bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,901
Club RR Member Number: 71
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Senator/Monza... Talk to me!bstardchild
@bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member 71
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Oct 29, 2014 23:17:06 GMT
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Well the what to look for aspects seem to be well covered so lets take you down the what to do with the looks Have some continental inspiration Talking lows don't go down below the tyre top being bang level with the top of the wheel arch at the rear - it really screws the trailing arm geometry Fronts are easy quick lows - take a coil of the front springs is a good drop Rears - E36 rear coil springs aren't a bad method of getting a cheap low Wheels - the world is your oyster - PCD 5 x 120 - don't worry about centre bore on BMW wheels being larger - the Monza Lug nuts and studs set up keep everything nice - the rear doesn't have a hub to centre on to speak of. ET needs to be around 3ET0 and you can get away with up to 8 inch rims (std Monza/Senator is ET49) Senators came with 14 inch Star of David Alloys (look same as Monza) nice OE upgrade is to fit the 15 inch Monza variety Anything over 17 inch looks silly if you try to keep the rolling radius the same Digital dash issues are easily solved with an analogue conversion (almost plug and play) not a huge fan of the digital dash but I know it appeals to the retroist Gearbox is rarely a spanish waiter in Senators but they can be converted using more common Monza manual parts heathermillsmatic is the norm for a Senator - early 3 speeds are a bit lethargic with shorter gears and a longer diff (3.15:1) that diff is quite rare and is hardly ever found with a slipper inside although one from a 3.45 Monza Diff can be fitted The later cars have 4 speed and the same diff as a manual car 3.45:1 although the Senator rarely has a Slippy diff the Monza "pumpkin" which came with slipper as std can be easily dropped in. AC cars (Monza and Senator) did everything with vacuum frankly a bloody nightmare and best avoided. A late Senator CD in silver or Grey with a Dark interior is a wonderfully comfy place to be I'll not go down the performance improvement options but just remember that Senator 3.0 24V engine and 4 speed later auto box would make one quite fun and better on juice.
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bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,901
Club RR Member Number: 71
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Senator/Monza... Talk to me!bstardchild
@bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member 71
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Oct 29, 2014 23:26:07 GMT
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And you can get the speedo to 150 apparently (with a long run up and where permitted, obviously) . Be interesting to GPS it.... allegedly. Sent from outside your lounge window using proboards I had my old "police" Senator 3.0 12V nailed on 150 for 10 miles chasing after a Sierra cosworth that had ram raided a Dixons store many years ago and was making escape over the border. I later owned the car but it had had a very hard life
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MonzaPhil
Posted a lot
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought
Posts: 2,456
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Oct 29, 2014 23:27:29 GMT
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Dammit, now I want one more than ever. White with charcoal, auto, A/C and ABS, not too much to ask is it?
Sent from my Senatorless wasteland using proboards
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This is now a clicky linky!
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Oct 29, 2014 23:56:31 GMT
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this one is still alive somewhere
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VIP
South East
Posts: 8,293
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My Senny (the aforementioned purchase from SpineyNorman) averaged 27mpg at mostly 70mph along the M4.
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This is all very appealing... Far too appealing in fact!
Are there any subtle (?!) Irmscher bits that can be fitted to a Senator/Monza...?! I would like to add a steering wheel of slightly less diameter but still superbly 80's in style...!
Sent from my computer using my fingers
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the more this thread goes on, the more I'm thinking of trying to find one.... No No No i must finish the limo and the current carlton .... stupid projects getting in the way of lust for more projects.
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'88 Cadillac Brougham hearse (white) '91 Carlton GSi 24v '72 Dodge dual cab pick up '99 Mercedes S55 AMG
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MonzaPhil
Posted a lot
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought
Posts: 2,456
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Oct 30, 2014 10:13:24 GMT
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If you are BC height then a small wheel will block your view but apart from that it's no problem.
Very few bodykit and styling bits about, some nicer than others....
Sent from work using proboards
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This is now a clicky linky!
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Oct 30, 2014 10:31:57 GMT
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I am not too bothered about body styling but a nice steering wheel would be cool... Having said that, I do like the way these brutes look anyway so sticking with the standard 'joystick' would be no bad thing!
I may have just bought a nice stereo though which is probably jumping the gun just a tad...!!!
Anyhow, do keep the vibes-a-coming my way please...
Sent from dreamland using my imagination
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MonzaPhil
Posted a lot
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought
Posts: 2,456
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Oct 30, 2014 11:01:08 GMT
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Sent from amusing proboards
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This is now a clicky linky!
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Oct 30, 2014 11:11:08 GMT
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Hmmmmm, interesting...!
Also, did they do a leather interior in any country...?! I can see a Senator with a nice ruched leather interior...!!! Very oppulent...
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VIP
South East
Posts: 8,293
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Oct 30, 2014 11:37:17 GMT
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Hmmmmm, interesting...! Also, did they do a leather interior in any country...?! I can see a Senator with a nice ruched leather interior...!!! Very oppulent... The crushed velour interior is more than opulent enough.
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Oct 30, 2014 12:22:42 GMT
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^^^ I completely agree but I can just imagine settling down into some nice soft black leather, glancing at my LCD dashboard, turning up the volume on my Blaupunkt cassette deck and planting my right foot...!!!
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Last Edit: Oct 30, 2014 12:23:58 GMT by grifterkid
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Colonelk
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,740
Club RR Member Number: 83
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Senator/Monza... Talk to me!Colonelk
@colonelk
Club Retro Rides Member 83
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Oct 30, 2014 12:39:06 GMT
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Straight 6 GM barges drive a particular way, and I love it, which is why I seem to keep getting more for some reason Another alternative for rear lows are Audi TT rear springs. As mentioned, check the 'fuel rail' hoses carefully... its made from lots and lots of bits of fuel hose. Mine does about 22-24mpg but I don't think its running right, and I keep flooring it because Ive fitted a stupid exhaust haha. I think everyone has covered it really. Id argue they are pretty good at rotting compared to other cars of the era, my Monza is a collection of metal patches with Monza-shaped filler over the top (maybe a slight exaggeration ) But yeah, buy it, use it, love it try and find an LSD too....... makes the b-road handling super fun and predictable Although, Ive not tried a non-LSD car for comparison to be fair..... They arent mega quick is the only thing. 170bhp from the 3.0 12v IIRC
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Oct 30, 2014 13:02:47 GMT
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Speaking as a man with four Senators on my drive (it was five, but one went to a new home last weekend) I say buy it. I may be biased as my dad owned literally dozens of Senators, Monzas and Royales when I was a kid but they're great cars. Mechanically bombproof, no worse for rust than anything else of the same era, insanely comfortable and superb cruisers. Blimey, sounds like you're a fan of the big GM barge...?!?!?! If you've got any snaps of your machines let's see 'em please...! Ta muchly...
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Oct 30, 2014 15:39:13 GMT
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Stop faffing and go buy it! You won't regret it ! Unless you end up with a real rotter! Just check it carefully as with any car approaching 30 years old and go and enjoy that glorious straight six !
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Last Edit: Oct 30, 2014 15:51:35 GMT by Vintage75
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Oct 30, 2014 16:20:45 GMT
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^^^ I do have a tendancy to faff quite a bit and I do feel that my faffage is getting in the way of purchase-age...!!!!
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Oct 30, 2014 18:03:48 GMT
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Speaking as a man with four Senators on my drive (it was five, but one went to a new home last weekend) I say buy it. I may be biased as my dad owned literally dozens of Senators, Monzas and Royales when I was a kid but they're great cars. Mechanically bombproof, no worse for rust than anything else of the same era, insanely comfortable and superb cruisers. Blimey, sounds like you're a fan of the big GM barge...?!?!?! If you've got any snaps of your machines let's see 'em please...! Ta muchly... It's an old picture but you get the idea!
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'77 Vauxhall Cavalier coupe 1.9 GLS - the long term project '81 Opel Senator 3.0S '81 Opel Senator 3.0CD '82 Opel Manta SRB coupe '90 Vauxhall Cavalier SRi '93 Vauxhall Senator 24V '93 Lancia Thema 16V Turbo '94 Vauxhall Carlton Diamond
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Oct 30, 2014 18:13:58 GMT
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Very nice sir...!!! Very nice indeed!!!
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