a11ym's Vauxhall Monaro VXR LS2

[MedwayMonaro]

spreadsheet monkey said:

a11y_m said:

Its a topic I'll cover in a future update: living with a Monaro as a family car

Will be interested to read this! Do you still have the VW van in your household as well?

I've had my 2 kids in the back of mine with their oversized seats, once is 10 months and the other is 3, so it can be done. It took some effort to find a suitable rear facing child seat as the seat belts are quite short, but I'm sure the later small boot cars have ISOFIX points. Mine is a big boot VXR so no ISOFIX.

[a11y_m]

haggishunter said:

Guilty as charged Ally. I do miss all the runs and shenanigans!

I still recall a snowy drive to the Green Welly and back in my new-to-me Z4 with zero RWD experience. And a separate time being forever grateful for a few passenger laps with you at after I’d stood out in the cold & wet for far too long. Happy days.

spreadsheet monkey said:

Do you still have the VW van in your household as well?

I wish we did . Sold a few years ago – it was too small to work as a campervan for us with 2 x kiddies. Gutted. We’d owned it almost 10 years and taken it from a bare panel van to a full campervan, built to our spec. If you’re interested (and if PH allows pimping other sources) I’ve got a start-to-finish thread here: https://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/threads/ally-jos-t5-ca... Replaced it with a very non-PHy caravan…

Fishy Dave said:

Fantastic car, thanks for sharing. I looked repeatedly at these for years before choosing a Corvette with LS2. I should have taken one for a test drive at least. It was only the weight that put me off, suspecting they would be pretty heavy on consumables on track?

Weight’s around 1650-1700kg according to source, so I think your suspicions are right! As standard fairly softly sprung and not a natural track car, but imagine it’d be a (expensive) laugh. Brakes on my VXR are NOT cheap, and that’s enough to put me off track use.

MedwayMonaro said:

I've had my 2 kids in the back of mine with their oversized seats, once is 10 months and the other is 3, so it can be done. It took some effort to find a suitable rear facing child seat as the seat belts are quite short, but I'm sure the later small boot cars have ISOFIX points. Mine is a big boot VXR so no ISOFIX.

I should know about ISOFIX but genuinely can’t remember! I installed the kid’s seats when I collected my Monaro and haven’t had them out since. I use very slim/non-bulky Britax seats, non-ISOFIX, that I used in the MINI – they gained the kids a good bit of room being as slim as they are, not really an issue in the Monaro.

[a11y_m]

UPDATE 2

February 2019: Exceedingly practical

On my first post I finished up in mid-Feb 2019 with my (yes, all mine!) Monaro fully undersealed and in regular use. I’ll touch more on living with it as a daily driver in a separate update but first I’ll mention how my Monaro fits with the other big love in my life: mountain-biking (sorry Mrs a11y_m).



I’m sure some PHers will be horrified with the following photo but I’ve said before, I always planned to use my Monaro in all conditions: a garage queen or weekend toy mine will never be. We’ve got a van for bike carrying duties but its nice to be able to use the Monaro occasionally and enjoy the drive on the way to a ride, especially as I’m often in the Scottish Highlands or Borders. Although Thule roofbars are readily available, they’re not cheap or particularly quick to fit, and I didn’t want the hassle of taking them on and off all the time. I’d had roofbars permanently on my MINI but it would’ve been wrong doing the same to a Monaro. So a suction rack it was then…

I’m a sucker for you:


N+1 rule is a GREAT rule (if you know, you know):


Close up:


I admit I was VERY apprehensive using it for the first time, however after a few uses I got over the fact there’s no mechanical connection between the carrier and the car. I still avoid hard cornering/direction changes with the bike onboard, where possible. Extra bonuses are this rack will fit pretty much any vehicle with a solid roof, and its small enough to stash in the ‘small boot’ so it’s always there.

I’ve had some interesting reactions from other MTBers rocking up in the Monaro for sure. Mild abuse/banter from my more eco-minded cycling buddies though who don’t appreciate my efforts towards global warming, but I’m comfortable with other efforts I make so I’m going to enjoy the V8 while I can

[marksx]

Monaro and a mountain bike. Perfect.

[haggishunter]

I think we made it most of the way to Glencoe in a blizzard before the sensible head reappeared.

I recall that miserable day at Knockhill! Were you not out taking photos too? I’m planning on some more track time in my new (old) motor next year.

It be interested to hear your thoughts and costs of the under sealing process, I’m rather interested.

[Mr Tidy]

Some great photos there OP.

It's always good to see a car like yours being used properly rather than tucked away as a garage queen!

[RazerSauber]

That's a brilliant bike rack, where did you get it?

[a11y_m]

marksx said:

Monaro and a mountain bike. Perfect.

Indeed

haggishunter said:

I think we made it most of the way to Glencoe in a blizzard before the sensible head reappeared.

I recall that miserable day at Knockhill! Were you not out taking photos too? I’m planning on some more track time in my new (old) motor next year.

It be interested to hear your thoughts and costs of the under sealing process, I’m rather interested.

Pics from that PH run to Tyndrum/Glencoe: https://www.flickr.com/gp/a11y_m/2z50o0

Pics from that rainy KH, inc a few of you Alan: https://www.flickr.com/gp/a11y_m/7N92g0

And I’ll add a proper write up of the undersealing I went for very shortly. I’ll also be at the TT breakfast meet at Larkhall on 29th Dec, happy to chat/show you the underside then perhaps!

Mr Tidy said:

Some great photos there OP.

It's always good to see a car like yours being used properly rather than tucked away as a garage queen!

Thanks!

RazerSauber said:

That's a brilliant bike rack, where did you get it?

SeaSucker is the posh brand (£250ish for a single-bike rack) who pioneered the idea for car use I think. I heard good things about copycat/ripoff RockBros racks on STW forum @ ~£65 – no complaints from me: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rockbros-Universal-Car-...

[Rensko]

Useless fact - ISOFIX wasn't 'legal' in Australia until 2014. Much of the local product (Commodore, Falcon etc) did not come with the mounting points as they never met our strict design/safety standards. Using an ISOFIX seat prior to 2014 was a big no no - they could not be purchased or used in Australia legally!

[a11y_m]

Rensko said:

Useless fact - ISOFIX wasn't 'legal' in Australia until 2014. Much of the local product (Commodore, Falcon etc) did not come with the mounting points as they never met our strict design/safety standards. Using an ISOFIX seat prior to 2014 was a big no no - they could not be purchased or used in Australia legally!

That's a strange one - I think common thought has always been that Australia was ahead in terms of car seat safety. We visited Sydney/Brisbane in Dec 2018 and our (at the time) 6yr old was less than impressed at being back into 5-point harness - having being used to a normal seatbelt in the UK. Seem to recall anchor straps over the top of the backrest and into the boot too?

[a11y_m]

UPDATE 3

February 2019: Underseal – more info

Thought it’d be helpful to expand on my previous comments about undersealing my Monaro. As mentioned, Monaros like to rust when they’re in the UK:

Before:







Not pretty. That’s what 14 years and 56k miles of use by the previous owner (based in north of England, I believe) does to the underside of a ‘factory undersealed’ Monaro.

I’d decided even before buying a Monaro that rust treatment and underseal would be top of my list. Seems crazy having to do this to relatively new vehicles but hearing other Monaro owner’s stories was enough to convince me this would be the first thing I’d have done. After a good bit of research and finding the pros and cons of different approaches, I decided on Dinitrol. Not many choices in Scotland but luckily a well regarded company was <50 miles from me. Coincidentally in the same town I grew up in and <1/2 mile from my childhood home. Preserve & Protect in Johnstone: https://preserveprotect.co.uk/portfolio/vauxhall-m... (I’ve no connection to them). Their Facebook history showed a good variety from valuable classics to new MX5s and Dacias(!), and recommendations from fellow Scottish PH users provided reassurance.

Their process is (quoting them here, and as per Dinitrol guide lines):
- Wheels come off (including spare wheel).
- Removal of all arch liners and any underbody guards.
- All flaking rust will be removed, various methods are used dependant on overall condition.
- Steam Clean the full underside/arches of Vehicle using a degreaser to remove any dirt, grease and salt.
- Once dry and we have a clean surface to work with, Treat any rust with Rust Convertor (leave to cure overnight).
- Injection of Cavities with Cavity Wax, all doors treated as part of the process.
- Treat the full underside of vehicle with Underbody Wax (Clear, Grey, Brown or Black finish).

They typically need the vehicle for 2-3 days. I took it through for an inspection, confirmed the price (ballpark cost known beforehand, subject to the inspection), and left them to it. Was ready for collection 4 days later but logistics/life meant I left it with them a full week. They also masked off parts such as the brakes and the exhaust to prevent any smell issues from overspray etc. Really good attention to detail and Mark and Sam were lovely folks to deal with too. Kept me updated daily with heaps of photos via WhatsApp - really, really good customer care.

This was the end result on mine, with the black finish:








No complaints at all. I’ll return at the 12-month point for a free ‘health check’ where they’ll top up anything as necessary, e.g. if anything’s been disturbed through work on the car, speed hump scrapes to the underside etc.

Obviously it would’ve been better if the car had been undersealed from new, but I’m happy I’ve done the best I can at this stage to slow further onset of rust. Money well spent in my opinion

[haggishunter]

Well that was a blast from the past!

I’ll try and make TT on the 29th!

[Mr Tidy]

a11y_m said:

Mr Tidy said:

Some great photos there OP.

It's always good to see a car like yours being used properly rather than tucked away as a garage queen!

Thanks!

I finally found the photo I was looking for - back in June after a local Classic Car meet this turned up with 3 bikes on the roof, but sadly I didn't get a photo while they were still on it.

But they just took the bikes off, got into the Lycra then went off for a ride and left the car in the car park (as you would)!

[Rensko]

a11y_m said:

That's a strange one - I think common thought has always been that Australia was ahead in terms of car seat safety. We visited Sydney/Brisbane in Dec 2018 and our (at the time) 6yr old was less than impressed at being back into 5-point harness - having being used to a normal seatbelt in the UK. Seem to recall anchor straps over the top of the backrest and into the boot too?

Yep - There are instances where the seat can be safer than one installed through ISOFIX - many of the independent tests here demonstrate that. The main concern is user error when installing a car seat incorrectly (loose straps/missing belts etc) which can lead to the seat coming loose in the event of an accident. ISOFIX avoids this!

[daniel-5zjw7]

great thread and great car! your situation really resonates with me as a man with family and despite being a proper petrolhead most of the time goes down the cautious sensible route. I've recently done the same as you and for once acted with near reckless abandon in purchasing a big manual v8 as my daily

I looked closely at Monaro's as it happens as well as the more trodden RS4/M3 route but on deciding this was all still too sensible I opted for a Corvette C5 Convertible, which I've made 4 yr old daughter friendly by having a bespoke ISOFIX bracket built into the passenger seat. A large part of the appeal after having so many rusty cars was the plastic body/ali subframes/suspension components. I'm absolutely loving it at the moment and for sure I know I'll remember this car above everything else when cars go to the wall and I'm driving a hairdryer.

[marksx]

The undersealing looks a good job. So long as it's a good base with any rust removed or treated you're sorted for a good few years there.


Daniel - a C5 with isofix sounds great!

[a11y_m]

Mr Tidy said:

I finally found the photo I was looking for - back in June after a local Classic Car meet this turned up with 3 bikes on the roof, but sadly I didn't get a photo while they were still on it.

But they just took the bikes off, got into the Lycra then went off for a ride and left the car in the car park (as you would)!

Wow, even I'd not be brave enough to stick a bike carrier on that - gorgeous car.

daniel-5zjw7 said:

great thread and great car! your situation really resonates with me as a man with family and despite being a proper petrolhead most of the time goes down the cautious sensible route. I've recently done the same as you and for once acted with near reckless abandon in purchasing a big manual v8 as my daily

Thanks. Your choice for family-friendly daily makes my Monaro positively sensible - good effort! I perhaps gave up my 2-seater too soon when my first kid arrived, but at the time figured a semi-sensible 330i was a good compromise we could use for the whole family rather than decamp into the wife's car. But now with 2 x mini-a11y_m's, a 4-seater is essential. Have you got a thread about your C5?

daniel-5zjw7 said:

I know I'll remember this car above everything else when cars go to the wall and I'm driving a hairdryer.

THIS. Most definitely this. I hate the term but in this occasion it's true: YOLO. Chances of me getting to own a similar car in future are slim, so make the most of what we can, while we can

marksx said:

The undersealing looks a good job. So long as it's a good base with any rust removed or treated you're sorted for a good few years there.

Fingers crossed. Did as much homework on the company before I took the plunge, so I'm confident they've done a fairly decent job before they applied the underseal.

[daniel-5zjw7]

Yea with two kids you would have had to go 4 seater sooner or later anyway! With just the one i can get away with it, my wife has the family car we use on the weekend if we're going out as a family (though if for whatever reason there is only two of us its the corvette everytime!) and during the week its only my daughter i need to transport to/from school etc.

I don't have a thread on the car yet but will get one sorted eventually. This is the car:



A few mods such as bonnet, intake and exhaust. Do you have any plans for upgrading the monaro at all?

[molineux1980]

The Monaro and MTB combo is awesome.

I have to settle with a Swift Sport and MTB combo. Still fun though :-)

[a11y_m]

daniel-5zjw7 said:

Yea with two kids you would have had to go 4 seater sooner or later anyway!

...

A few mods such as bonnet, intake and exhaust. Do you have any plans for upgrading the monaro at all?

I would’ve loved to keep my Z4 for longer, partly for the open air aspect (and hence am jealous of your Corvette!). Thought very briefly about a 4-seat convertible but there’s nothing at all that appeals to be in that genre. Open-tops have to be 2-seaters to me. Plans? Ooooh I’ll come to that in updates, but nothing too serious – kids and house (and mountain-bikes…) swallow up most of my £££ as it is without the running costs of the Monaro!

molineux1980 said:

I have to settle with a Swift Sport and MTB combo. Still fun though :-)

That’s not a bad combo. Swift is one that passed me by but always hear good things about them.