Vauxhall Firenza/Magnum ?

[J4CKO]

Anyone know of any for sale, my uncle had one in the eighties and nineties, 2.3 Coupe and wants another one, has a few classics but really misses that one.

Just seems to be none for sale, where would you find something like that ?

Basically after something running, coupe shape, not averse to modified or needing some work but not up for a full restoration.

[emperorburger]

'74 droopsnoot going to auction, modified for track use.

https://themarket.co.uk/listings/vauxhall/firenza-...

Guided at £18-£22k though.

[J4CKO]

emperorburger said:

'74 droopsnoot going to auction, modified for track use.

https://themarket.co.uk/listings/vauxhall/firenza-...

Guided at £18-£22k though.

Cheers ! didnt spot that, saw a similar one that was completed, will pass it on.

[Boosted LS1]

Whatever happened to the ventora, any left. I remember a mate had one albeit eons ago.

[aeropilot]

J4CKO said:

Anyone know of any for sale, my uncle had one in the eighties and nineties, 2.3 Coupe and wants another one, has a few classics but really misses that one.

Just seems to be none for sale, where would you find something like that ?

That's because there's so few left.....something like only a dozen or so that are roadworthy. And that's ALL version of Magnum 2300, not just coupe!
There's even less Firenza's (non Droop Snoot versions)

Be prepared for a long wait.

[J4CKO]

aeropilot said:

That's because there's so few left.....something like only a dozen or so that are roadworthy. And that's ALL version of Magnum 2300, not just coupe!
There's even less Firenza's (non Droop Snoot versions)

Be prepared for a long wait.

Yeah, they are out there, quite a few modified ones or Drop Snoots, but they dont come up that often.

He regrets selling his old one, was a great car,



Seen here about 1982 with my dads Capri down south somewhere on a caravan holiday.

He sold it in maybe 1985, but then bought it back, sent it in for a load of work, it came back he had it for a while, my cousin used it for a few years, he crashed it into a field, it got sold again as it was starting to rust again and has regretted it ever since, lived in my garage for a good while as well.


Ventora, my other uncle had one of those when I was a kid, rmemeber thinking it was so cool, he did a bit of a burnout leaving our house once and though I was always into cars as a kid, it made me even more determined to get a fast car when I was older, not that it was actually all that fast, just had enough torque to spin the wheels.

[J4CKO]

Less that 150 Firenzas and Magnums according to HowManyLeft, suppose there are some Viva Coupes left as well, and not all Magnums were coupes, so cant be much more than 100 of that body style out there ?

[Mabbs9]

The DroopSnootGroup may be a good place to ask, I'm assuming they're still in existence.

Edit.

www.droopsnoot.co.uk

[droopsnoot]

^ Very much still in existence.

They don't come up a great deal, but you do see them for sale from time to time. Plenty of Facebook groups as well as club forums - as well as the DSG it might be worth getting onto the Viva Owners Club forum.

[J4CKO]

Did have a look on DSG, couldn't see anything up at the moment, think he used to be a member at one point.

Suppose membership wont be huge as the roads are not exactly teeming with them.

I think he would have something similar of that era like a Chevette, Ascona, Manta etc if it looks good, has a bit of grunt and doesnt need tons of work.

[Escort3500]

Sorry I can’t offer any leads, but that drop snoot going to auction (above) is fantastic

[droopsnoot]

J4CKO said:

Did have a look on DSG, couldn't see anything up at the moment, think he used to be a member at one point.

It's sometimes worth posting a "wanted" ad, people who aren't necessarily ready to advertise a car for sale sometimes respond to them. I've seen a note about that registration somewhere recently, you must have posted about it perhaps in a Facebook group. I recognised it because I once went to look at an ur-quattro with the same letters.

[J4CKO]

Going to see one, pretty local, in the same colour as his original one, good bit is its got an RV8 in it, bad bits are its an auto and it has some slightly too modern wheels on it, but the wheels are easily sorted, and the gearbox can be.

I was initially a bit disappointed when I had heard it was a Rover V8 as was hoping it was a Chevy or something, then I thought it only weighs a ton or so and a Rover V8 should shift it fairly well.

The auto aspect, any suggestions or advice on what it would be like to convert to manual ? what box is suitable and whats it like adding a third pedal.

Edited by J4CKO on Saturday 12th December 14:59

[droopsnoot]

If it has the standard pedal box, it's the same, just has a spacer in place of the clutch pedal, so it would just be a case of finding a clutch pedal which will almost certainly need to be straightened. But, the standard HC clutch is for a cable, and whatever box you might fit may well work better with a hydraulic clutch, at which point a generic pedal box might be more suitable. Standard throttle pedal on an M-plated car will be floor-mounted so isn't in the pedal box normally - only later cars had a "normal" throttle pedal.

I know someone with a similar vehicle, and his pedal box is completely different. He bought it ready-done, though, so I'm not sure he has much detailed knowledge of the pedal arrangement other than he said he doesn't like it as much as the standard one - his is quite high up for some reason.

Can't advise on gearboxes as you'd be looking for something for Rover, not for Vauxhall. I'll ask my mate what box is in his, if you like.

[rigga]

Magnum 1800, my first car as a snotty vauxhall mechanical apprentice in 82, fitted a peter maiden droopsnoot front end and a boot spoiler, loved that car.

[J4CKO]

Went to see it, my uncle is having a think, I have offered to go halves but it would mean him selling one of his other cars as I dont have a garage.

Paint was good, engine ran very sweetly and seemed in good order with a few bits to do but its with him to decide now.

Cant see at 8 grand it losing any money.

[sideways man]

Regards a suitable manual gearbox; the Borg Warner T5 was fitted to the V8 tvrs, Sierra cosworths etc. Reliable 5 speed box with good ratios and not too expensive to buy. I’ve got one in my Mk1 escort.

[droopsnoot]

The recent spotting of a burnt-out Firenza shell suggested that, prior to being stripped and dumped, it had a Rover 4L V8 engine and a gearbox from a Celica.

A note on the Viva Owners Club forum suggests that the car I think you are looking at had a bit of an oil leak, not sure if that's been fixed or not by now.

[Shezbo]

Love Firenza's - always have, had the chance of one once, however, the lure of another Escort stopped me buying.

Now I love RS Escort's BUT a Droop Snoot looks like a very much more appealing option...at the moment?

[J4CKO]

droopsnoot said:

The recent spotting of a burnt-out Firenza shell suggested that, prior to being stripped and dumped, it had a Rover 4L V8 engine and a gearbox from a Celica.

A note on the Viva Owners Club forum suggests that the car I think you are looking at had a bit of an oil leak, not sure if that's been fixed or not by now.

Yeah, believe so, my uncle saw it and then hasnt mentioned it since, he would have to sell one of his other cars and I dont think it convinced him enough to part with one.