Free Form Motorsports Completes Andy Cook’s 1985 Chevrolet Monte Carlo for Drag-and-Drive Competition
After mainly competing in the 235-designation drag radial (26-inch-tall x 8.5-inch width), commonly referred to as Rowdy Radial, for the last few years, Andy Cook was ready to step up to the next level of quarter-mile blasts on the popular 275-sidewall tire.
To do so, the two-time Rocky Mountain Race Week winner needed something special to start with, and it came in the form of a 1985 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, a car identical to a car he owned in high school.
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The Chevrolet was purchased in 2022, and Andy delivered it to Free Form Motorsports, the same shop that did the work on his brother Doug’s 1972 Chevrolet Nova.
After a little over a year later, the Idaho-based shop has completed the transformation on Andy’s Monte Carlo from a bone stock rolling chassis to a radical ride ready for 6-second blasts!
To make those 6-second blasts legal, Free Form Motorsports converted the car to a 25.2-cert double frame rail configuration, which means Andy is good to run as quick as 6.00 at a maximum of 3,200 pounds.
The car still retains a stock suspension set-up, with the rear section based around a TRZ Motorsports billet faceplate fabbed 9-inch rear end, along with TRZ’s modular anti-roll bar and control arms. A pair of Menscer Motorsports coil-over shocks provide the dampening.
The front of the car also features TRZ Motorsports upper and lower control arms, but your eyes go right to the Harrell Engine & Dyno (HED) LT-based engine, spec’d out similar to brother Doug’s car. “It will allow us to share data and spare parts,” Doug Cook laughed.
A pair of Garrett 79-millimeter turbochargers will provide the boost, and Free Form did all the hot and cold side piping. A Proformance Turbo 400 3-speed transmission with a lock up option will back the potent engine.
Some of the Monte’s features include a nearly all stock interior around the roll cage bars, with the factory console modified to accept the Motion Raceworks Operator shifter.
Motion Raceworks also supplied the steering column and wheel. TBM Brakes are at all four corners, and Free Form Motorsports whipped up a custom rear wing and mounts for the Motion-supplied twin Stroud parachutes.
Now, the Monte Carlo will return to Motion Raceworks to get wired, plumbed, and finished for Andy’s next drag-and-drive appearance, which as of right now is uncertain.
“Motion Raceworks has a couple COPO Camaros that we want to heavily campaign in Stock this year, and my son is running a junior,” said Andy. “So that may affect the timeline and my level of commitment to drag-and-drive for 2024.”
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Free Form Motorsports.
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