1985 Monte Carlo SS

**rdnkwmn24** · 08-06-2015, 04:12 PM

Well we need some assistance. My husband and I have recently purchased a 1985 Monte Carlo SS. We want to restore it completely but we are first timers with a whole overhaul of this magnitude. We are pretty sure it is a 305 motor. It is a 4BBL. We have tried a VIN check to find any other specs as far as rear end and came up empty handed. My husband wants to put a 350 motor in it but we want to make sure the transmission and rear end will handle that first. It is in really great shape just needs some TLC that we are willing to give it to make it purr like a kitten again. There is a sticker in the truck with a bunch of codes that we can read but we have no idea what any of them mean. Just looking for some advice as to where to start this sweet project. Please and Thank you.

**pajeff02** · 08-06-2015, 05:41 PM

Hmmm. I just may know something about these cars.

Here is a thread on our '85 Monte SS: http://www.ls1.com/forums/f70/1985-m...rlo-ss-135740/

The car (if stock) should be equipped with a 305 c.i. engine, a Quadrajet 4 bbl carb, 2004R transmission and 3.73 gears out back. They are great cars and a lot of fun to drive. I have the books for ours and strongly recommend that you pick up a factory service manual from one of the vintage auto book dealers. Whereabouts are you in NY? We're just down the road from Corning, NY.

**rdnkwmn24** · 08-06-2015, 11:09 PM

Thanks I will have to check that site out and find a manual. We are 3 hours north of Syracuse near Potsdam. That is our issue we don't know what is stock and what isn't. We want to have it as much stock as possible.

**rdnkwmn24** · 08-06-2015, 11:25 PM

Also when I can figure out how to post pics from my phone I will do that. It has been sitting in a field for a few years so my husband did make sure to check everything Omer very well underneath and everything except the back floor boards are great. It is going in our garage where it will stay until done and in the winter. I refuse to take it out on the winter roads up here.

**pajeff02** · 08-10-2015, 02:57 AM

Amen on that. Our cars all get parked over the winter months. I have the books and such, so anything you guys need in the meantime just let me know. Our car is just about 100% stock inside and out, so I can send you pics of stuff too. Only issue is that we keep the Monte at our place downstate which is about 2 hours away, so might be a couple of days if you need pics.

**Whamhammer** · 08-11-2015, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by rdnkwmn24

Well we need some assistance. My husband and I have recently purchased a 1985 Monte Carlo SS. We want to restore it completely but we are first timers with a whole overhaul of this magnitude. We are pretty sure it is a 305 motor. It is a 4BBL. We have tried a VIN check to find any other specs as far as rear end and came up empty handed. My husband wants to put a 350 motor in it but we want to make sure the transmission and rear end will handle that first. It is in really great shape just needs some TLC that we are willing to give it to make it purr like a kitten again. There is a sticker in the truck with a bunch of codes that we can read but we have no idea what any of them mean. Just looking for some advice as to where to start this sweet project. Please and Thank you.

I smell a Vortech headed 350 in the near future!

**rdnkwmn24** · 08-11-2015, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by Whamhammer

I smell a Vortech headed 350 in the near future!

We did find a motor and I know it is a 350 with a cam and lifters. He does want to put Vortec heads on it if we can find some. If we can we will leave the cam off. I fall more and more in love with this car every time I see it.

**Whamhammer** · 08-11-2015, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by rdnkwmn24

We did find a motor and I know it is a 350 with a cam and lifters. He does want to put Vortec heads on it if we can find some. If we can we will leave the cam off. I fall more and more in love with this car every time I see it.

Vortech heads should be readily available at junkyards or ebay, if not new ones are available from GMPP and a few other sources for a pretty good price. I built a 383 out of a 350 Vortech warranty toss out when I worked at a dealer and really didnt need to do much to it other than a new crank and a 30 over bore (hence the use of a stroker rotating assembly).

Too bad I never had it installed, no one around where I lived would touch it within a months install timeline after I blew the 305 up.

Ended up buying my WS6 instead, sold the car cor $500.00 and the 383 for $750.00 to a co-worker so I could get ahead on payments. I am pretty sure the 383 became a planter.

It was for a '89 TA TPI setup, I bet that thing was a torque monster, I built it to be one at least.

**pajeff02** · 08-11-2015, 02:06 PM

We run a 350 in our '74 Corvette with Vortec heads and a decent cam. It is a torque monster and runs very strong.

**rdnkwmn24** · 08-11-2015, 03:56 PM

Well I was able to set my avatar to the pic of the car that I have. I am still not sure how to post one in something I post so it will show more detail. pajeff if you could send me some info on those books and where I could find some I would appreciate it. You can private message if need be. Please and thank you! I looked earlier but cant find anything really helpful for the SS.

**pajeff02** · 08-11-2015, 04:55 PM

This is what I am referring to: Official 1985 Chevrolet Shop Manual Impala Caprice Monte Carlo El Camino | eBay You really cannot beat the factory literature on these cars.

**rdnkwmn24** · 08-17-2015, 04:55 PM

We bought a 350 motor. I got some numbers off of it. They are K0813TBG. Those are located by the intake and head. Trying to get info on it but not finding much.