Remember this wild CV8 Monaro from the cover of our May 2002 issue? Back then, it was the first of the new Munros to receive the full street machine treatment, with wild paint, big rollers and brakes, tasteful trim and a goodly amount of expensive car audio. After our feature, the ante was upped with a Whipple blower poking through the bonnet. The beast is currently up for grabs via Firepower Customs & Classics in Queensland. You can see here that the CV8 has been untouched since its heyday and read on for the full story from 2002.

First published in the May 2002 issue of Street Machine

Believe it or not, Andrew Manson’s wildly graphicked Monaro actually started out as a Commodore ute! Look closely along the rear flanks; see how the VU utility tray has been transformed into the perfect curvature and silhouette of a classic modern coupe shape? No, me neither.

Here’s the truth. It’s Summernats 15, and Andrew, proprietor of schmick roller trader WheelBoyz in Melbourne, was about to embark on a new project demo car, adding another weapon to his personal arsenal that already includes the juicy AU Falcon utility that graced the cover of our August 2001 issue.

“But, I’ve always been a Holden fan,” says Andrew, and plans for a radical Commodore hay hauler were all but set in stone. That was before Street Machine’s Bruce Williams dropped by WheelBoyz Summernats trade stand for a chin wag.

“Another ute?!” Bruce asked. “Why don’t you do a new Monaro instead? You’d be the first guy to trick one up.”

As legend has it, Andrew tore around Canberra the next morning not unlike a man possessed, scouring Holden dealerships on a mission to immediately secure an example of the just-released coupe that most prospective Aussie owners would have to wait months for delivery. “You’ll just have to wait, sir,” was the unanimous caryard rebuttal.

But when Andrew found a Phantom-coloured CV8 that was ready to roll, he just had to have it regardless of cost and the haggling began. I’m sure his accountants will go white with horror when they get a look at the figure on the receipt…

The plan was easy: the race was on to build Australia’s first new-generation Monaro street machine. Completing the project to an incredibly tight deadline – by Melbourne Motor Show in March – was a hard ask considering the lengthy list of modifications on the drawing board. This would more than a quick tart up. In three months, Andrew needed to complete paintwork, drivetrain, brake, suspension, interior and sound system work, besides having a special one-off set of wheels made and shipped in from America specifically for the car.

Step one was to sit down and plan the desired aesthetic result with Shane Abbott, from Melbourne’s Warpaint. “I call it ‘jungle theme’,” Andrew beams of the bright Californian-style graphic treatment. “I wanted something pretty radical and street machine-ish. It’s House of Kolor – a combination of metal flake blue, three kinds of pearl (orange, purple and ‘ice’) and numerous other colours to create an original design which includes palm trees and zebra stripes.”

Threaded through the graphics are the famous logos from Hot Wheels, who will be using the car for promotions throughout 2002, and subtle pin-striping detailing to finish off the artwork. It was, without a doubt, the most difficult, labour-intensive and time-consuming aspect of the project to date.

The grand plan involves strapping a centrifugal huffer to the side of the Gen III and wringing a head-slapping yet streetable 300-something kilowatts from the combo. But anything worth doing is worth doing well and time wasn’t on Andrew’s or engine tuner Starr Performance’s side. Aided with the latest in Gen III electronic tuning wizardry and a new exhaust system, the Monaro now churns out a healthy 285kW – a decent 25 per cent increase – as an interim until the blower conversion can be performed properly. And don’t those carbonfibre engine covers look the biz!

Starr Performance also installed and set up the new lowered suspension. Although much of the Monaro architecture is shared with the VX Commodore, custom-made adjustable Koni struts, wrapped with King’s 600lb springs and fitted with adjustable tops for fine tuning of the camber angle, were required up front. Koni sport shocks and King’s 500lb coils support the independent rear suspension. Ride height is low, but leaves enough travel for the absolutely wild wheel/tyre combination that would create the final, dramatic visual touch.

Astute readers will remember the WheelBoyz AU ute sported 18-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels, a contemporary American rod and custom trend that creates a cool raked look. Well, this time Andrew decided to go the full monty and install a special set of 20-inch front and…wait for it…22-inch rear wheels and tyres!

The new-school rollers are Bonspeeds, a US brand run by Hot Rods By Boyds legend Brad Fanshaw that WheelBoyz now import, and it wasn’t long before the custom set of Ramone model billets were lying on WheelBoyz’ Melbourne workshop floor. And that is where the massive rears would have to stay…

You see, while 20×8.5s squeeze under the front guards, the 22s just don’t fit under the bum. Tub it? No, because the problem is not wheel/tyre width. You see, the rear wheel/tyre combo diameter is just too large, so both the guard and rear bar would both have to be modified for clearance. Another pair of 20s, an inch and half wider than the fronts, do the business up back, at least for the time being.

Nothing short of humungous touring car-style brakes were going to fill the void behind those Ramone spokes and Andrew didn’t skimp in the stopping department. Try whopping six-piston AP Racing calipers with family-sized 365mm pizza dishes up front and large 340mm pans with four-pots out back, supplied and fitted by Race Brakes. How do they feel? Well, have you ever hit a brick wall?

Holden didn’t do street machiners any favours with the factory Monaro interiors. Leather only and in every bright dyed colour under the sun, it’s a hard act to top. Rather than go for high impact, Andrew opted on a subtle approach, using a neat mixture of dark leather with Aztec Jade Green hide inserts courtesy of Boronia Motor Trimmers, just to make his cabin space a little more personal.

As a final curve ball, Andrew wanted a fairly stout custom audio installation (see sidebar). Notorious for taking forever and a day, the boys from Stylyn Car Audio have done their industry proud by creating their own brand of sonic masterwork, from intro to outro, in double time. With workload now soaking up every waking hour, the sands of time were running short. Time to burn the midnight oil and throw in every effort to nail the first deadline on the Monaro’s agendas, which was the studio photo shoot that graces the pages before you.

Still, there’s no rest for the wicked. As you read this, the Monaro is going through the promised huffer and 22-inch-wheel upgrades – keep an eye out for an update in a coming issue. Of course, both car and owner made the shoot and Melbourne Motor Show in one piece, although the Monaro was left looking decidedly fresher than Andrew. But, boy, he’s got a big smile on his face.

Nuclear explosion

Everything from fish tanks to Egyptian pyramids have been used as themes for custom car installs in the past, but Andrew got together with the guys from Stylyn Car Audio to come up with a cool ‘nuclear power’ look for the Monaro’s sound system. There’s definitely enough signal choice pumping into the front end, with a Clarion colour TV head unit with six-CD changer backed up with a PlayStation 2 for the occasional head-to-head at Gran Turismo. The system uses three Lightning Audio power amplifiers, resplendent with radioactive insignia, mounted inside the boot that power a full compliment of speakers. Just for the hell of it, there’s an Audiovox 6.5-inch video screen mounted on the underside of the bootlid for static display work. Custom alloy tubing and neon lighting finish off a very neat, industrial look. Cool.

Andrew Manson
2002 CV8 Monaro