Vehicle Description
Unique collector cars are consistently the most interesting segment
of the hobby, as varied as the fingerprints of the guys who collect
and build them. And while you've seen custom Monte Carlos before,
this Darrell Waltrip homage 1976 Monte is one of the most
attention-grabbing NASCAR throw-backs we've ever featured. A slice
of nostalgia that can actually be drive and enjoyed, this tribute
#88 Monte is a very special A-body.
Sure it's not original, but who cares? Custom painted in an awesome
and period-correct NASCAR paint scheme, the builders really
captured the spirit of the time with this one. Featuring
heavy-hitter sponsors everywhere you look (Gatorade, Goodyear, Die
Hard), this white-and-green Winston Cup racer is a head-turner that
brings the crowds everywhere it goes. Who would have known that the
chiseled, formal Monte Carlo would look so good as a stock
car-street racer? The custom finish also seems to accentuate some
of the details you miss when these cars are plain old red or black,
namely the angled sweep of the fenders with a secondary crease
running just below the ridge, the boxy nose, and the aggressive
slope of the Winston Cup Series race spoiler out back. There's a
period-correct safety net on the driver's side, four chrome hood
pins on the bonnet, windscreen/rear glass center bracing, and cover
screens on the headlights to further the illusion, but those
details have done nothing to get in the way of the street-legal
status on this Monte. The paint isn't show-quality but was a solid
application when it was finished, showing complete coverage and a
good shine with only a few demerits to indicate it's ever been used
at all.
The interior remains fairly close to a stock Monte Carlo, which
offers comfortable bench seats, a B&M floor shifter, and plenty
of luxury features that you'd never find at a NASCAR race unless
you went into the parking lot. But there are some performance-spec
things sprinkled in too, most notably the non-functional roll bar
(installed to complete the look), the four-point Racequip safety
harnesses, the B&M floor shifter, the tachometer mounted on the
dash, and the auxiliary gauges in the center of the dash. The black
vinyl upholstery is in great condition and the seats are just the
right combination of comfortable and supportive. The gauges are
fairly comprehensive given the Monte's mission and luxury options
include cold A/C with R134a refrigerant, wood-grain applique on the
dash bezel, a bitchin' foot-print gas pedal, and a Jensen
AM/FM/Cassette stereo. The sporty Grant wheel helps with the sporty
demeanor but if you want to take four people across the country in
comfort, few cars will do it better than a Monte Carlo, especially
with that giant trunk, which also features a full-size spare.
The "V" in the VIN denotes that this Monte was born with the
venerable Chevy 350 cubic inch V8 engine. With great torque and a
throaty V8 rumble, this is a deserving descendant of the full-sized
muscle cars of the past, and because of what this car is emulating,
it's been built up with a .030 overbore, a Thumper cam, and
long-tube headers. Chrome finned valve covers and a matching air
cleaner add a little flash, but other than those slight deviations
the engine bay is largely stock. It has always been properly
maintained, so everything in the engine bay looks good-to-go and it
has plenty of grunt, as you'd expect from a snarly small block
Chevy V8. Underneath it's all original and shows a few signs of age
on the unfinished parts, but careful care is evident everywhere you
look, although there is a snarling dual exhaust system to improve
the soundtrack a bit. A TH350 3-speed automatic transmission
feeding a 10-bolt was standard equipment, so the Monte is both
quick on its feet and an easy cruiser on the highway. Distinctive
black racing wheels wear traditional Goodyear Eagle white-letter
radials to finish the period-collect look.
You won't be looking for attention in this car, it'll find you.
Fortunately, when it does, it'll also find a very well-built and
nicely finished Darrell Waltrip tribute car that runs and drives
extremely well. Boogiddy, boogiddy, here you go! Call today!