First Monaro VXR
Discussion
After a run of 3 TVRs, I've seen the light (or moved over to the 'dark' side as some might say 
) .
A couple of little jobs before the next MoT, one being the front ARB bushes (one of the few parts you can buy in this country by the look of it unless the parts on ebay are wrong?). It's an early 5.7 with the big boot and engine work by the previous owner includes a VXR5 cam from Vengeance Racing in the USA. Bigger injectors and upgraded associated engine parts too.
The nearest specialist to be seems to be Walkinshaw, about 60 miles away. Topcats Racing are a bit further and they are vey good for TVRs with some references to Monaro VXRs I've read online. They have put a few LS engines into TVRs. But is there anywhere recommended in the West Midlands?
Can't make it to that meeting suggested, it's SORN at the moment, and I'm too mean to tax it for 15 days use! Also, Direct Line have it down on their database as a 6.0 litre model for some bizarre reason. Probably switch to classic cover in the new year.
No thread like this is any good without a photo:
) .A couple of little jobs before the next MoT, one being the front ARB bushes (one of the few parts you can buy in this country by the look of it unless the parts on ebay are wrong?). It's an early 5.7 with the big boot and engine work by the previous owner includes a VXR5 cam from Vengeance Racing in the USA. Bigger injectors and upgraded associated engine parts too.
The nearest specialist to be seems to be Walkinshaw, about 60 miles away. Topcats Racing are a bit further and they are vey good for TVRs with some references to Monaro VXRs I've read online. They have put a few LS engines into TVRs. But is there anywhere recommended in the West Midlands?
Can't make it to that meeting suggested, it's SORN at the moment, and I'm too mean to tax it for 15 days use! Also, Direct Line have it down on their database as a 6.0 litre model for some bizarre reason. Probably switch to classic cover in the new year.
No thread like this is any good without a photo:
welcome to the fold pedders uk are a good source of bushes , they are not too bad to do just a bit of wd40 over a few days , sas is another very good one for beating rust , rock auto via fed ex are good for parts , pontiac gto is what it’s under , both topcats and walkinsaw are very good , for parts and a good service and exhausts and a repair shop aas in newcastle
Not sure what mods have been done , if powers been upped then brakes have probably been done , as brakes are not great , check for rust on brake and fuel lines unless done plus check arches and under side and check petrol tank straps , the modding starts unless things have already been done for you , ie suspension exhaust etc
vxr2010 said:
Not sure what mods have been done , if powers been upped then brakes have probably been done , as brakes are not great , check for rust on brake and fuel lines unless done plus check arches and under side and check petrol tank straps , the modding starts unless things have already been done for you , ie suspension exhaust etc
Thanks, 2 of my TVRs were V8s with Rover engines with that 'woffle' sound. This is a bit different. The firing order I expect, and the fact the 2 banks are kept separate to the exhaust exit pipes.I've gone quite a few pages back through the forum for things, and I've checked the tank straps. Not completely gone but have surface rust. I've already taken 2 off for treatment. The brakes are, I think, standard size, but they are grooved with a receipt for performance pads supplied a few years ago by Monkfish (sorry to see they have packed it in)
Some of the engine parts were bought from Summit racing, also in Georgia. The Pontiac GTO didn't sell that well in the USA (their words, not mine, its economy of scale, they sold 40k of them!). So the USA will be a long term source. The stainless headers were shipped from vpw in Australia. A stainless Wortec system is quite old but still seems OK.
Yes, when I was searching the forums I saw Mark's entries so I'd read quite a bit about it.
Edited by ianwayne on Wednesday 16th October 14:03
Welcome to the "Dark side" indeed!!!!!
That's a lovely looking car, and its nice to buy a good clean car with some desirable modifications already fitted.
Yes you are correct the LS engines do have a different firing order to the Rover V8.
Most Monaro's with an aftermarket exhaust will have either an X or H pipe fitted just after the cats. Anything stock will have the factory fitted box ( resonator ) which is not quite as good performance wise but eliminates any droning noise you can get with some other systems.
That's a lovely looking car, and its nice to buy a good clean car with some desirable modifications already fitted.
Yes you are correct the LS engines do have a different firing order to the Rover V8.
Most Monaro's with an aftermarket exhaust will have either an X or H pipe fitted just after the cats. Anything stock will have the factory fitted box ( resonator ) which is not quite as good performance wise but eliminates any droning noise you can get with some other systems.
Mark said you need the replacement cats to be properly hot to pass the emissions, as explained to the Mot tester in 2018.
Mind you, when you have had a TVR Chimaera V8 with aftermarket ECU running in open loop with no lambda sensors (although I did keep the cats), you need a 'friendly' MoT tester.
Mind you, when you have had a TVR Chimaera V8 with aftermarket ECU running in open loop with no lambda sensors (although I did keep the cats), you need a 'friendly' MoT tester.
Edited by ianwayne on Thursday 17th October 17:21
ianwayne said:
Mark said you need the replacement cats to be properly hot to pass the emissions, as explained to the Mot tester in 2018.
Mind you, when you have had a TVR with aftermarket ECU running in open loop with no lambda sensors (although I did keep the cats), you need a 'friendly' MoT tester.
Glad you're prepared, that cam has a LOT of overlap (11* @ 0.050" lift), you need 0* or less to stand a chance of passing in most people's experience, so I think you could get the cats as hot as you like, what you'll need to focus on is getting the probe up the exhaust of something else Mind you, when you have had a TVR with aftermarket ECU running in open loop with no lambda sensors (although I did keep the cats), you need a 'friendly' MoT tester.
Bet it sounds evil though
Mine is only 8* overlap (228/232 on a 111 LSA vs your 236/238 on 113) and sounds pretty serious Do you have any dyno info or driving impressions? Would be curious to experience the difference as that's a big cam for a 5.7, most people would say you'd lose a lot of low down torque going that big, I bet it likes some revs though, are they standard heads?
Edited by SturdyHSV on Thursday 17th October 14:18
It has Livernois heads, refurbished and fitted when the engine work was done in 2016. There is a dyno result of 477 bhp (calculated crank) at Surrey Rolling Road, but it was well over 12 months ago, and yes it does seem to have forgiven some of the torque at low revs. I wasn't aware of the overlap with that cam, only that there is a receipt for one. All the spec was in the classified listing Mark wrote.
I've not driven a Monaro before so I've nothing to compare with other than my experience with V8 TVRs. Not as sharp off the mark initially but it is over 500kg heavier! Probably the biggest car I've ever owned. Only an old 1997 Vx Omega was as wide as this!
Not driven it very far yet, it's SORN ……
I've not driven a Monaro before so I've nothing to compare with other than my experience with V8 TVRs. Not as sharp off the mark initially but it is over 500kg heavier! Probably the biggest car I've ever owned. Only an old 1997 Vx Omega was as wide as this!
Not driven it very far yet, it's SORN ……
ianwayne said:
It has Livernois heads, refurbished and fitted when the engine work was done in 2016. There is a dyno result of 477 bhp (calculated crank) at Surrey Rolling Road, but it was well over 12 months ago, and yes it does seem to have forgiven some of the torque at low revs. I wasn't aware of the overlap with that cam, only that there is a receipt for one. All the spec was in the classified listing Mark wrote.
Mine made 486.2bhp at SRR with the Monkfish magic 2 cam and livernois heads and FAST intake etc
I've not driven a Monaro before so I've nothing to compare with other than my experience with V8 TVRs. Not as sharp off the mark initially but it is over 500kg heavier! Probably the biggest car I've ever owned. Only an old 1997 Vx Omega was as wide as this!
That’s because it’s built/based on an old Omega chassis
Not driven it very far yet, it's SORN ……
Mine made 486.2bhp at SRR with the Monkfish magic 2 cam and livernois heads and FAST intake etc
I've not driven a Monaro before so I've nothing to compare with other than my experience with V8 TVRs. Not as sharp off the mark initially but it is over 500kg heavier! Probably the biggest car I've ever owned. Only an old 1997 Vx Omega was as wide as this!
That’s because it’s built/based on an old Omega chassis
Not driven it very far yet, it's SORN ……
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