Montreal Springs

[Doug Gould]

My Montreal is now successfully transfered from its SA registration to Victorian registration. It became EXPO67 on its 35th birthday last Friday. The biggest roadworthy problem was the lack of a demister fan. It took 2 1/2 days to find an internal break in an earth wire. This was complicated because mine has factory airconditioning and the wiring for the HVAC system is different.

Now I want to work on the suspension. As a 72 Montreal mine would have been made with the softer springs, but whether or not it got upgraded as per the factory recommendation - I can't tell. There are yellow stickers on the springs. The rear ones say FRAM 40 and the front Left says FRAM 33 and Front right FRAM 38. Does anyone know what these refer to?

More importantly, does anyone have a recommendation on spring rates?

Doug Gould

[alfagtv58]

Congrats Doug....I like the number plate, very clever.  Pics please!  I trust you will bring it along to Spettacolo this year

As for the suspension, I would suggest giving Vin Sharp a ring, he can probably point you in the right direction.

[nerineandgary]

Congrats Doug on getting the Monty.I need one of those too.  Did you buy it from Leigh Longmire in SA, previous rego TIPO33?. Great car. Phil Nash I think wrote a great article in Cross & Serpent a few years ago about transforming Montreal handling. His white one rego MONTY7 looked great when he finished it. The famed 'Montreal Site'too has quiet a bit on suspension work. Vin Sharp also has a contact for new Montreal disc rotors. He can get them cheap before the stocks dry up.

[Doug Gould]

My Montreal was TIPO 33. It was imported in 1982 by Virginio Caon from Turin & converted to RHD using all genuine parts imported by Ian Slate at Turin. Virginio did the TIPO 33 registration. I believe it was regularly seen around the Adelaide GP. It was then bought by Patrick Bollela who sold it to Leigh Longmire (about 10 years ago) when he started a laser cutting business. Apart from a short time when Patrick owned it, its been serviced by Luigi Amori at ITALSERVICE for all of its Australian life.

I could have had TIPO 33, but EXPO67 appealed more. This has led me into buying some Expo 67 memorabilia off ebay. I've got an original passport, guidebook and press kit. I've missed out on original number plates, but Quebec plates seem like a fun idea for Spettacolo.

The International Montreal egroup has yielded some spring rate figures (the homepage doesn't have original rates), so I'm on the way. No-one makes springs, I need to have them custom made - which is what Vin did for the family Montreal. In the UK there is a handling kit, but it lowers the car about 30mm. For road use I don't think it needs to be any lower, however, I believe that lowering the rear (which looks high) improves brake dive.

Doug

[Scott Farquharson]

Put some pics up....