My Monaro rebuild and improve thread

[mfp4073]

99PBATR said:

Good luck fella. I love reading build threads. I spent 4 years fully restoring my last car. I spent stupid money on it and it was I can honestly say, the best one of it's kind anywhere. Was it worth it? Yes. Did it cost me more money than I ever budgeted for...hell yes. Was it fun...absolutely. Was it worth t? It's only money. Life is too bloody short to drive boring sensible cars. All cars are money pits...period. A car is what it mean to you. I have had my Monaro since April and it's certainly not perfect. It has had every conceivable option and mod there is (paid for by other people i'm pleased to say) but it will need a few ££ spending on it but that is a prerequisite.

I always wanted a V8 and to me the Monaro is a real Q car. Mine is fully badged up as a HSV and even has an AUS badge on it...no-one has a clue what it is in the main which I love..but when I start it, it's an event. The noise the occasion makes me smile and I love the fact that it's not like everyone else has. It's not the prettiest car but I just love the fact that it looks angry...Mine's supercharged so it sounds unbelievably angry !! As it will do about 1500-2k miles a year and get used in spring and summer I will spend the money (starting next month at Walkinshaws) within reason because its what I spend my spare cash on but not planning on going mental.

The very best of luck to you and I will look forward to reading your updates.

Did you buy your car from an Italian car dealer, Auto Italia? If so my brother was going to have look at that car, as it looked very nice in the photographs and had a good spec. He was a bit upset when it sold.
At the moment he has a new shape Mustang, unfortunately he would like to supercharge it....his wife is not impressed!......such is the life of a road warrior!!!!!!

[99PBATR]

I have to admit that I did i'm afraid...sorry to your brother. It's a good car but not without it's faults. Your brother would have had to spend a few quid on it if he planned on showing it or putting it into shows. I've put in about 50 hours so far on the paint, wet flatting and compounding, sealing and polishing it, as paint was not very well looked after. Don't get me wrong it's a good car with every conceivable mod but it does need some attention too

[99PBATR]

Wish him luck from me on the Mustang front...what do wives know anyway

[mfp4073]

Best of luck with the car, I'll let my brother know it's gone to a good home.
I've go to say it has something of a Mad Max pursuit special about it.
If I had the cash I'd be tempted to put a blower on mine, but I must resist.......

[99PBATR]

Ha ha a good home it has most definitely gone to. Funny you should say about the Mad Max thing, I had a moment of madness and bought myself a T-Shirt emblazoned with the Mad Max MFP interceptor colours and initials just to see if anyone (apart from Aussies and Monaro owners) got it. No-one has so far

That said, I was out in it recently and I heard somebody shouting, only to look right and see a bloke with a camera laughing his ti*s off giving me the thumbs up. Turns out that he's an Aussie on holiday in the UK. He then took a pic of the car and proceeded to ask if many poms drove one...I said most Poms didn't even know what one was

Edited by 99PBATR on Thursday 13th September 15:27

[selym]

99PBATR said:

Ha ha a good home it has most definitely gone to. Funny you should say about the Mad Max thing, I had a moment of madness and bought myself a T-Shirt emblazoned with the Mad Max MFP interceptor colours and initials just to see if anyone (apart from Aussies and Monaro owners) got it. No-one has so far

That said, I was out in it recently and I heard somebody shouting, only to look right and see a bloke with a camera laughing his ti*s off giving me the thumbs up. Turns out that he's an Aussie on holiday in the UK. He then took a pic of the car and proceeded to ask if many poms drove one...I said most Poms didn't even know what one was

Edited by 99PBATR on Thursday 13th September 15:27

One slight fly in the ointment...Mr Max drove a Ford!!

[mfp4073]

Mad Max did indeed drive a Ford, however in the first and best film a character called the "Night Rider drove" a stolen MFP police car ( called a Pursuit Special in the film ) that car was a Holden Monaro.
No, I'm not a sad anorak.......well maybe....but just a little.

[Lincsls1]

99PBATR said:

I have to admit that I did i'm afraid...sorry to your brother. It's a good car but not without it's faults. Your brother would have had to spend a few quid on it if he planned on showing it or putting it into shows. I've put in about 50 hours so far on the paint, wet flatting and compounding, sealing and polishing it, as paint was not very well looked after. Don't get me wrong it's a good car with every conceivable mod but it does need some attention too

Good to hear of another Monaro getting a proper good home! Being so rare and different I feel they're worth saving and taking to classic status.
My recently purchased Monaro is receiving some well over due TLC too, both mechanically and cosmetically. Its going to cost a few £k to get it to a standard I'm happy with.

[Lincsls1]

mfp4073 said:

Best of luck with the car, I'll let my brother know it's gone to a good home.
I've go to say it has something of a Mad Max pursuit special about it.
If I had the cash I'd be tempted to put a blower on mine, but I must resist.......

I'd love to supercharge mine too. The ProCharger kit seems interesting and quite reasonably price. Reckons a DIY install can be done in a day too.

https://www.jegs.com/p/ProCharger/ProCharger-Super...

[mfp4073]

Lincsls1 said:

I'd love to supercharge mine too. The ProCharger kit seems interesting and quite reasonably price. Reckons a DIY install can be done in a day too.

https://www.jegs.com/p/ProCharger/ProCharger-Super...

No more please.....if I bought a blower my Mrs would declair some kind of "critical incident " I doubt it would have a pleasant ending!!!!!!!!

[99PBATR]

Don't worry I am fully aware that Mad Max drove one of the 'opposition's' cars IE Ford Falcon XB Coupe, complete with fake Wieland blower....I am an anorak too...but as stated elsewhere The Nightrider drove a Holden Monaro....i'm the nightrider baby ha ha

I can't remember what the MFP pursuit cars (Blue Yellow and Red) like the cops (and Mad Max initially I might add, drove were (Possibly Holdens?)

Edited by 99PBATR on Thursday 13th September 18:13

[99PBATR]

Lincsls1 said:

Good to hear of another Monaro getting a proper good home! Being so rare and different I feel they're worth saving and taking to classic status.
My recently purchased Monaro is receiving some well over due TLC too, both mechanically and cosmetically. Its going to cost a few £k to get it to a standard I'm happy with.

Amen to that brother....to be fair it was my old work buddy Matt who inspired me to buy one after a ride in his Red HSV Monaro, so it's his fault...but i'm sooo glad he did

[marksx]

mfp4073 said:

Mad Max did indeed drive a Ford, however in the first and best film a character called the "Night Rider drove" a stolen MFP police car ( called a Pursuit Special in the film ) that car was a Holden Monaro.
No, I'm not a sad anorak.......well maybe....but just a little.

Fuel injected suicide machine

[Lincsls1]

mfp4073 said:

No more please.....if I bought a blower my Mrs would declair some kind of "critical incident " I doubt it would have a pleasant ending!!!!!!!!

We might be able to get a fair discount on 2 kits??? Then you can fit yours and I can pay you to fit mine after you've learnt from any mistakes?

[selym]

mfp4073 said:

Mad Max did indeed drive a Ford, however in the first and best film a character called the "Night Rider drove" a stolen MFP police car ( called a Pursuit Special in the film ) that car was a Holden Monaro.
No, I'm not a sad anorak.......well maybe....but just a little.

: thumbup:

[99PBATR]

If I had been paying attention I would have noticed your forum name is mfp4073....named after one of the Mad Max interceptors perhaps?

[mfp4073]

99PBATR said:

If I had been paying attention I would have noticed your forum name is mfp4073....named after one of the Mad Max interceptors perhaps?

Mfp4073 was the police badge number of Max himself.....OK I'm busted.....I'm officially an anorak....

[Aitch H]

marksx said:

This is my second Monaro. When I sold my first, I immediately regretted it

Exactly the same position here. I totally rebuilt my first one, suspension, every rubber bush, the brakes(had AP’s) short shift, LS7 clutch with remote bleed and everything I could do to the engine whilst keeping it N/A. It made 486.2bhp at the fly and 396.8bhp at the wheels at SRR, had it 2 years and then sold it. I’m now in the process of fettling my 2nd one to get it how I want it. I’ve had it 6 months, It’s already had livernois heads, FAST intake, LS3 injectors, 3.91 truetrac LSD and been polybushed all round like my first one and I’ve just changed the throttle body and cam and it’s away with Paul from Wortec being mapped at the moment. This ones a low mileage, 3 owners from new (including me) car so I’ll be keeping this one........probably

[Coatesy351]

99PBATR said:

I can't remember what the MFP pursuit cars (Blue Yellow and Red) like the cops (and Mad Max initially I might add, drove were (Possibly Holdens?)

Edited by 99PBATR on Thursday 13th September 18:13

The blue & white MFP cars were ford falcon sedans XA & XB's.

[marksx]

Update

Next Saturday I pick up ls3 heads, valve train, modified intake, and cam from Gelf.

Saturday after the engine is going to knight engine services for machining.

I'll probably get the short block assembled there too. They will be able to size pistons, bearings and so on. Plus I don't have piston ring compressors, ring files etc.

Now I just need, gaskets, injectors, lifters, lifter trays, oil pump, water pump, core plugs, barbell restrictor...

Before the engine goes back in I'll take off the LPG stuff. Clean up the engine bay, treat the rust on chassis rails, probably get a hose kit. Could do with a nice air intake too.

Then I can look at air con repair, clutch, steering rack, box, prop, diff, brakes, suspension and finally bodywork.

I must be mad.

Edited by marksx on Saturday 22 September 08:54