Dale's Monte Carlo SS Web Site

I have had a variety of cars in the past 50+ years and thought I would post a few photos of them. Many of these photos were taken long before digital cameras and then scanned in via Windows 98 and an old flat bed scanner. So, the quality is not the best.

As this part of the site is not related to the Monte Carlo SS butI thought I would put all the photos and info about the car on one page. To view the info and photos just click on the links below.

1959 Chevrolet Impala

The very first car I got after I got out of the Navy in 1964, was a 1959 Impala 4 door hardtop with a 348 CI/250 HP. It was painted mint green and yellow. I drove it for about 3 years and traded in on a 1965 Impala SS.

1965 Chevrolet Impala SS

In 1965 I saw an Impala SS sitting on the Chevy dealers lot and decided that I really need to upgrade to a little sportier car. I wish I had waited a year and got 427 Biscayne.

I did get the 396 CI/325 HP with a 650 Holley carb. I was painted Madera Maroon with a black vinyl top, black interior, bucket seats, console and Muncie 4 speed. Needless to say I couldn't leave it along and stuck 425 hp cam with solid lifters in and took it to the strip. The car weighed close to 4,200 lbs, 3:36 rear gears and had no posi. But, I still was able to get it into the 13 sec bracket (13.8 - 101 mph in 3rd gear) with 14" rims and recapped street slicks. Boy talk about living on the edge, I drove it to the track which was 75 miles away.

1969 Chevelle SS 396

Here is one I should have kept. This was a 396 ci/ 325 hp SS in a 300 Deluxe body, the last POST sedan built by GM. Also, it had a cloth/vinyl trimmed bench seats and a rubber floor covering. Yep, no carpet. I left this one pretty much stock except for removing the air pump. But the really kool part was a 3 speed on the floor with a Hurst shifter from the factory.

One summer I went on vacation with my wife and 2 kids (5 and 2). I even had a roof top carrier with luggage and stuff in it. Man what a site that must have been - LOL. But, the neat part of this story is I went past a drag strip just a short distance from my brother's place in MO. So, I took the car top carrier off, emptied the car flipped the air cleaner lid over and went drag racing. I took first in class.

Needless I sold it to my brother-in-law who proceded to damm near burn it to the ground with a cigarette. It was junk within about 2 years.

1940 Austin

One day I saw a project car sitting in a guys driveway with a 4 Sale sign on it. I stopped and walked away with it for about $300. It was a 1940 Austin with 389 Tri Power Pontiac stuffed in it. The guy had a dropped axle out a truck and I don't what for a rear end. I cleaned up some of the obvious shade tree engineering items and fab'd up a fuel lines for the tri power that didn't leak like the ones that were on it. I made it from rigid copper tubing and fittings (elbows & Tee's) from a hardware store. I did the soldering while it was on the car! I sold it after a guy saw it and offered me $500 for it. Sold! Remember those re-capped street slicks. Take a look at the rear tires on the car. LOL

In 2015 I was on Facbook and some "gearheads" were posting photos of cars they once owned. I posted the photos of this "project" and low & behold someone had seen this car after I sold it. It is still around sittin in some guys garage waiting to be restore or finished.

1972 Chevelle

Once I moved to Texas and bought my first Monte Carlo SS I decided I needed a daily driver and/or project car. The neighbor kid had a 72 Chevelle with 350 in it that had seen a lot of hard miles. When he went into the military I bought from his dad. I had it repainted, rebuilt the front end, cleaned up the inside, installed some headers and new exhaust pipes. I drove that way for about a year. They the guy across the street had a buddy that wanted a project car and told about my 72 Chevelle. He looked at the Chevelle and made me a offer I couldn't refuse. I actually made a few $$.

1982 Corvette

After my wife totaled the 84 SS and I sold the other 84 SS I was left with just the 87 Aero Coupe. I had always wanted a Corvette and there was one in the local paper only about 6 blocks from me. Needless to say it ended up in my garage and became my daily driver.

It took me a few months to get back to it's orginal configuration. The first thing that had to go were the Dayton wire wheels. Yea, real wire wheels. Why did I get rid of the wheels. Well they were a PITA to maintain. You had to remove them to properly clean and polish them. Also, the spokes would break and getting replacements was almost impossible.

So I found a set of original style wheels and installed them. I also replaced all the belts, hose, fluids and computer chip. I re-did the interior. New carpet, new seat covers, tinted the windows, T top locks, Dynamat, fixed the A/C etc. I drove it about 5 years and then sold shortly after the wife totaled the 84 SS.

1997 Ford F150

After I sold the Corvette I was tired of fixing cars so I bought a new 3 door 1997 Ford F150 work truck with V6, 5 speed on the floor, A/C and radio. I added a lockable bed cover to the truck, tinted the windows and that's about all the mods I put on.

2001 PT Cruiser

I bought the wife a new 2001 PT Cruiser for her daily driver. The car cam with tinted windows on the 2 rear doors and hatch. I tinted the drivers and passenger side glass.

2004 Newmar Mountain Aire RV & 1997 Honda CRV Toad

When I retired the 2nd time, 1st from IBM and this time from Dell, I decided to go RVing. So, I sold the house and 14 acres of land, sold the F150, bought a 1997 Honda CRV to tow behaind the RV, built a 40'x75' RV barn/shop on the remaining 2 acres of land and moved into the RV. We lived in the RV for almost 4 years before we built the house in Jarrel, Tx and I bought my 4th Monte Carlo SS.

2010 Hemi Challenger

I December of 2010 I sold the PT Cruiser and bought a new Stone White Dodge Challenger R/T with just 2 options, Trac Pak & 6 speed stick. It looked like the Kowalski car in movie Vanishing Point.

But, the Kowalski look got old and I started to mod the car. First thing was some graphics.

Next were mods to the supension, engine bay, exhust etc. I strapped it to a mobil dyno just to see what kind of RWHP it produced. Not bad when you consider the advertized HP is 376 at the crank.

Next I got bit by the Texas Mile bug.... Just how fast can you go from a standing start in 1 mile. I held the record for a NA Hemi Challenger for ove a year at 153.9 mph.

Here is a video of my Texas Mile Run.

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2014 Cadillac ATS 2.0 Turbo

In 2014 I had planned to take some needed vaction after spending most 2013 chasing down medical issues with myself & my wife. So, we planned a trip to Camp Lejuene, SC to visit my grandson in the Marines. Intailly we planned to use the Honda CRV that I tow behind the RV. Why not the RV? Cost mostly...But, when I started to get the Honda ready for the trip I realized at 200,000 + miles it was probably not the best choice for extended traveling. So, we started looking for a new daily driver and ended up with the Cadillac ATS 2.0 turbo. Again, only 2 options.

Of course I had to add a few mods to the car like Magnaflow exhaust, egine bay mods, tune etc.

Again the Texas Mile was calling and so off we go again. I was pleasently surprised at the speed I obtained with 4 holer & a hair dryer. At 143.3 mph it is the fastest stock ATS 2.0 turbo in the standing mile.

Here is a video of my Texas Mile Run. It should be noted that the guy that took the video added the sound. The Caddy at that time had a stock exhaust.