We see plenty of genuine survivors at Barn Finds, with some significantly better than others. This 1984 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS seems to fit into the upper end of that category. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Mitchell G. for spotting this beauty and raising the question of whether it could be the nicest one left. The seller wants to send it to a new home, listing the SS here on Craigslist in Lewiston, Maine. You could drive this turnkey classic home once you have handed the seller $15,400.
Chevrolet introduced its Fourth Generation Monte Carlo for the 1981 model year, with cars remaining on sale until 1988. The most significant news for enthusiasts came in 1983 when Chevrolet announced the reintroduction of the SS model that had disappeared at the end of 1971. Our feature car rolled off the one the following year, with its first owner ordering it in subtle White. It is unclear whether it is 100% original, but with no mention of repairs or restoration in the listing, it should probably be considered a genuine survivor. The paint shines impressively, and the lack of chips on prone surfaces like the front bumper suggests it has led a sheltered existence. The panels are as straight as an arrow, with the seller emphasizing that it is completely rust-free. The decals look crisp, and the glass is spotless. The SS rolls on its original color-matched wheels that are free from stains and other issues.
Detroit began dragging itself out of the quagmire created by tighter emission regulations by 1984, with this SS confirming that progress was being made. The 305ci V8, as fitted to the 1981 Monte Carlo, produced 150hp. By the time this SS rolled off the line, that figure had climbed to 180hp, with drivers also having 235 ft/lbs of torque at their disposal. The improvement probably doesn’t sound significant, but it represents a 20% gain. Enthusiasts typically crave more power, and this car confirms that inroads had been made. This SS sends its power to the road via a three-speed automatic transmission, with power assistance for the steering and brakes standard fare. The ¼-mile journey should take 16.5 seconds, and while that ET seems pretty tame, it is worth noting that the best a buyer could expect from a 1981 Monte Carlo was 18.5 seconds. The listing indicates this car has 84,000 miles on the clock, although the seller doesn’t emphasize the fact or mention supporting evidence. They also supply no information on its mechanical state beyond the fact it recently received new tires. However, the visual indications are that this survivor is in excellent mechanical health.
The seller shortchanges potential buyers by supplying a single interior shot. It tells us little, although the lack of wear on the driver’s seat and carpet seems to support their use of the word”beautiful” when describing its condition. The wheel is an aftermarket addition, and it is unclear whether there are other changes to consider. They say almost everything functions as it should, with only a couple of gauges needing attention. I don’t believe the original owner equipped it with air conditioning, but it appears the new owner will benefit from power windows, power locks, and cruise control.
It will be fascinating to gauge your feedback and whether you believe this could be the best 1984 Monte Carlo SS left on our roads. It presents exceptionally well but would probably require an in-person inspection to reveal the truth. My only surprise with this Chevy is that it has been on the market for over three weeks because the price looks competitive compared to recent sales. Are you tempted to pursue it further, or will you sit this dance out?
Super clean!! Put back original wheel…..
Those are the original wheels, just painted the exterior color instead of the cast grey color they are from the factory.
He means original steering wheel! Not wheel(s)!
Duhhh, Mike! You said wheel…I am an idiot. Yes, I agree, put back the original wheel!
I’ve never seen one of these without a/c. Also don’t see the cruise transducer but the pics underhood aren’t that great.
Like the author says, one interior pic? Gotta see more.
Exterior shows well though.
’83 was the last year for the cruise control transducer on the inner fender. ’84 runs the cruise control off the vehicle speed sensor in the speedometer. This car has cruise control. The vacuum servo that runs the throttle is visible on the left rear corner of the engine.
Very clean car, but probably the most basic SS I have ever seen. It looks like it has either power windows or locks, but not both, and nothing else. No A/C, the base wheels – virtually every SS I ever saw in the 80s had the upgraded aluminum wheels. The light blue interior wouldn’t be my first choice, but from what is shown it looks clean. No A/C is a no go for most of us south of the Mason/Dixon, but way up in Maine where the car is located, I assume it is not critical. Having to add Vintage air is somewhat normal for 60s and earlier cars, but by the 80s, most all cars came with A/C standard. I would have to give the rear frame rails a close inspection since this car has clearly lived in snow (i.e., salt) country. If those check out, someone who really loves the MC SS may come along willing to pay the ask. I’m a G-Body guy, but I prefer mine in Oldsmobile form. I passed up a lot of fairly nice ones to get the one I wanted. Lack of desirable features on this one may shrink the buyer pool considerably.
Monte SS didn’t get aluminum rims until ‘86.
Interesting… I recall silver and black centers before the machined aluminum. Don’t recall seeing the white painted spokes on a SS.
Lack of “desirable features” to some is reduced weight and lack of stuff that will break and need repaired to others. This looks like something my dad would have bought new back then, except he would have also skipped the power windows. As someone else said, these ’83-’85 SSs all had steel wheels, but they should be painted silver, no body color.
This definitely looks like an original survivor because of its high stance, especially compared to that ’84 Monte I saw on Fantom Works not too long ago. Despite its originality, for this price I would look for a decent C-body big block Mopar instead because it’s more powerful and it’ll have better appreciation potential.
I owned an almost new ‘84 SS and while it was a great looking and sounding car, it was an absolute turd! With the 3 speed auto and 3.73 gears it sucked gas, and screamed on the highway. Why Chevy never put tuned port engines and 5 speeds in these is a mystery.
Sold it and bought a slightly used black Turbo Regal. Now that was a different story!!
Oh I bet. That was a big upgrade!
It’s not really a mystery. It’s money and regulations. Pick one or both. Any powertrain combination you sell in a specific vehicle requires emissions and fuel economy certification before the government will let you sell it. GM probably decided it wasn’t worth the investment for the number of units they would potentially sell, and/or it simply wouldn’t meet the government regulations. Reference the 1982 Corvettes, 1982-1983 F-body with CrossFire Injection, and 1987-1992 F-body with 350 Tuned Port Injection which are all automatics due to fuel economy requirements.
The version sold in Mexico that year was much better.It came with a 350 and a 4spd manual.Rare to come across one,but there still some out there…The 305 came in one version…smoker.
Sure, but we had cleaner air, so we win. Prettiest design of all the Monte Carlos.
Definitely a non A/C car, no compressor or A/C equipment on the firewall. What’s strange is the Black valve covers and a silver looking intake manifold , that and the fact it is listed as having dual exhaust, Maybe someone previous made a bit of an upgrade that the seller is unaware of ? Nice clean & straight looking body tho. Why don’t I get notification on updates on posts I’ve commented on ?
Yes only one interior pic but if you look closely to the front right corner of the driver’s seat you can see the corner is torn a little. The corner roll is messed up a little. Not a big deal but is there
Definitely a clean up and some paint work done under the hood. Very clean. Not sure how far they went. Looks good though
The mid-80’s Monte Carlo SS were great looking cars, but this is another example of a good looking car needing the power to back it up. 180 measly horsepower in a car that looks that fast is insulting. If I were to buy one, the first thing I’d do is swap in a ZZ4 crate engine and a 5 speed manual transmission, then you could hold your head up high while driving it.
You could do that, but where are you going to use all that power? If you want your head held up high, I assume you mean by garnering attention from others on the road, and the only way you are going to show off that power is by doing something that the cash crazy fuzz are going to notice. 180 HP is more than enough. This car is perfect for long trips on a nice road, esp high speed freeway driving. Set the cruise, turn up the air, pop in a sweet CD, and enjoy. People are going to smile as you pass by because it is a great looking car and they are fairly rare today, not because you have a semi legal exhaust and are laying rubber.
You must be loads of fun. A ZZ4 makes 355hp. Any “performance” car made in the past 20 years has more power than that. I guess we better all drive base-model econoboxes lest we accidentally accelerate too quickly. And it might be difficult to “turn up the air”, given that this car has no air.
Kevin, I am not going to give you a hard time because my true name is also Kevin (we Kevins got to stick together) but I do wish I understood why such sudden acceleration is useful or pleasureable (after a few times?) 180 HP is. nothing to laugh at, that would propel this car at the same rate as a standard V8 from the late 60s would have, pretty gosh darn good. Certainly fast enough to pass on a two lane road or merge onto the freeway. Anything more then that is only really safely used on a closed track for everyones safety. I know I am pretty old, past my life expectancy in fact, so perhaps I am overly cautious, but I also have a long memory that recalls so many needless deaths on the road from foolishness. (Not related to inattentive driving or worse yet, booze) When you break the road rules, it is okay to endanger yourself, but not others also near you. A matter of integrity.
Unfortunately we are seeing some not so classic cars and trucks at car shows anymore, the cutoff should be 1973, or have 2 groups of classics.
The stripes on the mid body line are missing, the wheels have been painted, the steering wheel is aftermarket, the pockets around the head lamps should be painted black like the grille. Not exactly a perfect cherry survivor example. I owned a white 84 Monte SS, I loved the way it handled and rode, even though the 305 was lacking.
I looks good, but I don’t think it’s all original, more to the story…