One of my favorite GM cars from the eighties decade was the Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS with the aeroback window, and a bank manager in the small town where I lived for a few years drove a beautiful white ’87 model just like the one for sale here on Craigslist in Parsippany, New Jersey. This was almost 20 years ago, and looking back I probably got on her nerves asking nearly every time I was in there if she was ready to sell. The answer was always a polite no, but that never stopped me from trying! We’re down to a one-car garage and a single-vehicle driveway now, so the days of owning an extra pleasure-type automobile have probably passed for me, but if there was still room in my life I’d sure consider chasing this one down. The owner is looking for about $28,500 for the Chevy to exchange hands.
Barn Finds reader Mitchell G. likes this one too, and we’d like to thank him for the tip! The fourth-generation Monte Carlo Super Sport isn’t really a rare car at all, with more than half a million examples rolling off the assembly line between 1983 and 1988. But the aeroback window car numbers are a lot lower, as just 200 were made in 1986, although that amount increased to slightly over 6,000 the following year, making the ’87 models significantly more plentiful. This one’s another design to make the car more aerodynamic for NASCAR, with a minimum of 200 street versions to be built the first year to make it eligible for racing on the superspeedways. The seller says his car has been in the family since day one and very well cared for, with everything remaining original including the paint, which seems to have held up quite nicely overall, though there is a scratch and minor paint chip pointed out on the trunk lid.
Equally as impressive is the inside, with that beautiful burgundy-colored interior reflecting years of love and showing very little wear. The factory AM/FM/Cassette Stereo is still intact, a pretty decent sound system for its days with that EQ plus the auto-reverse system so you don’t have to keep flipping your tapes over. This one’s also got T-Tops, always a fun-in-the-sun feature so long as they’re not leaking, and I’m not spotting any evidence on the fabric that there’s been a problem here.
Power is provided by the factory numbers-matching 305, and with only 34,000 carefully driven miles, it probably has plenty of good life left if the next owner continues to provide the same level of treatment. Everything in the engine compartment looks much as it would have been 36 years ago, and it’s great to see one of these cars that hasn’t been tampered with under the hood. I’m finding very little not to like here, and if we still had the room I might have to buy this one and fulfill a car dream I imagined 20 years ago, then apologize to my wife after the fact for not consulting with her first. Are you feeling this 1987 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Aeroback as much as I am?
Everyone seems to bemoan the fact GM only put a 180 horsepower 305 engine in these cars…fact is, does it really matter? I mean, when your average 6 cylinder “Cam-Cord” can ourun or be a serious challenge to the hairiest of ’60’s/’70’s muclecars, and with the increased traffic, I could/would be perfectly content to drive this beauty as is! GLWTS!! :-)
Yeah, people seem to expect GM meant these limited-run SS Aerocoupes to be any sort of performance model. They didn’t.
Their sole reason for existing was to homologate the more aerodynamic back glass profile for NASCAR, so they only made just enough (requiring a lot of expensive hand-fabrication off the main assembly line) to meet that minimum-production requirement and didn’t spend a penny more than they absolutely had to.
They knew they’d easily sell every single one of this limited-production NASCAR-associated variant regardless, so they didn’t bother investing in engineering them to work as a proper hatchback, nor equipping a higher-performance V8 with perhaps a slimmer profit margin than this base mill.
Yeah they can and I agree with your post 100% ….but can a Camry or an Accord do 50 foot posi burnouts going sideways while leaving cool tire marks on the pavement while you’re having a blast controlling and listening to the beast scream and moan?….especially with a Q jet… Nope.
I’ve seen more Monte SS and Pontiac aero coupes on barn finds the last few monthes then I ever have in the wild.Nice car but I never cared for the aercoupe styling. I like the straight window imo.Priced a little high too imo.glwts.
Seriously is everyone selling low mileage aero coupes? I would love to see a regular roof SS for sale. The aero coupes just don’t do it for me. That said, this is a beautiful example GLWS.
500,000+ Monte Carlo SSs? Not even close. Most sources quote around 154,000 SSs between 83 and 88.
In 1987 I went into a Chevy dealership in Phoenix and every salesman on the floor was busy with a customer. The place was crowded with people. My boss was with me and tried to get me to buy the white SS in the showroom. I asked for a test drive, so a busy salesman while talking to a prospect just tossed me the key and someone opened the doors and off I went for a drive. Compared to my then 1978 AMC Concord with 258 6 cylinder, this SS had more than enough get up and go.
For about the same money there’s a LS swap with a 5spd manual for sale.white 87 monte carlo ss notchback.44k miles very clean.already built and ready to tear up the streets.it’s in auction right now,but the reserve is right in the neighborhood of the asking price for this one.At classic corner/iconic motors.
Very nice example of one here. BUT for the money that they want here, you could find a nice late model muscle ride that would be more reliable, built better, and blow the doors off of this thing… Think Camaro SS, Mustang GT, Dodge Charger/Challenger.. it’s okay if you are into NASCAR, nostalgia etc. but the reality is, there is just no comparison between this Monte and the new ones Heck, for this money you could find a better older muscle car too.
Friend of mine had a SS new back in 87, he was 22, he made a lot of money had a slew of Mercedes, got the itch for his younger years, bought a gorgeous 39,000 mile example, he couldn’t believe how lame that 305 is, parked in his garage 15 years now
A crate 350 would hide quite nicely under all those hoses.
The truth is that it might be 1 or 2 seconds faster than a 72 Pinto with a 2000 cc 4 cylinder-4 speed in the quarter. The Monte ran about 17 in Aerocoupe form. The Pinto was around 18 -19 seconds. The Monte might be a little faster than the new turbo diesel school buses out there. Then again, maybe not. If you are looking for performance, take a pass on it.
Get a grip of the wheel Dan.
My wife bought an SS new in 1985 and I bracket raced at Gateway International in the 1980’s. Consistent 0.001 tree and 15.1’s at 88 mph. Take off the air cleaner remove full size spare tire and 14.95’s daytime hot air. At night with good cool air and the SS would keep knocking it down.
Now with 279,000 miles on the original engine the nylon timing gear finally gave up. Valvoline oil is the best. And that is passing the Missouri sniff test at inspection. I would buy another tomorrow new for the 15K we paid for it. The best car we still own, will never get rid of it. But I have a 1970 4 bolt 400 SB that is getting a fresh build. Perfect for a midweight.
Lovely looking car. I’ve always loved the Chevy Monte Carlo SS. This was my favourite generation for the Monte. I’d buy one if I knew someone who owned one.
Mr.Lee, 15’s? That’s possible with your racing experience… but that’s not what all of the period road test literature says. They have it in the 16’s and in the 17’s (Aerocoupe) Just google it up. Also, I was around when they raced them at Raceway Park in Englishtown N.J. The Grand Nationals would give the Montes a good second head start and the GN would still win. 15’s were slow then and it’s even worse now. The build quality was garbage. They were a V-8 Monte with a Tachometer and Tape Stripes. People who held onto them are trying to unload them now to make some money because the old car market is strong.