History
The Monte Carlo SS came into production as a direct result of Chevrolet's desire to win in NASCAR. After much testing and wind tunnel work the new Monte Carlo SS was born.
It was first outfitted with a base 305 V8 in 1983 which only produced a meager 165 horsepower. Realizing that it needed more, in 1984 Chevy outfitted the car with a Piggins designed 305 which wore the nameplate L69. The new engine, with it's aluminum intake manifold, 795cfm Quadrajet carburetor, Cross-fire Camaro heads and Corvette L-81camshaft, was able to produce 180 horsepower. Furthermore, the steering box on the SS is a desirable 16/12.7:1 variable ratio recirculating-ball GM unit. The F-41Suspension is from the Camaro Z-28. The transmission was the TH350c with a rear gearing of 3.42:1.
Only subtle changes took place over the life of the Monte Carlo
SS. The SS logo on the head rest was only offered in 1983-1984 on the SS's
with the bench seat option.
In 1984 the car displayed large gaudy graphics on top of a white or blue paint scheme. Color options were limited to white on blue and dark blue on blue paint schemes.
In the 1985 model year the graphics were toned down and included new multi-color pin striping to set off the paint scheme. The car displayed 15 inch steel rims mated to Goodyear Eagle GT tires. The car was equipped with the TH200-4R 4-speed overdrive transmission, which allowed the car to cruise comfortably at highway speeds with the new 3.73:1 performance gearing.
By 1986 the car displayed aluminum rims borrowed from the 1981 Camaro Z/28 as well as bucket seats and a third brake light. In the late 1986 a small amount of Monte Carlo's began to emerge sporting a new rear window. GM had designed a more aerodynamic Monte Carlo SS for the racing scene, and the rare Aerocoupe was born.
By 1987 the car underwent a few changes. A more colors options were added, as well as a new SS decal design which carried over into the 1988 model year. Gone was the 85mph speedometer, replaced by the much deserved 120mph speedo. Also, the rear tail lights and bumper cover changed to a more rounded design which added smoothness to the rear end and improved the overall appearance.
The Arlington, TX. plant produced the SS from 1983-1988, while the Pontiac, Mi. plant also built the SS in 1987 and 1988. Canadian SS's were built in the Oshawa, ONT Plant from 1985-1987.
Recall History
The only reported recall was during the 1986 model year. The Monte Carlo SS had a problem with the headlight switch which could cause the headlights to turn off at any given moment while driving.
Common problems with the Monte Carlo SS:
Performance Specs
| 1985 (Motortrend) | 1985 (Car & Driver) |
| 0-50mph in 6.0 sec. | 0-100mph in 25.6 sec. |
| 0-60mph in 8.4 sec. | 0-60mph in 7.8 sec. |
| 1/4 mile in 16.1 sec. | 1/4 mile in 15.9 sec. @ 86mph |
| 0.82 g lateral accel. | 0.80 g lateral accel. |
Aerocoupes
The Aerocoupes were produced in 1986 (RPO B5T) and 1987 (RPO Z16) and featured a large rear window designed to improve the car's overall aerodynamics. There were only 200 aerocoupes built in 1986 and only 6052 were built in 1987 although Chevy had plans to build 20,000 at the time. The Aerocoupe suffered from meager sales and a general lack of public interest so this may be why Chevy only built 6052 of them in 1987.
The glass provided a 2.7 percent reduction in drag coefficient. They figure that's worth about 5 mph on the track.
Supposedly they didn't put the gas strut supports for the trunk on until '87 for the aeros. I don't know what the 86's did.
"Chevy's 75th Super Savers Option packages include: Package C4A power door locks, power windows, twin remote sport mirrors, ETR AM-FM stereo radio w/seek/scan, stereo cassette tape and clock, power trunk opener, halogen head lamps. PACKAGE CB4 adds a six- way power driver's seat to the above package - requires 55/45 seat."
Exterior Colors Stripe Colors Interior Trim ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Black (19) Gold/Red Gray/Maroon/Saddle Dark Maroon Met. (79) Red Gray/Maroon/Saddle Silver Metallic (12) Gray Gray/Maroon White (11) Gold/Red Gray/Maroon/Saddle |
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Production Information
RPO: Z37/Z65 Engine: 305cid H.O. (standard SS and Areocoupe) TYPE: V8 Bore x Stroke: 3.74x3.48 Brake Horse Power: 180 net Wheel Base: 108.1 (1983-1984) - 108.0 (1985-1988) Curb Weight Base Price Production Run 1883 Super Sport - 3,449 $10,474 4,714 1984 Super Sport - 3,434 $10,700 24,050 1985 Super Sport - 3,385 $11,380 35,484 1986 Super Sport - 3,387 $12,466 41,164 Aerocoupe - 3,440 $14,193 200 1987 Super Sport - 3,473 $13,463 33,199 Aerocoupe - 3,526 $14,838 6,052 1988 Super Sport - 3,239 $14,320 16,204 |
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Engine Specifications 5.0L H.O.
(L69)
Type: 90-deg. V-8 Front Longitudinal
Displacement: 305 cubic inches (5.0L)
Horsepower: 180@4800 RPM
Torque: 225@@3200 RPM
Max RPM: 5500
Idle RPM: 650
Compression ratio: 9.5:1
Block: Cast Alloy Iron
Deck Height: 9.025"
Deck Clearance: 0.25" below
Bore: 3.740"
Stroke: 3.480"
Bore Spacing: 4.400"
Crankshaft: Nodular Cast Iron
Pistons: Cast Aluminum Alloy, flat top
Rods: 1037 or 1038 Cast Steel
Camshaft: Hydraulic flat tappet
Cam lift: .404"/.415"
Cam duration @.050: 202/206-deg.
Advertised duration: 320/320-deg.
Lobe Seperation: 115-deg.
Heads: Cast Alloy Iron, 58cc
Valve size: 1.84"/1.5"
Intake: Cast Aluminum Alloy
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GM 'Resto Pak'
Call 800-222-1020 (GM) and ask for a "restoration packet" for your car.
Have your VIN number and mailing address ready.
It is FREE in the continental US.
Hours are: 8am - 5:30pm M-F (EST)
Unfortunately, for most other areas, this service is NOT
free...
What you get is copies of original GM/Chevy ordering and specification booklets as well as a large restoration parts listing. It contains a tremendous amount of information about your vehicle and its the right price.
Monte Carlo SS ID guide
Fourth Generation Monte Carlo Super Sports
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The 1983 model year brought big news for Monte Carlo buyers:
the return of the Super Sport Package. The RPO code Z65 SS package included
a "new high output" 305 V-8 rated at 165 horsepower, new front end styling,
suspension upgrades, twin exhaust outlets, and a rear spoiler. "The front
end treatment consisted of a new angular, molded plastic nose piece with
integral grille." Bucket seats were not available in the Monte Carlo
for
1983 and the SS package included a bench seat in blue with white trim only.
The white head rests had "SS" embroidered into them, and the steering wheel
was a standard Monte Carlo Wheel. Special 15 x 7 Rally Wheels and P215/65-15
GT white letter Goodyear Tires also distinguished a SS above the rest. The
83 and 84 Super Sports had a plastic woodgrain dash trim while later Super
Sports had a black dash trim. In addition the 83 and 84 Super Sports
had the same "Race Blue" cloth interior with vinyl door panels.
The only cosmetic changes between the 83 and 84 Super Sports was the option of ordering blue cloth bucket seats, a center console, and a new "sport" steering wheel. The blue and white bench seat was still available. The 305 got a horsepower rating boost to 180 horsepower. The only exterior colors available in 83 and 84 were white with 2 tone blue striping, or dark blue with 2 tone blue striping. The darker tone of the stripes was similar to the blue color of the car so that the impression was given of only one stripe. The TH200-4R tansmission was listed as a dealer option in 84, but production problems and delays prevented all but three 84 SS's from recieving one. Additionally the ashtray was moved to the center console ahead of the shifter in 84 SS's with the Bucket seat option.
New in 1985 was the 4-speed
automatic
transmission (THM 200-4R) in which 4th gear was a 0.67:1 overdrive. The
rear axle was changed to a 7-5/8 inch ring-gear, with a new ratio of 3.73:1
from a 7.5 inch, 3.42:1 gear. A limited-slip option became available with
this new rear-end. Gone was the Dark Blue color and new hues available were
Silver Metallic, Black, and Dark Maroon Metallic. The color white was still
an option. The striping package was changed by the addition of CHEVROLET
lettering in a striping break on the front fascia, the outline of a bowtie
above the trunk lock cylinder, and an additional stripe along the top-rear
of the spoiler. Monte Carlo SS lettering changed size and type font on the
doors and trunk lid. The coloring of the stripes and lettering now matched
the color of the interior; Charcoal and Black with a Gray interior, Orange
and Red with the Maroon interior, and two Golden color shades to accent the
Tan interior. The dash trim changed from the "woodgrain" trim to a
black plastic trim with red piping accents. The cloth seats also changed
material to a "velour" type from the earlier cloth style, but still had the
earlier vinyl door panels.
1986 brought about a few cosmetic changes to the exterior.
The rear-view mirrors styling changed from an oval shaped "pod" attached
to the door by a pedestal, to a "Aero styled" model that flowed from the
front of the door to
where
the window met with it. The mirror itself bore a "D" shape. It was mounted
similarly, but the pedestal was short and hidden by the mirror housing. In
addition, in 1986 a new aluminum alloy wheel became standard on the Super
Sports. This five spoke design borrowed from the 1981 Camaro is what most
people think of when you say a Monte Carlo Super Sport rim. The door
panels changed matierial from vinyl to a "velour" similar to the cloth
seats.
Also new to the Monte Carlo Family in 1986 was the Aero Coupe. This Aero Coupe included a "drastically sloped rear window, and short trunk lid." Only 200 Aero Coupes were produced for retail consumers in 1986. This was the minimum amount necessary to allow NASCAR racing teams to use the Aerocoupe rear window legally on their race cars. The rounded rear window improved the aerodynamic performance of the car at the high speeds attained on the NASCAR tracks.
1987 brought about a change in rear styling. A "smoothed" rear bumper eliminated the notch that existed below the trunk line, on top of the bumper. This new bumper was complimented with a new taillight housing where the lens extended approximately 1/4 inch around the corners of the car. In addition, the lower profile wing from the Aerocoupe became available some time in mid-87. Tracking VIN production numbers has left me with no clear answers as to when or where the new style began. From 83 to 87 the Super Sports were assembled in Arlington, Texas (as evidenced from a R just before the production number on VIN's). In 1987, and into 88, Super Sports were also assembled in Pontiac, Michigan. Aerocoupes found the end of their production run in 87.
The 87 model year colors did not change, however the Monte Carlo Super Sport logo on the door did. It went from a format of having the MONTE CARLO placed linearly before the slightly-larger SS, to a large SS logo placed above a MONTE CARLO. The striping changed to a tri-color format, once again accenting the interior colors.
"The 1988 model year marked the end of an era." After producing
the Monte Carlo for approximately 3 months, Chevrolet decided to cancel the
Monte Carlo Super Sport model. On Friday, December 11, 1987, at 5:29 pm,
the last fourth-generation, Monte Carlo rolled off the production line at
the Pontiac, Michigan plant. It is believed that the 88 model year was just
an extension of the 87 year to allow production of any Monte Carlos that
were ordered late in the 87 year. In so, there were no changes to color or
stripe options from 87 to 88.
(On an interesting note 88 was the only year that there were
more Super Sport models made than standard models {13,970})
=====Sources
"Chevrolet Monte Carlo 1970-1988 & 1995 ..." published
by Chevrolet, and available in a "Restoration Packet" from them.
"Chevy Super Sports 1961-1976. Including '83-'87 Monte Carlo SS" by Terry V. Boyce
Derek Atteberry's personal observations through photos, experiences, and guidance from other Monte Carlo owners on the Monte Carlo e-mail Mailing List.