’77 Monte Carlo Street Machine – Brent Diel’s Beast
Brent Diel’s ’77 Monte Carlo Street Machine offers a well-executed glimpse of what’s trending in hot rodding. The next generation of muscle is here to stay and Brent’s sense of nostalgia runs deep.
Nostalgia itself is an interesting and mysterious condition of the human experience. Impossible to pinpoint, a number of things can trigger our yearning for the good old days. With many music can be a trigger, sights, smells, sounds and with a great many like Brent – the automobile.
Some of us yearn for cars we never had, and with others dream about a particular make and model once owned or once fawned over. Such is the case Brent and his nostalgic love for a 1977 Monte Carlo.
There may be many that will scratch their heads in confusion, asking “A 1977 Monte Carlo?” It’s as big as the Yorktown aircraft carrier!” Head scratcher and skeptics aside, Diel’s unique vision for his former high school cruiser, was to be transformed into a Pro-Touring street machine. While most Monte Carlo’s are built into Lowriders, Brent took his Monte in a 180-degree opposite direction. A big part of that equation was Devlin Rod and Customs.
Based in Wichita, Kansas Devlin took to the task of transforming the luxurious big girl into a 1977 Monte Carlo Street Machine. There aren’t many out there but hopefully this build gets the ball rolling for more awesome A-body’s.
Most ’77 Monte’s came with anemic 305 engines, such were the times of the Malaise Era. Back then there were long gas lines, the global oil crisis, and government mandated fuel standards.
Perhaps the most noticeable transformation to the Monte Carlo is a complete redo of the front and rear bumpers. Government mandated crash bumpers of the 1970s made for some gaudy looking protruding metal. Many of those factory bumpers were extended a few inches wider and longer, and the gap between body and bumper was adorned with a plastic foreskin. These visual protrusions were a big (and unfortunate) part of late 1970s vehicle design. Yuck!
The guys at Devlin artfully did away with these prickly bumpers. The newly configured bumpers have been sectioned and tucked tight into the body and have all been shaved clean of bolts, guards and plastic strips. The taillights have been cleverly flush fit, or frenched depending on how one looks at it. A custom metal valance has been grafted just under the front bumper, while custom ground effects have been added, skirting the vehicle as well as flush mounted door handles.
To their credit Devlin and Diel left the interior of the Monte Carlo in its glorious late 70s Huggy Bear state (in other words…pimp status). With its stock dash panel (all instrumentation are custom units by Classic Instruments), climate control, push button radio and plush velour interior with swivel seats still remain. Swivel seats were a thing back then kids!
At the recent Goodguys Nashville Nationals, Diel’s Monte Carlo attracted quite a few admiring gawkers. Accustomed to seeing most Monte Carlo’s as lowriders, a luxurious full framed, 1977 Monte Carlo Street Machine is a bit out of the box, but that’s preciously what makes it so unique and cool.