RIDE OF THE WEEK: 1985 Monte Carlo Super Sport

by Michael Golubiewski
Production Editor

The countess of Monte Carlo

Antonette Smigel of Plymouth says she “loves hotrods.” So it is no accident that she owns not one, not two, but three Chevrolet Monte Carlos Super Sports.

The Monte Carlo was introduced by Chevy to be competition for the Ford Thunderbird. Seven generations of the Monte Carlo were produced in two runs: 1970 to 1988 and 1995 to 2007. The Monte Carlo was originally going to be named the “Chevrolet Concours” (at the time all Chevy models started with the letter “C”). The last Monte Carlo rolled off the assembly line June 19, 2007 and was an SS (Super Sport) model with precision red exterior paint, silver rally stripes and an ebony leather interior. It is housed at the General Motors Heritage Museum.

Smigel’s Monte Carlos are “my three babies” and all are SS models. The first is a black 1985 Monte Carlo Super Sport that has the stock 305 cubic inch, 8-cylinder engine and Smigel says everything on this car is “still original.” It features bucket seats, a center console and gearshifts on the steering column and console. Smigel’s newest addition is the white 1984 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS. It also features the stock 305 cubic inch, 8-cylinder engine and is all original.

“I just picked this 1984 Monte Carlo up, so I still plan to do a lot of work on it,” she explains.

Smigel’s “play toy” is the silver 1985 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS. It features a crate 350 cubic inch, V-8 engine, a Weiland Team G high-rise intake with a two-inch spacer and Carters AFB series carburetor headers with two and a half inch dual pipes. Smigel just put a Cowl induction hood on the car and SS Crager slicks.

Smigel says she is well known in the area for her Monte Carlo SS collection.

“My dream was to own one Monte Carlo SS, and now I own three of them. I just love my cars.”

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