1979 Opel Monza "Rally Car Ex Austin McHale"

[bstardchild]

Introduction

Some pics I think either PhoenixC or I found and snaffled of the interweb of a car in happer days





The find.......

Then a conversation on another forum about a potential competition Monza that was for sale started.

Spec sounded really intersting - not many Monza's got race preparation - noteably the seam welded caged and braced ex competition Monza with Manta 400 diff, two sets of fully adjustable suspension and Compomotive alloys.

The 'Swindon' motor has apparently been dyno'ed at 260 BHP, revs to well over 7k, has a Manta 400 flywheel so I'll have to buy a paddle clutch for that, and it also comes with a 'dogleg' Getrag' box.

Downside

There's been some fire damage to it but I'm told it's all very superficial.

He also has a Blydenstein, (Group 'D' I think he said), 12v head and various other curios.

As I say, it's not a done deal yet, but I'm thinking even though I can't really justify the outlay at the moment, it'd be too good a deal to pass up.

Just need to figure out how to get it home without SWMBO seeing it all!!

The reality

Some pics - recent of what it looks like now..................







It looks a right state doesn't it?

I think it's going to be stripped for the bits that can be saved

The vehicle details for B733 WES are:

Date of Liability 01 09 1990
Date of First Registration 01 03 1985
Year of Manufacture 1985
Cylinder Capacity (cc) 2968CC
CO2 Emissions Not Available
Fuel Type Petrol
Export Marker Not Applicable
Vehicle Status Unlicensed
Vehicle Colour WHITE
Vehicle Type Approval null

[Marc]

I just don't understand the logic of people stashing things like that in barns for years and allowing them to rot.

[CR500Dom]

Doesnt look that bad TBH

Fire damage always looks a lot worse than it actually is when you start stripping

Its a competition car, so the interior is pretty "Superficial" anyway, the seam welded shell and running gear should be ok too.... need a full rebuild with bushes and bearings etc but still well worth saving ;D

[penski]

who drove the monza in the brc in the early 80s? got a ticking off from the officials for removing the rear hatch on the manx rally iirc...

*n

[bstardchild]

penski said:

who drove the monza in the brc in the early 80s? got a ticking off from the officials for removing the rear hatch on the manx rally iirc...

*n

Austin McHale, Co-Driven by Christy Farrell - I think

There is a suspicion that this car was previously Lanfranchi 1985 Touring car

[akku]

eeeew.

Burnt interiors alway have a special look of yuk to them

[Robinxr4i]

The engine and body might be okay, but the cost of replacing the electrics, engine sensors, interior and everything else would huge!

superficial (possibly) easy and cheap to put right (no)

EDIT: It's a shame, hope some one with the time and energy will sort it out

[stealthstylz]

Problem with that is that you'll never get a good paintjob on it as the burnt paint will seep out of the metal even if you sandblast it.

Matt

[akku]

really?

One other thing is that there is a form of acid type thing which comes from burnt plastics, chloride based or soemthign I forget, only get it from burnt "black boxes" in 80s cars and later. If you get it on your skin it burns and you cannot do anythign about it. Saw a thing on telly years ago about a guy working on a fire damaged Acclaim (IIRC) and lost his hand with the acid burn from the black box.

[stealthstylz]

It happened a few times when I used to work at the recovery garage as one of the guys had a side of fixing damaged cars and selling em on. No matter how much paint you put on you could still see where the fire damage was under the paint it was a nightmare.

Matt

[akku]

Not one I've come across before. I bodged up the bonnet of a Mk3 Cortina after an underbonnet fire, it was a mess but mostly because I did a cack job of it. I've seen a Chevy which was restored after a fire and that was OK though.

[Lankytim]

That car is totalled!!!!!

[CR500Dom]

I`d be sending the shell to SPL for dipping and Phospating

I`m with AK, never had a problem painting over Burnt steel

Oh and thats how the Tuthills strip all their Porsche shells for Classic rallying ;D

Big Gas furnace and burn it all off ;D ;D then blast it to clean and key

As for loom and sensors, there wont be a lot in there and it wont be anything too trick either.....

Now if it was a 90`s touring car or a WRC car thats different, but that age should be pretty simple, doubt it even uses Mil-spec connectors

[bstardchild]

cr500dom said:

I`d be sending the shell to SPL for dipping and Phospating

Well it is being stripped for spares but the reason for this post was to get some second opinions as it's been condemned on another forum - I am interested in the shell as a replacement for my Monza - mainly because it's not got a sunroof and also cos its a similar age as well as having a bit of historical interest.

I actually want the bits stripped off it as once that happens the shell is going to have pretty much no value with all the best bits cherry picked - so I would hope I can snaffle it for scrap value (hopefully with a log book)

[CR500Dom]

Makes sense to me ;D

Was it a weld in Cage ?

Or was it a Bolt in

Its the right age and nationality to have had a Matter Prepared shell I would think

Which may mean Alloy Cage too

If thats the case then the cage will be scrap, if its steel it should be ok ;D

It will be a lot of work but its also a hell of a car with some proper history, its a reall shame in one respect that its being broken but if you can bag and restore the shell then thats the investment for the future

Try and keep tabs on all the parts as well......... just for reference you understand

And pics of all the components as they get stripped would be useful too

Think that Celica/Integrale/Quattro rebuild thread type pictures and you wont go far wrong

[filmidget]

F-in-l has mentioned this nasty acid before - might be in burnt brake components too?

Limbs can be lost apparently? I am sure he mentioned possible fist aid in extreme cases being an axe so it didn't spread anywhere vital!?!

[akku]

apparently if it gets into the blood stream it just eats up stuff from the inside, dunno, sounded too sci-fi to be true.

[bstardchild]

cr500dom said:

Makes sense to me ;D

Was it a weld in Cage ?

Or was it a Bolt in

if its steel it should be ok ;D

Welded in and steel - for some reason it has an alloy cage as a spare which I think has already been snaffled by another ABS member

cr500dom said:

Its the right age and nationality to have had a Matter Prepared shell I would think

I think but I'm not sure it wasn't prepapred by Matter - swindon rings a bell

cr500dom said:

It will be a lot of work but its also a hell of a car with some proper history, its a reall shame in one respect that its being broken but if you can bag and restore the shell then thats the investment for the future

Agreed - I thought that - either as a replacement shell for mine if I bin it on a track day or to use as the base for my next Monza engine - I don't want to update my Monza thread cos I think most people are sick of it but I now have sourced a 3.6 crank shaft and rods and a suitable block that will be opened out to 96mm bore and have the clearance enlarged in the rod area to take a stroked crank

This was to be the new engine for my existing car 3.7L N/A straight six but could just as easily be used in this shell and leave what I have alone

cr500dom said:

Try and keep tabs on all the parts as well......... just for reference you understand

I know where nearly all of em are going

cr500dom said:

And pics of all the components as they get stripped would be useful too

Might not be able to do that - I can ask tho ;D

cr500dom said:

Think that Celica/Integrale/Quattro rebuild thread type pictures and you wont go far wrong

I had that in my mind too

[xbo11ox]

Nah i'm sure it is true, i've heard that before, defo. I'm sure its certain types of synthetic rubber and/or electrical components that turn into it when fired.

How did this car catch on fire, was it vandalised?

Gearbox looks OK.

[bxer]

That'll be hydroflouric acid then... nasty stuff

Read all about it on Wikipedia

(Scoll down to the Safety section if the chemistry does yer head in )

and here's where it comes from: (from the article)

Hydrofluoric acid is a known hazard in car engine fires, forming when Viton o-rings and hoses are exposed to temperatures in excess of 400 °C.