This 1987 Monte Carlo SS Hot Rod Runs “Cleaner and Meaner”

Summit Racing and its team built a 1987 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Pro Touring hot rod designed to be both stronger and cleaner than a typical restomod. Running an LS engine, the car pairs Magnaflow exhaust with a four-speed automatic and a torque-converter setup that delivers quick, confident shifts and strong traction under acceleration. The project’s goal, stated by Summit Racing Restoration Category Lead Barry Flesher, was to “double the ponies” while cutting emissions by half. The build is positioned as a demonstration that modern hot-rodding can improve performance without sacrificing cleanliness, challenging the assumption that horsepower always comes with smoke and inefficiency.