Null's ultimate Dream Car Thread - A CV8 Monaro in Austria
Discussion
So driving a 1970s Holden is probably the exact opposite of your T5!
It all starts when you push the metal button in on the door handle and pull it open to hear that nice mechanical sound of the metal latch release, the highly tensioned spring at work on the door hinge and the metal on metal door cams.
Start up requires a double pump of gas to fill the carburettor, pull the mechanical choke out then a turn of the key and the 50 year old engine kicks to life with the familiar sound to the tappets as she settles into an idle.
Once she is warm, and that can take a while, release the mechanical park brake, with its familiar squeak, and ease the throttle to feel the metal weight shift. Each turn requires effort, no power steering, and again the car leans, creaks and the motor hums. Every input into the steering and throttle has a noticeable noise and movement.
On the open road you, you need to always be mindful of the extra braking distance your need, the slight delay in response on the throttle whilst the 130bhp engine pulls almost 1.2T. The winds let’s you know exactly how fast your going, coming in from all the doors.
And of course there is the attention and smiles you get on the road. People constantly wave, toot and smile and I always get people telling me stories about their first car, dads car etc
It all starts when you push the metal button in on the door handle and pull it open to hear that nice mechanical sound of the metal latch release, the highly tensioned spring at work on the door hinge and the metal on metal door cams.
Start up requires a double pump of gas to fill the carburettor, pull the mechanical choke out then a turn of the key and the 50 year old engine kicks to life with the familiar sound to the tappets as she settles into an idle.
Once she is warm, and that can take a while, release the mechanical park brake, with its familiar squeak, and ease the throttle to feel the metal weight shift. Each turn requires effort, no power steering, and again the car leans, creaks and the motor hums. Every input into the steering and throttle has a noticeable noise and movement.
On the open road you, you need to always be mindful of the extra braking distance your need, the slight delay in response on the throttle whilst the 130bhp engine pulls almost 1.2T. The winds let’s you know exactly how fast your going, coming in from all the doors.
And of course there is the attention and smiles you get on the road. People constantly wave, toot and smile and I always get people telling me stories about their first car, dads car etc
bonesxu1 said:
HT? HG? Looking very nice, looks mint! When you said 1970, I for some reason thought Brougham.
Thanks it’s a HG. Mechanicals and body has been restored and painted. Interior is original with just a clean and a couple of changes for good better condition trim I’ve found along the way would like to get a brougham, almost picked one up a few years back but had this one in works.Previous owner had it since 1972!
Would like a brougham, pasted up a HG some years back as I still had this one in works
RipGMH said:
Each turn requires effort, no power steering, and again the car leans, creaks and the motor hums. Every input into the steering and throttle has a noticeable noise and movement.
On the open road you, you need to always be mindful of the extra braking distance your need, the slight delay in response on the throttle whilst the 130bhp engine pulls almost 1.2T.
The winds let’s you know exactly how fast your going, coming in from all the doors.
Oh wow, i can almost vividly image going down the road in a vintage Holden now, awesome write-up. On the open road you, you need to always be mindful of the extra braking distance your need, the slight delay in response on the throttle whilst the 130bhp engine pulls almost 1.2T.
The winds let’s you know exactly how fast your going, coming in from all the doors.
Can definitely feel the passion you have for this car in your words!
Sounds like like every drive is real adventure. May I ask, were you a kid when these cars were "new" or lets say "still a common sight on the roads"?
Cause I feel like the "hero cars" from ones childhood heavily impact their emotional connection to cars and their thoughts on everything automotive and new inventions/tech that enters the market.
And it seems like the Monaro does take a lot of people back to their childhood/teenage hero cars/memories, with a few added benefits of a "modern" car like you said (air con, power steering, better brakes etc..)
Looks like I definitely need to experience a drive in a similar car from the 70s or 80s at some point in the future, you've got me interested.
Although I am still relatively certain I would not want to own any car from that period of time as a weekend cruiser, so passenger seat will do.
I prefer my own cars to be as rattle-, creak and wind-noise-free as possible, excluding engine/exhaust noise and turbo spool of course
And that lean and weight shift compared with unassisted and possibly lousy brakes sounds a bit frightening
But as with almost everything, I imagine you can get used to it if you want to
RipGMH. A Brougham would be getting rare I should think these days I have probably only ever seen 2 or 3 and that was in the 80's. Look after that HG very impressive looking car.
Null loving your enthusiasm for your Holden they are great to drive and bring a smile to your face every time you start them up.
Null loving your enthusiasm for your Holden they are great to drive and bring a smile to your face every time you start them up.
bonesxu1 said:
RipGMH.
Null loving your enthusiasm for your Holden they are great to drive and bring a smile to your face every time you start them up.
Thank you, sir! It's more than car brand to me, it's a lifestyle Null loving your enthusiasm for your Holden they are great to drive and bring a smile to your face every time you start them up.
Got any pics of your Ute that you can share? Always love a clean V8 Ute!
bonesxu1 said:
RipGMH. A Brougham would be getting rare I should think these days I have probably only ever seen 2 or 3 and that was in the 80's. Look after that HG very impressive looking car.
Bon’, Do you / did you live in Oz?They weren’t popular when new probably due to price, but a lot more out now. I think with Holden closing and COVID a lot of project cars have been put back on the road.
Null, your spot on. I grew up in a 1979 HJ Holden with similar driveline and driving experience. It’s actually what made me buy this car. Dad had it for 17years, lots of good memories in that car.
Driving my HG brings it all back.
Null.Performance said:
Nope, certainly haven't. Can you tell me what I missed out on?
Possibly my favorite car of all time, no matter the budget. I know in Europe they fell out of favour until they were thirty and the H-Kennzeichen clicked into place, but they do an amazing job of being able to feel both classic and modern at the same time. No driver aids, but well-designed quality, but enough flaws to not be dull. Also don't need a million horsepower to have fun, a well-designed chassis and a fantastic looking car. Also well-made to be perfectly usable every day. A mate of mine ran an 8-valve GTI for a number of years every single day, and it was a docile usable machine but also great fun, despite just 115PS. Null.Performance said:
bonesxu1 said:
RipGMH.
Null loving your enthusiasm for your Holden they are great to drive and bring a smile to your face every time you start them up.
Thank you, sir! It's more than car brand to me, it's a lifestyle Null loving your enthusiasm for your Holden they are great to drive and bring a smile to your face every time you start them up.
Got any pics of your Ute that you can share? Always love a clean V8 Ute!
Always enjoy reading your posts Null, I would love to drive one of the Holdens to Austria to sample some of those fantastic roads you've shared with us
SturdyHSV said:
Perhaps less a lifestyle and more of a medical condition for me
Always enjoy reading your posts Null, I would love to drive one of the Holdens to Austria to sample some of those fantastic roads you've shared with us
Oh my goodness, a V8 Ute, a V8 Wagon and a V8 Coupe in the driveway. The man is living his dream Always enjoy reading your posts Null, I would love to drive one of the Holdens to Austria to sample some of those fantastic roads you've shared with us
Be sure to hit me up when you take on of your Holdens across the channel and to the Alps.
I know if I ever came across another Holden on the road, I'd completely loose my mind!!!
I somehow have this wildly unrealistic dream to organize a Holden meet / road trip of some sort someday far away.
Since there are so few in continental Europe, the more folks from the UK willing to come join us down here, the better.
I only know of a few Pontiac GTOs and G8s, one Monaro, at least one Chevrolet SS and two VXR8s in Germany, one Ute in the Netherlands and Belgium respectively.
There are also a few GTOs in Sweden, one calls Finland home and one resides in Hungary.
And then there's that one red Monaro in Austria, of course
How awesome would that be, a selection of some of the most amazing cars ever made cruising together on some of the best roads on the planet!!!
Probably highly unlikely to ever happen, but a man can dream.
Oh WOW. What a stunning car!!! Always loved the Utes with the wings on the tonneau cover, so damn cool!
I see a scooped hood from a Monaro and VXR wheels, aftermarket exhaust an lowered suspension. Must be an absolute joy to drive
What else that has been done to the car? And I imagine there can't bee to many of those in the UK, did you ever encounter another one on the road?
I see a scooped hood from a Monaro and VXR wheels, aftermarket exhaust an lowered suspension. Must be an absolute joy to drive
What else that has been done to the car? And I imagine there can't bee to many of those in the UK, did you ever encounter another one on the road?
Null.Performance said:
Oh WOW. What a stunning car!!! Always loved the Utes with the wings on the tonneau cover, so damn cool!
I see a scooped hood from a Monaro and VXR wheels, aftermarket exhaust an lowered suspension. Must be an absolute joy to drive
What else that has been done to the car? And I imagine there can't bee to many of those in the UK, did you ever encounter another one on the road?
Loads of mods too many to list, forged LS1,CNC Trickflow heads, Yella-Terra roller rockers, Harrop HH122 supercharger etc etc plated diff, T56 Magnum box with Sequential shifter.I see a scooped hood from a Monaro and VXR wheels, aftermarket exhaust an lowered suspension. Must be an absolute joy to drive
What else that has been done to the car? And I imagine there can't bee to many of those in the UK, did you ever encounter another one on the road?
I'm in the Isle of Man not in the U.K technically, I found a V6 VZ crewman Ute up the north of the island a few years back which has now been exported back to Oz.
There are a couple of Monaros here and maybe two or three VXR8's . I had a visit from a Ute that is from Guernsey a couple of years ago too.
Edited by bonesxu1 on Saturday 6th February 21:02
Null.Performance said:
SturdyHSV said:
Perhaps less a lifestyle and more of a medical condition for me
Always enjoy reading your posts Null, I would love to drive one of the Holdens to Austria to sample some of those fantastic roads you've shared with us
Oh my goodness, a V8 Ute, a V8 Wagon and a V8 Coupe in the driveway. The man is living his dream Always enjoy reading your posts Null, I would love to drive one of the Holdens to Austria to sample some of those fantastic roads you've shared with us
Be sure to hit me up when you take on of your Holdens across the channel and to the Alps.
I know if I ever came across another Holden on the road, I'd completely loose my mind!!!
I somehow have this wildly unrealistic dream to organize a Holden meet / road trip of some sort someday far away.
Since there are so few in continental Europe, the more folks from the UK willing to come join us down here, the better.
How awesome would that be, a selection of some of the most amazing cars ever made cruising together on some of the best roads on the planet!!!
Probably highly unlikely to ever happen, but a man can dream.
The green machine is ready to go!
bonesxu1 said:
Loads of mods too many to list, forged LS1,CNC Trickflow heads, Yella-Terra roller rockers, Harrop HH122 supercharger etc etc plated diff, T56 Magnum box with Sequential shifter.
I'm in the Isle of Man not in the U.K technically.
Oh well, here I am, thinking my CV8 with a bone-stock LS1 delivers a "respectable" a amount of power, and certainly always has me 100% focused when I'm out and about on our 80 / 100 kph restricted Bundes- and Landesstrassen (A-roads /B-roads). I'm in the Isle of Man not in the U.K technically.
And then, along comes a madlad in a bad to the bone, manual everything RWD Ute with probably twice the hp (uneducated guess),
wheelin' it on the Isle of Man, where there are no speed limits anywhere outside of villages. Dang.
Can't even imagine how much respect that car commands even on a dry, warmed up road. Most people would probably kill themselves within minutes of getting behind the wheel of your car.
You are a completely different kind of MAD, sir. And I like it. Absolute beast of a car, enjoy
Edited by Null.Performance on Saturday 6th February 23:18
91964 said:
I’m in!! Seriously! As soon as restrictions are lifted I’m looking for any excuse to get back over to Europe. Austria and Switzerland is where my petrol powered heart is!
The green machine is ready to go!
Oh my, what a stunning VE SSV Ute... All those beautiful Utes you guys are posting almost make me suffer from some buyer's remorse right now The green machine is ready to go!
Quick, Iet me post one of my favorite pictures of my CV8 from last year to remember why I personally always preferred the coupe just a tiny bit over all the other awesome Australia utes, wagons an saloons
Awesome to hear your excitement, if we can really make that happen one day, I'll gladly show you around the best local roads and we'll definitely have ourselves a little photoshoot with our red and green Holdens
I love the Monaro coupe! My previous Holden was a red CV8. In my opinion the Monaro generation had a much better interior build quality than the VE stuff and the shape is ageing so well. It’s that interior I miss the most from my old CV8. I’m not sure the VE will age quite so well. When I saw the bright green Ute though I had to have it. No real sensible reason just because.
I have two trips that will go into Austria planned this year but they rely on organisers so I can’t be sure they will go ahead. If they don’t I will be taking matters into my own hands. The Nurburgring and the furka pass will be on our route. Would be great to get more Holden owners involved
I have two trips that will go into Austria planned this year but they rely on organisers so I can’t be sure they will go ahead. If they don’t I will be taking matters into my own hands. The Nurburgring and the furka pass will be on our route. Would be great to get more Holden owners involved
Gassing Station | HSV & Monaro | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff