Face of Nation : The company has embarked on a restoration program that will bring a 2004 CV8 Monaro up to modern standards,
The car, which has more than 200,000km on the clock, is being restored to its former glory by Holden’s parts and service offshoot ACDelco, with input from favourite son Craig Lowndes.
The engine and gearbox have been removed and are being reconditioned, while the rest of the car is being rebuilt with new genuine parts.
It will have a bespoke suspension set-up fettled by Triple Eight racing engineers with parts from leading global motorsport suspension parts supplier Sachs.
The race engineers, in collaboration with some key partners of the team, have been given the job of improving the “big three” performance characteristics of the Monaro — how it goes, stops and turns.
Holden’s Port Melbourne design team — including some of the original Monaro designers — will modernise the cabin and exterior styling for a more contemporary look, while a special colour has been developed by Holden’s paint supplier PPG.
Once it’s restored, the car will be tested by Lowndes at Holden’s Lang Lang Proving Ground before making its public debut at the Sandown Supercar race meeting.
Then in March next year, one lucky Holden parts and service customer will win the car, which is valued at roughly $150,000.
Holden says the car will be a “money can’t buy” car “as close to a brand new CV8 as possible, only reimagined, refined and improved from the ground up using Holden Genuine, ACDelco and Chevrolet Performance parts”.
Lowndes said the project was an opportunity to continue his association with the brand that gave him his start in motorsport.
“Like many Australians, I grew up with the Monaro. It’s such a thrill to be working on such a special project with the team at Holden,” he says.
Lowndes is fronting a mini-series like documentary of the rebuild, culminating in his shakedown of the car at Lang Lang.
