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Dec 13, 2014 19:34:38 GMT
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Hey to all on retro rides, I've been reading buildthreads and flicking through this forum for quite some time now and thought it was about time I got involved. Ever since I can remember it's been old vauxhall and opels for me, mantas and monza's in particular but I won't bore you about me I'd like you to meet mandy. This is my 1980 opel monza 's', I wanted something to make my own..give it a little love and put my stamp on it!! I brought this particular car only about 3 weeks ago in the dark from a guy in a garage block in Slough..Some of you may have seen it on eeebay.     I was already comitted having just sold my daily golf gti an hour and a half before making the trip to Slough lol so no matter what she was coming home with me..After attempting to look over the car in the pitch black with a phone torch and asking the 'usual' questions lol me and my mate headed off, she felt alright well alright as a 34 year old car can feel until we hit the motor way. An awful vibrating noise occured at 50mph which seemed to shake the whole car to death, then the rear brakes kept binding but she made it home  The car came with an mot until April, the mileage reads 117,000 on the clocks, the fuel gauge, dash lights and heater doesn't work..It's had all the welding done underneath it's not the best but it's a £500 car. The 2nd day of ownership came to an end with a split jubilee clip on a water pipe, so I lost all coolant and with being in the middle of nowhere at 11 o'clock it was a phone call to the rac for a lift home..since then the jubilee clips been replaced and I've ordered leads, plugs, dizzy cap, rotor arm, discs and pads, filters a new battery and terminals and a few other service bits. My plans are to sort the problems it came with e.g fuel gauge, dash lights and heater motor first and foremost so if anyone has suggestions, wiring diagrams any info at all I would be most grateful..Other than that fit all the service parts get it mechanically sound then once that's all done the fun can begin ..I'm a panel beater by trade so the welding and body and paint work isn't going to be an issue. Eventually I will have her sitting low on a set of wheels I'm thinking corvette or porsche twists but no doubt that will change. I will update as regular as I can and if anyone has any info then please like I said feel free to share. many thanks |
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Dec 13, 2014 19:51:58 GMT
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Hi,
I remember seeing it on EBay some time ago, I nearly bid on it myself as it was a manual and not to far from me but then remembered I have nowhere to put another Monza at the moment.
Good to see another Monza getting some tlc.
As for the fuel gauge it's probably just corroded contacts at the tank, dash lights I can't help with as it could be so many things but corroded contact is a good starting point for most Monza electrical problems.
Heater motors are well known to give up on low settings but often work when put on high,
the vibration you mention could be a failed prop centre bearing or something as simple as a rear wheel out of balance.
I'm sure Ian/Phil or Elk will be along soon with some more helpful advice.
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Last Edit: Dec 13, 2014 20:51:39 GMT by Vintage75
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Dec 13, 2014 21:00:30 GMT
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Hi nice little monza I did see this in eBay.
The dash lights usually comes down to the little dial that you find by the headlight switch. U can see if this is the problem as usually it has a build up of white powder around the copper contacts also you could try joining the wires and bypassing the dial and see if that brings your dashlights on. Monza contacts are prone to contact problems as the fella before me said. As for the fuel sender try touching the wires to earth and the dial should shoot all the way to full if it does this then you know it is your sender if not then it comes down to testing wires and chasing back. Looks like a nice motor glad to see it was saved
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Dec 13, 2014 21:14:55 GMT
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Cool and a manual!
Problems with the heater blower are common. Check the switch first including the headlight switch. Not sure if the series 1 had the dimmer switch which also causes problems.
If other electrical items are causing an issue I know the earth connection can cause a multitude of sins, especially if it's been parked for a while.
Good luck.
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Dec 13, 2014 21:23:12 GMT
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Phil, you need to change your profile picture. It's false advertising  |
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Dec 13, 2014 21:31:05 GMT
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Phil, you need to change your profile picture. It's false advertising It's like a ghost haunting me! The Monza mumps never go away! |
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Dec 13, 2014 21:50:54 GMT
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Cool and a manual! Problems with the heater blower are common. Check the switch first including the headlight switch. Not sure if the series 1 had the dimmer switch which also causes problems. If other electrical items are causing an issue I know the earth connection can cause a multitude of sins, especially if it's been parked for a while. Good luck. dimmer switch that's the word I was looking for instead of dial. |
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dallow
Part of things
Posts: 253
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Dec 14, 2014 12:16:15 GMT
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Can't go wrong for £500, nice car.
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Dec 14, 2014 14:57:47 GMT
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Last Edit: Dec 15, 2014 13:05:17 GMT by rawmotive
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Dec 14, 2014 15:57:03 GMT
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Looking good,
It's always worth doing the little jobs, they can make such a difference.
You might find the heater motor just needs the brushes cleaning and a bit of freeing up if the cars been sat for a long time.
If you have any big problems with getting parts or how to get things working the give Derek @gm6 spares a ring, if he doesn't have the parts you need or know how to get it working it would be the first time in history he's a great guy and always helpful.
Also the AUTOBAHNSTORMERS would be a the best owners club to join, they have a huge amount of knowledge on the Monza.
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breng
Part of things
Posts: 223
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Dec 14, 2014 17:32:01 GMT
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A cracker for £500 - especially with a manual box
Can you weld? It may be prudent to learn or get in with somebody who can because although mechanically bombproof, these cars rot like you would'nt believe.
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Dec 14, 2014 17:51:18 GMT
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A cracker for £500 - especially with a manual box Can you weld? It may be prudent to learn or get in with somebody who can because although mechanically bombproof, these cars rot like you would'nt believe. Yeah I'm chuffed to bits with it, couldn't believe my luck for the price and the manual box..someone else actually won the auction but a mate randomly decided to contact the seller to see if he still had it, turns out the winning bidder didn't turn up result. I'm a panel beater for a vauxhall dealership by trade so weldings not a problem, full use of the bodyshop on Saturdays and lunch breaks etc the undersides been done already but like I said it's not the best but it's done...The engine bays the scruffiest part of this car..A bign hole on the inner wing and front panel behind the head light. I'll post more pics in time |
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bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,901
Club RR Member Number: 71
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Dec 14, 2014 18:18:52 GMT
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Box alone is £500 if good and has led to many manual cars being broken
I remember there is a difference between early cars and late ones in terms of dashes I think you can get the heater fan out from inside the car but the centre of the dash comes out on the early cars - later ones it's a complete dash out
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Dec 14, 2014 18:49:59 GMT
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Good pics looks to be the making of a good build thread. Keep it up mate.
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Dec 15, 2014 13:12:20 GMT
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Sooo I pulled the dash out..Not to much of a pig job, a few swear words it came out in 3 pieces which revealed this...  Which then revealed this...  The motor is completely burnt out and melted  so I guess I'll be purchasing one of those. |
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Dec 15, 2014 13:16:09 GMT
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I can't for the life of me remove the two pipes running into the bulk head that connect to the matrix rad, so the little rads dangling there for now..The air box came apart in 3 pieces. I also came across this behind the dashboard...  . The car obviously had a phone at one stage..love the eighties lol!!   This is all coming out, I also removed this..  originally it was just that box sat in my glove box dangling around doing its own thing clicking away when ever it felt like it. In my eyes it's just something else to go wrong, or drain power so it's gone. |
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Last Edit: Dec 15, 2014 13:34:20 GMT by rawmotive
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breng
Part of things
Posts: 223
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Dec 15, 2014 13:44:16 GMT
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Linwood! There's a blast from the past.
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Dec 15, 2014 14:48:53 GMT
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.
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Last Edit: Dec 15, 2014 15:00:05 GMT by rawmotive
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Dec 15, 2014 14:49:18 GMT
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Also had a go at cleaning the terminals on the fuel sender unit, changed the spade connecter and still nothing.
oh yeah nearly forgot the dash light dimmer switch had this white powder like some of you mentioned..I bypassed the switch and bridged it, and so the dash lights came on..only half of the lights though :/ lol.
Just a thought but would a digital dash be a straight forward swap? Would it fit inside my early dash like my current dials?
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Last Edit: Dec 15, 2014 14:56:44 GMT by rawmotive
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Dec 15, 2014 15:52:48 GMT
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Wow you don't mess about ,
Dash out already! And a small hoard of retro extras!
For the fan motor Derek @gm6 spare would be your best chance unless someone on here has one tucked away.
I don't think the LCD Dash is possible with out a lot of modification.
Keep up the good work.
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l
so I guess I'll be purchasing one of those.