Montego collection - not looking good - but maybe not too bad either!

[theorganist]

Made the trip from Stourbridge to Tewkesbury. My friend Dan took me is his 04 Focus diesel estate. The car was at a caravan site outide Tewkesbury where the seller is a warden.

Had a quick look round, fussed the dog, purchased the tax and headed home.

Straight away I noticed the bad shake with the steering particularly at low speed almost like someone pulling it away from you. One tyre had been low so we put some air in but made no difference. It got better at speed although still there. We suspect an out of shape tyre.

The heater matrix is bypassed so it was damn cold but I had three layers on, I looked like Compo from Last of the Summer wine!

It does drive well. When we got on the motorway I put my foot down and the car pulls like a train. The steering felt better at 70! It is smooth and quiet and Dan had trouble keeping up so he said.

There are a few issues, the indicators don't stay on and the fuel gauge and brake lights don't work. There is a cracked bumper and some rust and poor paintwork.

It has potential as long as I can sort the heater out!

I am going to bed and will maybe get some pictures tomorrow evening if people are interested?

[D Spares & Tyres]

Yes pics please

 

Could the steering fault be a failing CV joint?  I had a Citroen C5 that would do what you describe sometimes, then you would stop and when you drive off it would be fine for ages. It was like a tugging at the wheel.  Then one day turning in a tight spot something broke inside the cv and it wouldn`t drive after that.

[theorganist]

I'll get some later.

 

It could be the cv joint I hadn't thought of that, although there is no noise from it.

 

I'm going to try the spare see if that cures it as it feels like an out of shape tyre. I had one on a Maxi and it had a similar effect.

[vulgalour]

You really are living the dream with your current trio.

[theorganist]

You really are living the dream with your current trio.

 

Haha thanks.

 

Not sure my neighbour's will have agreed when they woke up this morning to see the Montego parked outside. It looks like a shed. It's in desperate need of a polish (well I hope that will improve it)! The paint is poor and that's being complimentary!

 

They like the Princess and actually called the Horizon "pretty"! 

 

But all three need some tidying.

[theorganist]

I'd say a 'delaminating' tyre. The inner structure is coming apart. If it gets worse, visibly check the front or rear wheels. You'll end up with a tyre that looks like a wotsit.

 

Cheers, I will try the spare (if I can find one)!

[theorganist]

Took it round the jet wash but it has got dark quickly tonight so no pictures. Will try and grab some tomorrow before I go out.

 

It looks a little better but the paint is still patchy in places. I have some Fericle Wax which body shops use so may try that.

 

First job is to put the spare on where the suspect wheel is and get the brake lights working.

[MarvinsMom]

PICTURES!!!

 

WE NEED PICTURES!!!

 

THIS THEAD IS NOTHINIG WITHOUT PICTURES!!

 

please.

[theorganist]

Well here is the beast in all it's....ahem glory

 

It needs some paintwork doing. There is some rust coming up on the rear ns wheel arch (not exactly a surprise on these)! I'm hoping some good quality polish might improve it a bit. It motors well, the engine feels strong.

 

So far jobs to do are:

 

1) Get the brake lights to work (I am hoping that is is the effect of standing for a few months standing in a damp field)

2) Sort the steering out (hoping and thinking its an out of shape tyre - one was going flat and its been standing)

3) Get the fuel gauge to work - it was running LPG so I presume the sender unit is stuck

4) Give the interior a thorough clean

5) Trace an oil leak

 

If I get the first two sorted then I can drive it for a few weeks till the MOT runs out. What happens after that depends on the MOT it may need one patch of welding but seems relatively solid underneath.

 

Won't be doing much the weekend as I am having to go to King's Lynn to collect two suspension pipes for the Princess. As I am taking the Talbot I may be gone some time!

 

Hope you like the photos.

 

I can't promise anything like Vulgalours or Samba S's et al's progress threads but I will try and keep it updated as I am getting quite fond of it - a lot more so than when I was battling with the steering at 20 mph down a dark and rough country lane in Gloucestershire on Tuesday night!

[AnthonyG]

LPG on a 1600? Owner must have been tight! Glad to see this rescued as it did look a bit like frag fodder in the ad.

 

Montego bumpers, originally cracking up a full 9 years before the Mondeo. If someone brings out another car with a name beginning 'MON' it should have eggshells fitted to front and rear as well, it's only fair to stick with tradition.

[cms206]

 

 

LPG on a 1600? Owner must have been tight!

I know an airline pilot who had an LPG'd Rocer 25 1.4. The man was so tight he used to do homers fitting kitchens amd bathrooms when he wasn't flying "for a bit more cash".

 

20-odd years service with British Airways he had. Last I heard the 25 had lunched itself and he bought a very late V6 Espace which he also LPG'd, after paying about 300 quid for it at auction.

[purplebargeken]

I am sure that it will respond well to fettling. I do like the shape of these.  Looks like it had a body decomposing on the back seat. Can't you kidnap Mr. Vulgalour and chain him to the Monty until it sparkles like a new thing. 

[MarvinsMom]

i wonder if these are like a metro?

 

the brake lamps on a metro work off of a crappy little plunger switch on the brake pedal which at times don;t work too well. 

 

usually a bit of a fiddle with the switch is enough to bring them back to life, and a new switch for a metro is only a couple of quid.

[Matt]

I know an airline pilot who had an LPG'd Rocer 25 1.4. The man was so tight he used to do homers fitting kitchens amd bathrooms when he wasn't flying "for a bit more cash".

 

20-odd years service with British Airways he had. Last I heard the 25 had lunched itself and he bought a very late V6 Espace which he also LPG'd, after paying about 300 quid for it at auction.

 

Was he paying for some kind of habit? I would have thought BA pilots would get fairly agreeable pay, actually on second thought airlines are equally as tight aren't they?

[Doctormop]

I ran an L reg Montego 2.0 diesel as a taxi from 1999 to 2002 and it had more rust than that!!

The rear wheelarches needed constant attention and the bonnet edges seemed to dissolve on a regular basis but that car earned me money, kept going and generally looked after me through various difficult times.

Well bought Sir, I have been thinking lately of going back to owning/driving a cab but nothing that The local council considers new enough would inspire confidence in the same way L558 KVU once did.

[Jim Bell]

I think you'll find that does NOT need paintwork. I looks AMAZING as it is. Spend time and pennies on the other stuff, then just enjoy.

[theorganist]

i wonder if these are like a metro?

 

the brake lamps on a metro work off of a crappy little plunger switch on the brake pedal which at times don;t work too well.

 

usually a bit of a fiddle with the switch is enough to bring them back to life, and a new switch for a metro is only a couple of quid.

Probably the same. I will look at the switch. I had the same problem on a mark 3 Fiesta

[theorganist]

I think you'll find that does NOT need paintwork. I looks AMAZING as it is. Spend time and pennies on the other stuff, then just enjoy.

Don't worry I don't have the money anyway. All it will get is a polish and the rusty bits treated.

[MarvinsMom]

i've got to declare an interest as i've a soft spot for the unloved bl/arg cars. and that one sir, is ace!!

 

if you could get vulg to give it the going over it deserves, it'll look less like a shed and the ride of a WHINNAAAAR at life and autoshite. 

[forddeliveryboy]

Your white Talbot looks surprisingly like an early Golf in the picture. Don't repair that bumper, leave it as testament to ARG's product testing dept's thoroughness. And obv swap the wheels around before condemning the wobbly tyre. Like the dash in the dark.

[Noel Tidybeard]

montegos are for lifes winnars

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Looks bloody awful! Great work. Those seats can be revived, I managed to get the passengers seat out of my Rover 214 looking pretty decent despite looking like a horse carcass had been decomposing on it for 6 months previously.

[D Spares & Tyres]

Impressed with your enthusiasm!

 

kind of glad I decided against it though....

 

Now it has gone warmer I would have it valeted or just leave the windows open, I dread to think what that back seat smells like:)

[theorganist]

I haven't got close enough to smell it yet lol! I'll have a go myself first as I need to do the Talbot

 

I don't think it is as bad as it looks, I've had worse. Mechanically it seems sound and I think most of its problems are due to it being idle!

 

As tomorrow trip to Kings Lynn is off it gives me time to play with it tomorrow, starting with tyre swapping and sorting the brake lights.

[Lord Sterling]

That well brill Pete. I am well 'jel' as they say, I love Monty's. If this flamin' NOMONEYTHON ever decides to stroll on, then I reckon I could be adding one of these to my fleet.

 

I'd deffo love to give that a good 'Vulgalouring' but I reckon I'd run out of arsed before any real difference is made. Let me know though if ya need any help with it mechanically or cleaning it. I'm back being a dole queue botherer so I am free most days.

[EssDeeWon]

Love it! These are seriously rare nowadays, well saved.

 

Why would you (not you Organist, I mean the previous keeper) LPG a 1.6 Montego? Its hardly a 4.6 Range Rover!

[vulgalour]

I'll happily Vulgalour that Montego.  Cost:  1 Princess.

[Angrydicky]

Love it! These are seriously rare nowadays, well saved.

 

Why would you (not you Organist, I mean the previous keeper) LPG a 1.6 Montego? Its hardly a 4.6 Range Rover!

If I remember rightly he was doing huge miles delivering pizzas in it, or something, which made it cost effective to convert to LPG!

 

Looks absolutely terrible, but under all that lacquer peel it doesn't actually look too rotten. I'm very pleased this has been saved! We're actually doing quite well with Montego saves lately, as I've heard that brown B reg HLS on ebay, that the seller was threatening to scrap, has now been saved as well!

 

I wonder how difficult it is to change the dash? They always warp above the instruments, but it's rare to see one cracked as badly as that!

[Captain Slow]

I'm told it's easy. I have a new dash to fit to mine so I'll let you know when I've done it. Don't hold your breath though; I have had the dash since 2013...

[vulgalour]

Captain Procrastination Slow