The Legacy Transfer
Would you buy an old Rally Car sight unseen on Ebay ?
The Holden Monaro Rally Team was born late one night when Luke Dimech went on EBay and stumbled across an old looking 69 HT Monaro set up as a Rally Car with Holden Dealer Team livery.
Luke’s younger years and background was heavily influenced by two things, Holden Monaro’s and Rallying. When he stumbled across this car on EBay, he thought all his dreams had come at once. All he had to do was throw a bid on the car before the auction finished.
Luke placed that bid, went to bed and awoke to an email the next morning stating he had won as the only bid and he now owns what turns out to be a HT GTS Holden Monaro with a long and interesting history.
When you bump into Luke next time he is out and about rallying, ask him how much he won that auction for this classic priceless car. You wont believe the response he gives you.
The Restoration
200+ Rally Events has created a Legacy to be Respected
With a history of 200+ Rally’s via its previous owner Ken Cusack and a lineage that can be tracked directly to the Harry Firth Holden Dealer Team, the Rally Monaro has quite a Legacy.
She is quite a Grandfathers Axe having worn 3 different Monaro shells over the years. With the value of Monaros through the roof now, this shell is definitely her last shell.
She has had many engines including a used Harry Firth HDT 350 Chev from a Holden Dealer Team Rally Monaro. That engine was a little smokey but still went like hell, the strongest engine she had experienced at that time.
Ask Ken when you see him about the electrical problems Harry’s old 350 chev caused, there is a funny story there.
Clearly this Holden Monaro Rally Car needed to be restored as a Rally Car and put back out on the Gravel Roads for all to enjoy. So that’s what we did.
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Family and Friends Team
Three Generations of Dimechs with Good Mates, Old and New
This Monaro Rally Car is like a fire pit at a camp site, it brings people together.
Luke is the owner and Driver of the Monaro, his older brother Neil sits in the Nav seat and his younger brother Cameron comes out and helps with the servicing.
Good mate Nick White who is well known in the local SARC Rally scene gets involved servicing as well.
Noel (Dad) and Meryln (Mem) Dimech share plenty of words of wisdom and good wishes along the way.
Neil and Cameron’s kids (growing up quickly) come out to each rally to get involved with servicing and the whole adventure, so its a family affair.
The Development Continues
Engine Transmission Suspension Brakes Axles Safety Gear and Skills
The Monaro and the team are constantly in development to improve. We have developed through several rally’s and track days including the Rally of the Heartland, the Classic Outback Trial, KCF Rally Sprints, Sydney Motorsport Park and Ipswich Kanacross.
We learnt that the front discs at best were terrible so upgraded to alloy BBCS custom calipers which fit the tight 15 inch wheels with VR vented discs and she stops great now.
The Turbo 350 Auto was rebuilt by Craig at Graceville Mechanical, super tough and fully manualised and works a treat. Harry Firth told Ken to go auto repicating his service panel vans after Ken broke another 4 speed gearbox and it has remained an auto ever since.
The suspension was custom built by Ron Pedder in the day but with 7 leaf heavy duty ute rear springs and more bitumen spec shocks it was skatey on the dirt and the back end would pass the front with little right foot encouragement.
MCA is the place when talking suspension, especially for Gravel Rally. While the great Murray Coote said “Luke, the Monaro is too heavy, V8 and leaf spring so will never be great”, the transformation he made with his MCA Gold Package was miraculous in my experience.
Last was a new motor after the old one expired at the COT with a dropped valve cracking the block. The new motor stroked to 383 with alloy heads was built by J&L Machining with Jeff and Leanne doing a cracker job. Wow she sings and the torque curve can only be described as wonderful.
Now as a team we are learning how to listen effectively to the Monaro in order to keep her healthy throughout an event, plenty to learn there as with any rally car.
The Monaro is the "Camp Fire" that Friends and Family gather around. Strangers are drawn to her, Memories are refreshed and New Memories made. Work, Laugh and Learn together. This is Classic Rally.
If you see that the Monaro Rally Car could align with your business and you want to be involved in celebrating Classic Cars and/or Rally we would love to hear from you.
Become an Official
Neil and Luke both Official when they can. It takes an army of Officials to put on an event and it is so rewarding to be part of an event. It is really easy with some online training with many jobs only needing basic instructions to do really well. You also get some of the best seats in the house for a great day out while helping out.
Get Out and Spectate
Spectating Rally is an Adventure in itself. Obviously you get to see and hear amazing cars in action on the stage which is the draw card. Everyone goes home with some cool snaps their friends won’t believe. You also have an adventure visiting small towns, supporting local small businesses (I love a Country Bakery) and seeing some of our wonderful country. The service area is open to all, get up close to the crews and service teams you may even get handed a spanner. Nothing matches Rally for the full Spectator experience.