2004 Vauxhall Monaro V8

𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀

● Low mileage (51,379) three-owner car ● 15 years custodianship with the current owner ● Legendary 5.7-litre LS1 V8 ● Monkfish upgrades that keep the original spirit of the Monaro ● Well maintained over the years by long term PistonHeads member

𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

There are very few cars out there that left the factory new that straight away achieved the hallowed status of “sleeper”. The very idea of a sleeper car is a concept that appeals to many petrolheads. Being able to go about from A-B, blending in with the rest of the econo boxes on the road, with only you and a select few knowing the absolute beast that resides under the bonnet… admit it… it is a very special feeling. Which is exactly where the Vauxhall Monaro, one of the marques best kept secrets comes in.

The Monaro owes its origins to our good friends down under and was first built by Holden from 1968 until 1971. Named after the Monaro region of New South Wales, the sporting coupe was revamped in 1971, with the second generation staying in production until 1977.

25 years later, Holden surprised the world with the birth of the 3rd generation Monaro. Based on the Holden Commodore platform, the new sports coupe was powered by the tried and trusted Chevrolet Corvette small block 5.7-litre LS1 V8. It was tuned to an impressive and under stressed 328bhp (380bhp in this example thanks to the Wortec performance pack) and was mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. That complete and virtually bulletproof package and the fact the Monaro was real wheel drive, meant this was clearly a drivers V8, a beefy cruiser with more than a sprinkle of Aussie no nonsense muscle.

Thankfully Vauxhall had the common sense to introduce the Aussie-American muscle car to the UK market, with the Vauxhall badged Monaro going on sale in 2004. It went through numerous revisions before bowing out in 2007. The Vauxhall Monaro being offered here on PistonHeads hails from the first year of production and is a low mile and low owner example that has been used very sparingly in the past few years.

𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

This particular Vauxhall Monaro was first registered on 10th June 2004, making it an early UK market example. The cars service book shows it was sold new by Browns of Loughton Ltd in Essex on the 11th June 2004.

The current owner acquired the Monaro in June 2008, and it has been in their care ever since.

Below are the service records from the Monaro’s service book which details ongoing maintenance from new:

• 2005/8,119 miles - Browns of Loughton • 2006/14,506 miles - Browns of Loughton • 2007/22,175 miles - Monkfish Performance • 2008/31,400 miles - Browns Vehicle Repair Centre • 2009/33,747 miles - WJ King Vauxhall • 2010/35,663 miles - WJ King Vauxhall • 2011/37,919 miles - Monkfish Performance • 2012/40,883 miles - Monkfish Performance • 2013/42,331 miles - Monkfish Performance

The Monaro’s service records from 2013 onwards are backed up by numerous invoices from Monkfish Performance and more recently at Eltham Service Centre in London.

• 2014/44,122 miles - Monkfish Performance • 2019/51,117 miles - Eltham Test Centre

The cars most recent service was carried out on the 30th September 2020 at 51,209 miles, with the Monaro covering just over 200 miles since.

While some Monaro’s have been subjected to significant upgrades over the years, this example has been tastefully modified, with the current owner keen to keep the car as close to its original specification as possible.

Upgrades include:

• Wortec performance pack fitted by Monkfish producing 380bhp (2011) • Ripshifter gear changer (2012) • New LS7 clutch (2016) • Additional security immobiliser installed

The owner adds that as part of the Wortec upgrade, a straight through exhaust was fitted. However they found it to be too loud for everyday use and the exhaust was returned to stock. The upgraded stainless system is supplied with the car and is shown photographed in the boot of the Monaro.

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿

The interior of the Vauxhall Monaro is finished in black with black leather seats. The front seats are electric with the drivers side benefiting from 3 position memory settings. The seats are very comfortable with plenty of leg room available.

The inside of the Monaro presents well with some marks and signs of wear as one would expect for a 19 year old car.

There is some wear to the leather on the steering wheel and around the leather of the gear knob. And a section of headliner has started to drop above the driver seat area.

Jumping to the back seats, these are in very nice shape and look like they have hardly been used.

The Monaro comes equipped with cruise control, air-conditioning and its two pop out GM sourced cup holders work as they should.

𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿

This 2004 Monaro is finished in metallic black which presents well overall. There are some light scratches and marks in the paint which are shown in the photos and there are some water marks evident on the bonnet. Basically the cars paint would benefit from a paint correction and a thorough detailing, which we think would really help revive the original paint.

There are some rub/scuff marks visible on the bumpers. And the Monaro’s headlights have started to go cloudy so these would benefit from a polish or replacement with new units.

The owner informs us that the alloy wheels were refurbished recently, and they are in nice clean condition, with one very small bubble evident which is shown in the photos.

𝗠𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹

Under the bonnet resides the mighty 5.7-litre LS1 V8 engine. The engine bay presents in original condition, with the exception of the plastic engine cover which has been painted black (the owner informed us the original paint silver flaked off which is a common issue).

During the photoshoot the Monaro fired up instantly with a simple delicious burble from the exhaust. A couple of blips from the throttle gave a tantalising glimpse of the wonderful sound from the Corvette sourced V8.

The owner informs us that the Monaro drives very well with tremendous power on tap and is very comfortable on motorway runs.

The Monaro sits on a set of 4 x 235/40/18 95Y AVON ZV7 XL tyres, which the owner informs us were fitted at 51,209 miles.

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆

Sometimes in the automotive world, stand out cars are only really appreciated later in their life. Which is very true for the Vauxhall Monaro. Sales never really caught on in the UK and the model was withdrawn from these shores in 2007. It is thought that less than 500 remain on UK roads today, which makes the Monaro a very rare beast indeed.

However, the Vauxhall Monaro’s star has been rising of late and there’s a very good reason why. There are very few affordable muscle cars out there today that come with a thumping great V8, the steering wheel on the right, plus a host of creature comforts that make long distance cruises effortless. The Monaro’s clean styling has also aged very well and just adds to its sleeper credentials. It really is a fantastic all-round package.

Finding a low mile and low owner Vauxhall Monaro that hasn’t had every upgrade thrown at it is becoming much harder these days. Which is why we feel this very honest example is one to watch. With some of the cosmetics addressed, this early Monaro would be a superb addition to any collection.

To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. Once on the Q&A forum thread, you can click through to the seller's profile by clicking on their username and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. This seller is located in South East London.