NEARLY TOGETHER IN ECLECTIC DREAMS

The Opel Monza, a long-wheelbase fastback with sleek lights, splitrim-style alloy wheels, a 178bhp straight-six and a limited-slip differential, is a tantalising blend of American personal car, muscle car and 1980s sporting GT.

I found this 1983 pre-GSE 'A2' example, finished in White Gold with wide, brown velour seats, in the classifieds and immediately got excited at the idea of having it alongside my sharp-suited BMW 325i and as a replacement for my even more straight-laced Vauxhall Omega. The owner had only just bought it at auction, but sold it to me at a loss for £2500. It needed work but was mostly solid and felt like a pretty straight car.

There was also a reported sprinkling of stardust, because the Opel had been owned by a film production company for the past few years. With Ghosts by Japan and Run to You by Bryan Adams playing in my head - the radio didn't work I took the scenic route back home to London from Cambridgeshire. Stuck in D, with arm on the windowsill and smooth tunes coming out of the exhaust (if not the speakers), I thought to myself: 'What a bargain!'

Of immediate concern were the brakes, which rumbled even under a light foot, and there was an ominous creaking at the rear. I also found that the horn didn't work, and the interior fan could deliver only the full-blast setting four and no others. But the flash foglights, wind-open sunroof and cam-in-head 3-litre 'six' worked a treat. After a couple of weeks' cruising around with it, I started shopping for parts and took it to Billy Allen Autos in Twickenham for a look-over, hopeful that it might be ready for the Le Mans Classic run in a couple of months.