Ever fought this hard for a Montego?

[R9UKE]

Right shiters, you'll relate to this, I'm sure.

 

I grew up in Handsworth, Birmingham in the 90s. What was once a sea of Mark 1 Mondeos, Austin Maestros and Micra Colettes is now a fashion parade of pimped X5s and Q7s. But there's always the select few Golden Oldies who have a car that just brings back so many memories of old times. A car you love seeing in the wild; a survivor. One of these cars for me is E872 UOC. An Austin Montego 1.6 L bought by my aunt's neighbour back in 1988 - three years before I was born. It was always parked in the same spot for as long as I can remember. I'm 19 now, and up until last week that car was still living it's normal life of going to the shops and back every thrusday. Here he is lovingly clearing off the snow in February of last year:

 

 

Now to everyone else it's just a shit heap Montego, but I've always wanted to own it. Something ridiculous like 40k on the clock. My aunt heard last week that the old guy was giving up driving and having the Monty scrapped. FUCK, Can't let this happen! End of an era, used to love seeing him driving around in it whenever I was over - a nice reminder of childhood

 

So I got her to ask him could we have it for whatever the scrap man would give him. They get on well so I didn't think this would be a problem. Well... boy was I wrong. The appointment for them to collect it was already booked and the old fart refused to alter his plans. The car was picked up on friday (despite being taxed until the end of this month) and she tracked it to a local scrap yard. Negotiations were underway to have it off them. £250 was the agreed price (OTT I know, but what can I say) and I called today to confirm that my Dad would be picking it up on Tuesday. "Sorry mate, it's gone". BASTARDS!!! A little part of me died. But I had a brainwave. The guy was a bit of an arse hole all along and I thought he might be lying. Called up a while later and in a different voice I asked for Montego parts. "We had one in the other day but it got moved to another yard this morning". Got the details, on the phone to dad, and here it is in West Bromwich: What a LYING FUCK!!

 

 

 

 

Photos courteous of my dad who managed to track it down.

 

Now my question: What are the chances of me getting this back? The wheels are inside the car. What other fatal stages does a car undergo when put here? It looks relatively intact. Dad tried speaking to them, but the main man wasn't there and I am left to ring back tomorrow and do some begging. Hope they're not a shower of bastards like the last place.

 

It kills me seeing it there. So much life left in the old thing despite how tatty it looks. My aunt is also willing to put the Vel Satis outside over Winter so the Monty can sleep in the garage...

 

Discuss

[Volksy]

If a certificate of destruction has been issued, and the V5 sent in as scrapped, it's had it's chips I'm afraid, IIRC there is no way it can return to the road - Short of ringing it.

 

Sad demise, but to be honest, it does look pretty past it.

[RoadworkUK]

Probably far more trouble than it's worth; but that's exactly why you should pull out all the stops and get it rescued.

 

So awesome to own a car that was actually snatched from the crushers jaws. And that rear wing is just crying out for an underneath-the-arches newspaper and blob style "repair".

[wackywacerwill]

Likely to be pretty well forked on the underside but you might be lucky if you can act quick. Your commitment is admirable and far be it for me to tell you not to be guided by rose tinted glasses, just think and tread carefully.

[carlo]

Must have damaged it getting it up there?

 

Got to admire your dedication above and beyond the call of duty though.

[dollywobbler]

To be honest, I'd let this one go. Sentimentality can lead to expensive decisions! I admire your tenacity though. If it looked in better order, I'd be backing you 100%.

[Cheggers]

I know it sounds pessimistic (and do admire your sentiment & tenacity), but if they haven't ruined it getting it up there, they will getting it down again

[HillmanImp]

What the others said. However it would be worth getting it just to park it outside the miserable old gits house.

 

How handy are you with the welder? I don't know how often the cert of destruction will be sent by the scrappies. Is there a period of grace?

[R9UKE]

Thanks for the comments, really spurring me on

 

However it would be worth getting it just to park it outside the miserable old gits house.

 

This has become half the reason I want the thing.

 

The old girl is in a sorry state now. I go over about 4 times a year and it would just be a very lengthy, gradual and rewarding project.

 

I fear you may well be right, looked delicate enough to begin with and the underside might be fooked. Calling in the morning, will of course update. The car only arrived at this scrappy this morning so I'm praying no paperwork has been dealt with yet, as you said the certificate of destruction is the point of no return

[Mash]

Honest opinion? Let it go. You'll regret spending a lot of money and time on it. I realise it has sentimental value but it definitely looks way past it's best. There are nicer Mony's out there for not a lot of money so it really does seem a bit foolish to me to chase after this one. I know that's not quite the point but what if you get it back and it really is fooked?

 

I had a similar descision to make with my grandad's old Daimler that turned up after over 30 years. By the time I'd weighed up the pros and cons I'm afraid common sense had prevailed but at least I had some nice photos to show for it.

 

Just my four penn'oth but I've become much harsher over old cars lately - they can take over and become a pain in the arse!!

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Sadly, it looks like scrap- and it's in the right place.

 

But, go back and get some bits from it - a number plate (down your trouser leg under overalls of course) and a couple of badges.

 

Then channel your Montego love into buying and preserving a better one. An A reg 2.0HL in Opaline metallic with brown velour...

 

I've rescued two cars from the scrapheap. One was the oldest 18/22 Wedge to exist (a pre production prototype), and a 1974 Golf 1100N. Both were good tidy cars that, once carefully forklifted off the car underneath, were driven home. An E reg Montego just isn't rare or unusual enough - I've not used the word 'valuable' because that's got nothing to do with it.

[trigger]

In the words of the mighty Mr_Bo11ox, SACK IT OFF MAN.

 

Let it become a fond memory instead of a dream you sooner forgot as to be quite frank, it's fucked, even the best ones are pretty shit so i'm quite sure that this one won't live up to whatever your expecting.

[Guest]

Let it die in piece and have fond memories of it. It needs a fair bit of bodywork as it is - the interior will be marked up - stained from having the wheels thrown into it too. Its a world of pain waiting to hit you in the wallet and you will never be 100% happy with it. Save up buy a better one as Montego's are good cars but thats past it and wont have been handled with cotton wool in the 2 yards its been in.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

 

Then channel your Montego love into buying and preserving a better one. An A reg 2.0HL in Opaline metallic with brown velour...

 

 

That is exactly the spec of Monty my mate's dad had when I was in the 6th form back in, er, 1991/2. My mate used to drive around in it now and then and report on how it was behaving. Beautiful!

[George-Roper]

Look at the state of it Arches shot / bumper shot / tatty / if its been picked up with a forklift underbody damage too . Save yourself the 10p on a phone call tomorrow kiddo and forget it.

[RedSparrow]

Yeah sadly it may well be too far gone. I don't want to put you off if you really want it though.

There are some really nice examples still knocking about...

[binhoker668]

Wow - EXACTLY the same colour year and model as my first (road legal) car! Only difference is that your one has more tin on it!

Loved it - and now still love Montegos as a result.

It was awesome. Right up until the gearbox fell off on the motorway.

[ifc63]

Have a quick read of this thread from last year

 

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7904

 

You'll find a very similar tale of sentimental attachment to a Montego.

The outcome was that the car was realistically too far gone and was scrapped.

I think you should let this one go the same way - sorry !

[simmo]

It sounds like your technique was all wrong here, the guy has a price and date for collection, you wanted it for the same but he may well think you're a messer. If you turned up with a means of transport and bid him a score over the odds it most likely would have been yours. Can't imagine that they break for much so possible technique again?

[Lankytim]

I'd steer clear of it TBH. Looks like it could have been a real rotter anyway and now its actually stacked in a breakers yard there virtually no chance of getting it back out. You can't help it if the previous owner insisted the scrap man had it, can you?

[lancashireclamper]

Just a stab in the dark but did the owner have a fair idea it was only fit for scrap and didn't want you taking on a financal bottomless pit, ok most people would lie through their teeth if there was a couple of quid in it but maybe this case is the exception.

I have a soft spot for Montegos, was a cab driver for eight years, drove a Montego dizzler (L558 KVU) for four of them. did 130,000 miles on top of the 75,000 it had when I got it with very little trouble, roomy, fast economical and half the price of the equivalent Mondeo/Cavalier but body was **cked at eight years old, needed welding every test and the back arches, well, bits of them dropped off over every speed bump.

Finally, if your a fan of Renaults you would probably find the whole Montego experience a bit of a change, I've had both and found that if you like the qualities of one, you probably won't get on with the other.

[R9UKE]

Have a quick read of this thread from last year

 

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7904

 

You'll find a very similar tale of sentimental attachment to a Montego.

The outcome was that the car was realistically too far gone and was scrapped.

I think you should let this one go the same way - sorry !

 

That was a bloody brilliant read. Sad reminder of the dying breed that is the Montego Man.

 

I'm really not sure as to the extent of the decay on this one. The old chap is a real stubborn git and I remember him saying something about wanting to be the one and only owner. He had a mad habit, that I will miss witnessing. Every saturday, around midday, he'd get into it and just rev the shit out of it for about 5 minutes then just go back in to his house. Said it kept the battery alive and the engine healthy.

 

Finally, if your a fan of Renaults you would probably find the whole Montego experience a bit of a change, I've had both and found that if you like the qualities of one, you probably won't get on with the other.

 

Renaults will always be number one, but lately I really fancy some BL shite. It'll either spark another obsession or confirm that the french are all I need

 

Dad's going to the scrapyard in the morning!

[stuboy]

its doomed

 

sorry

[Guest]

Has anyone happenned across a montego limosine ?

 

I beleive there were six pukka ones built

[maxpower]

i think they also rip the petrol tank off the cars for safety reasons when scrapped as well

[MK5 Escort]

Like everyone else, I do strongly admire your Sentimentality. Full credit is due there!

 

Yep, it looks too far gone to me too. If there was any possibility of getting it down from there, it would be further damaged by the fork lift getting it back down. Then of course you've have the almost certain financial ruin of repairing not only that damage but the chances are the welding work required come MOT time.

 

Indeed, see if you can take the number plates, badges or anything of that nature for sentimental value (my brother done that with his first car, a Renault 11, when it wrote it off) and leave the rest to the great car park in the sky.

 

I know it's sad, but it’s for the best…

[jonny69]

I quite like the prospect of snatching it from the jaws, but I have to admit if the rear arch is that crispy and the rest of the scabs are anything to go by, it's probably needing a lot of work underneath.

 

£250 probably isn't all that silly a price either. I got £245 for a Scenic the other week from an actual scrapper.

[overheadvalve]

Hmmm I would love to say go for it but it looks like a) it's not going to happen and it's too far gone as others have suggeated.

I would try to get a similar car (like that's likely ) and see if you can get the same plate from the DVLA, just to wind that miserable old bestard up!

Judging by the other cars in the pics it's done quite well, they all look quite a lot newer.

[John F]

Has anyone happenned across a montego limosine ?

 

I beleive there were six pukka ones built

 

Yep, Coleman Milne in Bolton made a Montego-based limo called the Warwick.

[Angrydicky]

These things never make financial sense. I say go for it.

 

I'm currently restoring a totally rotted out Austin Cambridge (with virtually no available panels) which everyone who looks at it says is too far gone and I should scrap or sell it to a banger racer instead. No one else would have bothered with it. But I like the car, so I'm restoring it.

 

The Monty will have been lifted onto the pile by a forklift so will need a new exhaust at the very least, but I've been under loads of cars that have been damaged simply by jacking in the wrong place! Stoved in floorpans, sills etc.

 

The only way to truly make a decision would be to go and have a look yourself, check out the underside and interior. From what I can see it doesn't look too bad, 10 years ago all Monty's had rotten wheelarches. Now there's hardly any left.

 

If you were paying someone to do the work it certainly wouldn't make financial sense but if you do the work yourself you won't spend a great deal and will pick up loads of new skills along the way.

 

Buying a nice one would probably still be cheaper but where's the fun in that?

 

Lastly if you save this you will be my AS hero!

 

Rich.