The best thing you did for the barn find series recently is to bring experts with you. They add so much more interest and knoweledge- and do well on camera too.
There's never been a better case for a follow-up video..... Thar car looks so straight - a couple of days' detailing and mechanical fettling and wow - I'd have it in a heartbeat!
My father was a engineer at Opel that worked on the development of this model! My mother's family owns several dealerships in Bavaria and Thuringia. My maternal grandparents both drove Monza's . Just a minor correction... Vauxhall shared with Opel not the other way around. Vauxhall by this point were little more than rebadged production line variations of the equivalent Opel.
Johnny was right in saying that Opel was the premium badge of Vauxhall in the UK but before this C reg Monza. We had the Vauxhall Royale & Royale Coupé with a 2800 carb engine and the Open Senator & Monza with the 3 litre injected engine. There was also a Cavalier (Mk1) Sports Hatch alongside the Opel Manta. I can (just) remember there being separate Vauxhall & Opel dealerships in the town where I grew up.
@@lewis72 correct. Back in 2012 ish, my sisters boyfriend had a white mk1 Cavalier Sportshatch (rebadged Manta hatchback), a dark green/black Manta GTE Exclusive Coupe and a red mk1 Cavalier Coupe (rebadged Manta Coupe) all at the same time. The Manta definitely had more of a premium feel about it than the Cavaliers both had. He now has a mk1 Cavalier 4dr 1.8L (basically a rebadged Opel Ascona, with a Manta front end)
@@lewis72 Opel and Vauxhall were sold side by side and the Opel models were more premium than the equivalent Vauxhall. But by the time these models were sold Opel had been in charge of design and engineering for quite awhile. Vauxhall had become little more than a marketing division. Vauxhall's input amounted to little more than spec levels and revision to steering and chassis to better suit UK road conditions and buyer tastes. Vauxhall's are rebadged Opel's not the other way around.
We had a second-hand V Reg Opel Rekord. 2-litre carb with a 3-speed auto. Thirsty and not that quick, and very, very soft suspension (had to put spacers in to be able to tow a caravan with out it dragging its rear end along the ground!). Think the Vauxhall Carlton was on sale at the same time.
Dad had 3.0 1982 Senator & I loved it. Let me drive it when I passed my test in 1986. Wanted him to get a Monza but as we were a family of 4 it wasn’t exactly practical. Lovely car.
1982 is the best year model on the Senator, also had one CD until 2003 when it was lost in a car accident. Replaced with an Omega 2.6, once you've had such an engine you don't want anything else.
Johnny. When you removed the hose to the plenum to squirt starter fluid you essentially deactivated the air flow meter which is a pretty essential part of the Bosch FI system. In the future I would recommend keeping that hose in place and adding starter fluid into the air box.
that would make sense if the fuel pump was connected, it was never going to run off the funnel as there isn't enough fuel pressure to get fuel thru the injectors, so it was only using the starting fluid to fire.
I remember my Dad's dear friend owning a Opel Monza in the early eighties, in the days when I was about 10 years old. I always remembered the coupe rear of this car, and he used it to pull a boat about at the time. So makes sense that he must have had the UK 3 litre at the time. My Dad's friend died a few months ago, and this barn find brought back so many memories of so many good times when he had a Scalextric club in a barn behind his house. (....and I was 10 and wasn't allowed to have a go - This was serious 80's Scalextric for adults) These episodes of barn finds always unearth so many memories of past lives, and motoring nostalgia, which everyone can relate so much from. There must be so many garages and barns around the UK, that hold so many stories of lives and past family motoring enjoyment.
A friend had one and bemoaned the sheer weight of the rear hatch with all that glass. He wondered if it had a plastic hatch glazing, how much would it would transform the handling and acceleration.
@@jonathanpalmer155 I think that big square metre or so of glass actually balanced the front-end weight quite well. I had a couple of Rover SD1's, and when the gas struts were on their way out that hatch could give you a nasty whack on the head!
It was very heavy. Also the weight of the hatch meant it slid down on the hinges over time and then the rubber bouncy things that kept it tight didn't line up properly and the whole tailgate would start bouncing over bumps and making nasty squeaking noises at the same time.
The gas struts did indeed fail after a couple of years, and needed to be replaced, a very simple job. The 'rubber, bouncy things' that you mention, were probably adjustable by simply giving them a quarter turn anti-clockwise to raise them, and the hatch would be comfortable again. Always worked on my Rover SD-1's.
Good looking car even today, it just looks right from ever angle. I Would love to see that beauty back on the road amongst all the dreary crossovers and hatchbacks of today.
The "last" golden era of Opel, they made some interesting stuff across the price range from bottom to top till the early to mid 90s. This is a great example! Very nice car indeeeed 🍻
Hello Jonathan I hope you chops and the little ones are well. I haven’t commented in quite a while as I have been in hospital for months ( not looking for sympathy ) I had to have a couple of neck operations due to a random infection. Anyway I just wanted to say my IPAD and your videos gave me something to look forward too and kept me smiling and I cannot thank you enough. What you do has far more reaching implications than you realise. Anyway I’m on the mend and back home between visits to the hospital every 12 hours for an IV drip. Keep up the good work pal and once again thank you ❤
When I joined the navy in 1992, I owned a gold-black interior Opel Monza 2.8S from 1982. So many good memories with that car. Thanks, Johnny / Barn find team
Love the dedication. Watching you two working together and talking over each other and repeating each other reminded of my dad and I fault finding. Love it gents!
I owned one of these from 89 to 91, a beautiful car, even in its mink colour! What a great dash: years ahead of its time. Monkeys bit chunks out of the spoiler of mine at Longleat Safari Park!!
Great episode. Like it when you bring in other experts who you have great chemistry with. Much better than some of the American barnfind channels we have here.
Didn't know that, interesting. I always wonders why they never went to Australia, as the Commodore's did so well there. Mind you those V8's did a lot for them. If this was ever put out as a factory Holden V8 model it would be a highly valued muscle car classic in todays market. The whole commodore line is far more appreciated in Australia then it is Europe.
Holden said they had to modify the Commodore structure substantially for Australian road conditions and the heavier holden engines, I think initially for the Estate version, but the change was eventually adopted across the board for the whole Commodore range. If I'm not mistaken, the holden used a live axle at the back, while, at least the higher grade versions of the Opel/Vauxhall used an independent rear suspension.
@@santosh911 As I understand it, the cars that Holden managed to break were very early prototypes tested on outback dirt roads (about 2 or 3 years before production), and most of the strengthening was integrated into the rest of the V-car program, so adapting the Monza to local production using imported body panels should have been a no-brainer. Also, while you are right about the different suspension systems, there were still enough parts shared between the various versions (the Opel Rekord and the Holden Commodore had the live axle, while the Opel Senator and Monza had IRS) that HDT offered the Opel IRS as an option on some of their later cars (the VL-based Director being the most notable example) simply by changing the control arm mounting points.
My Dad owned a mark 1 Monza, it was a beast and had real presence, and it’s heavy build quality saved our lives during a nasty side on collision. My Uncke had the matching mark 1 Senator, both great cars🚗
I don't know why but those spring snapping sounds when opening that garage door are such nostalgic sounds for me. Great barn find cheers Jonny and team!
It's a lovely car, I remember these n other executive Vauxhall/Opel's back in the day, my friends dad had a really nice Carlton with brown interior n brown tint windows n high spec everything, really special well built car. Love these time capsules, in fond memory makers here in the Barn finds. Cheers Jonny, hope Chops forgave your late dinner arrival.
Love the fact that John Lakey took so many hours of his time to get this random Monza to fire. Gotta love an enthusiast even when they make it for a living. Ace!
I'm a Manta man myself, had 3 of them including the current Exclusive coupe, but always loved the Monza GSE too! Awesome motor.....so sporty and stylish with those lovely Recaro's and the sound of that straight six! :)
I had a Opel Kadette in the late 70s then a Opel Escona , both good cars. But I used to see a Gold coloured Monza every day on a forecourt in Earlstown. The price on the windscreen was just too much for me, having a young family, so I never bought it. Looking at this video makes me realise what I missed. Good video.
I absolutely loved these back in my youth! Fabulous looking cars. I'm sure I've got an original brochure somewhere (feeling the urge to go digging now!). I would happily drive this now! Please do a follow up on this car when it's running Jonny!!🙏
The best car I ever had, I would love to have 1 again, very underrated, 190e killer,which I proved many times! I could go on all night, that's how good the car is. A few problems with inner wings and leaking water but I'd have another any day..fantastic car
OMG. This was my dream car as a kid! My dad had many Vauxhalls, which made me a fan. I can still remember drooling over this (And its Senator big brother) in vauxhall brochures in the 80's. Please someone restore this beauty (and do a video obviously!)
Great videos these. I knew less than nothing about cars 2yrs ago. Fast forward 2yrs - ignoring my wife and kids most evenings, and binge watching videos. I’m now fairly informed.
As a yank I love seeing UK/Europe market only cars like this. Very cool indeed. Reminds me of the Chevrolet Cavalier or Beretta we had here in the US. 180hp and 180 lb ft back in the 80s was pretty damn powerful too.
Great video, my first job in the motor trade in 1986 was as a junior sales man with Vauxhall in Preston. Remember having 2 new ones on display and the only way they sold was by the Dealer Principal running them. Plenty of write down then find a victim. I used to fuel his car up twice a week and felt a million dollars smoking it down the road for a tank of Shells finest. We repossessed more than we sold then the 1987 Senator came along and that was the end of the Monza. Was it called Carnelian Red? Needs saving and enjoying. Good effort trying to get it going. Keep finding them Jonny.
I remember seeing them for the first at the local car dealers, and then seeing being driven by family friends. I remember this guy by his voice. The old Opel commodore from the 60's was in a film with Charles Bronson called the mechanic with an up and coming Jan Michael Vincent. I always wanted an Opel Manta in German appliance white.
Can't get enough of these videos. The car itself doesn't matter, Vauxhalls/Opels do nothing for me, yet I'm sat here willing it to start. Ace, keep it up please.
I had a Manta and always looked at the Monza but they were out of my price range insurance wise as a youngish lad. And what a nice example this could be with not too much effort. A few bits for the fuel storage and delivery and I bet she sputters to life.
Just listening to Smith and Sniff - and yes, you’re right - there is SO a following for the Monza and anything we grew up with!! Can’t wait for you to give us an update on the chap looking for his dads Cavalier GSI 2000 4x4!
This takes me right back! We used to tool around west London in a white one of these in 86/87 listening to simple minds when we were 17. my mate was a few years older and worked for monorep the opel dealer in Southall so he got a great deal on it. it was wicked sorely tempted to start looking for one of these…
I was once driven by a mad Greek mate in the Vauxhall equivalent in pouring rain down the M40 in the mid-80s at 120mph... won't forget that in a hurry 😱
Love this, my father had a b plate senator 3.0cd in the gold metalic colour. I loved it, the LCD dash, the noise of the straight 6 and it was the first car we ever had with AC. Funny enough Dad wanted a ghia x granada, but the Scorpio new shape was just coming out and instead with got the big vauxhall. In the showroom when we collected it was a monza GSE in black and it was amazing. A real muscle car and so good looking.
Great episode the Monza looked in great condition,they do suffer from rot especially around the front suspension turrets. I bought a white one 20 years a go and I still have it, I just love the shape of them and of course the digital dash.
I have always loved a monza, it's funny as a kid with no Internet all you had to find out the vauxhall range was your eyes and what was on the road lol. Lovely car . Another cracker Johnny.
Cheers Johnny, yeah those cars were popular in the Netherlands when I was young. That's probably why I still like them 40 years later. Thank you for the trip down to memory lane.
I just knew this was going to be the Monza. My dad's mate had one and we borrowed it once. I was only 14 and it was my dream car. The digital dash blew my mind. I've still get a photo of myself standing with the car.
It was...no wait....is a great car. I used to love them as a kid. They were up there with the BMW 6 series. They were nicely made and well-engineered. Such an underrated car.
Yes, the difference is that the BMW has worse road characteristics, when the BMW 6 reaches the limit and loses grip it becomes dangerous and throws out violently, the Monza is safety itself and doesn't come up with anything. Otherwise, Opel's trip computer is completely superior to BMW's
@@Djeseret I would love to agree with you but I had a BMW 535 and 325 series from the same period, you knew when you were close to the limit. I just thought that the Monza was massively underrated and was as good as BMW but not better. The Munich taxi is appreciated now, but the Monza is sadly ignored and that is wrong.
@@stephenconway2468 Well those are different experiences, the guy who told me the 6- series was unsafe and the Monza safer in comparison, was a motoring journalist at a magazine specializing in supercars. Otherwise, it is not a strange statement because everyone in all times recognized that Opel always had safe characteristics even if they were not always entertaining, safety and predictability have never been questioned, on the other hand, entertaining cars are often less safe, it is an old experience, and especially BMW has performed one of the most dangerous cars ever, with such characteristics in the first 3- series E21 1976-1980, in a test by TÜV it flipped over and ended up on the roof, BMW has never admitted the fault. What I know myself, is the trip computer where there is no doubt in any case..
@@Djeseret The 325 had a tail happy reputation, but really you had to be driving too fast. A lot of yuppies were perhaps driving beyond their ability or the road conditions. The M635 was more re-active than the XJS or MB 560 SEL but never unsafe. It was a tourer and handling itself that way. I never read a bad word about it. Anyway, the Monza was a great car and underrated too. I'd be happy to have either car.
My Brother in law had one, bought new with air con and fully optioned. It was a superb car to drive. We travelled far and across Europe in it . I had the Manta GTE coupe. He replaced the Monza after a few years with a Toyota Supra. I moved on to a Mercedes SL500. Great times in the 80s.
Great to see so much Monza love coming out in the comments! I've probably driven 200k plus in Monzas and always enjoyed them. A big thanks to Jonny and Richard 'Sniff Petrol' Porter for making it happen.
I loved these as a young teenager growing up. A guy who had his own company had a silver one. Immaculate and his private reg was MD 1. Worth more than the car.
Wow...a blast from the past😍..Brings back great memories for me as I owned a silver GSE 1986 on a D plate in the early 90's..px'd a cavalier sri130 for it and had It for 5 years and whilst I owned it I had a light resto and full respray so it was mint...still got a new OE GSE bonnet decal knocking about somewhere. Loved that car👌
My late Dad absolutely loved the Monza and would have loved to have had one. I was actually hoping this episode was going to be about my late Mothers first car...she passed her test in a Mini and went straight to a 1900cc Opel Manta Berlinetta. It was an L reg and a copper colour, 2 doors and a lovely slope from the roof to the edge of the boot lid. It had the twin front lights each side, twin rear lights and a twin tailpipe. I was around 9 when she bought it ready for passing her test. EDIT: Just looking at this beautiful Monza reminds me of the car which my Dad had which was a T reg Vauxhall Cavalier Sports Hatch. His was the 1600 (GLS?) in a gorgeous blue. The Cavalier Sports Hatch was very like a small Monza as in it was a two door with the large back sloped window. There were some beautiful cars around that time and my parents were proud of both their Opel and Vauxhall.
Had visions of an Opel Manta Coupé but these were noteworthy too, remember them together with the Granada fastback somehow seemed to encapsulate the world when cars actually had such a thing as character.
One of my mates older brothers used to have a Manta and another mates older brother had a stolen recovered astra gte with the digital dash and solex locks, was a 5 door though.
I always wondered where Holden in Australia got the name Commodore, I knew the car was a modified Opel, but never knew they took the name as well, always learning something new from Jonny, Rj in Oz
Love it Jonny. One point though, being somewhat of an afficionado of TLBS barn finds I'm surprised you don't just bring a fuel pump and relay for every barn find.
used to go on holiday in south devon every school break growing up and there was a lovely white GSE Monza parked up on the street. always loved the look of them and this looks so clean.
I love everything about this car and would buy it in a heartbeat if it was up for sale! Thanks for another excellent barn find! Sorry you couldn't get it started!
I had a 1977 Opel Ascona 1.9 2 door and loved it. Opels always seemed to be better built than the Vauxhall equivalent. The Monza was certainly an exec cruiser in the day. It always amazes me that folk don't buy a breathable car cover for indoor storage. Worth the money.
For me, this is one of the most desirable cars ever. I test drove an immaculate Monza GSE -86 in 1998. I still regret not buying it. The issue then was that to insure it would have been half the price of the car every year. Too many of them where stolen when new here in Sweden. I had four Opel Ascona B and one Manta GTE before that, so RWD Opels was the thing for young me. I ended up with a SAAB 9000 turbo -88 instead. Probably a better and faster car anyway.
A strange time, when under GM, Opel and Vauxhall were sort of "the same but different" in the UK. I always thought the Vauxhall model of the A1 Monza slightly cheapened the image. I cannot say why. The Monza was lovely. I never owned or drove one, but got an epic lift in a RHD A1 in 1982 and it felt like a Bentley. That sort of car rarely stopped for hitchers. Ultimately, a forgettable and rightly forgotten car from a design blind alley that tried to eke some life out of tired underpinnings... But for all that, it is also a pure and flavoursome dish of nostalgia. Excellent find... Just excellent.
If you swap + and - in the pump a few times you are moving it in both directions and often it will come back to live. Also those fuel pump relays were very prone to failure, there is chap in the US that make solid state direct replacements for the Porsche 944 - ftech9-.They also work in any Motronic, not sure Jetronic. It works fine in my Kadett and there is a version that adds 3 second prime, very useful for ethanol todays petrol
Yes great idea for the Motronic system. Jetronic is analogue and very different so the fuel pump relays are different too. I'm a 924 owner so I'm familiar with K-Jetronic, and I owned a 944 in the past.
Useful tip thanks Ismael about ftech9 relays. Just checked out their website as I'm using Motronic on my Manta coupe. Terminal assignments are the same on my relay so will investigate further.
@@davideverett9848. You are welcome. I have been using their relay for a couple of years. They work very well. The 3 second priming works every time you turn the ignition on. It helps a lot with hot start in hot conditions, due to evaporation in the injection ramp, which it was common in their day but worst now with ethanol.
One of my all time favourite Vauxhall/ Opel Cars, This was my favourite era of Vauxhall/Opel 1983 to 1993 , Superb video Johnny hopefully they'll be a follow up video to this.
Great episode! Frustrating about the no start - Why wasnt the fuel pump fuse mentioned? That could quite likely have been the culprit (furred up rather than failed entirely)... Also the relay could most likely have been swapped for a different one, for example the horn relay or something... Hope the owner digs this out and starts using it again. It's far too cool to languish!
@@MrOvershoot I am not sure that 12v was directly applied to the pump…. Whether the pump worked or not (it was probably seized), it had no +12 from the ignition and the fuse didn’t appear to have been checked…
@@Auto_Funk Well I assumed Jonny under the rear of the car with a 12v supply pushed onto the pump terminals was the directly applied bit? but only Jonny can tell us that!
You’re an automotive archaeologist now. Your vehicle should always have basic items to revive a car that has been lying patiently in its tomb. A portable air compressor, electric or 12 V, a fresh battery, your Petrol can made by Tony Bmw, because injection systems need pressure to satisfy the fuel system. Dumping it in a funnel only works for carbureted models. Other assorted tools, a couple cans of starting fluid, some good lighting that can hang on the bonnet, and a good tow strap to bring it out into the daylight. Never leave home without those items! Edit: with the knowledge of the car you’re going to look at, you should always splurge for a new electric fuel pump, because cars that sit for more than five years, chances are the fuel pump is all locked up. Worst case scenario is you need it, best case scenario is you return it. But at least you have it.
I went on a few really long drives recently and started to realise the real necessity of a GT car. The bolstered seats the comfort and the power make so much sense on those long back ache journeys in a less comfortable car.. great show as ever. Still need a boost pack sponsor that actually works! step up sponsors these barn find fans will buy your proven booster!
My dad had a white Monza 3.0 GSE back in '86. Was that or SD1 Vitesse. Had huge Cibie fog lamps fitted. Sold his Capri 2.8 to buy it. Still looks a fresh design. Sold it to buy a very unreliable Sierra Cosworth.
Digital Dashboard, pure 80s Magic, i LOVE It, everybody loves It!
What the future used to look like.
Vauxhall senator dual ram 3.0 CDi was the same budd
Had a 1988 Senator 3.0 great dashboard 🙂
@Jeremy Brown LOL
Astra GTE 2.0 ...... dig dash ! How could I forget.
The best thing you did for the barn find series recently is to bring experts with you. They add so much more interest and knoweledge- and do well on camera too.
💯
Couldnt agree more
100% agree with that. 👍
I liked this expert in particular, keeping the TH-camr straight in terms of "what we try next" to get the old girl running. He knows his onions!😉
Agreed
There's never been a better case for a follow-up video.....
Thar car looks so straight - a couple of days' detailing and mechanical fettling and wow - I'd have it in a heartbeat!
Thanks for the love. Send me a text above🔝🔝🔝 I have something for you......
This looks like the cleanest barn find on this channel by far. It's beautiful.
My father was a engineer at Opel that worked on the development of this model!
My mother's family owns several dealerships in Bavaria and Thuringia.
My maternal grandparents both drove Monza's .
Just a minor correction...
Vauxhall shared with Opel not the other way around.
Vauxhall by this point were little more than rebadged production line variations of the equivalent Opel.
Johnny was right in saying that Opel was the premium badge of Vauxhall in the UK but before this C reg Monza.
We had the Vauxhall Royale & Royale Coupé with a 2800 carb engine and the Open Senator & Monza with the 3 litre injected engine.
There was also a Cavalier (Mk1) Sports Hatch alongside the Opel Manta.
I can (just) remember there being separate Vauxhall & Opel dealerships in the town where I grew up.
@@lewis72 correct. Back in 2012 ish, my sisters boyfriend had a white mk1 Cavalier Sportshatch (rebadged Manta hatchback), a dark green/black Manta GTE Exclusive Coupe and a red mk1 Cavalier Coupe (rebadged Manta Coupe) all at the same time. The Manta definitely had more of a premium feel about it than the Cavaliers both had. He now has a mk1 Cavalier 4dr 1.8L (basically a rebadged Opel Ascona, with a Manta front end)
beautiful car
@@lewis72 Opel and Vauxhall were sold side by side and the Opel models were more premium than the equivalent Vauxhall.
But by the time these models were sold Opel had been in charge of design and engineering for quite awhile.
Vauxhall had become little more than a marketing division.
Vauxhall's input amounted to little more than spec levels and revision to steering and chassis to better suit UK road conditions and buyer tastes.
Vauxhall's are rebadged Opel's not the other way around.
We had a second-hand V Reg Opel Rekord. 2-litre carb with a 3-speed auto. Thirsty and not that quick, and very, very soft suspension (had to put spacers in to be able to tow a caravan with out it dragging its rear end along the ground!). Think the Vauxhall Carlton was on sale at the same time.
Dad had 3.0 1982 Senator & I loved it. Let me drive it when I passed my test in 1986. Wanted him to get a Monza but as we were a family of 4 it wasn’t exactly practical. Lovely car.
1982 is the best year model on the Senator, also had one CD until 2003 when it was lost in a car accident. Replaced with an Omega 2.6, once you've had such an engine you don't want anything else.
Always liked the look of the Royale/Monza
I didn't think I'd be all that’ll interested in these until you rolled it out of the garage. Looks absolutely ace! Love it.
It is a handsome car, cruelly overlooked. Jonny loved it.
That footpump sequence....chef's kiss!
Ha!
I had forgotten how stunning these cars actually were. In a realistic world this could be my dream car.
Johnny. When you removed the hose to the plenum to squirt starter fluid you essentially deactivated the air flow meter which is a pretty essential part of the Bosch FI system. In the future I would recommend keeping that hose in place and adding starter fluid into the air box.
I was going to comment this also but it can still work with the AFM not connected if you just hold the AFM open a little.
Not enough arms
that would make sense if the fuel pump was connected, it was never going to run off the funnel as there isn't enough fuel pressure to get fuel thru the injectors, so it was only using the starting fluid to fire.
I was shouting exactly the same.
I remember my Dad's dear friend owning a Opel Monza in the early eighties, in the days when I was about 10 years old. I always remembered the coupe rear of this car, and he used it to pull a boat about at the time. So makes sense that he must have had the UK 3 litre at the time. My Dad's friend died a few months ago, and this barn find brought back so many memories of so many good times when he had a Scalextric club in a barn behind his house. (....and I was 10 and wasn't allowed to have a go - This was serious 80's Scalextric for adults)
These episodes of barn finds always unearth so many memories of past lives, and motoring nostalgia, which everyone can relate so much from.
There must be so many garages and barns around the UK, that hold so many stories of lives and past family motoring enjoyment.
Those 80's Opels were sadly underrated. I would love to have a Monza like this.
A friend had one and bemoaned the sheer weight of the rear hatch with all that glass. He wondered if it had a plastic hatch glazing, how much would it would transform the handling and acceleration.
@@jonathanpalmer155 I think that big square metre or so of glass actually balanced the front-end weight quite well. I had a couple of Rover SD1's, and when the gas struts were on their way out that hatch could give you a nasty whack on the head!
It was very heavy. Also the weight of the hatch meant it slid down on the hinges over time and then the rubber bouncy things that kept it tight didn't line up properly and the whole tailgate would start bouncing over bumps and making nasty squeaking noises at the same time.
The gas struts did indeed fail after a couple of years, and needed to be replaced, a very simple job. The 'rubber, bouncy things' that you mention, were probably adjustable by simply giving them a quarter turn anti-clockwise to raise them, and the hatch would be comfortable again. Always worked on my Rover SD-1's.
@@olafeklund6200 yes, you could turn them to raise them but even on the highest position, it wouldn't stop the hatch bouncing on my one, sadly.
Good looking car even today, it just looks right from ever angle. I Would love to see that beauty back on the road amongst all the dreary crossovers and hatchbacks of today.
Thanks for the love. Send me a text above🔝🔝🔝 I have something for you......
The "last" golden era of Opel, they made some interesting stuff across the price range from bottom to top till the early to mid 90s. This is a great example! Very nice car indeeeed 🍻
Hello Jonathan I hope you chops and the little ones are well. I haven’t commented in quite a while as I have been in hospital for months ( not looking for sympathy ) I had to have a couple of neck operations due to a random infection. Anyway I just wanted to say my IPAD and your videos gave me something to look forward too and kept me smiling and I cannot thank you enough. What you do has far more reaching implications than you realise. Anyway I’m on the mend and back home between visits to the hospital every 12 hours for an IV drip. Keep up the good work pal and once again thank you ❤
I absolutely loved these when I was young, turns out I still do. That one is in remarkable condition
When I joined the navy in 1992, I owned a gold-black interior Opel Monza 2.8S from 1982. So many good memories with that car. Thanks, Johnny / Barn find team
I always loved the Monza back in the day. That colour was my favourite as well.👍👍
Achat Rot L 518
Holy smokes, I'd forgotten about these! Takes me back, what a nice example with great bodywork!
Love the dedication. Watching you two working together and talking over each other and repeating each other reminded of my dad and I fault finding. Love it gents!
I owned one of these from 89 to 91, a beautiful car, even in its mink colour! What a great dash: years ahead of its time. Monkeys bit chunks out of the spoiler of mine at Longleat Safari Park!!
Great episode. Like it when you bring in other experts who you have great chemistry with. Much better than some of the American barnfind channels we have here.
Straight from the garage after a long sleep this car still looks great!
Beautiful car, friend of my dad was a serial Monza buyer. white and green ones were his fav. My mate also had a bronze one which was lovely.
Love the term serial Monza buyer...
I had one of these. Loved it !
Peter Brock tried bringing these over to Australia in the 80’s and wanted to put 5.0lt V8’s in them.
Great looking car in my opinion.
Cheers Pat🇦🇺
Didn't know that, interesting. I always wonders why they never went to Australia, as the Commodore's did so well there. Mind you those V8's did a lot for them. If this was ever put out as a factory Holden V8 model it would be a highly valued muscle car classic in todays market. The whole commodore line is far more appreciated in Australia then it is Europe.
I know he made at least one black one, saw it in a car yard in Brisbane in the late ‘80s
Holden said they had to modify the Commodore structure substantially for Australian road conditions and the heavier holden engines, I think initially for the Estate version, but the change was eventually adopted across the board for the whole Commodore range. If I'm not mistaken, the holden used a live axle at the back, while, at least the higher grade versions of the Opel/Vauxhall used an independent rear suspension.
@@santosh911 As I understand it, the cars that Holden managed to break were very early prototypes tested on outback dirt roads (about 2 or 3 years before production), and most of the strengthening was integrated into the rest of the V-car program, so adapting the Monza to local production using imported body panels should have been a no-brainer. Also, while you are right about the different suspension systems, there were still enough parts shared between the various versions (the Opel Rekord and the Holden Commodore had the live axle, while the Opel Senator and Monza had IRS) that HDT offered the Opel IRS as an option on some of their later cars (the VL-based Director being the most notable example) simply by changing the control arm mounting points.
To my knowledge the one 5 Litre HDT Monza built still exists... I've seen it at a couple of car shows over the years
My Dad owned a mark 1 Monza, it was a beast and had real presence, and it’s heavy build quality saved our lives during a nasty side on collision. My Uncke had the matching mark 1 Senator, both great cars🚗
I don't know why but those spring snapping sounds when opening that garage door are such nostalgic sounds for me.
Great barn find cheers Jonny and team!
It's a lovely car, I remember these n other executive Vauxhall/Opel's back in the day, my friends dad had a really nice Carlton with brown interior n brown tint windows n high spec everything, really special well built car.
Love these time capsules, in fond memory makers here in the Barn finds.
Cheers Jonny, hope Chops forgave your late dinner arrival.
Johns a knowledgeable chap. Convenient find
Mr Lakey is a Monza guru
Love the fact that John Lakey took so many hours of his time to get this random Monza to fire. Gotta love an enthusiast even when they make it for a living. Ace!
I'm a Manta man myself, had 3 of them including the current Exclusive coupe, but always loved the Monza GSE too! Awesome motor.....so sporty and stylish with those lovely Recaro's and the sound of that straight six! :)
Thanks for the love. Send me a text above🔝🔝🔝 I have something for you......
I worked for A.C.Delco in Kirkby UK and drove a few of these that the chief engineer had. Nice motors.
That thing is gorgeous, the profile and the dashboard especially.
Another great episode, hope she’s up and running again soon.
I had a Opel Kadette in the late 70s then a Opel Escona , both good cars. But I used to see a Gold coloured Monza every day on a forecourt in Earlstown. The price on the windscreen was just too much for me, having a young family, so I never bought it. Looking at this video makes me realise what I missed. Good video.
A brilliant episode, a stunning example of a Monza , excellent content 👌👌👌
Looks stunning in white with the black faced alloys
I absolutely loved these back in my youth! Fabulous looking cars. I'm sure I've got an original brochure somewhere (feeling the urge to go digging now!). I would happily drive this now! Please do a follow up on this car when it's running Jonny!!🙏
I agree....we need to see a follow up!
NEVER SEEN THAT MODEL BEFORE 👍👍GREAT LOOKING CAR 👍👍
Love it. Classic 80’s coupe shape. Looked in good nick. Pity the fuel pump wasn’t playing ball.
The best car I ever had, I would love to have 1 again, very underrated, 190e killer,which I proved many times! I could go on all night, that's how good the car is. A few problems with inner wings and leaking water but I'd have another any day..fantastic car
OMG. This was my dream car as a kid! My dad had many Vauxhalls, which made me a fan. I can still remember drooling over this (And its Senator big brother) in vauxhall brochures in the 80's. Please someone restore this beauty (and do a video obviously!)
My mum had one of these when I was a kid, the shape, clean white design and most importantly the digital dash filled me with automotive excitement!
What a beautiful motor, hope you can stay in touch with the owner and let us see it as a runner
Great videos these. I knew less than nothing about cars 2yrs ago. Fast forward 2yrs - ignoring my wife and kids most evenings, and binge watching videos. I’m now fairly informed.
As a yank I love seeing UK/Europe market only cars like this. Very cool indeed. Reminds me of the Chevrolet Cavalier or Beretta we had here in the US. 180hp and 180 lb ft back in the 80s was pretty damn powerful too.
Cheers Paul. Yeah, these were well made and tasteful coupes.
Good to see John Lakey. Legend.
That is a cool looking car!
This deserves to be on the road and appreciated!
PLEASE do a follow up on this car!
Seeing the digital dash light up took me right back to my older brother’s Astra GTE. Love the old vauxhauls
Great video, my first job in the motor trade in 1986 was as a junior sales man with Vauxhall in Preston. Remember having 2 new ones on display and the only way they sold was by the Dealer Principal running them. Plenty of write down then find a victim. I used to fuel his car up twice a week and felt a million dollars smoking it down the road for a tank of Shells finest. We repossessed more than we sold then the 1987 Senator came along and that was the end of the Monza. Was it called Carnelian Red? Needs saving and enjoying. Good effort trying to get it going. Keep finding them Jonny.
This is my favourite youtube show. More interesting than the car cave, which can feel a bit indulgent, this is about car nuts pure and simple.
I remember seeing them for the first at the local car dealers, and then seeing being driven by family friends.
I remember this guy by his voice.
The old Opel commodore from the 60's was in a film with Charles Bronson called the mechanic with an up and coming Jan Michael Vincent.
I always wanted an Opel Manta in German appliance white.
Can't get enough of these videos. The car itself doesn't matter, Vauxhalls/Opels do nothing for me, yet I'm sat here willing it to start. Ace, keep it up please.
I had a Manta and always looked at the Monza but they were out of my price range insurance wise as a youngish lad. And what a nice example this could be with not too much effort. A few bits for the fuel storage and delivery and I bet she sputters to life.
You could have just bridged the liven earth on the fuse board to make the pump run all the time
@@maverick4177 good idea.👌
I think the old body Manta is nicer.
@@Jonsson474 I did loved my Manta it was second gen, but the first ones did look much nicer. 👌
@@dcallan812 Agreed , mk1 Mantas are stunning. Cost a lot now Id say. Sure all good looking classic do anyway.
Just listening to Smith and Sniff - and yes, you’re right - there is SO a following for the Monza and anything we grew up with!! Can’t wait for you to give us an update on the chap looking for his dads Cavalier GSI 2000 4x4!
This takes me right back! We used to tool around west London in a white one of these in 86/87 listening to simple minds when we were 17. my mate was a few years older and worked for monorep the opel dealer in Southall so he got a great deal on it. it was wicked sorely tempted to start looking for one of these…
Great memories. Thanks for sharing.
Love the synthwave music you put into the video while washing the car!!! Amazing addition to the flavour of the car era.
What a fabulous car - not seen one before.
John was great - hope to see him again!
I was once driven by a mad Greek mate in the Vauxhall equivalent in pouring rain down the M40 in the mid-80s at 120mph... won't forget that in a hurry 😱
Love this, my father had a b plate senator 3.0cd in the gold metalic colour. I loved it, the LCD dash, the noise of the straight 6 and it was the first car we ever had with AC. Funny enough Dad wanted a ghia x granada, but the Scorpio new shape was just coming out and instead with got the big vauxhall. In the showroom when we collected it was a monza GSE in black and it was amazing. A real muscle car and so good looking.
Great episode the Monza looked in great condition,they do suffer from rot especially around the front suspension turrets. I bought a white one 20 years a go and I still have it, I just love the shape of them and of course the digital dash.
I have always loved a monza, it's funny as a kid with no Internet all you had to find out the vauxhall range was your eyes and what was on the road lol.
Lovely car .
Another cracker Johnny.
Great video. Great looking car. So much 80’s goodness
Cheers Johnny, yeah those cars were popular in the Netherlands when I was young. That's probably why I still like them 40 years later. Thank you for the trip down to memory lane.
Thanks for the love. Send me a text above🔝🔝🔝 I have something for you...
What a great looking car - and awesome colour scheme … and those wheels 😍
Bloody love a big swoopy Coupe, wish they would come back into fashion! What a beautiful motor 😍😍😍
Lovely car! Was hoping to see it run!!
Tap the fuel pump the same as you would a stuck solenoid on a starter. Can sometimes do the trick! 👍👍
I just knew this was going to be the Monza. My dad's mate had one and we borrowed it once. I was only 14 and it was my dream car. The digital dash blew my mind. I've still get a photo of myself standing with the car.
It was...no wait....is a great car. I used to love them as a kid. They were up there with the BMW 6 series. They were nicely made and well-engineered. Such an underrated car.
Yes, the difference is that the BMW has worse road characteristics, when the BMW 6 reaches the limit and loses grip it becomes dangerous and throws out violently, the Monza is safety itself and doesn't come up with anything.
Otherwise, Opel's trip computer is completely superior to BMW's
@@Djeseret I would love to agree with you but I had a BMW 535 and 325 series from the same period, you knew when you were close to the limit. I just thought that the Monza was massively underrated and was as good as BMW but not better.
The Munich taxi is appreciated now, but the Monza is sadly ignored and that is wrong.
@@stephenconway2468 Well those are different experiences, the guy who told me the 6- series was unsafe and the Monza safer in comparison, was a motoring journalist at a magazine specializing in supercars.
Otherwise, it is not a strange statement because everyone in all times recognized that Opel always had safe characteristics even if they were not always entertaining, safety and predictability have never been questioned, on the other hand, entertaining cars are often less safe, it is an old experience, and especially BMW has performed one of the most dangerous cars ever, with such characteristics in the first 3- series E21 1976-1980, in a test by TÜV it flipped over and ended up on the roof, BMW has never admitted the fault.
What I know myself, is the trip computer where there is no doubt in any case..
@@Djeseret The 325 had a tail happy reputation, but really you had to be driving too fast. A lot of yuppies were perhaps driving beyond their ability or the road conditions.
The M635 was more re-active than the XJS or MB 560 SEL but never unsafe. It was a tourer and handling itself that way. I never read a bad word about it.
Anyway, the Monza was a great car and underrated too. I'd be happy to have either car.
My Brother in law had one, bought new with air con and fully optioned. It was a superb car to drive. We travelled far and across Europe in it . I had the Manta GTE coupe. He replaced the Monza after a few years with a Toyota Supra. I moved on to a Mercedes SL500. Great times in the 80s.
Great to see so much Monza love coming out in the comments! I've probably driven 200k plus in Monzas and always enjoyed them. A big thanks to Jonny and Richard 'Sniff Petrol' Porter for making it happen.
Thanks for the love. Send me a text above🔝🔝🔝 I have something for you...
I loved these as a young teenager growing up. A guy who had his own company had a silver one. Immaculate and his private reg was MD 1. Worth more than the car.
I have a silver one and I think at one point the registration number was MD1 , it needs a lot of work but will have it on the road one day.
Honestly these are such an underrated car and they have a lot of potential
i have always loved the Opel's / Vauxhall's of the 80's & 90's . Solid reliable daily cars + in rallies
Wow...a blast from the past😍..Brings back great memories for me as I owned a silver GSE 1986 on a D plate in the early 90's..px'd a cavalier sri130 for it and had It for 5 years and whilst I owned it I had a light resto and full respray so it was mint...still got a new OE GSE bonnet decal knocking about somewhere. Loved that car👌
Really beautiful find!!
FYI: Senator A and Monza were released in Autumn 1977, not 76 or 75. 🙂
Best regards from Germany!!
My late Dad absolutely loved the Monza and would have loved to have had one.
I was actually hoping this episode was going to be about my late Mothers first car...she passed her test in a Mini and went straight to a 1900cc Opel Manta Berlinetta. It was an L reg and a copper colour, 2 doors and a lovely slope from the roof to the edge of the boot lid. It
had the twin front lights each side, twin rear lights and a twin tailpipe. I was around 9 when she bought it ready for passing her test.
EDIT: Just looking at this beautiful Monza reminds me of the car which my Dad had which was a T reg Vauxhall Cavalier Sports Hatch. His was the 1600 (GLS?) in a gorgeous blue. The Cavalier Sports Hatch was very like a small Monza as in it was a two door with the large back sloped window. There were some beautiful cars around that time and my parents were proud of both their Opel and Vauxhall.
Had visions of an Opel Manta Coupé but these were noteworthy too, remember them together with the Granada fastback somehow seemed to encapsulate the world when cars actually had such a thing as character.
It did not come with the electric dashboard ;)
One of my mates older brothers used to have a Manta and another mates older brother had a stolen recovered astra gte with the digital dash and solex locks, was a 5 door though.
@@philtowle4683 Went for a ride in a GTE once , ridiculously fast! Haven’t seen one of them for yonks. Probably all met with a tree.
I remember seeing one of these in the 80s. Beautiful looking car. Blue colour. Looks even better than Is remembered it.
I always wondered where Holden in Australia got the name Commodore, I knew the car was a modified Opel, but never knew they took the name as well, always learning something new from Jonny, Rj in Oz
My dad had one of these 30 years ago, loved it. want one now!
Love it Jonny. One point though, being somewhat of an afficionado of TLBS barn finds I'm surprised you don't just bring a fuel pump and relay for every barn find.
I loved the Monza ... I remember sitting in a brand new one in the showroom in Pompey many many moons ago.
Loved these when they were new and they're still fabulous.. keep us updated on how efforts are going to get to running
used to go on holiday in south devon every school break growing up and there was a lovely white GSE Monza parked up on the street. always loved the look of them and this looks so clean.
I love everything about this car and would buy it in a heartbeat if it was up for sale! Thanks for another excellent barn find! Sorry you couldn't get it started!
I had a 1977 Opel Ascona 1.9 2 door and loved it. Opels always seemed to be better built than the Vauxhall equivalent. The Monza was certainly an exec cruiser in the day.
It always amazes me that folk don't buy a breathable car cover for indoor storage. Worth the money.
For me, this is one of the most desirable cars ever. I test drove an immaculate Monza GSE -86 in 1998. I still regret not buying it. The issue then was that to insure it would have been half the price of the car every year. Too many of them where stolen when new here in Sweden. I had four Opel Ascona B and one Manta GTE before that, so RWD Opels was the thing for young me. I ended up with a SAAB 9000 turbo -88 instead. Probably a better and faster car anyway.
A strange time, when under GM, Opel and Vauxhall were sort of "the same but different" in the UK.
I always thought the Vauxhall model of the A1 Monza slightly cheapened the image. I cannot say why.
The Monza was lovely. I never owned or drove one, but got an epic lift in a RHD A1 in 1982 and it felt like a Bentley. That sort of car rarely stopped for hitchers.
Ultimately, a forgettable and rightly forgotten car from a design blind alley that tried to eke some life out of tired underpinnings... But for all that, it is also a pure and flavoursome dish of nostalgia.
Excellent find...
Just excellent.
If you swap + and - in the pump a few times you are moving it in both directions and often it will come back to live.
Also those fuel pump relays were very prone to failure, there is chap in the US that make solid state direct replacements for the Porsche 944 - ftech9-.They also work in any Motronic, not sure Jetronic. It works fine in my Kadett and there is a version that adds 3 second prime, very useful for ethanol todays petrol
Yes great idea for the Motronic system. Jetronic is analogue and very different so the fuel pump relays are different too. I'm a 924 owner so I'm familiar with K-Jetronic, and I owned a 944 in the past.
@@althejazzman I belive this car has an LE Jetronic, it is electronic and very similar to tje Motronic, it is not a CIS.
Useful tip thanks Ismael about ftech9 relays. Just checked out their website as I'm using Motronic on my Manta coupe. Terminal assignments are the same on my relay so will investigate further.
@@davideverett9848. You are welcome. I have been using their relay for a couple of years. They work very well. The 3 second priming works every time you turn the ignition on. It helps a lot with hot start in hot conditions, due to evaporation in the injection ramp, which it was common in their day but worst now with ethanol.
Love John Lakey's enthusiasm for Monzas!
Superb Jonny, always loved the Royale/Monza. Really hope this one get back on the road - looks minty fresh, doesn't it?
One of my all time favourite Vauxhall/ Opel Cars, This was my favourite era of Vauxhall/Opel 1983 to 1993 , Superb video Johnny hopefully they'll be a follow up video to this.
Thanks for the love. Send me a text above🔝🔝🔝 I have something for you........
Great episode! Frustrating about the no start - Why wasnt the fuel pump fuse mentioned? That could quite likely have been the culprit (furred up rather than failed entirely)... Also the relay could most likely have been swapped for a different one, for example the horn relay or something... Hope the owner digs this out and starts using it again. It's far too cool to languish!
Thank goodness it wasn't just me thinking fuse?
Well seeing as it had 12v directly applied to it and no joy the fuse matters no one jot.
@@MrOvershoot I am not sure that 12v was directly applied to the pump….
Whether the pump worked or not (it was probably seized), it had no +12 from the ignition and the fuse didn’t appear to have been checked…
@@Auto_Funk Well I assumed Jonny under the rear of the car with a 12v supply pushed onto the pump terminals was the directly applied bit? but only Jonny can tell us that!
@@MrOvershoot very true! But he did mention the rubber boots and access wasn’t brilliant plus it was dark so it’s hard to say…!
You’re an automotive archaeologist now. Your vehicle should always have basic items to revive a car that has been lying patiently in its tomb. A portable air compressor, electric or 12 V, a fresh battery, your Petrol can made by Tony Bmw, because injection systems need pressure to satisfy the fuel system. Dumping it in a funnel only works for carbureted models. Other assorted tools, a couple cans of starting fluid, some good lighting that can hang on the bonnet, and a good tow strap to bring it out into the daylight. Never leave home without those items!
Edit: with the knowledge of the car you’re going to look at, you should always splurge for a new electric fuel pump, because cars that sit for more than five years, chances are the fuel pump is all locked up. Worst case scenario is you need it, best case scenario is you return it. But at least you have it.
This Opel is much more interesting than an Audi or BMW
I went on a few really long drives recently and started to realise the real necessity of a GT car. The bolstered seats the comfort and the power make so much sense on those long back ache journeys in a less comfortable car.. great show as ever. Still need a boost pack sponsor that actually works! step up sponsors these barn find fans will buy your proven booster!
Recaros
My dad had a white Monza 3.0 GSE back in '86. Was that or SD1 Vitesse. Had huge Cibie fog lamps fitted. Sold his Capri 2.8 to buy it. Still looks a fresh design. Sold it to buy a very unreliable Sierra Cosworth.
There are no words to describe how much I wanted a Monza when I was 17-21. Just thought they were fabulous.
Jonny your channel is getting better and better. Killing myself laughing here at your creepy dubious staring to camera during the pump routine!!!!!! 😀
It’s gorgeous, I want it.