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“Muscle cars have gotten way too expensive.” We hear it all the time. Of course, “expensive” is all relative. For some people, that $80,000 Chevelle rolling across the auction stage represents a week’s pay. But there are many among us who remember when those cars were $800 beaters rumbling around the high-school parking lot. With prices the way they are now, you may find yourself increasingly relegated to the role of spectator, fogging the glass from the outside looking in.
We feel it too. Most of us here are working folk, making average money for a hard day’s effort. So we’re constantly on the lookout for budget alternatives that can keep you out there having fun, rather than sitting on the sidelines watching. And although it may seem like all the cool vintage cars are getting snapped up and priced way into the five-digit range, there are still some great picks out there.
One of the most promising potential vintage project cars these days are 1980s General Motors G-Bodies. You probably know these cars under their familiar badges – names like Monte Carlo, Cutlass, Regal. They were everywhere back in the day. And now they live on waiting for the right touches from hot rodders.
These machines have so much going for them. Let’s dive into this highly promising platform and see why it’s such a great starting point for all kinds of car projects.
General Motors G-Body cars like this Monte Carlo SS offer many of the advantages of classic muscle-car platforms but without the jaw-dropping prices those vaunted earlier machines command.
The GM G-Body designation was first introduced for 1969 and ran through the ’72 model year as a premium derivative of the A-Body platform. The name was relaunched for 1982 and it ran through the 1988 model year as the company’s primary midsize platform, forming the underpinnings of familiar nameplates across almost all GM divisions.
It’s this second era of G-Bodies that we’re referring to in this discussion of low-buck project cars. But, in truth, this reborn G-Body platform was hardly new when it was introduced for ‘82. It was essentially just a light update of the 1978-81 A-Body platform.
Technically, the later GM G-Body line was introduced for the 1982 model year, but it was really pretty much the same A-Body platform that made its debut for 1978. The name changed so GM could shift the A-Body designation to its new line of front-wheel drive cars. In actuality, 1978-81 A-Bodies are essentially the same as 1982-88 G-Bodies, so parts catalogs typically refer to them all as "G-Bodies."
With that kind of background behind it, there’s no surprise that the 1982-88 G-Body platform and its 1978-82 predecessor were classic midsize GM. Their dimensions, weight, and overall mechanical configuration were extremely similar to beloved muscle-era GMs like early Chevelle, GTO, and Cutlass. And for that matter, their dimensions aren’t far off those of a 1955-57 Chevy either.
And that’s one of the things that makes the G-Body such a great platform for project cars. In so many respects, these machines harken back to a golden earlier era for GM cars, with a lot of the elements that make ‘60s muscle cars such enduring favorites. Beneath the surface of any G-Body you find a full frame, a big V8-ready engine bay, and interior dimensions that are vast enough for ‘real-size’ adults.
The G-Body's proportions and overall dimensions harken back to the 1960s, and even the 1950s to some degree. As such, these cars represent somewhat of a last hurrah for the classic GM full-frame, rear-wheel-drive midsize cars it had been building for decades.
Another really appealing thing about the G-Body is just how many choices the platform offers. It was available in two-door, four-door, wagon, and pickup. So no matter what your preference is or what you need to do with your project car, there’s a G-Body car that’ll work for you.
And then there’s the wide breadth of different flavors and brands G-Bodies came in. This was, after all, the prolific heyday of GM badge engineering. You say you’re a diehard Pontiac guy? You can get a Grand Prix from that era. You say you’ll never drive anything but a Chevy? You’ve got even more choices – the Bow Tie bunch built three different models of G-Body: Malibu, Monte Carlo, and El Camino.
In fact, every GM division except Cadillac built at least one model on the G-Body platform – even GMC, which offered its own version of the El Camino called the Caballero. Although the complete G-Body model list is a little complicated when you start to look at sub versions and trim levels that came and went from year to year, it basically breaks down to this:
Chevrolet Malibu, Monte Carlo, El Camino
Pontiac LeMans, Bonneville, Grand Prix
GMC Caballero
Oldsmobile Cutlass
Buick Regal
G-Bodies came in a wide range of body styles, so there's something available for everyone. Wagons aren't as common as the two-door coupes on this platform. But when they do show up, they tend to be relatively cheap, thus leaving more money for LS swaps and turbo setups like this one is sporting.
For those of you who want some muscle-car panache and collectability in your next project, the G-Body range has you covered there as well. The performance drought of the 1970s was starting to ease when these cars were introduced for ’82, so almost all GM divisions took the opportunity to introduce performance variants of the G-Body platform, most of which carried classic muscle car names:
Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS
Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2
Oldsmobile 442 and Hurst/Olds
Buick Grand National, GNX, and Regal T-Type
There are only a few G-Bodies that consistently command big money – mostly turbo V6 Buick variants. But that hasn't stopped the owner of this one from replacing the original V6 with an LS engine.
Of course, some of these unique models have been in the rarified stratosphere of pricey super collectibles for decades – in particular the Buick variants, which offered the unique approach of turbocharged V6s to claim the crown of being some of the best performing factory cars available at the time. But most G-Bodies are still dormant in the sweet, soft lower end of the market, waiting for their day to climb up the appreciation scale.
And you can be certain G-Bodies will rise up the value charts at some point, if for no other reason than they still look good. Unlike many other designs of the ‘70s and ‘80s, the styling of G-Bodies is aging well. These cars were first conceived during the late ‘70s energy crisis, so they had to have tidy exterior dimensions and good aerodynamic efficiency, which kept their exteriors relatively free of styling gimmicks. So, more than three decades later, G-Bodies still feel tasteful, well-proportioned and attractive.
Clean, uncluttered lines and good proportions add luster to the G-Body family. Although they're versatile enough to be molded into any kind of hot-rod or race car, G-Bodies seem to work especially well as pro-touring machines, like this Malibu.
There are a lot of G-Body cars out there for potential project cars, simply because there were so many built to begin with. It’s almost hard to even tally up the number of G-Body cars sold by the five GM divisions that used the platform. For a big chunk of the G-Body production run, it was the foundation of America’s best-selling car. The Oldsmobile Cutlass held that honor from 1976 through 1983, typically selling more than half a million units a year. And other popular G-Bodies like Malibu and Monte Carlo sold prodigiously as well.
All that said, G-Bodies typically weren’t put away and pampered after their years of daily-driver duty were done like, for instance, first-gen Camaros often were. So, a huge percentage of the G-Body population was driven into the ground and sent to wrecking yards long ago.
Performance iterations of the G-Body, such as this Monte Carlo SS, tended to be pampered and put away more than garden-variety Montes, Regals, and Cutlasses, making them easier to find today, albeit for somewhat higher prices than more prosaic versions.
Offsetting this, however, is the fact that these cars weren’t cheap back in the day. They commanded enough of a premium that they tended to attract somewhat mature buyers, meaning they weren’t whomped on with the fervor inflicted on Fox-body Mustangs and other G-Body contemporaries.
And these cars were built like vintage machines from decades prior. They held together well. So, while you probably won’t see dozens of G-Bodies showing up on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace at any given time, you won’t have to look too hard to find good examples either. There are plenty of them out there, in condition ranging from clapped out heaps to pristine low-mileage originals.
Naturally, you’ll want to buy the best example you can afford – like any vintage car, the extra money you spend up front for a good-condition car will almost always end up being less than it takes to bring a beater up to that same level. This is especially true when it comes to trim items. Although there are an increasing number of reproduction parts available for these cars, some interior, body, and cosmetic pieces remain out of production.
G-Bodies came in a wide range of trim levels across five GM divisions, so some interiors were more plush than others. But, for the most part, the interiors in all of them were pretty good quality and they hold up relatively well compared to cheaper cars of their time. Reproduction interior parts are being made, but availability varies.
That said, there are mountains of parts available for G-Bodies. These cars have good aftermarket support, aided by the fact that components for G-Bodies are extremely interchangeable, both between different models as well as different years of production – most parts for 1982-88 G-Bodies also fit 1978-81 A-Bodies, and the two series are typically combined as one category in most catalogs.
Holley has built a number of G-Body project cars over the years, and the company’s divisions are increasingly developing parts to give this platform the love it deserves. And so, Holley.com is a one-stop-shop for many of the parts you need to build a hard-charging, great-looking G-Body on any budget.
The Chevrolet El Camino and GMC Caballero offer a unique, slightly quirky take on the basic G-Body formula. The abundance of G-Bodies for potential projects means you're free to do it however you want -- make it pretty like the Holley El Camino SS project shown at the top of this article, or go low-fi like this one.
With the exception of the top turbocharged Buick variants, no G-Bodies were ever brutally strong performers, at least by today’s standards. Most of them put out less than 200hp, even in their best performance version. So, if you want to go fast in a G-Body, you’ll want to replace the original drivetrain altogether. But that’s not a problem in these cars.
One of the many great things about G-Bodies is their big engine compartment. The full-frame and A-arm front suspension on these cars leaves plenty of room between the fender wells, unlike cars with unitized construction, which usually have McPherson-strut suspension that crowds the engine compartment with bulky shock towers. In contrast, a G-Body engine compartment is generous enough to hold just about any engine you’d ever want to put in there, from V6s all the way to huge aftermarket big blocks.
Even the top V8 engine options in most G-Bodies produced less than 200hp. Although it's not apparent with all the stock clutter crammed under the hood, the G-Body engine compartment is roomy enough to accommodate big V8s.
Of course, the obvious choice to power this platform is a GM LS engine. Any G-Body is ideal for such a swap – all brands and models of them were offered at some point with a small-block Chevy, making an LS as close to a direct drop in as you’ll ever hope to get. Further simplifying the swap, Holley offers a wide range of kits and components for G-Body LS swaps.
While you’re swapping in an LS, it’s also a good idea to switch to an aftermarket accessory drive, to clean up the look of the engine compartment and set up your LS engine for the exact combination of accessories you’ll be running.
And naturally, you’re probably going to run fuel injection with your LS too, so you’ll need to set up your fuel system. Holley’s G-Body fuel system kit makes it an easy job, giving you everything you need to prepare your car to run EFI. The kit is designed for simple installation and as close to a factory look as possible.
Check out the full-line of G-Body upgrades at Holley.com
The obvious first pick for powering a G-Body is a GM LS engine. All G-Bodies at some point were available with a small-block Chevy, so an LS swap in these cars is about as simple as it can possibly be. Although the vast majority of G-Bodies had automatic transmission, there are a few models that offered a manual transmission.
G-Bodies weren’t built for athletic handling. Although the various models had a range of suspension tunings to tailor the platform for different GM divisions, for the most part, they were all designed to be comfortable, middle-of-the-road people movers that went about their business without drama.
In other words, you’re going to want to do some upgrades if you expect your G-Body to handle like a true performance car. And, once again, there are many options for G-Bodies to fit a wide range of budgets.
For a great entry point, shocks and swaybars from Detroit Speed & Engineering (DSE) can significantly improve the handling of any G-Body, and they can be easily installed in a few hours. At the same time, another relatively simple upgrade that makes a big difference is the company’s quick ratio steering gearbox. With a responsive 12.7:1 ratio, it’s designed to provide modern late-model steering performance much like a rack-and-pinion unit, with easy bolt-in installation.
If you really want to take your G-Body’s handling to the next level, DSE’s SpeedKits are a completely new suspension that bolts onto your stock chassis to give you modern handling without having to fabricate components or replace frame sections. For rear suspension upgrades, the company's QUADRAlink 4-link system provides the best handling and ride quality for your G-Body.
And for those G-Body owners who want to add the ultimate in handling improvements, DSE subframe assemblies allow you to add modern suspension geometry to your car, without the design compromises forced by the original stock chassis parameters.
See the full line of Detroit Speed suspension components for GM G-Bodies at DetroitSpeed.com
The stock G-Body suspension design was built for sedate, middle-of-the-road ride and handling – a polite way of saying it's mediocre. Detroit Speed remedies this with its complete front and rear suspension kits for G-Body, which are available in a range of performance levels.
Great handling is nothing without stopping power to match. So, for your G-Body, you’ll want to upgrade your brakes along with the suspension. And for that, there’s no better place to start than Baer’s proven line of high-quality brake kits and components for GM G-Body cars.
Whether you want to simply improve the stopping power and brake feel of your street driven car, or you’re looking to eat up autocross courses with your G-Body, Baer has the right brake solution for you. The company makes it easy to select its kits, by breaking the process down to which spindles you’re working with. Using this approach, they can set you up with brake components that fit G-Bodies ranging from unmodified originals all the way to the wildest track-day creations.
Check out the full line of G-Body brake systems at Baer.com
Like most cars of the 1970s and '80s, G-Bodies weren't very capable in the stopping department. Granted, many of them did come with front disc brakes, which were an improvement over the all-drum setups of earlier G- and A-Bodies. Nonetheless, an all-new upgraded brake system is highly recommended. Baer offers a complete line of brake kits and components for G-Bodies that make the job easy.
The last GM G-Body was built in 1988 making the most recent of these cars still more than three decades old. So, the interiors in many of them are getting pretty scruffy. Fortunately, reproduction interior parts are increasingly being offered for G-Bodies, particularly high-profile performance models such as Monte Carlo SS. And recently, Classic Instruments has stepped up to fill an important void in the G-Body market, with its new electronic instrument cluster for G-Bodies.
Designed as a direct bolt-in for 1978-88 Chevy G-Bodies, this all-electric cluster features a speedometer, tachometer, clock, and fuel, oil, temp, and volt gauges with a factory-looking design. The unit is offered with either with or without gear position indicator and with or without overdrive gear indicator for use with any transmission. The cluster’s unique Hybrid LED lighting offers the feel of the original perimeter lighting and the visual benefits of back-lighting. The kit comes complete with wiring harness, push-button speedometer calibration for ease of setup, a new acrylic lens, and built-in ECM signal filter switch.
Click here now to see the Classic Instruments G-Body instrument cluster.
Classic Instrument's G-Body gauge cluster is a direct replacement for original units, but offers significant upgrades, including unique hybrid LED lighting that has the vibe of the original perimeter lighting but with the visual benefits of backlighting.
No matter what kind of performance project you’re looking for, there’s a G-Body to fit your needs. And it’s highly likely you’ll be able to find the ideal starting point for a reasonable price. Other than top performance models and a handful of truly rare G-Bodies, most of them can be found in good, solid, drivable condition for less than $10,000 when this is being written in late 2023.
And once you do get your G-Body, you’ll be pleased to find out how many possibilities and choices you have for this excellent platform. The aftermarket is stepping up to make the G-Body the next great “everybody” project car. Holley’s many brands of performance products are leading this charge, with innovative equipment that can bring your dream car to life.
