compressor and beg it off my brother or buy a new one.
so much to do and so little time/money. I still need to buy new tires too as I dont think I will be able to get 17s this year so I ll need some slightly smaller rear tires(had 275/60s ,,,may go 255. And it depends on when I get my 4x4 rearend.
also hoping ofr enough to get my front shock waves and maybe put a few bucks back so I can upgrade my rear air bags on truck and reuse the 9000s on it on my Monza.
I have good shock for the back for now so I wont mess with that till they show me they wont work.
I figured out the factory electric lock I have on an old Monte Carlo trunck may just fit the Monza so electric hatch!
Also looking for the parts to make power windows/locks.
Lots to do.
Lee

[MonzaRacer]

Well the Cheap trick Monza is going to start now as my ESOP cash just came today! WOOHOO.
Paybills and get caught up and buy a few parts for the Monza and such.
Now as I think i have enough stuff done around to pacifiy the IDEM.
someone reported me for peeing in a milk jug and throwing it out my back door.
What a crock,,,now I am 2 weeks behind but $2250.00 better off.
So now to get some measurements and order some air ride hehehehe wEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEE!

[MonzaRacer]

Well after having worked on a friends Malibu with some home grown big brakes so I am gonna work on some ideas similar to Lowbucks ideas and working on welding my floor repairs,,,driver side floor has some minor rust.
WEll 283 is going to be shelved for a while till I can find some good rods for it and maybe match up some pistons a little better.
I have a roller block 350 with lots of miles and I think I may pull it down and replace the pistons/rings and bearings and then I gotta find some heads and slide it in for a short time but to get it moving.
I have a 4x4 rear end coming as its widerand will allow me to pick a better wheel offset and maybe find something off the shelf even.
My machinist has a set of slightly used cast flat tops and all on rods so I can just swap him rods.
If my crank is good it will polish and some new bearings and simple hydralic cam and my old Edelbrock Scorpion intake.
Gonna work on Megasquirt too fuel only for now as I am still working on my DIS conversion.
But it will get her running soon I hope.

[MonzaRacer]

OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY
CYA 92 RS has an Hbody and is thinking of working on it Pro-Touring style!
I am stoked , 2 hbodies on here.
Well tickle me fancy.

[MonzaRacer]

Well 2 weeks away from car show and havent been able to lift a wrench in weeks on Monza and now job may be going away after I spent all my extra cash on required tools at work.
Just hope and pray boss is just being stupid and opens his eyes(I know dream on) on what he is doing wrong.
Now I am just trying to figure out an engine till I can get my 283 done or deside on a 302, just cause my boss says it smacks too close to Ford(he doesnt like Fords) also he has this stupid kick on stock only yet will put add on beds, stuff, snow plows etc on.
Even for a religious man he seems to be developing a hypocritical streak.
Oh well.
It will get running ,hopefully before bad weather at least.
HMMMMMMM

[78formula]

OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY
CYA 92 RS has an Hbody and is thinking of working on it Pro-Touring style!
I am stoked , 2 hbodies on here.
Well tickle me fancy.

Three actually. I have a 78 Formula Sunbird which needs a ton O work. I have to finish off my Beretta first and sell it before I can start investing $$$ into the bird.

I'm anxiously awaiting to see you guys progress on yours!

[MonzaRacer]

OK so I am working on the parts list to add on the big disc brakes, and MArkus over at SC&C is gonna whip up some sweet upper control arms as soon as I send him my spare one.
www.V8monza.com owner/operator Bob Gumm makes the adapters for the S10 swap to put 5 lugs on.
I am also working on a bolt on rack conversion that will incorporate the rack mounting AND swaybar mounting in one. This will correct the minor steering issues caused by longer steering arms.
I may swap in a set of ATS spindles for a Gbody as the bolt aon arms would also cure things slightly cheaper in the long run I THINK.
I am also trying to get a true bolt in 4 link setup for the rearend so it dumps the torque arm, and then I am working on air ride conversion too. The front will be ART Shockwaves and rear will probably be CoolRide.
I am gonna use an old NOS bottle for air tank.
Keep in touch as I am working as much as I can on my own.
Lee

[MonzaRacer]

Well I am having to piece the floor together from pieces of sheet steel. Because I have very little in the way of tools here at home I am mixing thicknesses of sheet metal but still trying to get it back in.
A fella came through and asked why I didnt just buy new ones,,,I WOULD BUTTHEY DONT AMKE REPLACEMENT FLOOR PANS FOR HBODIES!
So I am left with trying to get a floor in it and get it rolling before snow flies(sucks with no garage) hope it gets running soon, just gotta bid my time on the engine.
Picts to follow after I get some more work done.
Lee

[MonzaRacer]

Well with new job hopefully the Cheap Trick Monza will get closer to running.

[The Stickman]

Sounds like a great project. I would love to see some pics of it.

[xtrmeta]

Looks like it's going to be a cool project. I built a 383 powered Monza with a Pro Touring backhalf done with a 12 bolt out back and a full cage in it. I ended up selling it right after I had all the hard work done. Just needed paint.
I bought a Mirage kit for it and never used it. Sitting up in my attic if your interested.

[MonzaRacer]

well hopefully I can keep working, and do some work on Monza and get her rolling soon, and may have 80s 2dr Caprice for my big block to live in.

[MonzaRacer]

Oh and the yellow one was destroyed by blown tire causing a wreck.

[MonzaRacer]

Well still looking into wheels as I want 17s but if I get new 15 tires the new wheels and tire in 17 are on hold for little while.
That and I think I really need to find an S10 4x4 rear end, gotta look up which years could have 8.5 then have right width for newer wheels and stronger also.
Also talked to Tims Turbos , now thinking of twin T04B V trims in built in waste gates, but 900 each is little salty , need new engine first so it may run n/a for little while.
And need to figure out how to afford heavier air springs for truck then can pull 9000s out of truck and use in Monza.

[MonzaRacer]

ttt

[1nkred1ble]

how about

"Monz-ta"

???????????????????????

[1nkred1ble]

??????

[MonzaRacer]

Found my keys to the Monza.
Lord that had me worried, only set I had and to keep drivers door closed and latched is with it locked.
Thats ok as I have doors from the yellow Monza and dot think Ill have any problems except getting it together and starting,,,it sucks I dont have a garage yet.
Oh well gotta get more keys made so this wont happen again.
And gotta start inventorying parts also.
Pics on the inventory process,,,soon.

[MonzaRacer]

ttt

[MonzaRacer]

Well taxes came back, I waited till 11pm for taxes to come back then first purchase was 2 replacement pistons to match the other 6 I got for free.
I am still debating on what to do, but it looks like I may run the double hump 461s with the 202/160s if they clear the block of my 283 after 040 bore. Or do I look for a set of 601 casting 305 heads
Still need rings and gaskets. maybe some cam bearings.
Then I need to pull the old engine, strip off the parts we need to get the 283 running.
I have my LT Intake to use and still not sure whats up with the headers.
It has the ones that clear motor mounts, but I have the ones for motor plate.
I got a type 2 PS pump from a 2.0 Cav engine so I still need to figure out the rest.
Gotta think about what to do for electronics, so I try to mod a stock computer for now, or step up and look at getting my Megasquirt II now?
Now need to think about saving for turbos too!