1979 Opel Monza "Rally Car Ex Austin McHale"

[bstardchild]

irol said:

Great thread, loving the history... And lack of it, which means theres more to come. I didn't quite get how Tigran managed to get himself to Scotland with a Land Rover, I thought he was in Russia? And they say I get about...

Bigrod put it on his trailer and drove it from Scotland to Nottingham where he occasionally works (I think thats his head office for the company he works for)

Parked it at an Autobahnstormer Club members house for a few days (which is where Brians involvement came in) while Tigran came back from Russia and organised his "move every car he owns plus tat collection weekend marathon"

irol said:

Good to see the Monza in sound hands at last. Another one snatched from the jaws... ;D

We shall see what the shotblaster reveals when that stage of the project kicks in proper

Meantime I need to strip off everything else from the shell that can take any harm so he can get on with it

Then I am left with the issue of moving something that has no wheels or suspension components 10 miles back home......

Oh and returning a tarp to Bigrod as well as all the suspension components plus alternative gearbox that he wanted returned as part of the deal we struck......

[bigrod]

bstardchild said:

Oh and returning a tarp to Bigrod as well as all the suspension components plus alternative gearbox that he wanted returned as part of the deal we struck......

No gigantic rush chap!!

We can try and work something around the next time I'm in Notts, even if it meant me coming all the way over to yourself one night, (it's only 100 miles or so).

Not got anything scheduled till December though. I'll keep you posted.

[bstardchild]

bigrod said:

No gigantic rush chap!!

We can try and work something around the next time I'm in Notts, even if it meant me coming all the way over to yourself one night, (it's only 100 miles or so).

Not got anything scheduled till December though. I'll keep you posted.

If I can get the planned work done before then I'll be laughing

[J.P]

Your Car





The sister car



Other Monza's

Bertie Fisher




Jimmy McRae


The book


'Mad For Road' - Esler Crawford and Alan 'Plum' Tyndall

'170 Great Rally Photographs' Great book including breif info on famous drivers from Ireland and who drove in Ireland, bit of rally history and some of thee best photos ive seen. Its a very sentimental copy so i couldn't part with it but i hope if the pictures above are any use you might buy the book or contact them for a copy of the Photo(s)

Book is produced by:

www.blackstaffpress.com/catalogue/catResults.asp?catID=30&catName=Sport

Hope this is of use All the best with the project.

[bstardchild]

Damn ooh so close but no cigar - Thats a Manta

Easily confused with a Monza but they are very different cars

McHale's Manta was a weapon and a half but he couldn't use it for the COI 1987 as the spec had been banned so he had to use a Monza at short notice - he used a heck of a lot of Manta parts from what he had to get the car ready in such a short space of time - wheels for starters plus Diff and gearbox as well as all the suspension

Still I've got to get a copy of that book as I am a closet Manta Fan but I would think that the Monza probably never ever got a single mention as it was only used for two events in 1987

[briljant94]

gofasterpinch said:

if you need homologation papers, the MSA have them on file usually for "historic" reasons, not sure if they will have yours though!

I have the homologation papers.
(We are building a Monza rally group A spec and i orderd them by the dutch motorsport council)

[briljant94]

In the hood of the burned car are air intakes.
Are those original?
(in the pictures of the car in action i don't see them)

[jizzy gillespie]

pics required of your groupA briljant94, oh and welcome along!

[briljant94]

mrsigma said:

pics required of your groupA briljant94, oh and welcome along!

We are building on the car.
The car wil be painted in 2 months.
At this moment it still looks like the burnd car
Because al the welding repairs.

[bstardchild]

briljant94 said:

In the hood of the burned car are air intakes.
Are those original?(in the pictures of the car in action I don't see them)

Not original - nasty DIY style alloy vents - bonnet being scrapped and alternative that has no vents being used

[Mike D]

That doesnt look half as bad now it's out the shed

Best of luck with the rebuild BC

[Thrasher]

The enquiry is complete
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

OH ! its not taxed.........

[bstardchild]

thrasher said:

The enquiry is complete
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

OH ! its not taxed.........

It's also not that car either See earlier in the thread ;D

[bigrod]

briljant94 said:

mrsigma said:

pics required of your groupA briljant94, oh and welcome along!

We are building on the car.
The car wil be painted in 2 months.
At this moment it still looks like the burnd car
Because al the welding repairs.

Still gonna need pictures as soon as you like please!!!

Full build would be good , but anything at this stage would be interesting!!

[bstardchild]

briljant94 said:

gofasterpinch said:

if you need homologation papers, the MSA have them on file usually for "historic" reasons, not sure if they will have yours though!

I have the homologation papers.
(We are building a Monza rally group A spec and I orderd them by the dutch motorsport council)

How did I miss this!!!!

So you are "Building" one or "Rebuilding" one?

If it's a restoration I have two pictures of a Monza with dutch plates - borrowed from the internet some time ago - wondering if it's the same car?

These pics





As Bigrod said - pics are essential

[briljant94]

It's not the pink panter.
That car is still by his old owner (named Man Bergsteijn)
We are building our Monza completely from street car to rally car.
Technicly the same as the Monza's from Guy Goudezeune in Belgium.
The outside wil be a replica of a Opel Dealer Team Monza.

[bstardchild]

briljant94 said:

It's not the pink panter.
That car is still by his old owner (named Man Bergsteijn)

Thats nice to hear - Do you know the owner?

briljant94 said:

We are building our Monza completely from street car to rally car.
Technicly the same as the Monza's from Guy Goudezeune in Belgium.

Now that looks a nice car - i think I posted some pics up on here a while back

briljant94 said:

The outside wil be a replica of a Opel Dealer Team Monza.

Never seen pictures of the continental Opel Dealer team cars so I'd like to see some if you can

Note to rest of the RR masses if this is getting too of topic from the original thread sorry

[Czechered Flag]

So what are your plans for this car??


I know a lot of people who would like to see this rare rally car restored.


Have you been in contact with Austin???

[bstardchild]

havefunskomad said:

So what are your plans for this car??

Get the shell shot/soda blasted

Repaired where required

Painted in white

Strip the donor for the parts needed (that would be a lot)

Rebuild the prepped shell - refurbing and replacing parts as required

Lob a "Gold Top" 12V engine in it and slap a cam in it (hopefully getting a rally cam donated to the project) if I can't locate the original engine which is proving difficult

Get the finished car "stickered up" as per COI rally 1987 - close as I can get it

Get it registered on a proper age related plate - mot'd tax'd and insured

Take it to Ireland for any suitable Rally event show - something called "Marshalls Day" at Mondello Park seems like a plan

havefunskomad said:

I know a lot of people who would like to see this rare rally car restored.

And a few think I should burn it cos it was a boat!!! Actually thats unfair cos the majority of the Irish rally enthusiasts i've spoke to or had email conversations with have ben nothing short of amazing with their support

havefunskomad said:

Have you been in contact with Austin???

Spoke to him a few times and a lot of other people who were involved with the car too

Austin is how can I say this without being rude

1. A busy man (and probably not interested in a very small piece of rally history)
2. A man of very few words (so if he was he hasn't said)

Still gonna do it anyway ;D

[sav]

Sounds like a great plan.

This is a really interesting thread, stuff like this is brilliant.

I've always liked Monzas anyway, so that helps. As long as I don't get a hankering for one again.