The 3.3L (200) V6 became available in 1979 on the Monte Carlo, not 1978. 1978 engines were the RPO code "LD5" 231 CID Buick produced V6 with two barrel, VIN code "A" or the 305 Chevrolet V8, which I believe was RPO code "LG3" and a VIN code "U" engine that year. No diesel in the 1978-1980 Monte Carlo either. Yes, the diesel was available in the Monte Carlo, but not until 1982 (both a 4.3 V6 diesel and a 5.7 V8 diesel, both Oldsmobile produced). AC was RPO code "C60", not "C69" for these models. 1978-1979 Monte Carlos had rectangular headlights---the last Monte Carlo with round headlights was 1975, and in 1976-1977, they were the stacked "quad" set up. That's incorrect. The 231 V6 in 1978 could be had with either a three or four speed manual transmission. Both had a 2.93 rear end ratio. Yes, the 305 only came with a four speed if you got it with a manual transmission in 1978. Yes, this was a 231 V6 equipped car. With the VIN, we win: 1 for Chevrolet, Z for Monte Carlo, 37 for two door, A for 231 V6 with two barrel, aka RPO code "LD5", Buick produced, 8 for 1978 model year, B for Baltimore, MD assembly and the rest is the production sequence. The Baltimore plant opened in 1935 and closed in 2005, last producing the Astro and Safari mini vans. When you get the tag, you can brag, and I say go all the way, don't you say? ST78 for 1978 model year, 1AZ37 for Monte Carlo, B for Baltimore, MD assembly, 74W for Dark Carmine Red (likely vinyl) interior trim, A51 for bucket seats, 19U and 19L for Black upper and lower exterior paint, 05A for the first week of May 1978 production and 72 is some sort of red secondary interior trim (package tray, carpet, steering column, etc.). No, A51 is for bucket seats. The trim tag on GM vehicles only pertains to what mattered to Fisher Body, not the rest of the vehicle. So paint code, interior trim, seat type, build date code, basic model type, assembly time frame, etc. is what mattered to them and what would be on the tag. Plus, each assembly plant stamped different things in some cases. Example: Norwood, OH produced F bodies have more details in the codes, Van Nuys, CA did it more in "Morse Code". Many times, the Fisher plant was "through the wall" on the other side of the actual assembly line or even in the same building. Sometimes it was elsewhere (example: Euclid, OH for the Toronado, yet final assembly of the vehicle was in Lansing, MI). No, there is no SPID label on 1978 GM passenger cars. That came in 1984, and earlier on trucks as you've seen and highlighted in past videos. The only way to determine what options it was built with is to find the build sheet or have some of the original paperwork for it.
@@bradkay LOL, thanks. But when everyone contributes, everyone learns. Then everyone wins. Until then, "Get the VIN so we win, and the tag so we can brag. When you get the SPID (where applicable), we're glad you did......"
@@gulfy09 I worked for a GM supplier/in the automotive aftermarket for 11 years. I didn't work for them directly, but I did help write their parts books and engine and transmission usage charts back then.
Steve repeats himself a bit too much. My mom special ordered a unicorn in '77. A Dodge Aspen wagon with super slant 6 and 3 on the floor. She would have gotten the 4 on the floor but my brother got confused about the overdrive.
My father had the same combination on a '78 Buick Regal. No power steering, no AC, V6, radio delete with a floor mounted 3 speed. He bought it through a dealer friend of ours who gave us a heads up that Buick had these "specially" made in a limited production. I believe they were a promotional gimmick tauting that you could buy a Buick for under $4000. I think he paid a bit over $3800. It was white with red velour interior. Besides being a beast to steer, the transmission was " clunky", long throws. He was a bare bones type of guy and that Buick had his name all over it.😏..miss you dad.
The purpose of the sticks in the A bodies (that's what they were called at the time they came out) was to be able to advertise a low price and high fuel economy.
I can't imagine a morning without a new episode to watch. You have been killing it for a long time and your ability to get these out with regularity is appreciated! I've learned as much in a few years watching you as I have being hands on in the industry for 30 years
@ Evil Beetle when I was 16 years old I had a 1967 VW bug this was in 1995 . I had dual webers and a Stinger exaust. Got pulled over for noise pollution. I live in San Diego close to Imperial Beach. I put the simple exaust system went to the police station and they waved the ticket. These days Harleys can go all out super loud . They don’t get pulled over. Oh well 🤷♂️
Training Day car... I had a beautiful silver metallic maroon interior 305 with a turbo 350. For almost 30 years before I let it go back to Detroit to be restored, guy was tickled to death to find one that's straight and clean.
I still have the 1978 Chevy Monte Carlo that I bought used from the Chevrolet dealership that I worked at for 30 years. It is white with red interior and came with a 3.8 V6 which I replaced with a 454 big block. It still has the aluminum finned rear brake drums. Also the trunk lid is made of aluminum.
Yep, I had a 1978 Monte carlo with a 231 v6 and a 3 speed manual, completely bare bones car. Mine didn't have ac, power brakes, or power steering. Drove it all through college. Nothing ever broke on it because there was nothing to break. If I remember right, it got 19 mpg, city and highway, it never changed. Mine was baby blue with blue interior.
Back in 1978, my dad bought a new Chevy Malibu station wagon with a 231 Buick V-6. That car came with a three speed manual transmission also. I had just got my license and enjoyed giving it a “workout”. Those were strange times for the auto industry. (Gas shortages, EPA, Gov’t mandates, etc. )
My Dad loved the ‘78 Monte Carlo. We looked all over town for what he wanted. He was a bare bones kinda guy. A dealer had a Carmine Red ‘78 with vinyl bench, no a/c, V6, and a 4 speed manual. It didn’t even have a radio. My dad was of the mind that you needed an AM radio for the resale value so he had the dealer add the cheapest AM radio. This was back in the day when the station pumped your gas for you. Every kid pumping gas in town would see the stick when they reached in for payment, and raved over it being a 4-speed.
@@BuzzLOLOL So did I. They all came with the full complement of speakers and harness, just no head unit and with a block-off plate. Then I'd order quality stuff from Crutchfield.
I've never seen a Monte Carlo with a manual, thought they all were automatic. That would have been an awesome car even with just a v6. As far as style goes the 73-75 Monte Carlo was one of the best bodies Chevy ever made. My buddy used to hit 120 on the 405 freeway going to Hollywood in his 73. Good times! Thanks for the video Steve, can't wait for the next one.
building model cars is how i got my start working on cars, seems like an easy jump to the real thing when you have a good base of how cars are engineered thru model building
I remember spotting a 1978 Chevrolet Monte Carlo at a car lot in 1987, that had a 3 speed in the floor. It was pretty cool to see. Later on when I was stationed in Germany I bought a well used 1978 Monte Carlo with a Buick V-6 and automatic.
Unicorn, indeed. I don't think I can recall ever seeing a single Monte Carlo.... of any year, any generation... with a stick. I've seen plenty of Chevelles and Malibus with sticks but never a Monte Carlo... until now. You learn something new every day (and every video). Well done as always, Steve!
I’ve never seen a manual Monte Carlo! …As a senior in high school “1980” I had a 1976 Camaro that was equipped with a 305 3 speed. Of course I had air shocks,L-60’s and Cragar’s!
@@markhenderson3498 I hear ya. I only poke fun because I had a 305 camaro myself and know how nutless they are. Still have a 305 in a square body and you gotta boot the thing in the ass just to get it to go down the road in something that heavy. Granted it's got some tall stock gears
My friend growing up had an 80 Monte with a 267 in it. He installed a Crane Fireball cam, Edelbrock Performer intake and an Edelbrock 600 4 bbl with headers. That little v8 could do a one wheel peel for as long as you were able. Good times.
I owned one of these. It was a 305 V8 with a 4 speed manual. I was traded-in to me on my car lot. I questioned the owner as to if it came from the factory that way, and he said yes. He ordered it that way. I had never seen nor heard of one. It was baby blue with a white vinyl top and white interior.
Years ago, a friend bought a 78 pretty much straight out of high school. It was loaded with a 305/auto. He babies it. Probably still has it. I thought these early 3 rd Gen were ugly, but the later nose jobs made them appealing. My high school auto shop class got a loaded 78 brand new that had been totaled after the dealer lot flooded. We were the second class to tear that car apart and put it back together. It was already a seven-cylinder 305 2 barrel from something the previous year’s class had done to it. I was trying to install piston rings one morning when some JO started screwing around and I dropped the piston assembly on the concrete and broke a piece off the skirt. Thought I was going to have to buy a new piston, but the teacher just said to put it back together and be more careful next time. The motor, when assembled, ran just as rough as it did when we first wheeled it into the shop. Each “overhaul” the block and heads for tanked, and repainted Chevrolet Orange. I painted “L88” on the valve covers, and even in 1980, was lost on just about everyone else in the class except one hardcore Chevy enthusiast who didn’t think it was funny (I was a Ford guy without a car so he probably thought I was disrespecting the bow tie). I remember reading that Chevy offered a 3 speed manual in Montes, but I’ve never seen one. These cars were pretty popular when they were new. Other than an ugly front end, they were decent for their time. Nice video!
My grandfather ordered his last car, a 1983 Monte Carlo. 305 4 barrel, F41 suspension, power steering and nothing else! . No A/C. No radio.. it was a nice car. When he passed, I inherited it. Drove it many miles.
I had a "79 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais. It came with the Buick 231 V6 rochester-2-barrell. 350 Turbo transmission and the 2.93:1 rear end, bucket seats and the T-handle center console shifter. It had a larger sway bar but, at over 2300 lbs. it was too much car for the anemic V6. I still miss that car.
A friend of mine found one like that years ago and made a drag car out of it. I got the heater box out of it and put it in my 78’ Grand Prix when I put a 455 in the Pontiac. Great video Steve.
One of my good friends in high school had a 78 Monte Carlo with the “mighty” 3.8 Buick and 4 speed. This was in 1988, still fairly early on it’s life. I seriously doubt anyone had ever modified or changed anything prior to him buying it. It was a bench seat, power steering/power brake car, with no other options that I can recall. He drove the car for about a year, then the Buick came out and a sbc went in. It was a fun car.
'78 Monte was my first high school hotrod back in 92. Tired old truck 350, Buick mags, big and littles, air shocks for the stinkbug look and rusted out floor boards...😂
My highschool car was also a red ‘78 Monte Carlo. It was an auto 305 with a bench seat but with an unusual white vinyl interior . Loved that car and treated it to a respray in a Cadillac metallic red and Cragar whire wheels with white letter tires (not a lowrider). It was dead reliable and was the source of many great memories.
My 1979 El Camino was originally a 231 V6 with a Saginaw 3 speed on the floor. Now it's running a 350 with a 4 barrel, a Muncie with a Hurst shifter, and a 3.42 Posi in the rear.
I know of a 78 cutlass with a 350 diesel , 4-speed and t-tops . They took the car to Lansing for the 100th anniversary show . A guy from the Oldsmobile museum came up to the car looked it over and said I know this car and how did you get this as it was never to have left the factory. Still in the same family today.
Wow!🤯 I was completely unaware that you could get a '78 Monte with a manual transmission and no power steering or brakes! My high school class all took our Drivers Ed in a '78 Monte. As I recall, it was a small V8; auto trans; power "everything"; and AM/FM/Cassette. And of course, extra pedals and steering wheel on the passenger side, for the teacher. We would do our driving in groups of four. Three students in the back seat could be a little tight fitting, depending on the sizes of the students.😁 Our teacher was pretty lax (sp) and cool, when it came to the backseaters. Unless he REALLY wanted us to pay attention to something specific, the people in the back could play cards. Played a lot of three-handed poker.😁 And when it was your turn to get behind the wheel, if you had a favorite cassette, you could force everyone to listen to it while you were driving.🤣🤣 I recall one of my group always brought along the Eagles "Hotel California". Whenever it was my turn to drive... MUCH to the dismay of both my fellow students, and the teacher...I would "force" them to listen to either Styx "The Grand Illusion", or KISS "Alive II".🤣
A rare car indeed. Worked on a lot of the early first gen Montes and they were always fully optioned. Most had 350 or 400 engines, but I did see one with the 454.
A friend here in southern New Mexico discovered a ‘70 Monte Carlo with a four speed. It had been buried in a shop for thirty five years. Something like 835 were built in ‘70 with manual transmission
Back in the day. We hacked one up for circle track racing. It was a 1979 car that one of our friends mother bought new. It had an aluminum trunk lid and hood. Factory curb weight under 3000 lbs, it was a good candidate for a Street stock class car.
Yes and a lot of that was indicated on the build sheet. They did that at times to reduce weight (and cost) and also to meet CAFE standards. For every Camaro and Firebird sold with a large V8, the economy cars edged up that number. Also when they would advertise MPG figures for the mid-size cars, in the fine print it was something like, "Non AC equipped, with standard V6 engine and manual transmission" which very few people bought.
The father of a friend of mine as a kid bought a new 1978 Pontiac Grand Prix. It was white with a black vinyl interior. It had a V6, a 3 speed manual and dog dish hubcaps with white rims. I was surprised by it back then.
Man that’s one rare beauty! Wow! What a find! You know what? I really never knew there was a manual transmission included in some of those! It’s a shame to see it there in such condition! It must have been in a accident! Boy learn something new everyday! Thank you Steve!👌😎👍
As a teenager growing up in canada my brothers first car was a 80s malibu with a 3 speed on the floor. The car was a Iraqi taxi one of like 10000 that was supposed to be sold to saddam hussein, Cool story on those cars for anyone interested. This was 20 or so years ago. we fixed the floor pans with cookie sheets from the thrift store and beat the hell out of it. The car was totaled by a brand new Mercedes who rear ended him.
@@mistered9435 I don't know. I didn't mean to seem as if I had knowledge about this certain car or anything. The truth is I have no idea lol. I did a Google search earlier just out of curiosity. I had never seen or heard of any five speed models, I didn't even know there were ANY 3rd gen 3 pedal cars on that gm platform. It would be cool af. Imagine a g body cutlass 355ci with a 5 speed manual. Talk about fun to drive.
Think little 260-262" engines V6 and V8 came with little T50 5 speed... Manuals were common in Montes before 1980's... 1984 only Mexican Monte Carlo available with 350" V8, 4 bbl., and 4 speed... 350 was 1970's tech and no faster than SS L69 305" V8... However, $200 in pistons/cam into that already fitted 350...
I love that the 78, 79, and 80 are all very similar but different. Then the 81 is a new body style. The 78-80 look so much better. They have the same lines of the 77 just in smaller form. The 81 and up lost too much of the cool Monte Carlo lines. The 78 is my favorite but any of the 78-80 are great looking
Old and good friend sent me here. His dad bought a brand new m/c. Off the floor 1978. Of Vandergrift chevrolet arlington tx. His mom gave up her 1975 triple black m/c for it. And yep. Had 4spd 305. And yes when his camaro was broke he would street race it. Against z28s lol. Then his mom caught us putting my cragar super tricks off my 77 camaro on it and me him his brother were banned from the m/c. Yep if dumped clutch at over 2500 rpm. It would smoke passenger rear. Lol. Man memories. That car actually made me buy my wife an 87 ss monte for our 5th anniversary. Memories.
What a RARE find there Steve!! So sad that it so far gone. A collector would probably pay serious money for that LOW of a production car. thanks again for all your research you do, Very much appreciated!!!
I had a '79 Malibu factory 4 speed/ 4 barrel 305. My now late ex brother in law and his uncle bought it and made it into an automatic equipped drag car (nobody ever credited them with too much in the brain department). I put the '79 Buick Century Turbo split exhaust on it (resonators only, no mufflers). Before I bought that car I ran across another 305 4V 4 speed at a local dealership's used car lot. It was a true oddball- it was pale blue with a bench seat! I believe it came from the GM tech center because that dealer had connections to get those kinds of cars. Weirdest thing- it had a nonexistent axle code. An acquaintance of mine ordered a '79 Regal with the 231 V-6 and a 4 speed. Our dealership was so scared that he would cancel the order that they made him pay for it before they would order it. He did get the car, though.
I love your videos… your car knowledge is pretty in-depth…. One thing i did notice about that Monte that you never mentioned was… it may have started it’s life as a V6 car but those engine blocks or mounts ( whatever you wanna call them) are definitely for a small block….
Always a great walk through time with Steve! Thank you for being so willing to share to us all your knowledge and passion. It inspires younger generations to learn, and to disconnect from the world, ad go get dirty. Thank you ….
Very rare monte Carlo I've seen very few with a manual transmission and with aluminum hood and deck lid very strange ro see this unicorn of a monte Carlo in the junk yard awesome find 👍
From Chuck Nerpal's article: "2.73:1 performance rear axle!!!" They just don't say what kind of performance...🤮 When I was in high school, I once got a ride from a teacher who had a '78-'80 Grand Prix, and it had the V6 and three speed on the floor!!! I can't remember if it had a bench seat, but I seem to remember no console. Man, that subject Monte had been such a nice blank canvas to start with, but is so horribly beyond repair now. Imagine getting that car in the early '80s, and then yanking the V-sick and Saginaw, and dropping in a 1970 300 horse 350 and a Muncie 4 speed and 3.73 Posi, with quiet exhaust... That would've been a sleeper to be reckoned with.
I owned one of these! Mine was a '79 with the smallest v6 offered, 3-spd manual on the floor, aluminum hood and trunk lid, stripped-down, basic everything else. Kind of like a big stylish Vega or Chevette. I was told the only reason they offered something like this was so they could boost the mpg rating across this model.
I had a 78 factory 4-speed (it became a 6-speed) El Camino when I was like 19-25. Great car. It wound up with said 6-speed, a 3.89:1 9", and a .030"-over 11:1 '68 327. Man, would it run...
I have a manual transmission Malibu. Do not forget they made taxi's for Iraq but refused them the last minute. They were all 4 doors and 3 speed V-6's They were everywhere in Calgary and i plucked many pedal assemblies at pick your parts and sold them. I still have mine to this day but i put a 400 in it from a van and drilled steam holes in Vortec heads. It was a all day 11.06 car for the streets on the cheap.
Dude..that heater box, and manual trans stuff is worth a fortune on the market. Gbody owners flock to that stuff. I got mine out of a Malibu that had the 265 v8 and a 3 speed Saginaw. They used to literally give them away to get them out of yards, 50% ended up being roundy round cars.
I'm very proud to own a 78' numbers matching 4 speed monte, 79' 4 speed Malibu and a 78' 4 speed SS El Camino. Different motor option in each one but numbers matching 4 speed cars with posi.👍
I bought a set of clutch pedals one time out of a 1981 4 door Malibu 4 speed In the middle of a junkyard And was so grateful at the chance to buy them 33 years ago and stuck them in my cutlass I could not believe my luck at finding them. Someone needs to buy that set right away I can't believe they have lasted this long, I wish he would have showed whether or not the bell crank and the clutch rod were still available on that monte
Went to college with a guy who had an early third gen Monte with a 4 speed/305, manual windows/locks. Same guy also had a 2 door, fwd Olds Omega with a 4 speed manual. Had never seen either, or since.
Nice Steve! Blowing my mind I'm rocking a 79' With 5.0 V8 automatic with that Very same Paint job Silver/Black Red Pin stripe , ! 😅✌️ Was built in Oshwan Plant Canada.
I think this had , one year only, smaller front wheel bearings, hubs, spindles, etc than the later year models. These metric chassis had weak idler arms and were usually the first part that needed replaced on the steering. I've had several different year models and one, maybe an 82 had the smallest V8 I've ever owned it was a 267 I think.
Back in the late 70's a friend had a new lightened mid-size Chevy. V6 engines got a horrible lockup automatic that hated to downshift and had poor reliability (Turbo 200 or 250 filled with awful Dexron II which is like vegetable oil with red food coloring). After a test drive at the dealer, some buyers wanted (or were advised to choose) a clutch pedal.
My parents ordered a new '78 Malibu Classic sedan in late 1977. They got the V6, cloth seats with a fully split bench seat. They did not order AC, so it had the same blanking plates as the feature car. They were told that the 3 speed manual transmission would be on the column, but it arrived with a floor shifter. As the youngest of all of my cousins (I was 4 years old when they got it), I was the kid who sat in the middle of the front bench on extended family trips. I had to lean right and splay my legs whenever Mom or Dad shifted that long-throw lever between my little legs. The car was severely rotted and burning a lot of oil by the time I could legally drive, so I only got to drive it a few times before we sold it to the guy who cleaned our gutters for $60. He drove it away at night without license plates and we got a call from police in another town that found it abandoned several months later. It was, by any measure, a pretty lousy car, but I loved it and miss it to this day.
I had a buick regal in the mid 90's identical to the beige one in the back ground. it would be awsome to see my old car again but, the last time i saw it was in PA.
I knew somebody who owned a 1983 Chevy C10 pick up that had a column shifted 3 speed manual and an inline 6 cylinder engine in it!! I knew this truck at the time fairly well and drove it a few times also!! I was friends with that people who owned that truck at the time, and bought a 1985 Ford Crown Victoria off of them, while they still owned the truck as well!! Of course more "on topic" they also owned a Monte Carlo as well, but their Monte was a 1982!
Yeah I used to buy these cars back in the early and late 90s for just a few hundred bucks. Had like 8 g bodys during that time, wish I still had them all.. just got my el camino back on the road so I'm happy for now lol.
About 25 years ago I bought a 1978 Monte Carlo with a 305, 4 speed manual transmission, bucket seats, console, no air, black with the carmine interior, basically a twin to that one. Being from Wisconsin, the frame was rusted out and the body was too. I put the pedals and the 4 speed in my 1979 Monte Carlo behind a 350 and still have the car today. I believe some 1979's were made with a 4 speed, but not 1719 of them.
I can remember seeing one in the 80's! I couldn't believe it. me and my cousin was visiting his girlfriend in post TX .she said me riding around town in her dad's car, and both agreed ok , this will be easy... lol we ended up not going cus we didn't know how to drive stick yet.. we made fun of her dad's car for being a monte Carlo with a stick... lol. we thought it was cool of her letting us drive daughter around in his car. ! he got the last laugh knowing we couldn't drive stick
Normally only click on Steve’s Mopar videos, but was curious about this one. My sister’s first husband owned an all original 78 Monte with a 305 3spd manual, and get this- full fiberglass hood and deck lid. Totaled it out hitting a deer- it was a mess, very sad. Never heard of that combination before on a Monte.
Someone changed the transmission or it was a four speed and you thought it was a three speed manual. 1978 manual transmissions were four speed when paired with a V8 in Monte Carlo that year.
Power steering and brakes could have been standard equipment on cars by that time,I know on trucks they were still optional on trucks at that time. A 77 Impala came in the shop with a straight six,no a/c and radio delete,it had a automatic trans and power steering and brakes and from what I could find at the time that the automatic trans was standard equipment and figured steering and brakes could have been too.
And just a foot note you could get a 5 speed in 78-80 in the olds cuttlass with the 260 ci v8. Or 4 speed with the chevy small block 305 v8. And pontiac lemans v6 3 speed 200 ci chevy in base model only, or a 4 speed with the 301 Pontiac v8 till 1980 and grand am till 1979 , no manual trans in buick century/ regal line auto only .
Not sure that buick info is true, my dad bought a 79 regal 231 4 speed, saginaw, hurst shifter with a bench seat. Was an a/c delete car in 1990. Had the welded in hump on the tunnel. Looked pretty factory to me. Guy we got it from had a 78 malibu 4 speed car too. He also told us the buick had factory manual steering but he put the power steering in it. I still have the pedals and heater box in my 86 regal now.🙂
In the Early 90’s I worked at a Amoco Gas Station and witnessed a third gen Monte with a V6 turbo .logos on the hood and I had to check the oil and when the hood was poped there it was. v6 Turbo. Never to seen another since.
The 3.3L (200) V6 became available in 1979 on the Monte Carlo, not 1978. 1978 engines were the RPO code "LD5" 231 CID Buick produced V6 with two barrel, VIN code "A" or the 305 Chevrolet V8, which I believe was RPO code "LG3" and a VIN code "U" engine that year. No diesel in the 1978-1980 Monte Carlo either. Yes, the diesel was available in the Monte Carlo, but not until 1982 (both a 4.3 V6 diesel and a 5.7 V8 diesel, both Oldsmobile produced). AC was RPO code "C60", not "C69" for these models. 1978-1979 Monte Carlos had rectangular headlights---the last Monte Carlo with round headlights was 1975, and in 1976-1977, they were the stacked "quad" set up.
That's incorrect. The 231 V6 in 1978 could be had with either a three or four speed manual transmission. Both had a 2.93 rear end ratio. Yes, the 305 only came with a four speed if you got it with a manual transmission in 1978.
Yes, this was a 231 V6 equipped car. With the VIN, we win: 1 for Chevrolet, Z for Monte Carlo, 37 for two door, A for 231 V6 with two barrel, aka RPO code "LD5", Buick produced, 8 for 1978 model year, B for Baltimore, MD assembly and the rest is the production sequence. The Baltimore plant opened in 1935 and closed in 2005, last producing the Astro and Safari mini vans.
When you get the tag, you can brag, and I say go all the way, don't you say? ST78 for 1978 model year, 1AZ37 for Monte Carlo, B for Baltimore, MD assembly, 74W for Dark Carmine Red (likely vinyl) interior trim, A51 for bucket seats, 19U and 19L for Black upper and lower exterior paint, 05A for the first week of May 1978 production and 72 is some sort of red secondary interior trim (package tray, carpet, steering column, etc.). No, A51 is for bucket seats. The trim tag on GM vehicles only pertains to what mattered to Fisher Body, not the rest of the vehicle. So paint code, interior trim, seat type, build date code, basic model type, assembly time frame, etc. is what mattered to them and what would be on the tag. Plus, each assembly plant stamped different things in some cases. Example: Norwood, OH produced F bodies have more details in the codes, Van Nuys, CA did it more in "Morse Code". Many times, the Fisher plant was "through the wall" on the other side of the actual assembly line or even in the same building. Sometimes it was elsewhere (example: Euclid, OH for the Toronado, yet final assembly of the vehicle was in Lansing, MI).
No, there is no SPID label on 1978 GM passenger cars. That came in 1984, and earlier on trucks as you've seen and highlighted in past videos. The only way to determine what options it was built with is to find the build sheet or have some of the original paperwork for it.
Fantastic. Steve should ask for your help BEFORE he posts videos. be sure to charge him for it.
@@bradkay LOL, thanks. But when everyone contributes, everyone learns. Then everyone wins. Until then, "Get the VIN so we win, and the tag so we can brag. When you get the SPID (where applicable), we're glad you did......"
We're you GM back then
@@gulfy09 I worked for a GM supplier/in the automotive aftermarket for 11 years. I didn't work for them directly, but I did help write their parts books and engine and transmission usage charts back then.
You could also get a 350 4barrell automatic when ordering the police equipment package on 1978 2door Malibu. Never saw a Monte Carlo in 9C1 trim.
Wow, three speed manual with no a/c. What a unicorn.
6:00 am
Breakfast and Junkyard Crawl
That’s the only way to start the day 👍🇨🇦
Kudos to the cameraman for getting the great shots of the car along with Steve for another super explanation of a unusual model.
Steve repeats himself a bit too much. My mom special ordered a unicorn in '77. A Dodge Aspen wagon with super slant 6 and 3 on the floor. She would have gotten the 4 on the floor but my brother got confused about the overdrive.
@@alan6832 "and again"
Only Steve can describe a car that almost no one wanted (or still doesn’t want) and keep me interested all the way through. Well done once again 👍
My father had the same combination on a '78 Buick Regal. No power steering, no AC, V6, radio delete with a floor mounted 3 speed. He bought it through a dealer friend of ours who gave us a heads up that Buick had these "specially" made in a limited production. I believe they were a promotional gimmick tauting that you could buy a Buick for under $4000. I think he paid a bit over $3800. It was white with red velour interior. Besides being a beast to steer, the transmission was " clunky", long throws. He was a bare bones type of guy and that Buick had his name all over it.😏..miss you dad.
The purpose of the sticks in the A bodies (that's what they were called at the time they came out) was to be able to advertise a low price and high fuel economy.
@@bradkay wasn't the El Camino just concerned an A body? In 78 through 81?
@@sparkplug2646 Technically, yes. It would get the "G" body moniker like its' siblings for the 1982 model year.
I can't imagine a morning without a new episode to watch. You have been killing it for a long time and your ability to get these out with regularity is appreciated! I've learned as much in a few years watching you as I have being hands on in the industry for 30 years
same here..!!!! first thing i click on....
The Man is truly a knowledgeable Legend.👍
@ Evil Beetle he did a VW bus a couple months ago.
@@Daniel-fd3wp hey thanks for the reply I'll have to do a search for it😊
@ Evil Beetle when I was 16 years old I had a 1967 VW bug this was in 1995 . I had dual webers and a Stinger exaust. Got pulled over for noise pollution. I live in San Diego close to Imperial Beach. I put the simple exaust system went to the police station and they waved the ticket. These days Harleys can go all out super loud . They don’t get pulled over. Oh well 🤷♂️
One of the most dedicated hard working You Tuber that is constantly entertaining us with new videos and with amazing information !
Thank you so much 😀
@@SteveMagnante thanks MR. Magnante for your feedback, an honor. Regards from Puerto Rico 🇵🇷!
I'm really surprised so few chose the standard transmission, I love stick shifts and hate that theyre dying out
Training Day car... I had a beautiful silver metallic maroon interior
305 with a turbo 350. For almost 30 years before I let it go back to Detroit to be restored, guy was tickled to death to find one that's straight and clean.
I still have the 1978 Chevy Monte Carlo that I bought used from the Chevrolet dealership that I worked at for 30 years. It is white with red interior and came with a 3.8 V6 which I replaced with a 454 big block. It still has the aluminum finned rear brake drums. Also the trunk lid is made of aluminum.
Yep, I had a 1978 Monte carlo with a 231 v6 and a 3 speed manual, completely bare bones car. Mine didn't have ac, power brakes, or power steering. Drove it all through college. Nothing ever broke on it because there was nothing to break.
If I remember right, it got 19 mpg, city and highway, it never changed. Mine was baby blue with blue interior.
Back in 1978, my dad bought a new Chevy Malibu station wagon with a 231 Buick V-6. That car came with a three speed manual transmission also. I had just got my license and enjoyed giving it a “workout”. Those were strange times for the auto industry. (Gas shortages, EPA, Gov’t mandates, etc. )
Yes, and the era of the "Small V8" as advertised in the newspapers and dealer ads back then. They were right for the times though.
Did ya pop the clutch on the old man's car?
Were those the "Iraqi Taxis" ive heard about ? They ended up in Canada, some article i stumbled on a few years ago.
My Dad loved the ‘78 Monte Carlo. We looked all over town for what he wanted. He was a bare bones kinda guy. A dealer had a Carmine Red ‘78 with vinyl bench, no a/c, V6, and a 4 speed manual. It didn’t even have a radio. My dad was of the mind that you needed an AM radio for the resale value so he had the dealer add the cheapest AM radio. This was back in the day when the station pumped your gas for you. Every kid pumping gas in town would see the stick when they reached in for payment, and raved over it being a 4-speed.
Always ordered my new cars radio delete because for what the factory AM radio cost I could have AM/FM/tape or disc 4 speakers stereo!
@@BuzzLOLOL So did I. They all came with the full complement of speakers and harness, just no head unit and with a block-off plate. Then I'd order quality stuff from Crutchfield.
I've never seen a Monte Carlo with a manual, thought they all were automatic. That would have been an awesome car even with just a v6. As far as style goes the 73-75 Monte Carlo was one of the best bodies Chevy ever made. My buddy used to hit 120 on the 405 freeway going to Hollywood in his 73. Good times! Thanks for the video Steve, can't wait for the next one.
building model cars is how i got my start working on cars, seems like an easy jump to the real thing when you have a good base of how cars are engineered thru model building
I remember spotting a 1978 Chevrolet Monte Carlo at a car lot in 1987, that had a 3 speed in the floor. It was pretty cool to see. Later on when I was stationed in Germany I bought a well used 1978 Monte Carlo with a Buick V-6 and automatic.
See also the “Iraqi Taxi” Chevrolet Malibu
Unicorn, indeed. I don't think I can recall ever seeing a single Monte Carlo.... of any year, any generation... with a stick. I've seen plenty of Chevelles and Malibus with sticks but never a Monte Carlo... until now.
You learn something new every day (and every video). Well done as always, Steve!
Well manuals were common in Montes before 1980's... 1984 only Mexican Monte Carlo available with 350" V8 and 4 speed...
I’ve never seen a manual Monte Carlo! …As a senior in high school “1980” I had a 1976 Camaro that was equipped with a 305 3 speed. Of course I had air shocks,L-60’s and Cragar’s!
I hope you were careful with all the 120 horses under the hood heh
@@renaissanceman4054 it was definitely a dog but it was fun to drive for a 17 year old.
Manuals were common in Montes before 1980's... 1984 only Mexican Monte Carlo available with 350" V8 and 4 speed...
@@markhenderson3498 I hear ya. I only poke fun because I had a 305 camaro myself and know how nutless they are. Still have a 305 in a square body and you gotta boot the thing in the ass just to get it to go down the road in something that heavy. Granted it's got some tall stock gears
A 231 and a 4 speed. Chevy was trying to make a Grand National, but no turbo, so it was a Bland National.
Had a 78 monte carlo with t-tops as a kid
Handed down to me by my parents it was a beautiful car . Miss it a lot.
My friend growing up had an 80 Monte with a 267 in it. He installed a Crane Fireball cam, Edelbrock Performer intake and an Edelbrock 600 4 bbl with headers. That little v8 could do a one wheel peel for as long as you were able. Good times.
I owned one of these. It was a 305 V8 with a 4 speed manual. I was traded-in to me on my car lot. I questioned the owner as to if it came from the factory that way, and he said yes. He ordered it that way. I had never seen nor heard of one. It was baby blue with a white vinyl top and white interior.
Years ago, a friend bought a 78 pretty much straight out of high school. It was loaded with a 305/auto. He babies it. Probably still has it. I thought these early 3 rd Gen were ugly, but the later nose jobs made them appealing. My high school auto shop class got a loaded 78 brand new that had been totaled after the dealer lot flooded. We were the second class to tear that car apart and put it back together. It was already a seven-cylinder 305 2 barrel from something the previous year’s class had done to it. I was trying to install piston rings one morning when some JO started screwing around and I dropped the piston assembly on the concrete and broke a piece off the skirt. Thought I was going to have to buy a new piston, but the teacher just said to put it back together and be more careful next time. The motor, when assembled, ran just as rough as it did when we first wheeled it into the shop. Each “overhaul” the block and heads for tanked, and repainted Chevrolet Orange. I painted “L88” on the valve covers, and even in 1980, was lost on just about everyone else in the class except one hardcore Chevy enthusiast who didn’t think it was funny (I was a Ford guy without a car so he probably thought I was disrespecting the bow tie). I remember reading that Chevy offered a 3 speed manual in Montes, but I’ve never seen one. These cars were pretty popular when they were new. Other than an ugly front end, they were decent for their time. Nice video!
Manuals were common in Montes before 1980's... 1984 only Mexican Monte Carlo available with 350" V8 and 4 speed...
My grandfather ordered his last car, a 1983 Monte Carlo. 305 4 barrel, F41 suspension, power steering and nothing else! . No A/C. No radio.. it was a nice car. When he passed, I inherited it. Drove it many miles.
I had a "79 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais. It came with the Buick 231 V6 rochester-2-barrell. 350 Turbo transmission and the 2.93:1 rear end, bucket seats and the T-handle center console shifter. It had a larger sway bar but, at over 2300 lbs. it was too much car for the anemic V6. I still miss that car.
A friend of mine found one like that years ago and made a drag car out of it.
I got the heater box out of it and put it in my 78’ Grand Prix when I put a 455 in the Pontiac.
Great video Steve.
One of my good friends in high school had a 78 Monte Carlo with the “mighty” 3.8 Buick and 4 speed. This was in 1988, still fairly early on it’s life. I seriously doubt anyone had ever modified or changed anything prior to him buying it. It was a bench seat, power steering/power brake car, with no other options that I can recall.
He drove the car for about a year, then the Buick came out and a sbc went in. It was a fun car.
I love a happy ending!
Never heard of a manual gearbox in a Monte, just figured it wasn't available. A 4 spd would blow minds.
'78 Monte was my first high school hotrod back in 92. Tired old truck 350, Buick mags, big and littles, air shocks for the stinkbug look and rusted out floor boards...😂
I had a 78, Black and red interior with bucket seats. 305, I also owned a brown 85 citation 2.
I owned a 78 many years ago.Still to this day was my favourite car.Was the one that got away.😢
My highschool car was also a red ‘78 Monte Carlo. It was an auto 305 with a bench seat but with an unusual white vinyl interior . Loved that car and treated it to a respray in a Cadillac metallic red and Cragar whire wheels with white letter tires (not a lowrider). It was dead reliable and was the source of many great memories.
My 1979 El Camino was originally a 231 V6 with a Saginaw 3 speed on the floor. Now it's running a 350 with a 4 barrel, a Muncie with a Hurst shifter, and a 3.42 Posi in the rear.
I know of a 78 cutlass with a 350 diesel , 4-speed and t-tops . They took the car to Lansing for the 100th anniversary show . A guy from the Oldsmobile museum came up to the car looked it over and said I know this car and how did you get this as it was never to have left the factory. Still in the same family today.
Wow!🤯 I was completely unaware that you could get a '78 Monte with a manual transmission and no power steering or brakes!
My high school class all took our Drivers Ed in a '78 Monte.
As I recall, it was a small V8; auto trans; power "everything"; and AM/FM/Cassette.
And of course, extra pedals and steering wheel on the passenger side, for the teacher.
We would do our driving in groups of four.
Three students in the back seat could be a little tight fitting, depending on the sizes of the students.😁
Our teacher was pretty lax (sp) and cool, when it came to the backseaters.
Unless he REALLY wanted us to pay attention to something specific, the people in the back could play cards.
Played a lot of three-handed poker.😁
And when it was your turn to get behind the wheel, if you had a favorite cassette, you could force everyone to listen to it while you were driving.🤣🤣
I recall one of my group always brought along the Eagles "Hotel California".
Whenever it was my turn to drive... MUCH to the dismay of both my fellow students, and the teacher...I would "force" them to listen to either Styx "The Grand Illusion", or KISS "Alive II".🤣
Get those pedals. Gold.
Thanks for the schooling Steve! Interesting story.
I had one of those Monte Carlos. Also, I lived in Gardner for a while and would have loved to roam around that yard had I known it existed.
A rare car indeed. Worked on a lot of the early first gen Montes and they were always fully optioned. Most had 350 or 400 engines, but I did see one with the 454.
A friend here in southern New Mexico discovered a ‘70 Monte Carlo with a four speed. It had been buried in a shop for thirty five years. Something like 835 were built in ‘70 with manual transmission
Back in the 90's there was a 72 monte with a factory 454 for sale on our street for just $2000.
We're all pulling for you Steve. Hope to see you soon
Back in the day. We hacked one up for circle track racing. It was a 1979 car that one of our friends mother bought new. It had an aluminum trunk lid and hood. Factory curb weight under 3000 lbs, it was a good candidate for a Street stock class car.
Yes and a lot of that was indicated on the build sheet. They did that at times to reduce weight (and cost) and also to meet CAFE standards. For every Camaro and Firebird sold with a large V8, the economy cars edged up that number. Also when they would advertise MPG figures for the mid-size cars, in the fine print it was something like, "Non AC equipped, with standard V6 engine and manual transmission" which very few people bought.
The father of a friend of mine as a kid bought a new 1978 Pontiac Grand Prix. It was white with a black vinyl interior. It had a V6, a 3 speed manual and dog dish hubcaps with white rims. I was surprised by it back then.
That indeed is a very rare sighting. RPO A51 is for front bucket seats.
Man that’s one rare beauty! Wow! What a find! You know what? I really never knew there was a manual transmission included in some of those! It’s a shame to see it there in such condition! It must have been in a accident! Boy learn something new everyday! Thank you Steve!👌😎👍
Takes me back to the best childhood memories.
As a teenager growing up in canada my brothers first car was a 80s malibu with a 3 speed on the floor. The car was a Iraqi taxi one of like 10000 that was supposed to be sold to saddam hussein, Cool story on those cars for anyone interested. This was 20 or so years ago. we fixed the floor pans with cookie sheets from the thrift store and beat the hell out of it. The car was totaled by a brand new Mercedes who rear ended him.
I never knew gen3 Monte Carlos or ANY car on that platform ever came with manual transmissions. Now I want one.
I think Steve did a video on a Malibu 5-speed of that era.
@@mistered9435 I don't see that any Malibu's came with a 5 speed 78-80.
Just the very rare 3 and 4 speed manual.
@@lilmike2710 i believe you are correct. Was it an M-5 or something like that?
@@mistered9435 I don't know. I didn't mean to seem as if I had knowledge about this certain car or anything. The truth is I have no idea lol. I did a Google search earlier just out of curiosity.
I had never seen or heard of any five speed models, I didn't even know there were ANY 3rd gen 3 pedal cars on that gm platform. It would be cool af. Imagine a g body cutlass 355ci with a 5 speed manual. Talk about fun to drive.
Think little 260-262" engines V6 and V8 came with little T50 5 speed...
Manuals were common in Montes before 1980's... 1984 only Mexican Monte Carlo available with 350" V8, 4 bbl., and 4 speed... 350 was 1970's tech and no faster than SS L69 305" V8... However, $200 in pistons/cam into that already fitted 350...
I had a 79 or 80 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme with a Buick 231 motor in it motor was very reliable. These cars remind me of my cutlass supreme
Thanks Steve,.....Once again, a great cup of coffee!
Keep the great videos coming,really enjoy you sharing your knowledge on automotive history!
Took my driving test in a Monte back in the day lovem.
I love that the 78, 79, and 80 are all very similar but different. Then the 81 is a new body style. The 78-80 look so much better. They have the same lines of the 77 just in smaller form. The 81 and up lost too much of the cool Monte Carlo lines. The 78 is my favorite but any of the 78-80 are great looking
Same with the buick regal.
Thats why i liked my 86 gran prix i had for a while, it was a late g-body, but still had some unique body lines.
I would tend to disagree, while the 70s monte Carlos are gorgeous stylish cars, the mid to late 80s ones are my favorite
G-Bodies were pretty much identical from 81-88. Only differentiating the front and rear.
I grabbed the manual pedals out of a 78 Buick Regal that had a V6 and 3 speed on the floor.
Old and good friend sent me here. His dad bought a brand new m/c. Off the floor 1978. Of Vandergrift chevrolet arlington tx. His mom gave up her 1975 triple black m/c for it. And yep. Had 4spd 305. And yes when his camaro was broke he would street race it. Against z28s lol. Then his mom caught us putting my cragar super tricks off my 77 camaro on it and me him his brother were banned from the m/c. Yep if dumped clutch at over 2500 rpm. It would smoke passenger rear. Lol. Man memories. That car actually made me buy my wife an 87 ss monte for our 5th anniversary. Memories.
So glad I discovered this channel.
What a RARE find there Steve!! So sad that it so far gone. A collector would probably pay serious money for that LOW of a production car. thanks again for all your research you do, Very much appreciated!!!
I had a '79 Malibu factory 4 speed/ 4 barrel 305. My now late ex brother in law and his uncle bought it and made it into an automatic equipped drag car (nobody ever credited them with too much in the brain department). I put the '79 Buick Century Turbo split exhaust on it (resonators only, no mufflers). Before I bought that car I ran across another 305 4V 4 speed at a local dealership's used car lot. It was a true oddball- it was pale blue with a bench seat! I believe it came from the GM tech center because that dealer had connections to get those kinds of cars. Weirdest thing- it had a nonexistent axle code.
An acquaintance of mine ordered a '79 Regal with the 231 V-6 and a 4 speed. Our dealership was so scared that he would cancel the order that they made him pay for it before they would order it. He did get the car, though.
I love when you bring a model car kit into these awesome full of information videos. Bringing two loves together 👍👍👍
I love your videos… your car knowledge is pretty in-depth…. One thing i did notice about that Monte that you never mentioned was… it may have started it’s life as a V6 car but those engine blocks or mounts ( whatever you wanna call them) are definitely for a small block….
Always a great walk through time with Steve! Thank you for being so willing to share to us all your knowledge and passion. It inspires younger generations to learn, and to disconnect from the world, ad go get dirty. Thank you ….
That's to bad it's not restorable. I noticed too, the motor mounts where moved to fit a sbc.
Very rare monte Carlo I've seen very few with a manual transmission and with aluminum hood and deck lid very strange ro see this unicorn of a monte Carlo in the junk yard awesome find 👍
That pedal assembly used to highly sought after back in the day! Now they are reproducing them new, but they are still expensive.
to be*
Yeah buddy did 4 speed swap into a el camino g body and paid 400 bucks for pedal fods assy
I got the clutch pedal assy and trans for my malibu for 50 bucks out of a discarded race car
@@DarthVader1977 OMG, not a typo! How will I ever live?
Aftermarket options are ok, but usually nothing fits as good as factory.
From Chuck Nerpal's article: "2.73:1 performance rear axle!!!" They just don't say what kind of performance...🤮
When I was in high school, I once got a ride from a teacher who had a '78-'80 Grand Prix, and it had the V6 and three speed on the floor!!! I can't remember if it had a bench seat, but I seem to remember no console. Man, that subject Monte had been such a nice blank canvas to start with, but is so horribly beyond repair now. Imagine getting that car in the early '80s, and then yanking the V-sick and Saginaw, and dropping in a 1970 300 horse 350 and a Muncie 4 speed and 3.73 Posi, with quiet exhaust... That would've been a sleeper to be reckoned with.
I owned one of these! Mine was a '79 with the smallest v6 offered, 3-spd manual on the floor, aluminum hood and trunk lid, stripped-down, basic everything else. Kind of like a big stylish Vega or Chevette. I was told the only reason they offered something like this was so they could boost the mpg rating across this model.
I had a 78 factory 4-speed (it became a 6-speed) El Camino when I was like 19-25. Great car. It wound up with said 6-speed, a 3.89:1 9", and a .030"-over 11:1 '68 327. Man, would it run...
I have a manual transmission Malibu. Do not forget they made taxi's for Iraq but refused them the last minute. They were all 4 doors and 3 speed V-6's They were everywhere in Calgary and i plucked many pedal assemblies at pick your parts and sold them. I still have mine to this day but i put a 400 in it from a van and drilled steam holes in Vortec heads. It was a all day 11.06 car for the streets on the cheap.
Dude..that heater box, and manual trans stuff is worth a fortune on the market. Gbody owners flock to that stuff. I got mine out of a Malibu that had the 265 v8 and a 3 speed Saginaw. They used to literally give them away to get them out of yards, 50% ended up being roundy round cars.
Great rare find! These videos only get better!
Love to save them all. Great work Steve
I'm very proud to own a 78' numbers matching 4 speed monte, 79' 4 speed Malibu and a 78' 4 speed SS El Camino. Different motor option in each one but numbers matching 4 speed cars with posi.👍
I bought a set of clutch pedals one time out of a 1981 4 door Malibu 4 speed In the middle of a junkyard And was so grateful at the chance to buy them 33 years ago and stuck them in my cutlass I could not believe my luck at finding them. Someone needs to buy that set right away I can't believe they have lasted this long, I wish he would have showed whether or not the bell crank and the clutch rod were still available on that monte
Went to college with a guy who had an early third gen Monte with a 4 speed/305, manual windows/locks. Same guy also had a 2 door, fwd Olds Omega with a 4 speed manual. Had never seen either, or since.
Hope you’re doing better Steve! Thinking of you. 👍🏼
Nice Steve! Blowing my mind I'm rocking a 79' With 5.0 V8 automatic with that Very same Paint job Silver/Black Red Pin stripe , ! 😅✌️ Was built in Oshwan Plant Canada.
In 1979 I almost bought a Monte Carlo. The dealer had 2 left. A 305 4bbl and a 267 V8 with t-tops, both were white with red interior.
Get well soon Steve!
I think this had , one year only, smaller front wheel bearings, hubs, spindles, etc than the later year models. These metric chassis had weak idler arms and were usually the first part that needed replaced on the steering. I've had several different year models and one, maybe an 82 had the smallest V8 I've ever owned it was a 267 I think.
Keep them coming Steve. Great channel.
Thanks, will do!
Back in the late 70's a friend had a new lightened mid-size Chevy. V6 engines got a horrible lockup automatic that hated to downshift and had poor reliability (Turbo 200 or 250 filled with awful Dexron II which is like vegetable oil with red food coloring). After a test drive at the dealer, some buyers wanted (or were advised to choose) a clutch pedal.
Get well soon Steve.
My parents ordered a new '78 Malibu Classic sedan in late 1977. They got the V6, cloth seats with a fully split bench seat. They did not order AC, so it had the same blanking plates as the feature car. They were told that the 3 speed manual transmission would be on the column, but it arrived with a floor shifter.
As the youngest of all of my cousins (I was 4 years old when they got it), I was the kid who sat in the middle of the front bench on extended family trips. I had to lean right and splay my legs whenever Mom or Dad shifted that long-throw lever between my little legs. The car was severely rotted and burning a lot of oil by the time I could legally drive, so I only got to drive it a few times before we sold it to the guy who cleaned our gutters for $60. He drove it away at night without license plates and we got a call from police in another town that found it abandoned several months later. It was, by any measure, a pretty lousy car, but I loved it and miss it to this day.
I had a buick regal in the mid 90's identical to the beige one in the back ground. it would be awsome to see my old car again but, the last time i saw it was in PA.
Steve, I owned a 78 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 with a 4 speed. My favorite car.
Cool Video. Thanks for giving the g body some love. No SPID (RPO codes) stickers in the trunk until 1984 btw
I knew somebody who owned a 1983 Chevy C10 pick up that had a column shifted 3 speed manual and an inline 6 cylinder engine in it!! I knew this truck at the time fairly well and drove it a few times also!! I was friends with that people who owned that truck at the time, and bought a 1985 Ford Crown Victoria off of them, while they still owned the truck as well!! Of course more "on topic" they also owned a Monte Carlo as well, but their Monte was a 1982!
Great work Steve thank you.
Wow! I thought for sure someone had added a manual.. Great information!
I had a ‘78 monte when I was a kid. Loved it. I’ve had three montes. All cool. Need another one I think.
Yeah I used to buy these cars back in the early and late 90s for just a few hundred bucks. Had like 8 g bodys during that time, wish I still had them all.. just got my el camino back on the road so I'm happy for now lol.
About 25 years ago I bought a 1978 Monte Carlo with a 305, 4 speed manual transmission, bucket seats, console, no air, black with the carmine interior, basically a twin to that one. Being from Wisconsin, the frame was rusted out and the body was too. I put the pedals and the 4 speed in my 1979 Monte Carlo behind a 350 and still have the car today. I believe some 1979's were made with a 4 speed, but not 1719 of them.
I can remember seeing one in the 80's! I couldn't believe it. me and my cousin was visiting his girlfriend in post TX .she said me riding around town in her dad's car, and both agreed ok , this will be easy... lol we ended up not going cus we didn't know how to drive stick yet.. we made fun of her dad's car for being a monte Carlo with a stick... lol. we thought it was cool of her letting us drive daughter around in his car. ! he got the last laugh knowing we couldn't drive stick
I had a 1979 Black on Black Monte Carlo with T tops. I still love that car! It has the 231 Buick V-6, which was a junk engine.
Normally only click on Steve’s Mopar videos, but was curious about this one. My sister’s first husband owned an all original 78 Monte with a 305 3spd manual, and get this- full fiberglass hood and deck lid. Totaled it out hitting a deer- it was a mess, very sad. Never heard of that combination before on a Monte.
Someone changed the transmission or it was a four speed and you thought it was a three speed manual. 1978 manual transmissions were four speed when paired with a V8 in Monte Carlo that year.
Steve, you did a good job containing your excitement.
Power steering and brakes could have been standard equipment on cars by that time,I know on trucks they were still optional on trucks at that time. A 77 Impala came in the shop with a straight six,no a/c and radio delete,it had a automatic trans and power steering and brakes and from what I could find at the time that the automatic trans was standard equipment and figured steering and brakes could have been too.
The drums are from a regal, factory dual exhaust on bodies was a single inlet, dual outlet muffler, except maybe Grand Nationals.
And just a foot note you could get a 5 speed in 78-80 in the olds cuttlass with the 260 ci v8. Or 4 speed with the chevy small block 305 v8. And pontiac lemans v6 3 speed 200 ci chevy in base model only, or a 4 speed with the 301 Pontiac v8 till 1980 and grand am till 1979 , no manual trans in buick century/ regal line auto only .
Not sure that buick info is true, my dad bought a 79 regal 231 4 speed, saginaw, hurst shifter with a bench seat. Was an a/c delete car in 1990. Had the welded in hump on the tunnel. Looked pretty factory to me. Guy we got it from had a 78 malibu 4 speed car too. He also told us the buick had factory manual steering but he put the power steering in it. I still have the pedals and heater box in my 86 regal now.🙂
In the Early 90’s I worked at a Amoco Gas Station and witnessed a third gen Monte with a V6 turbo .logos on the hood and I had to check the oil and when the hood was poped there it was. v6 Turbo. Never to seen another since.
Just imagine whoever owned this car trying to convince everyone it was unique and special back in the 70s and '80s..... lolololol