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General Information

Model Year: 1987	Mileage: 57413
VIN:	Engine Displacement:
Exterior Color: Silver	Transmission: Automatic
Interior Color: Burgundy	Location: Mentor, Ohio   44060

Description

In the quest for ever-higher track speeds NASCAR has been the catalyst for a lot of memorable street cars over the years ranging from the outrageous Chrysler “wing cars” 1969-70 to cars like this 1987 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe. Following the appearance of Ford’s ultra-slippery Thunderbird Chevrolet embarked on an aggressive motorsport program to maintain a competitive edge on the big oval tracks. The result was cars like this Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe with a sloping rear window and trunk lid designed to improve aerodynamic performance.

Both Chevrolet and Pontiac attacked the problem of high-speed stability and performance independently although they both came up with a similar solution in the form of the angled rear window glass. Pontiac claimed that their design produced better numbers in the wind tunnel but it was the Monte Carlo’s backlight and revised decklid spoiler (along with a 2.7% reduction in drag) that actually brought home the checkered flags.

This Aerocoupe shows 57413 well-cared-for miles on its odometer and presents itself as a great survivor in 95% original condition. Like all the ’87 S Aerocoupes it is loaded with every feature Chevy could throw at it from air-conditioning to cruise control to power windows and locks. However this one also includes optional T-tops which is somewhat rare among the 6052 Aerocoupes built in 1987. The code 12U silver metallic exterior over a burgundy cloth interior is sporty and elegant and doesn’t suffer from the exaggerated orange-on-red decal set that a lot of other Aerocoupes seem to have as standard equipment.

Only 200 Aerocoupes were built in 1986 the minimum required for NASCAR homologation and they were all white with burgundy interiors. Production capacity was expanded in 1987 giving GM the ability to build as many as 20000 RPO Z16 Aerocoupes. Ultimately only 6052 were built and you had your choice of colors by selecting from the standard Monte Carlo SS’s color palette that included silver white black and burgundy with contrasting stripe packages.

The Aerocoupe shared the Monte Carlo SS’s high output L69 small block V8. Displacing 305 cubic inches it cranked out 180 horsepower and 225 ft-lb. of torque using 9.3:1 compression and a 4-barrel Rochester Quadra-Jet carburetor. It rumbles through an SS-specific dual exhaust system that really gives the car a true musclecar feel and helps you forget that this really is a large luxurious coupe and not a compact pony car. A 200-4R 4-speed automatic transmission backs up the engine and was standard equipment in 1987. Out back there’s a 3.73 gear with limited slip which was standard equipment on the SS and Aerocoupe.

For a 22-year-old car to have only 57000 miles means that it was driven less than 2600 miles a year and it’s clear that this was someone’s fair-weather toy and never a daily driver. It is super-clean inside and out showing signs of fastidious and careful maintenance. Under the hood the engine is highly detailed and clean again suggesting that someone really cared about this car. The original buyer Billy G. Ferrell of Kansas City was apparently a GM employee judging by the paperwork included with this car. It has spent its more recent years in beautiful Virginia as a collector piece. The original owner’s manual and maintenance schedule are also included with the car.

Externally the factory paint on this car presents well with some well-done touch-ups. The original decals are still crisp and sharp with no fading and all the blacked-out trim is still black and not faded to an ashy gray as so often happens. The glass including that incredibly hard-to-replace rear backlight is flawless all around. The T-tops are unmarked indicating careful handling whenever they were off—the original bags for storing the tops are still in the trunk by the way—and the weather seals are supple. It rolls on a set of 15-inch SS aluminum wheels with 215/65/15 Goodyear Regatta touring radials.

Under the hood there’s more evidence that this was a cherished toy and not a daily driver. First of all it’s incredibly clean—engine compartments don’t stay this nice if nobody is looking after them. All the factory bits and pieces are still in place which is nice since small-block Chevys like this are so easy to modify. When the new parts go on the old parts are tossed and lost forever making it difficult and expensive to take a car back to stock condition. And with 100% stock pieces on there you know this car has not been raced or abused.

GM interiors of this vintage have a bad reputation for both styling and quality but in this sporty Monte Carlo they seem to have gotten it right. The gauges have cool round faces with bold graphics that are easy to read day or night. The controls fall easily to hand and suddenly it’s 20 years ago and everything is simple again. No computers no vast arrays of buttons no video screens just simple controls that work perfectly. The seats are big and cushy—the Monte Carlo is a luxury car remember—and the upholstery is pure ‘80s no doubt about it but that’s what makes it so cool. For a little color and a performance attitude the dashboard sports some orange striping that actually does make it look a little racier in there. Of course everything works as it should and this is a car you can easily take on long highway drives which is where a high-speed cruiser like this is most comfortable.

When I was looking for more information on these cars I found at least four separate reports on buyers who when they first came out in 1987 purchased them with the intent of putting them away as collector’s items. These rare cars are starting to find an appreciative audience who grew up when Bill Elliot and Geoff Bodine were slugging it out in some of the greatest Ford vs. Chevy racing in decades. We also continue to endorse the belief that the best cars in the hobby are the cars that make you grin when you drive them and this car’s rumbling exhaust and killer looks will certainly do that. The fact that it’s big and comfortable at the same time only adds to its appeal especially if you have a family that enjoys the hobby too.

 

 

 

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