Irish Car Cave Private Collection - 80s hot hatch and retro rally Opels Vauxhalls

Irish Car Cave Private Collection - 80s hot hatch and retro rally Opels Vauxhalls. In this episode Jonny Smith visited the rustic barn of Adrian McGrillen in Northern Ireland, who has amassed a cluster of retro and rally Vauxhalls and Opels from his childhood (and his Dad's). The car interest for Adrian stemmed from his late Mum's school run Nova, and then extended to his Dad's love for RWD Opels and Irish rally pedigree.
Besides the General Motors rarities, there's also a flawless E46 M3 and lesser seen Subaru Impreza WRX STi S202. And an exceedingly low mileage Peugeot 405. Yep, this one's eclectic.
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DO YOU OWN A GARAGE OR BARN FULL OF INTERESTING CARS THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTING ENOUGH FOR A VISIT FROM JONNY? Why not let us know, by emailing a few pics and details to: [e-mail]
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Filmed and edited by: Phil Vaughan Pritchard www.philvfilms.com/
Thumbnail by: Matt Tarrant www.matttarantdesign.com
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Jonny Smith
Creative content maker, car presenter & car pervert for hire since '98
Website: www.carpervert.com
Instagram: / jonnycarpervert
Twitter: / carpervert
CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
1:09 Meet the owner
2:52 Every day cars
3:28 Opel Manta i200
5:20 Nova Sport
8:00 Nostalgic Nova
9:48 Subaru Impreza STi S202
11:06 Massey Ferguson
11:47 Opel Ascona Silver 2
13:34 VOLUME UP!
14:05 Opel Ascona 400
18:09 Nova GSi
20:50 Peugeot 405
22:08 BMW E46 M3
24:07 The other shed...
#secretgaragetour #carcollection #thelatebrakeshow #4k

[@ChopperMeir]

I've really been looking forward to this car cave after you mentioning it on the Podcast last year

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Thank you. Hope it lived up to the hype! For anyone else wondering, every Monday Jonny and his friend Richard Porter do a podcast called Smith & Sniff. shows.acast.com/smithandsniff

[@miata-ridin-geezer4922]

Johnny's got a new motor, SR Nova, drivin' like a joy rider, speedin' trough the corner

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Streeeeeeeeetz

[@matthewharle3011]

Ya mother warned ya, its a sound system banger! 😂😂

[@dandean3871]

Rain or snow, the bu%%a flow, ya don't know stand on the corner watch the show

[@ChrisFEJackson]

What a real nice genuine guy, with a selection of cars that he & his dad likes.

[@BeanoMark]

It would’ve been nice to see him, even briefly, just to put the Nova Guy and the Ascona Guy together onscreen!

[@AMGvRS]

He made a brief appearance at the start. He wasnt feeling the best on the day of filming so decided to stay behind the camera.

[@derekdok]

My Dad bought a red 405 years ago, there was 2 red ones at the dealership. 1 was a 1.6 and the other was a 2.0 Mi16, he was sold the MI16 by mistake and thought he had the 1.6 until he was in the pub ran by a rally family and they said it to him, he thought they were pulling his leg. Ended up being the 2.0 and he kept it as well.

[@Trevor_J_Neville]

There’s many a special car collection hiding in farm shed’s about Northern Ireland here. Some lovely examples there 👌🏻

[@antbrown1632]

I laughed out loud at Jonny's reference to what I will call "the shelf of severe triggering". The only thing saving it from me rebuilding it, is the distance from the front of the Ascona should anything fall off it/ it collapse.

[@larryjimbob]

Glad to hear there is a gap. I worried seeing it hang over the Ascona front end 😕😁

[@DivideBYZero69]

Came here to post this. I was panicking just looking at it.

[@BeanoMark]

I could’ve watched another hour of that. So unassuming, but excellently clued up on all the cars that matters. NI is obviously well known for motorbike road racing and rallying, and the two Opel race replicas and Scoobs demonstrate that for this chap, but to find the original body shell of his mum’s car? Brilliant.

[@lowflyingpigeon7956]

@The_Late_Brake...- Get a huge grip...

[@Murphy252000]

The man's got every Nova left in NI, props from county Derry, and for the size of Ireland we have a great amount of class cars. Thanks Johnny, and I hope/know we treated you well!

[@frankcarden4709]

Yep, we'll have to see how we're fixed in ten years,probably won't be to bad up north,but the south are realy pushing the EVs and penalizing the petrol power.

[@robswanson1040]

Can't get enough of these episodes, I genuinely look forward to seeing what you'll put up next. Keep up the good work Jonny, you've absolutely found your niche here lad!

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

✊🏽

[@JHClassics]

Honestly, one of my favourite videos Jonny has ever done for the Car Cave playlist!!! I love 70's Opel's, 80/90's Vauxhall/Opel's! This is literally one of my dream garages!! Thanks Jonny amazing 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Cheers for watching and commenting James. Appreciated.

[@joshimitsu96]

Had a Nova Sport many years ago, absolutely loved it, favourite car I ever owned, not the fastest or best but that twin carbs soundtrack is awesome. Great collection. 👍👍👍👍

[@guyredshaw1422]

Just brilliant! love the passion! The Ascona 400 rep' is ACE! Thanks for sharing.

[@darrenmclean7454]

Stunning isn't it

[@jrvintage]

Nice collection takes me back to my Nova 1.3SR days👍👍

[@neilohagan4820]

I went to school with Adrian, awesome collection he has. Nice fella too.

[@sportshatch]

Fabulous collection . The Ascona 400 is beautiful.

[@alexanderwooldridgesmith6629]

I had a 200i rep in the 90's, except mine was a GTE with the engine work to make it a 200i and reworked Koni suspension to suit. It absolutely flew along, the harder you drove it the harder it went round corners.

[@nomad6638]

I watched this with a smile on my face all the way (and a slight stifffy during the Ascona 400 section 😁😋). My second car was a '77 Manta, I fookin loved that car, broke my heart when it broke the engine. I've always had love of old Opels since and always, always hankered after a 400 of either Manta or Ascona variety 🙂

[@keithleesley5979]

Growing up, my dad had mk1 Cavaliers and Ascona B's but my absolute favourite was his mk1 Cavalier 2000 sports hatch, I used to love driving it... happy memories on this video!

[@nohedes]

Love these car caves, I’d take the 405 in a heart beat. I won’t be able to sleep having seen those shelves in the second garage 😮😩🧐

[@BillyCabrio1985]

24:44 Out of all those cars I absolutely adore that Galaxy blue Nova SR! I had one exactly the same back in the day, a 1992 - K Reg, one of the cars I really regret selling 😢

[@BorehammerDrive]

I´ve got two RWD Opels, one is daily and other (with a V6) is for summer use, but that collection is just awesome!💪

[@neildaniel8232]

They've definitely chosen a theme and ran with it for that lot of metal, lovely to see although it does feel like they're hoarding all the remaining Nova's for them selves! His mum's 5dr Nova is only the third one I've ever seen that very light green that my 3dr was, a very rare colour apparently. Had those wheel trims but mine was a 1.4 Luxe so had a brown dash with a yellow/tan cloth.

[@seantreen4317]

First car was a Nova SR, loved that car. Also owned a Mk2 Astra SRi and a Manta GTE. This car cave really brought back some fond memories. More please!

[@giovannigallo8429]

I owned a Nova Sport (C414 HGS) in the 90’s. Given only 500 limited edition numbers made, we had two in the same town. Some great memories 👍🏻

[@andrejutel9110]

Johnny, you have surpassed yourself here! I have a long time love also of all things Opel related having once been the owner of a show winning Manta GT/E which was an Exclusive replica but with a difference! It also had a genuine full Opel Blitz interior. I was an avid member and supporter of the Manta Owners club if anyone knows what happened to D221HUE please pm Mr. Unbelievably in 1993 I was offered a genuine Opel Ascona 400 (in a very sorry state) but as there was no Internet back then (and I was not earning much), sourcing parts for it was darn near impossible and I passed on it. A huge regret still to this day!! A good friend of mine has a genuine i200 and its mint! Keep up the good work Mr Smith!

[@chunkybeats79]

Keeyarr that culchie accent lol I'm originally from NI and hearing that accent takes me way back. Adrian just needs to make it a museum for him and his father's cars. There would be a lot of interest for sure! Another cracking video Jonny thank you. Ps I had a 1987 Nova Club that was full of rust! The keep fit windows used to fall down as well haha

[@riaanbresler2888]

What I found interesting being South African that our cars were rebadged as Chevy Cavalier and never had a Nova but had the Opel Kadett in the Nova shape also Opel Corsa . The Arizona Sun M3 is just peach , really enjoyed this episode , well done for the find Jonny.

[@ckryses3962]

Like we used to read storybooks in childhood...like there was a man who had a cave filled with gold, jewels...i say this a video for us men, an Irish man who has a cave of good old rare cars and every car has different story.. Bring more of these videos..i have many playlist of different videos...every playlist is of these type of videos...so this video completed my breakfast..

[@markarnold8160]

Cor! I'd like a Carlton GSi 3000 too!! My favouraite car on this video was the Ascona in the back corner of the big shed, but the blue one in the small shed did look mighty fine too.

[@G4RY1159]

Some great stories, all my kind of stuff, really enjoyed this one Jonny so massive Thanks to you and Adrian for sharing the stories and his car collection.

[@Adam151082]

The Ascona 400 😲😍

[@stevencampbell1150]

Excellent show Jonny. Living in Northern Ireland as I do it's nice to see home getting featured on your programme. I take it that was recorded when you were doing the road trip in the electric Cupra as I recall you saying you visited Northern Ireland as part of the trip. I would like to have seen the diesel Nova that was at the wedding for the craic as I know of someone who used to have one.

[@jonathantaylor1998]

It's great to see a car cave that's almost 'everyman attainable' in terms of individual car values, fuelled by pure nostalgia and a desire to keep those almost forgotten heroes alive... Great work, Jonny, as always 😎

[@JelloTypeR]

I miss my Manta GTE. A red hatchback with Burberryesque Recaro interior. Built like a tank. I truly loved that car and still think about it regularly just like that posh and superhot girlfriend from my youth.

[@nigel4587]

Perfect!! Out of all your Car Cave episodes this is the one that resonates with me the most. My first car was a mk1 Cavalier GL which I built up from the best bits of four Asconas and Cavaliers, that car took me all over England. Then moved onto Manta B's and Cavalier Coupés, then the GTE's.

[@idesignyou...9257]

Brilliant collection of cars, got to love a Nova SR! My mate back in the 90's had a 1.3 and then a 1.4SR, absolutely flew!!

[@23gps]

Had an 86 1.3 and replaced it with a 90 1.4. Both bought new. The 1.3 was the better drive: revved better but cam was shot by 50k. Great fun down a country lane, not massive power but only weighed about 875kg from memory. Only regret was not buying a Sport when they came out. Still have the roadtests. Happy days !

[@asdreww]

Love it. Nice to see the 2000's era Subaru's are getting some good appreciation now too - there's been a few now in car caves

[@EportChris]

This nova fest car cave made my day 😍 Cheers for the content mate 👌🏻

[@neilcook6830]

Great episode Jonny, brings back so many fond memories of my own identical Ascona 2.0 SR which I had as a 19 year old back in 1987.

[@richardmendham5278]

Oh Jony, I so love all your programmes! I can't drive and never will be able to drive, as I am severely disabled. However, I can indulge my passion in your programmes and others. Also in my diecast model collection! My favourites are your 'Barn Finds.' You seem to stop at nothing! You must go home with lots of scratches and torn clothes! However, it must feel so satisfying! Your excitement is very obvious and catching!

[@suehodgkinson7657]

Now I know where all the bloody Nova's are! 😂 this was brilliant. Same as me, remember my early days been run around in a 1 litre c-reg then a F-reg Nova, later buying a j-reg for myself as a 1st car.

[@suehodgkinson7657]

Somehow logged myself in under my wife's name 🤦‍♂️

[@AndyQuinton]

What a lovely bloke and a top collection of cars. Those S202s are a really special thing.

[@skelbagz]

An Ascona is the first car I remember my dad owning. I loved the look of them. It was red with this weird rubber spolier on the boot lid. My mother hated it and made dad take it off. I've never forgiven her for that ;)

[@jasonblair4057]

Another interesting car cave episode. Awesome to see the different takes and tastes of the collectors and the stories. 👍👍

[@BugoHossBH]

As much as I love the Irish accent. I am having trouble picking up this guy. As a non native English speaker I feel that I listen him faster than he speaks hahaha if that makes sense. Great one again Johny.

[@yunikG]

been living in n.ireland last 20 years and it has massive enthusiast scene, see good yokes all over the country,

[@yvesmaetz4839]

Thanks: long time without seeing such cars... I married in a base model red 1989 Opel Corsa (1.2L). It was my first car, bought new. I replaced it after 190000km with a Corsa B Sport 1.4L 16V. Great memories with both cars.

[@MrLinus84]

Love it I’m mad into old school Vauxhalls /opels what a collection

[@andyreynolds6194]

What a genuine bloke. Brilliant that he’s not just saving super expensive cars, but relatively innocuous ones like the 405. We had an almost identical one in silver back in the day, it was nice to see one again. However that shelf shall haunt my dreams for a while I think.

[@HisMastersAlibi]

I'm getting teary eyed seeing these beauties. Great memories 👌 great collection.

[@ATomRileyA]

Great video, loved this collection i remember how many novas used to be about racing around. Top bloke.

[@_Makanko_]

The Nova man, awesome car cave. The Ascona is also a very interesting car. Thanks for allowing a showoff and a wonderful job you did at it Jonny!

[@patrickosullivan4021]

Wow great video omg, thanks so much for showing them

[@robertmorris4564]

11:48 I own the other Ascona silver 2 he mentioned PLV152T, good to see another 👍

[@pistolpete5189]

And there’s me only wanting 1 nova!! Thanks for the look at all your nice cars, I’m only down the road form you if your selling one, but I think your like me and sellers remorse is a hard pull to swallow 😂

[@cameron25795]

Loved this episode. I learnt to drive in a G reg Nova 'Sting' back in 2002. Always loved the way it drove (also coveted the SR model that I'd never have gotten insured for)

[@martyunited1986]

Such an eclectic beautiful collection, love a retro motor.

[@kipper5175]

great show! i think i remember the white 400 when it was black and i will never forget a friend taking me out in a proper 400 rally car for a blast one late night coming home from the arena disco in armagh.....brings back great memories,i had a mk2 gte astra,mate had a mk2 16v and the other had a sri,we were vauxhall mad.i think theres a good few mantas tucked away in the armagh/down part of ireland

[@kennykarlsson6691]

I love these old classic cars. My favorite car ive owned was a opel kadett gsi 16w, never boring minute.

[@squirtsimmons612]

Great to see you over in NI. Brilliant garage and there are many more like it dotted around here. Hope to see some more in the future, cheers Jonny

[@Thegeordiemonkey]

Love it, my first car was a bronze Nova SR. When i was 15 my mate had a matt black Manta all body kitted we used to go to car meets and CB radio meets back in 87/88.

[@shaunhardie6077]

Those shelves are FREAKING me out big style, .

[@williamlemon2954]

Great video with bringing back lots of memories, some better than others. I used to love nova’s, I had three yellow SR nova’s and then ended up with a red 1.3 GL up until October 1992. Unfortunately nova’s were definitely not made very strong as todays cars are. Because on the 5th October 1992 mine tried to kill me 😂. I had a to cut out of the boot of mine while the engine and passenger front wheel lay on top of me. Hitting a tree 4 foot wide at 80 mph made it crumple like a coke can. Still lovely looking cars back in the day

[@madeljacky]

Thats the best episode of the Late Brake Show ever ! To get even a look through that garage door would be mighty, brings back some quare memories for me when I see the Mantas, Asconas and the Nova's,, this is definatley 'the Nova man', sadly all I have left now is four 13'' inch three spoke SR Nova wheels and the memories that went with them.

[@richardjohnson3463]

Brilliant! Thank you

[@mickmcc2158]

Brilliant episode(again with the Ascona that run me over as a kid!) Seriously though, so glad you made it over here & witness our passion for all things automotive

[@marky9117]

Great collection. My mum had a duck egg blue Ascona when I was a kid in the early 80’s. I had 3 Nova’s including an SR as my first cars when I was 17. Good memories and I’d love that 8k mile SR. What a find. 😎

[@ManxAndy]

Evening Johnny…..always a joy to see you upload, Thankyou 👍🇮🇲💪

[@davecollumbell4592]

by far one the best episode, the guy has great taste, loving his nova collection that sr nova is a beauty with only 8,000 miles

[@darrensykes-dp3zf]

Great episode. Used my 1988 metallic blue Nova 1.3 SR as a wedding car!

[@zogzoogler]

Love an Ascona, earliest car memory Dad’s blaze orange Ascona on Rostyle steels, Lucas spotlights. Walter Rohl’s Ascona 400 being the last rwd WRC championship winner ❤

[@grootzijl]

I love that silver Ascona, my father had 3 b Kadetts and then one of these Asconas in yellow when I was a child. The driver's door couldn't be opened from the outside and my father had to wack the starter motor with the jack handle every time it had been sitting for more than a day but I loved the look of that car

[@MEchanicAL_LSTAR]

When we lived in the UK my brother had a mk2 astra GTE. I loved that car but there was always something about the Nova GSI.

[@luketaplin42]

What a great video Absolutely loved this one ❤

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

What a fantastic collection, as a Ford Enthusiast, my preference would be old skool fords back in the day but I can now appreciate all these lovely Vauxhall's especially watching the once driven channel, my favourite in the collection either that Corsa Sport or the Nova Sport, non vauxhall favourite has to be that 405.

[@TheGoodbyeGirl]

This was a stonking episode and took me right back to my younger days, I knew someone with an Opel Manta GTE with the girls face decal on the bonnet and another friend had a pristine 1990/1 black with red trim Vauxhall Nova SR.

[@andrewwebb4512]

Fantastic episode, love nova sports as my brother has owned one for over 30yrs

[@weedaviec]

That Ascona 400 rep is stunning. I like a Manta but the earlier car is a cleaner, more classic shape. I always used to lust after a white Ascona that an old guy drove locally to me in the '90s. It was mint. I hope it didn't go to scrap.

[@matthines888]

Love these cars so much, especially as an American who never or rarely saw Opels of this era. Would be so epic to post up to cars and coffee in something so cool, rare and quirky. Keep 'em coming!

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Cheers Matt

[@andrewjjhalliday]

Great show, those garages are even better in the flesh 👍👍👍

[@jobmanders5328]

Keep going Jonny. Your enthusiasm for anything on wheels is addictive.

[@deanbeeston4541]

Absolutely brilliant, a blast from the past

[@shand1967]

Back in the very early 80's my late uncle had a 2.0SR Ascona in bronze. It was a super cool car and I loved it when he gave me a lift to school. Since then I have had an affinity with Vauxhall and Opels. What made this all the more impressive was my uncle traded in his Reliant Regal for the Ascona. Needless to say I turned down his kind offer of a lift when he had the Regal.

[@richardgledhill]

Love these videos! Thanks Jonny and friends!

[@richardgledhill]

Though they've mis-spelled "Spoowwwaarrrttt" on that Nova... ;-)

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Thank you Richard. Glad you appreciate the early access too.

[@Super1234Ron]

Thanks Johnny for showing this cave. I do love to drive Opels, I owned a Ascona 1.6s 2door, love to drive that Ascona 400

[@whitemoor66]

The original 3 door Nova was such a clean looking car. That Ascona was lovely, can not remember the last time I saw one of those in the metal.

[@K_MTB]

Wow that blue Nova sr is incredible! I would love to own that, the speed line alloys are perfect Nova wheels. I had a 1.3 sr when I was 17!

[@peterrolt6403]

Some lovely memories of my youth, had several Novas amongst dozens of Vauxhalls also a great 405GL 1900 petrol the same as the one in the advert which was a fantastic car that I picked up for £4k at a BCA event. Happy days

[@niklaswejedal463]

Picking a favorite is always tricky, but I have to say that Peugeot 405 made me feel a little warm inside - They are all but gone here in Sweden and to see a nice one like that was awesome. I too remember the lauch of the 405 very well - I think it was the car (tohether with the 205) that made me start liking Peugeots. Before those, Peugeot was a bit of a senior-citizen-mobile type of brand... Suddenly they made fresh, bold and very modern looking cars. - Great episode!

[@deankalsevicius7610]

The 400 rep makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up from the back. What a nice looking thing 🤟

[@davidbillberg2203]

Wow! So good! Thanks Johnny!

[@NigeUK007]

All such rarities now. Fair play, and would be great to see the 5 door one shown again when restored… great story behind it. What was an even rarer sight was the 5 door saloon Novas. Not even sure if any exist anymore.

[@davemackinder6518]

my brother had a lovely G Reg white nova GTE, Everyone in our area loved it

[@markarmitage8376]

This reminds me of the time we followed the RAC Lombard Rally in 1986 or '87 I think (?) with a bunch of pals. We were in a mate's dad's 2.3 Ghia Sierra which was quite the rocket ship back in the day. We were driving like lunatics (or so we thought) trying to get to the next stage, but got smoked by a yellow Nova rally car ( reg: BAT 79) who pissed off a BWM police bike. The latter did a U-turn and made off in hot pursuit but alas retired with their tail between their legs. Nova 1 - Plod 0. Classic.... Great video as always.

[@sq1rlsqu4d]

That's a cracking cave Adrian, thanks for letting us see it :) ...and that Ascona 400 😍

[@AMGvRS]

Thanks, it was great having Jonny out to do it, made it all seem easy.

[@JeremyEdwards996]

Loved the Novas, but they were all later than the ones my wife and I had. 1984 1.0 Nova Base, 1985 Nova 1.2 Swing, 1987 Nova 1.3 SR, 1988 Nova 1.2 Star, 1989 Nova 1.6 GTE, all in Carmine Red.

[@Retirement_Life]

Great shed video and what a nice guy Adrian is!

[@mick0846]

It's funny how we can all relate to old cars even if you are not interested in cars they take you back to the good old days. A car for every generation

[@benlambley7171]

Amazing collection and that ascona❤ absolute beast thanks for filming this Johnny

[@Invisibleman7]

Love the car cave series. In my opinion best one yet