(Another) New Monaro owner

(Another) New Monaro owner

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Ronaro

Original Poster:

200 posts

71 months

Tuesday 26th June 2018
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Thanks for the replies gentlemen.

99t

996 posts

208 months

Thursday 28th June 2018
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Check your alloy gearbox crossmember too - mine was heavily corroded and the holes were enlarged. I had to drill them out and press sleeves into it to bring back to spec.

Hopefully yours will be ok?


Ronaro

Original Poster:

200 posts

71 months

Thursday 28th June 2018
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Thanks for that. I did read that on your blog so will bear it in mind.

Ronaro

Original Poster:

200 posts

71 months

Friday 29th June 2018
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Ok a couple of things I’ve noticed as I learn about this beast of a car.

Firstly the ride. On A roads it’s a beauty, but on uneven B roads it’s not very settled and the suspension seems to have very little give in it. Is this normal or are my shocks due for replacement?

Secondly, when I accelerate there is a slight vibration through the gear-lever when I keep my hand on it which has got a little worse over the past few weeks, but not when cruising or slowing down. The gearbox mount is due for replacement, but could this be something like propsheft centre bearing or something more sinister?

Cheers.

selym

9,539 posts

170 months

Friday 29th June 2018
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You'll know when your prop centre bearing goes...my prop oscillated and nearly shook my teeth out.

RB CV8

371 posts

200 months

Friday 29th June 2018
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Ronaro said:
Evening all, so I’ve noticed that there seems to be movement from the gearbox under the floor over cirtain size bumps - which I think means a new bolt on gearbox mount is required.
I’ve seen a supplier in the US but are there any good definately suppliers in the UK for these - part from maybe Vx dealerships?

I’m based near Cambridge.
Do you drive through Fowlmere occasionally? I saw a silver CV8 in the village a few weeks back and there was one behind my mate when he was out in his Fiat 500 earlier today.

I no longer have my silver Monaro, but my brother does so you may see that lurking in the area occasionally (I'll have it for a couple of days soon to get it MoT'd and serviced, and I'll be polishing it too), and there is a black one in Whittlesford.

Ronaro

Original Poster:

200 posts

71 months

Saturday 30th June 2018
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That’ll be me smile. I could hear the engine of that little 500 over the top of mine lol. But I’m yet to see another Ro on the road so I’ll keep my eyes peeled.

jet_noise

5,631 posts

181 months

Saturday 30th June 2018
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Ronaro said:
Ok a couple of things I’ve noticed as I learn about this beast of a car.

Firstly the ride. On A roads it’s a beauty, but on uneven B roads it’s not very settled and the suspension seems to have very little give in it. Is this normal or are my shocks due for replacement?

Secondly, when I accelerate there is a slight vibration through the gear-lever when I keep my hand on it which has got a little worse over the past few weeks, but not when cruising or slowing down. The gearbox mount is due for replacement, but could this be something like propsheft centre bearing or something more sinister?

Cheers.
With standard suspension it's pretty compliant but the shocks do degrade according to Monkfish when I had a 'ro. I'm surprised you describe it as having little give. I'd have thought standard springs and original shocks would be rather uncontrolled and even wallowy on a B road.
The CV8 I had had Pedders springs and shocks and I found it too hard, low and with very little give but always controlled. I had the Pedders springs changed for VXR ones but kept the shocks and that was just right for me. Cleared speed bumps comfortable and controlled enough. Our cars are too big and long in the wheelbase to really shine on B roads.
All IMHO smile

Are you sure your springs are standard?

RB CV8

371 posts

200 months

Saturday 30th June 2018
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Ronaro said:
That’ll be me smile. I could hear the engine of that little 500 over the top of mine lol. But I’m yet to see another Ro on the road so I’ll keep my eyes peeled.
Apparently it cruises OK at 55mph but takes a long while to get there!

You may see another Monaro, or maybe two, at the Barrington gathering next Friday evening. I think my brother intends to take his over there. Not sure what I'll be in yet.

Ronaro

Original Poster:

200 posts

71 months

Saturday 30th June 2018
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Thanks for the replies.

Looking through the service history, Monkfish suggested a few years ago that both front shock absorbers were worn out, and I can’t find any invoices to suggest that they were replaced. Sooo that could be why she feels a bit ‘solid’ and ‘bangy’ on the front end. I’m pretty certain the suspension is still standard. It certainly isn’t low.

RB CV8

371 posts

200 months

Saturday 30th June 2018
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You will be well aware of the state of Cambridgeshire's roads; I don't think many cars ride brilliantly over them!

My brother's car has Peddars dampers which are slightly uprated over standard, and standard springs. He reckons it rides much better than his Jaguar XJ, though it won't go round corners (or stop) as well as the Jag. Best of all was the V6 Omega he had before the XJ, it had a better ride/handling balance than any of them!

As you are close by, if you want to arrange a run in his car to see how it compares, let me know. You can't drive it but I'm sure you'll get a pretty good idea from the passenger seat. PM me if you want to sort something out.

Ronaro

Original Poster:

200 posts

71 months

Saturday 30th June 2018
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Thanks I’ll take you up on that as it will be a good comparison.

IMO mine handles brilliantly on corners for a big coupe, it’s just the ride on uneven surfaces. The worst piece of road for me which I avoid like the plague is from the Royston A505 / A10 roundabout heading east on the A505 towards flint cross. Going up the hill from the roundabout the road has several lines going across from one side to the other and boy does my car hate those.

RB CV8

371 posts

200 months

Saturday 30th June 2018
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I haven't driven the Monaro on that bit for a while, but as it is just down the road it shouldn't be a problem to take it along that stretch to see how it feels, as long as all the bl**dy stones from the recent "surface dressing" work have dispersed....


mfp4073

1,940 posts

173 months

Saturday 30th June 2018
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Reading the comments about Monaro suspension, my CV8, had stock springs and shocks up to around 50,odd thousand miles.
On the open road at speed it felt fine, however at town speeds it was rock hard and crashy. Basically it drove terrible below 50 mph.
I had the pedders low suspension kit fitted and the ride is now transformed, in fact it is better than when I first got the car with only 6000 miles on the clock.
The car is a little stiffer than stock but at the same time it's more compliant and nicer to drive. I intend to add a couple of extra poly bushes next year, but the car is now set up how I want it to be, it's responsive, but it's no hard core track car.

Ronaro

Original Poster:

200 posts

71 months

Sunday 1st July 2018
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Thanks for the replies. There are receipts for bushes so maybe it’s the shocks that are letting the side down.

A couple of less urgent requirements, but any idea where to get replacement stickers such as these? Mine have curled up over age and don’t look particularly good.





Edited by Ronaro on Sunday 1st July 07:25

Ronaro

Original Poster:

200 posts

71 months

Sunday 1st July 2018
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Much abliged!

SturdyHSV

10,083 posts

166 months

Sunday 1st July 2018
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To throw my 2p into the pot, I replaced my original dampers with the pedders OEM style ones, and the biggest difference was in the body control.

Without really realising it, the worn out original dampers (only about 35k miles...) had given the car a sort of odd floaty feeling whereby it felt like the body floated above the wheels, independently of the road.

The pedders dampers didn't make the ride any worse, but the car felt much more planted, it's hard to really describe but it felt more like the car was all one piece as opposed to the wheels gripping and the body shuffling about on top.

Mine has now been poly bushed all round, has the pedders super low front springs and low rears with those same dampers, and a stiffer rear anti roll bar. I wouldn't say it was crashy at any point, the biggest difference to the ride was changing the seats, I loved the old sofas but it's a totally different car now!

Happy to offer a ride but the seats really do make it so different I don't think it'd be of much value to you!

Equally my perception of crashy could be very different!

Ronaro

Original Poster:

200 posts

71 months

Sunday 1st July 2018
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Thanks for the input. Mine doesn’t float at all - on the contrary when I go over any unevenness the suspension feels like there’s practically no give in it at all, hence the “bangy” sensation.
I know it’s a big heavy car but compared to other biggies it feels very solid.

Ronaro

Original Poster:

200 posts

71 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2018
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Thanks to Brett I’ve managed to find a replacement rear storage compartment. Can anyone advice on how I actually fit it please?