Lancia Montecarlo...37 years and counting
Discussion
gforceg said:
Breadvan72 said:
I admit that I do not like the wires. I would prefer the original wheels or some Beta Cromodoras or similar, but it is of course YOUR car, OP.
Just to be sure I'm on the right page, are these the Cromodoras you mention? They're very smart.
OP for something less original I think these look great.
[thumb]https://d3lp4xedbqa8a5.cloudfront.net/imagegen/cr/340/255/s3/digital-cougar-
assets/tradeuniquecars/2018/11/23/176745/Lancia-Beta-MonteCarlo.jpg[/thumb]
I like the wheels on both but the red car has the wheels I want.
Lovely.
v8wrinkly said:
Back in the 80s, I had a much loved black Montecarlo Cabrio Mk 2. Being a Mk 2 it had no brake servo (so did not easily lock up its front wheels), but I did upgrade to Tarox discs which improved braking performance, but only slightly.
One mod I did, which was essential, was to modify the pedal assembly to give enough space to avoid my size 9s hitting two pedals at a time. It involved removing the pedal box (a bit of a hassle admittedly) and then clamping same in a vice whilst bending the pedals outwards so they just fitted in the footwell with the pedals “doglegged” to keep them parallel – crude but effective. I was factory trained in the motor industry, but a reasonably competent garage mechanic should be able to do it.
Another improvement was to use (a thinner) fully synthetic gear oil in the gearbox; it dramatically improved the gearchange, although transmission noise increased slightly.
nb. A decade earlier I had a Mk 3 Fulvia, which was really sweet if a bit underpowered.
I’ve heard of the Tarox solution but didn’t pursue it.One mod I did, which was essential, was to modify the pedal assembly to give enough space to avoid my size 9s hitting two pedals at a time. It involved removing the pedal box (a bit of a hassle admittedly) and then clamping same in a vice whilst bending the pedals outwards so they just fitted in the footwell with the pedals “doglegged” to keep them parallel – crude but effective. I was factory trained in the motor industry, but a reasonably competent garage mechanic should be able to do it.
Another improvement was to use (a thinner) fully synthetic gear oil in the gearbox; it dramatically improved the gearchange, although transmission noise increased slightly.
nb. A decade earlier I had a Mk 3 Fulvia, which was really sweet if a bit underpowered.
I’ve got quite small feet so not an issue for me.
P5BNij said:
This RHD '77 Montecarlo looks fantastic, it's been for sale on c&c before I think....
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C816657
Yes this was up on PH I think last summer.https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C816657
Can’t recall the price.
Breadvan72 said:
CallThatMusic said:
I started buying records when the 70’s began and by the end of the decade I was buying cars.
What a time to be alive.
I’m putting a mix tape together of 1970’s music for a road trip next week.
I’ll be starting with In A Broken Dream and will move on to Brandy by Looking Glass....
A fine plan. Do you have something suitably 70s or 80s as the stereo? A Pioneer or a high end Blaupunkt? What a time to be alive.
I’m putting a mix tape together of 1970’s music for a road trip next week.
I’ll be starting with In A Broken Dream and will move on to Brandy by Looking Glass....
What a time indeed! You are perhaps ten (ish) years ahead of me. I started the 1970s obsessed with cars, footy, and Formula 1, started buying records in about 1973/4, and by the end of the 70s had discovered women and punk/new wave gigs, and had lost all interest in cars, footy and Formula 1, although I did ride about on a purple Yamaha FS1e (Fizzy) for a bit. I regained those lost interests when I was a stripy shirt and red braces wearing yuppie in the late 80s, at which point I acquired a driving licence and (obviously) an E30.
I wish that I had had the style and individuality to buy a second hand Montecarlo instead of a second hand Beemer, like all of the other clones. I wanted a Saab 900 Turbo, but my then gf insisted on the Beemer.
I recall that the dude across the road from me must have had a good bonus, because one day I saw him taking delivery of a new car, and handing over the keys to his silver Lancia HPE to the floppy haired poshboy who was dropping off a Ferrari. Would that have been a 308, or some such? Me, I know nowt about Raris, me.
Edited by Breadvan72 on Monday 27th July 05:33
Its a Sharp stereo radio/cassette which I put in when I bought the car.
It still works. As does the clock in the dashboard.
Remarkable really.
I was late to Beemers but had a few and there’s a M140i in the driveway today.
Never had the desire ok cash to get into a Ferrari. Driven a couple ....
andrewcliffe said:
I have a Monte too - but mines very non-standard.
Its a series 1 so should have the Series 1 'bow-tie' 13" wheels, but its currently wearing the Series 2 Montecarlo wheel (different to the Beta although at first glance identical) but have just bought a set of the pepperpot ones in 15" as better selection of decent tyres in that size, and they look a bit more 037-ish.
I’d be interested to see your car Andrew, tell us more about it please.
Its a series 1 so should have the Series 1 'bow-tie' 13" wheels, but its currently wearing the Series 2 Montecarlo wheel (different to the Beta although at first glance identical) but have just bought a set of the pepperpot ones in 15" as better selection of decent tyres in that size, and they look a bit more 037-ish.
I’d be interested to see your car Andrew, tell us more about it please.
andrewcliffe said:
My Montecarlo has been on a diet - front wings and rear wings are fibreglass, door skins are aluminium and the doors are merely shells. Lightweight fibreglass bumpers front and rear. 037 style air scoops and double bubble top. Perspex windows. Uprated engine - high compression two litre with fast road cams, currently being converted to fuel injection. Revised final drive ratio to promote acceleration. Lowered suspension, Koni dampers. Stripped interior with cage. Custom dashboard...
Sounds like it goes fast.
Enjoy !
Sounds like it goes fast.
Enjoy !
AVES said:
Here’s mine . 78 S1 but with S2 wheels, grill and mirror (I have the originals). Been the subject of a rolling resto over the past 6 years. I love it for what it is . A pretty 1970’s Italian sports car.
It had one owner from 80 to around 2013 and did have a few interesting additions (washing machine side panel as a passenger footwell) but it is now sorted bodywork wise and dripping in rust proofing. The brakes were an issue - servoing the front only was an odd approach ) but I’ve found that removing the servo, tarox discs and pads all round and keeping a bit of weight in the front makes the braking as good as most 70’s classics - but I don’t take it out in the wet so I don’t know what happens then . Always good to see another loved Monte
Red works as do the wheels.
Love it !
Re brakes disconnected my servo too, this helps but 100% concentration always required.
jamies30 said:
CallThatMusic said:
Wow.
Does it get out much ?
Looks the business.
Must be super rare.
Back then (98 maybe?) it was my daily driver, our only car. Nowadays it’s saved for nice days, I try to use it a couple of times a week in the summer, weather and circumstance permitting. Hasn’t been on the road yet this year though. Does it get out much ?
Looks the business.
Must be super rare.
They built around 284, believe there’s about 18 in the UK just now. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but I love it.
Weather Friday - Sunday this weekend looks pretty good
MickyveloceClassic said:
Breadvan72 said:
There is a slightly bonkers 1960s case about a bloke who was done for stealing his own car when he went and grabbed it from a garage. He hadn't yet paid the bill for the repairs on the car, so the garage had a possessory interest in the car..
I only want to buy back some of my old cars. Others I want to pay to have set on fire.
With my huge pair of rose-tinted Raybans, I’d buy anything back. Maybe not the MG Metro Turbo, but who knows? I only want to buy back some of my old cars. Others I want to pay to have set on fire.
Blimey I bought an MG Metro for my then wife.
What a disaster that was.
The car performed for about a week then threw a hissy fit and blew a gasket.
My relationship with it went south and it was sold on for scrap probably.
I would buy back any and all of my 911 cars and strangely enough an old original style RAV4 we had when we lived in Macau.
All the rest - about 30 - I think I would set on fire too.
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