depends on your wallet size and/or fabrication skills
if its not a third gen f body axle then it will not be easy
thats the biggest downside to these cars IMHO
putting a rear under it that is not stock factory correct is a huge PITA unless you have lots of $$ or lots of fab skills
and as far as monte rears go it was not the year but it was the package
some SS and some GN and some turbo regals got the 8.5"
it was not year dependent
you can pretty much say '78-87 on these; that body style in particular
most all these G-body cars got the 7.5" however, and any true G body 8.5" still left and that are around are going for lots of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
other cars these years got the 8.5" as well
B-bodies with towing or 9C6 or 9C1 package did- through '96
and all the wagons did
also SOME '77-82 pickups/vans(G-10 and G-20 both), and ALL '83-up pickups/vans(half ton only(half ton = 5 and 6 lug wheel hubs))
you can get a dirt cheap 8.5" the same one as a G body one from most of these other vehicles, especially wagon and caprice and delta 88 and so on, super common, dime a dozen
mounting the third gen F body torque arm to the axle housing is going to be the problem
after swapping the spring coil mounts(cutting and welding required)
if swapping to an axle other than an f body one was feasible without any major pain then id have done it years and years ago under my 82 with one of the billions of 8.5" and 12 bolt car and truck axles i have taken to the shredder over the years
but its not
so.,..
right now i have an 85 cutlass supreme(oldsmobiles version of the monte) but it has the typical 7.5" under it in which is under 95% of them all
i have also had other G body cars from 78-87 including an 80 cutty supreme and a 78 grand prix and also were 7.5" of course
just a few of the billions of vehicles i have had:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v2...spastvehicles/
the 78 GP i had:
8.5" was installed in only a few "rare" instances
good luck