'Acropolis Now' Monaro: Your Photos

Date: 03.08.2015

Back in the day: The GTS with the cast of 'Acropolis Now'

'Jim' (Nick Giannopoulos) and 'Memo' (George Kapiniaris) with the GTS

The GTS as it is today, owned by Brent Russell

Back in the day: The GTS with the cast of 'Acropolis Now'

'Jim' (Nick Giannopoulos) and 'Memo' (George Kapiniaris) with the GTS

The GTS as it is today, owned by Brent Russell

Aussie star cars: Where are they now? We track down the current owner of the Mandarin Red Monaro GTS from the TV series, 'Acropolis Now'

'Acropolis Now' Monaro GTS

Acropolis Now GTS Monaro 

It all started with a reader's letter in Unique Cars issue #376, where Troy Boutses asked if anyone knows the whereabouts of the 'orange' (Mandarin Red) Monaro GTS from the TV series, Acropolis Now (1989-92). 

Current owner of the GTS, Brent Russell, responded to Troy's letter (as shown in issue #378) and included some 'then and now' photos of the car, plus gave us a little of the car's history since its TV sitcom days. Fortunately, Brent can confirm the 'famous' Monaro is still in excellent condition!

Here's Brent's letter:

I always enjoy the arrival of my Unique Cars mag when it appears freshly wrapped in my letter box each month but issue 376 had an extra special surprise waiting for me inside. As soon as I turned to page 30, there in front of me, at the top of Mailbag was a picture of my Monaro. The car I own is the original ‘orange Monaro’ used in the early 1990’s TV show Acropolis Now (my wife also refers to it as orange but I prefer Mandarin Red). In any case, to answer Troy Boutses’ question, the car is now located in country Victoria and is still in excellent condition. It does however look a little different to its Acropolis Now days. Back then a guy named Allan owned the car and Allan's business was and still is automotive fibreglass - hence the red fibreglass bonnet and bumpers. Allan was approached by the TV show when they needed a car for Nick Giannopoulos' character "Jim" and of course only a Monaro would do!

Some years after the car's TV debut Allan decided to sell the car to a guy named Craig. Craig kept the car for around seven years and then he too decided to let it go. Craig advertised the Monaro with Unique Cars and that's where I first saw it and a deal was done to get her home in my shed. That was almost 8 years ago now. A year or so after I purchased the car I met the original owner Allan and his daughter Michelle at a local car show. It was great to meet them and find out more about the car's history and they were even kind enough to send me copies of their own photos - including a few signed by the cast of Acropolis Now. I have included some photos from the Acropolis Now days and also one of how the car looks today.

Back in the '90s the car was very modified and in some ways still is but over time I have slowly returned it back to more of a factory look. Most of the Mandarin Red paint is still original and although the car is now over 40 years old, the odometer reads only 90,000 original kms. It's certainly my pride and joy and it's also gratifying to know that I am the current custodian of a car with such a great (if somewhat famous) history behind it. Thanks for your interest, Troy.

YOUR PHOTOS: WE WANT YOU!

Send your photos via email to uniquecars@primecreative.com.qu with 'Your Photos' in the subject line.

Photos should be in JPEG file format (ask a youngster!), larger than one megabyte in size but no bigger than three megabytes in total.

Alternatively, post your photos to this address, with a stamped self-addressed envelope so we can return them to you:
Unique Cars,
379 Docklands Drive,
Docklands VIC 3008

Please include your name, phone number and the date and location of the photo, plus the names of anyone in the photo and the year/model of the car(s) concerned.

Feel free to tell us all about the circumstances around the picture.

Get onto it!

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