Back in the seventies and early eighties, GM was trying to consolidate a dizzying array of engine options down to a manageable level. Nearly every division had a few of their own engines, and a lot of them were very similar to ones built by other divisions. In this distillation of powerplants, the small block Chevrolet V-8 and Buick’s 3.8 liter V-6 proved themselves to be the good choices for GM’s personal luxury coupe fleet. While the V-8 ended up in most applications, the V-6 showed up in one unexpected place. Take a look at this 1981 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, found by the intrepid Pat. L on craigslist in Janesville, Wisconsin. What makes this mint Monte different is that it is packing a turbocharged Buick V-6! Is this rolling rarity worth the $5,500 asking price?
Before you get all excited, this Monte Carlo is not quite the rocket ship that later Grand National Regals would end up being. In 1981, these engines put out just 170 horsepower. Not a lot by today’s standards, but a full 20 horsepower more than the 305 cubic inch small block V-8 that was also offered. 0-60 times were a little under nine seconds, and quarter-mile times were in the high sixteens. Weak sauce when compared to today’s cars, but this optional engine made these cars pretty fast for the malaise era.
The engine itself could be traced back to the Fireball six offered by Buick for the first time in 1962. The production rights and tooling to build it were then sold to Kaiser-Jeep in 1967. Amazingly, the whole package was purchased back from AMC by General Motors in 1974. This amazing engine was developed into several different versions until it was finally discontinued in 2008. There was even a version used in Indy cars racing in the “stock” block category. Sadly, the famous turbocharged version was only offered in a Monte Carlo for 1980 and 1981 production. Surely, the coming of the 1983 T-Type Regal and later Grand National Regals were factors in limiting this engine’s use in the Monte Carlo. It would later find its way into a special version of the 1989 Pontiac Trans Am.
As if the rarity of this engine isn’t enough, the Monte Carlo it is installed in is equally appealing. For a car produced in 1981, this particular example has been kept in impeccable condition. The exterior was repainted in the early nineties, and the seller claims that the car was not driven much in the years following. The flaws mentioned in the ad are limited to a falling headliner and minimal damage to the bumper cover. While the seller calls it a good driver quality car, you would be hard pressed to find a Monte Carlo of similar vintage in comparable condition.
The car looks just as good inside. The seats have minimal fading, and the dash is free of cracks and blemishes. We can see that the car was equipped with air conditioning and an AM/FM cassette player. In addition, the bucket seats and floor mounted shifter add to the sportiness of the car.
Sadly, despite the special engine, the engine compartment doesn’t look very awesome. In fact, it looks rather agricultural in comparison to later Buick Grand Nationals. The unique air snorkel leading from the front of the compartment to the carburetor just doesn’t blend in very well. What it did do was give Chevy an excuse to add an awesome looking bulge in the hood. It would be an interesting exercise to see if you could find one of these hoods in the parts department of an old Chevrolet dealer. The whole apparatus makes me wonder if you could even find an air cleaner for this application.
There are a number of Monte Carlo fans out there, and I doubt many of them have even heard of a Monte so equipped. Reportedly, production amounted to just 3,027 of these unique coupes in 1981. Turbocharged engines of this era often had poor survival rates when they encountered the inherent deferred maintenance of the used car market. It surely was a lot cheaper and easier to keep a Monte Carlo equipped with a small block V-8 on the road than one of these turbo V-6s. You’d likely be the only one at the car show. In fact, your car would likely be the only running one in your state as well.
Do you think the rarity of the engine option makes this Monte Carlo worth more than ones in similar condition with more conventional powerplants?
Surprised to not see sport mirrors on this one, to compliment the two tone paint. The Chrome mirror looks out of place, although an ordered option. No extra performance goods ordered, either, like the gauge package or suspension upgrades. I guess one could go to the Buick sites and stores to bring out a few more horses.
Put an SS nose on it, clean it up in the engine bay, fix those minor flaws and you are good to go !
Pretty sure that is a 229 Chevy V6 turbo, not a 231 Buick V6 turbo. Check this ad from 1980. https://i2.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/4.jpg
I’m not sure if they made a turbo version of the 229. I had the 229 with “computer- controlled injection” in my ’81 Camaro. Pretty anemic.
Also, kudos to the seller for resisting the temptation of listing it with 37K miles.
The link to the Chevy ad states the engine is 229 cubic inches, I guess they could have a misprint. Also, hard to see in the engine shot in the ad, but the Buick V6 has the distributor at the front. Chevy V6 has the distributor at the back of the block by the firewall.
I found some better pictures, you are correct, it’s a 231 Buick V6. Sorry for posting incorrect information.
No this is in fact a 231 buick block. I own one as well.
It’s a Buick 231 with the turbo. The 229 was non turbo chevy engine. I own an 81 with the 231 Turbo.
Friend Tommy had that car with the same paint scheme/color in high school
Nice car! Strange that the air filter apparatus was painted red! Would think it should be black….
Believe me, I’m not excited.
Monte Carlos and Buick regals had the option for the Buick 231 turbo engine. Chevy only made a turbo v6 4.3 and they were put in the s-10 and the Jimmys better known as the cyclone and the typhoon.
I’m pretty sure they offered the turbo V6 in the ’79 Monte Carlo too. A lady that worked with me at the local grocery store in ’81 had a black one with the bulge on the hood with the Turbo and Bowtie emblems. Her car also had T-tops.
I know it was a ’79 model because it had the single headlights.
I had one 1979 LC8 231 Buick engine in a Monte Carlo
Must have been a 1980 Monte or a 79 with an 80 hood. These turbo options were only offered on the 80 and 81 models.
My ’79 Monte Carlo turbo was an absolute dog. The same was for the ’81 Turbo Trans Am w/301 that my friend drove new and test drove. People must drive these cars and reacquaint themselves.
That red air ducting and intake is exactly the same as the ones in the 1978-1979 Buick LeSabres and Regals with the turbo-charged V-6. I had a LeSabre once with this engine. It was advertised as a V-6 with the power of a V-8. Well, even the V-8s in 1978-79 were not too powerful, but it was a unique car. Engine maintenance was difficult, though. Take a look at how the carburetor sits over the top of the driver’s side valve cover. On the passenger side, it is nearly impossible to access the valve cover without a complete removal of the turbo-charger and all of its associated plumbing. That said, this is a very, very clean car with some rare options like the console, floor shift, A/C and that engine. Well worth the modest price, considering the condition of the car.
Not a GM guy, always have had Fords. Still strange red paint……
Saw a Monte like this one on ebay years ago with a manual transmission and 229 V6. No turbo though. Now that was rare
Should be gone now….even a 305 in this condition would sell fast in my parts !
And it’s gone
I was always fascinated by those early 1980s Monte Carlo turbos. The set up was so primitive I bet you could drill a nitrous oxide nozzle into that orange air cleaner lid and juice it up more. Weeeee! Tho I’m not sure the equally primative new-for -1981 CCC would be able to handle that. Still, fun idea.
These cars (G-Body Turbos, LeSabres etc) to my personal favorite car in the world the 84-87 Turbo Buick Regals.
I am not much on engine swaps, but to put an LC2 power plant in this car and leave it appearing just as it is it would make a super cool sleeper! It would really be a shame as few as they made, but if you think about it you think about it why would you go to the trouble if it was a rough piece of junk! lol Being a Turbo Buick fanatic since 91 I can truly say with just a few upgrades you can hand most v8s unless they are really radical their rear end without very much trouble! lol This is one of my Ts, I have owned it since 1991. A real friend………..they will never cheat, lie or turn their back on you!
You can count on that! I call this guy Mr. Sixx! ;)