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Adam the Lighting Guy

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This feels like a flashback in a sense.
Way back in the day I owned a 77' Chevrolet Monza, factory 305 car. The OE 305 was tired so I swapped in a 350 out of a Chevelle I had bought just for the engine. In my infinite (young/stupid/mostly clueless) wisdom, I swapped out the heads for a set of rebuilt heads with smaller chambers for a compression boost. Something went wrong along the way. I must have damaged an oil control ring because the thing burned oil at an alarming rate. I was slightly disenchanted to say the least.

My neighbor came across a "Target Master" 350 still in the crate. 350, 4 bolt mains, cast crap with 8.5/1 compression but it was new. Brand New & I was excited. Not really knowing what to expect in terms of performance I dropped it into the Monza and enjoyed a non oil burning pile of Malaise greatness for a few months.

Fast forward a few months and I was attending community college. The Monza was my daily driver. As I was walking back to my car one afternoon, I noticed one of my side windows looked different from a distance. Yeah, it was different, like broken different and the tint was the only thing holding the saftey glass together. I was beyond pissed. My stereo had been jacked as well as my kicker box and amp.

I drove the car home, parked it, and did some retail therapy with Jegs to the tune of $1500. Cam, lifters, locks retainers, valve springs, push rods, intake manifold, timing chain, oil pump and Hooker Super Comp Headers.
Other than a couple of stock engine swaps, I had never dumped that much cash into just performance before.
The result was shocking to me at the time. Massive (remember, this was in 1990) improvement in power and sound.

I've got that kinda bug again. I just ordered a Steeda X/H pipe and clamps, and I'm communicating with Wengerd for a 93/E85 tune. I'm very excited for what this will end up doing. I am also requesting that the grill shutters open most of the time as well as adding a 180' thermostat. I'm not comfortable with the CHT's on the highway sitting between 220-232F at speed with the A/C running in 90-100F heat. This is when I'm doing between 70-85mph. I am looking forward to the transmission logic shift changes big time as it feels clumsy with the shift logic, especially in sport anything.

After this, it's a few suspension improvements.

The Stereo will wait this time.
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IPOGT

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This feels like a flashback in a sense.
Way back in the day I owned a 77' Chevrolet Monza, factory 305 car. The OE 305 was tired so I swapped in a 350 out of a Chevelle I had bought just for the engine. In my infinite (young/stupid/mostly clueless) wisdom, I swapped out the heads for a set of rebuilt heads with smaller chambers for a compression boost. Something went wrong along the way. I must have damaged an oil control ring because the thing burned oil at an alarming rate. I was slightly disenchanted to say the least.

My neighbor came across a "Target Master" 350 still in the crate. 350, 4 bolt mains, cast crap with 8.5/1 compression but it was new. Brand New & I was excited. Not really knowing what to expect in terms of performance I dropped it into the Monza and enjoyed a non oil burning pile of Malaise greatness for a few months.

Fast forward a few months and I was attending community college. The Monza was my daily driver. As I was walking back to my car one afternoon, I noticed one of my side windows looked different from a distance. Yeah, it was different, like broken different and the tint was the only thing holding the saftey glass together. I was beyond pissed. My stereo had been jacked as well as my kicker box and amp.

I drove the car home, parked it, and did some retail therapy with Jegs to the tune of $1500. Cam, lifters, locks retainers, valve springs, push rods, intake manifold, timing chain, oil pump and Hooker Super Comp Headers.
Other than a couple of stock engine swaps, I had never dumped that much cash into just performance before.
The result was shocking to me at the time. Massive (remember, this was in 1990) improvement in power and sound.

I've got that kinda bug again. I just ordered a Steeda X/H pipe and clamps, and I'm communicating with Wengerd for a 93/E85 tune. I'm very excited for what this will end up doing. I am also requesting that the grill shutters open most of the time as well as adding a 180' thermostat. I'm not comfortable with the CHT's on the highway sitting between 220-232F at speed with the A/C running in 90-100F heat. This is when I'm doing between 70-85mph. I am looking forward to the transmission logic shift changes big time as it feels clumsy with the shift logic, especially in sport anything.

After this, it's a few suspension improvements.

The Stereo will wait this time.
Dude, I think you’re bored…😂
 
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Adam the Lighting Guy

Adam the Lighting Guy

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Dude, I think you’re bored…😂
Probably so, but I've always with most everything mechanical want to improve them in one way or another. That is until I get in over my head and then get so pissed at myself. Fortunately that doesn't happen all that often. I know my limits and respect my fading patience.
 
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NGOT8R

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Uh oh! It really has begun. It’s gonna go on and on and that’s okay, so long as you’re having fun with it.
 

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I bought a new Monza hatchback in '75. My first brand new car. It had the 262 V8 and made a whole 110hp. I thought I was hot sh**!.
It was a fun little car though.
That car had half a dozen different audio systems in it. May favorite was a Pioneer with a cassette player and digital screen powering an amp and driving a pair of Altec Lancing bookshelf speakers.
Oh My, that was a long time ago!
 
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Adam the Lighting Guy

Adam the Lighting Guy

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Long time ago Huh? Here was 1990.


I bought a new Monza hatchback in '75. My first brand new car. It had the 262 V8 and made a whole 110hp. I thought I was hot sh**!.
It was a fun little car though.
That car had half a dozen different audio systems in it. May favorite was a Pioneer with a cassette player and digital screen powering an amp and driving a pair of Altec Lancing bookshelf speakers.
Oh My, that was a long time ago!
Circa 1990

No comments on the hair please.

monza front.webp
Monza side & me.webp
 

IPOGT

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Adam the Lighting Guy

Adam the Lighting Guy

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Is it south Nassau county LI? Am I close? Lol?
Scary close. I lived in Freeport but those pics were in Huntington.

Do I know you ?
 

IPOGT

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lol…probably not, but lived in Island Park, NY in 1990. Nextdoor…👍
 

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Adam the Lighting Guy

Adam the Lighting Guy

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lol…probably not, but lived in Island Park, NY in 1990. Nextdoor…👍
I had friends in Hewlett and Long Beach, Oceanside, Baldwin. That car frequented those areas.
 

IPOGT

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I had friends in Hewlett and Long Beach, Oceanside, Baldwin. That car frequented those areas.
So did I….Speaks….OBI, etc. Grew up there. worked in Lawrence…Had a blue 87 Z28 or a 79 Firebird 400 then.
 
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Adam the Lighting Guy

Adam the Lighting Guy

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So did I….Speaks….OBI, etc. Grew up there. worked in Lawrence…Had a blue 87 Z28 or a 79 Firebird 400 then.
I don't miss Long Island at all. I've been in S.Florida for 20 yrs now and I went back last year for a couple of days. I got that off the bucket list once and for all.
 
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Adam the Lighting Guy

Adam the Lighting Guy

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Does anyone know at what temp' and conditions the grill shutters open? This is one of the changes I'm asking Wengerd to adjust for me. I was going to request that they open and remain open when the CHT reaches 185F' and to have the fans kick on at 195F'.
 

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Does anyone know at what temp' and conditions the grill shutters open? This is one of the changes I'm asking Wengerd to adjust for me. I was going to request that they open and remain open when the CHT reaches 185F' and to have the fans kick on at 195F'.
I took my shutters off my 17 and 22. Partly because I wanted the room for the intercooler. And partly because they made little to no difference for gas milage.

You mentioned swapping to 180 thermostat? I could be wrong but I think the stock thermostat is already like 180* Typically people will drop down to a 170, or 160. 170 seems to be the sweet spot. I went down to 160* personally.
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