'84 Montego 1.6 - Plus others...

[G51NAV]

Yeah early Monty Turbos could be a handful. Various revisions to later models tamed their unruly behaviour, and many owners have gone further by lowering/stiffening the suspension and using poly bushes. The Maestro Turbo didn't torque-steer half as much despite being the (marginally) quicker car, but none the less it benefits from similar suspension mods. However I am led to believe that the unruly bahaviour of Montego Turbos pales into almost insignificance by that of the Astra 16VGTe and home-brewed "red top" Astra Turbos: this virdict coming from an old colleague of mine who's owned one each of those and a Monty Turbo

[briandamaged]

g51nav said:

Yeah early Monty Turbos could be a handful. Various revisions to later models tamed their unruly behaviour, and may owners have gone further by lowering/stiffening the suspension and using poly bushes. The Maestro Turbo didn't torque-steer half as much despite being the (marginally) quicker car, but none the less benefits from similar suspension mods. However I am led to believe that the unruly bahaviou of Montego Turbos pales into almost insignificance by that of the Astra 16VGTe and home-brewed "red top" Astra Turbos (this coming from an old colleague of mine who's owned both one each of those and a Monty Turbo)

That's true....back in the late 1980's I was a passenger in a Mk2 Astra GTE with a Pace Products turbo conversion.......fortunately the brakes faded away to nothing before the driver ran out of talent/road. Bl00dy quick though.

[austinrover]

Thanks for the comments guys!

The red Montego in Crewe - yes I know the owner. It's a superb car - just like it has rolled out of the showroom.

As for the Montego 1.3 - I have owned two - took a fair bit longer to get to cruising altitude than the 1.3, but still fairly nippy in real terms. It promoted 'chilled out driving' as thrashing it didn't really 'do' much.

I'm glad to hear that Montegos are so highly regarded. I have yet to hear a truly bad remark about them, despite it still being fashionable for the great unwashed to take the pi*s out of BL tin!

[deathstar]

aaah montys

my mother had a 1.6 Montego Countryman estate. great car.. brand new it was!

[vicsmith]

Always thought of Maestros/Montegos as Austin Rover as opposed to BL, BL was just one of many incarnations and by no means an umbrella name for everything from the 1100 to the last Montys. BL tin to me is Allegros and Marinas.

Incidentally the last diesel countryman Estates still have a little bit of a following outside retro circles, they were very well rated and still worth good money much like the Pug 405 diesel estates.

[King Maz]

Well done on having the oldest Montego, and what a nice one too!
Isn't that an unusual combination to have the S engine with the VW box?

[G51NAV]

As far as I'm aware all 1.6 Montegos were S-series mated to VW boxes

[Samage]

I love those cars!

Don't listen to the bad bad people here, DO NOT modify them! Or I may be forced to.....erm......umm.....cry.

[IsThatSkudEnough?]

The HL is a local reg car to me, was it from Kennings?

[austinrover]

kingmaz said:

Well done on having the oldest Montego, and what a nice one too!
Isn't that an unusual combination to have the S engine with the VW box?

The S Series was mated to the VW box up until 1988 I think when it was from then on attached to a different gearbox. (PG1, I think?) The A Series Maestro/Montego used the VW box for the whole of its production run.

The HL is from Tills V. Smith in Hedingham - is that local to you, Steve?

[IsThatSkudEnough?]

No not at all, I'm in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire.

It is FU at the end of the reg right?

Steve

[gotwood]

samage said:

I love those cars!

Don't listen to the bad bad people here, DO NOT modify them! Or I may be forced to.....erm......umm.....cry.

Awww,don't cry...if they were on airride then you could drive around looking all standard and innocent ... and then pancake the sucka onto it's belly when you park up ;D
Seriously though,they look very nice as they are