1986 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

This Chevrolet Monte Carlo Aerocoupe NASCAR racer features a Banjo Matthews chassis that was built in 1979 for Hylton Engineering and is said to have been campaigned in over 100 NASCAR races, including the 1985 Daytona 500 and the 1988 NASCAR 500 at the Calder Park Thunderdome in Australia. The car was later raced at the 2012 Monterey Historics at Laguna Seca Raceway following a multi-year refurbishment by Bill Rhyne Racing that included replacement of the front frame rails and various sheet metal, along with a repaint in a period red and white #48 livery. Power is from a 430ci Chevrolet V8 mated to a Jerico four-speed manual transmission and a Ford 9” rear end, and additional equipment includes a full roll cage with door bars, a Kirkey fixed-back bucket seat, dry-sump lubrication, a fuel cell, power steering, and Alcon four-wheel disc brakes. Acquired by the current owner around a decade ago, this NASCAR racer was last used on track in May 2022 at Road America and is now being offered on consignment by the selling dealer in Manitowoc, Wisconsin with documentation from the refurbishment, a VSCDA logbook, historical photos, and a bill of sale. Said to have originally been fitted with Chevrolet Caprice-style bodywork, the car was reportedly re-bodied as a Monte Carlo in 1980 and converted to an Aerocoupe in 1986. It was retired from the track following a collision at Road America and later underwent an overhaul that was completed by Bill Rhyne Racing of Denver, North Carolina that included replacement of the front frame rails, nose, hood, and sheet metal on both sides, along with a repaint in its period-style red and white #48 livery. Equipment includes Lexan windows, a rear lip spoiler, hood pins, and side-exit exhaust pipes. The 15” black-finished Aero wheels feature yellow pinstripes and are mounted with Goodyear Eagle slicks. Braking is through Alcon four-wheel discs with six-piston calipers up front and four-piston calipers out back. The car’s wheelbase was shortened from 115″ to 110” to comply with regulations in 1981. The seller notes that the car is set up for road course racing and features a symmetric chassis with Panhard mounts on both sides. The cabin houses a Kirkey fixed-back bucket seat with head restraints and Impact harnesses that show 2023 expiration dates. Additional equipment includes a full roll cage with door bars, a multi-pane rear-view mirror, power steering, a brake proportioning valve setup, and dual MSD ignition boxes mounted on the transmission tunnel. The dash features a James Hylton signature. A three-spoke steering wheel with a quick-release and center pad sits ahead of Stewart Warner instrumentation that includes an 8k-rpm tachometer and auxiliary displays. The 430ci Chevrolet V8 was built in 2009 by Motor Masters Racing Equipment of Hartford, Wisconsin and features a Brodix intake manifold, Brodix aluminum cylinder heads, a single carburetor, an aluminum radiator, dry-sump lubrication, and a trunk-mounted fuel cell. The valve springs were reportedly replaced in 2021. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a Jerico four-speed manual transmission and a Ford 9” rear end. The floors, transmission tunnel, and firewall were replaced during the refurbishment, and photos and records documenting the work are viewable in the gallery. A handful of historical photos of the car are also provided below, along with a number of more recent images of the vehicle on track.