Self Flagellation - Opel Monza Content

[B'stard Child]

Monza between 9am and 10am on 24th February 2012 at Croix en Ternois (France) for an all Opel Track day

So chuffed with this picture - Hard as freaking nails (3 months solid preparation and another 35 kgs removed from previous set up, I lost 178.5 kgs from the car last year)



Monza in the afternoon sessions (1pm to 5.30pm)

[url]

|https://thumbsnap.com/0kLgXoMx[/url]

In summary I ran out of talent and rolled it in the kitty litter

Things to learn

1. A live trackday isn't probably the best way to set up a new brake set up
2. If you are going to track day a car fit a cage - the doors opened perfectly after the roll

So we were in france for a trackday and I'd binned it early - the dunkirk spirit kicked in hard

We cleared out the gravel - refitted the plastic windows which had escaped during the roll, cable tied the tailgate and bashed the roof, wings and doors roughly straight and changed the wheels as the gravel had mananged to jam it self in the beads

So anyone care to share similar stories and make me feel slightly less of a complete pratt

PS it's over but not out

Got it a bit straighter for another trackday locally a month or so later

Edited by B'stard Child on Friday 5th October 10:35

[B'stard Child]

Garlick said:

Bad luck mate, pleased you're ok though

Car looks (looked) great too

Ueah close to exactly where I wanted it to look - needs more power

Meantime off to cut the roof of the scrapper - wings just need more bosh bash bosh and I can live with the dents and scratches elsewhere

It's a track car = only a matter of time before ooops just pissed about my lack of talent to save it

[B'stard Child]

PS the top of the windscreen sunscreen is a naval reference that might need explaination

Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar hung the same series of flags off his ship

England expects every man will do his duty

Well a track day in France - what would you expect

[B'stard Child]

s m said:

Bad luck Ian - the tailgate remark made me think of McHale on the COI though

LOL - Funnily enough I now own that car

The one on my track monza has been converted to plastic so it didn't "break"

[B'stard Child]

Rollcage said:

Sorry to hear that Ian.


Glad you are Ok though, and the car looks like it will live to fight another day! Tough old beasts, Monzas.

Ain't they just - didn't even break the mirrors

[B'stard Child]

Fleckers said:

thats a big old boat to roll

glad your ok

I had a GSE back in 87 it was a 84 car, went very well until a hump back bridge with a bend and a lead foot all met one dark wet night

for big cars they can get some good air

landing is not their best subject, but they are good at hedge removal

LOL

Air is a Monza trait if you push them

Mine at Mallory a few years back



And my other Monza with Austin McHale at the wheel in the COI of 1987



They are a big heavy barge and totally unsuited for a trackday animal or a rally car but what the hell I love Monzas why be a sheep and buy something obvious

Edited by B'stard Child on Friday 5th October 10:37

[B'stard Child]

Carfolio said:

Looks like you're having a real blast in a very cool (to me, anyway) car! Top marks, chap.

Thank you sir - she's a blast and a half on side drafts

Edited by B'stard Child on Friday 5th October 10:39

[B'stard Child]

Captain Muppet said:

B'stard Child said:

So anyone care to share similar stories and make me feel slightly less of a complete pratt

Short story: "Can I have a passenger ride?" "Hop in". Skreeeeeeeeeeeeeetch BANG.



I had the tyre wall rebuilt before the support vehicle arrived, and fixed the split carbon fibre up with cable ties so I could get home. The cable ties are still there, 4 years later.

Now I feel better

[B'stard Child]

robg2 said:

Yee-ha!

What were you saying just the other day...

B'stard Child said:

Similar here - when I converted my Monza to track car 5 years ago I thought if I get a couple of years fun out of it I'd be doing well........

Anyway never mind, could be worse. At least you got it going soon enough to have some fun in the afternoon.

Shall we expect a Monza convertible at Marham then?

No covertible Monza yet....... It's not a look I like.

A big fan of plastic windows now - when the popped out it was easy to slap em back in and refix them - if it had still be std glass it would have been game over

However it will hopefully be sporting a recycled roof - probably still in white paint with toasted edges where I mig'd it on. A bit less weight up top as it'll no longer have a glass sunroof as that'll be replaced with a sheet of 2mm Alloy pop riveted to the roof with a bed of sikaflex to stop any leaks.

[B'stard Child]

slippery said:

Really glad you're ok BC!

Experience is what you get when you don't want it

Big Rod said:

Rezpekt for getting back in the car Ian, but I wouldn't have expected anything less from you!

Travelling to france for a trackday and car sharing with another PHr (Also a Bahnstormer and founder member of the Norfolk Monza Mafia) who hadn't actually had a drive before I stuck it on it's roof meant I was not keen to chuck in the towel

Big Rod said:

You going for the record of 'battle scarred Monza' ownership? LOL

Not a record I want Or one I'd like to see beaten - I like Monzas too much

[B'stard Child]

vxmatt said:

Loving the Monza OP. Good to hear that you weren't hurt and that the car will live to fight another day

Thank you and it will

[B'stard Child]

2woody said:

as it happens, I have a spare shell in the same colour.

Will need some welding, mind but it's yours if you want it.

I think I'm lucky enough to not need a complete shell - doors and front wings would be nice if they aren't rotten as my hasty pry bar efforts to get back out on track weren't the best way to pop the dents out

I do need to talk to you about diffs sometime if you remember our conversations of a while back but I'll message you this week

[B'stard Child]

Big Rod said:

Ian,

I think I read that you already had a new roof, but if you haven't, I don't mind chopping the roof off the silver shell I have.

(Might make it a bit easier for me to get rid of the thing too!! )

Hi Rod - I have roof yes

We must talk about the silver thing and all - I get a lttle confused - must be the bump on me head.....

[B'stard Child]

Big Rod said:

B'stard Child said:

Big Rod said:

Ian,

I think I read that you already had a new roof, but if you haven't, I don't mind chopping the roof off the silver shell I have.

(Might make it a bit easier for me to get rid of the thing too!! )

Hi Rod - I have roof yes

We must talk about the silver thing and all - I get a lttle confused - must be the bump on me head.....

I'd kind'a thought you'd gone off the idea TBH. I haven't done anything with it since we spoke, but if you still want it all, the offer still stands.*

(*Until I start working on it again at least, so you've got a wee while yet.)

Hmm - I thought you'd changed your mind and that activities had re-started

I have to go to Edinburgh in the next couple of months so was planning to transport up some parts that really are yours from the Rally Monza.....

We'll have to talk about the plans.....

[B'stard Child]

2woody said:

B'stard Child said:

I think I'm lucky enough to not need a complete shell - doors and front wings would be nice if they aren't rotten as my hasty pry bar efforts to get back out on track weren't the best way to pop the dents out

I do need to talk to you about diffs sometime if you remember our conversations of a while back but I'll message you this week

just post when you have - I leave work this week, and am trying to stage things like e-mail handovers, etc.

OK

2woody said:

Want me to put you down as a second driver for Marham ?

Stu

Monza will be there - I registered and paid already...... It might not look pretty but it'll be there - she hasn't missed one since being a 24Vr and I've never missed one since the first one - Dunkirk and all that.

[B'stard Child]

jamesson said:

Hmmm... Monza...

http://www.4starclassics.com/Opel-Monza-GSE-For-Sa...

FFS Opel not Opal

[B'stard Child]

Some more afters





But more importantly I have today with the help of another ABS club member removed the roof section I need from a spares car that is going for frag soon as well as a windscreen - both in much better condition than the ones in my car so I'd best get on with the repairs if I'm going to make the RAF Marham charity track day (details in the EA section if anyones never heard of it)

Edited by B'stard Child on Friday 5th October 10:41

[B'stard Child]

Got an evening track day at Snetterton tonight (hope it's dry but it's not looking good)

Spent early part of the week pushing the Roof out to get the right apperture for the screen and a second hand replacement front screen fitted (which was fun to fit - first time for me)

Yes I know I've had the bits for ages but as many people who know me well will I don't work very well till I've got a deadline - then I seem to pull rabbits out of hats

I was keen to see what it really weighed so got the trailer I borrow weighed on the bridge this morning

Trailer on it's own 880 kgs (Oh crickey - thought it was under 800)

Then loaded the Monza up for a second weighing - my best guestimate was around 1250 kgs fully fueled up. (so I was going to need to be better than target if I wasn't going to exceed the towing capacity of the 740)

Note 740 has a max towing weight (braked trailer) of 2100 kgs

Trailer with Monza 2080 kgs (excellent just inside the limit)

But that meant my simple maths says it's 1200 kgs now which is 50 kgs inside my target/guesswork calc 8-)

Does mean I need to not load the car up with spare wheels and tyres, tools and jack if I am to stay inside the legal limit for the tow car so I'll borrow a blanket from the house stock and put whels and tyres in the car and tools, fluids etc in the boot of the 740

Aiming to keep it the right way up this time!!!

[B'stard Child]

stewy68 said:

Love that big old bus, love Monzas in general. Missed buying one a few years ago (although not for track) as I didn't have the space. I will at some point have one though.

Need a wide track space wise

Not many left unfortunately........

Anway Pics (yes it still doesn't look pretty) but it was a fun late afternoon/evening. Once it dried up a pause in the proceedings enabled me to chuck the slicks on and it was even more fun then I could stop getting out of everyone elses way and start making progress

Edited by B'stard Child on Friday 5th October 10:44

[B'stard Child]

Rollcage said:

Never seen one with a glass sunroof before - a legacy of the roof chop I guess?

Nope - long story cut short - used to have an original steel sunroof (tilt and slide). When I converted it for more track less road I stuck a couple of fixed bucket seats in on the original sliders - fine untill I went to sit in it with a helmet on when I had to have my head tilted at 45 deg..... So I lowered the seats, tilted them back and still hadn't got enough head room.

So I removed the original sunroof and stuck a flip up glass one in the hole - it coming out soon - sheet of steel, sikaflex and pop rivets will fill the hole after removal