Forums Forums Enthusiast Forums A - Z Autowirral StationMiek's Astra GSi 2.0

ive got some of those wheels that daz106 gave me and the paint is coming off like your ones where, will give them a sand down and give them a few coats of primer and see what they look like,

The little crack is now welded. As I'm no expert at welding, the 1mm wide, 3 cm long crack turned into a 1 inch thick, 2 inch long and 1 cm high 'pile' of welding. I wish I'd have taken a photo, it was hilarious. Sh*tty weld or not, it was done, and I put the sound proofing back in, and the carpetting:


I've discovered three leaks so far, so most nights I come out to find the whole passenger footwell full of water, and the carpet has to be hung out, as the whole car stinks.

I messed around with the steering wheel, and couldn't really get a good view whether it was bending as usual or not. But after a while I saw that it identical before I welded the crack up, so it had nothing to do with the crack. Would you believe that?!

I 100% believe it's down to that black panel in the above pictures, there's something wrong with it, but I can't see anything. The only thing to do is to change for a new one. The clever people at Vauxhall put the loom right through the centre of it, so you have to chop it in half to get it out. Superb.

Slowly becoming a NIGHTMARE.

Today, I got up at 8am, to face the mess I left last night, just launched the whole lot inside the car, tidied everything up and did the whole thing methodically.
I took that black plate thing out again and welded the clutch pedal to it, then put everything back together again. I finished at 8pm, and that includes putting a middle section pipe in my mate's Astra, I've gone non-stop!! Finished the lot, and checked the steering, it moves a tiny bit, but to be honest, I think that's me being paranoid, and it's with one tyre flat, without PAS and not in motion, so when the car's moving it'll be fine I think!!

Put everything together, and then realised I'd lost my gearknob (heater matrix hanging out behind dashboard)!!



The Sh*thead:




Tomorrow is MOT and tax, then next weekend are fillering and spraying the arches.

some work you put into that mate!!!

bet you cant wait to drive it problem free hehe

you still got the calibra? if so why not use that. same engine.

Had no tax or MOT, it went a long time ago..

Seeing as it's a bit wet out, I decided to put a new heater matrix system in. The windows cloud up in seconds, so the whole thing had to come out again, and putting the new one in was no picnic, more lacerations down my arms, and more money in the swear box, but at least it'll be warm on those winter morns.

I also cracked my forehead on a sharp pointy piece of metal (I thought there was rain water dripping down my head, I looked at my hands about 10 minutes later, and they were covered in blood!!) and then, when tightening a bolt on the steering column, I noticed a little chip on the windscreen where the ratchet was touching. I thought to myself, 'wouldn't it be typical if I accidentally tapped it on there and it crac..." CRACK!! - bol(locks)!!!

New windscreen then.

Unlucky as hell mate.The car just does not want to play. Stick with it and the sweet motor will return

Ugh.. gutted mate! =\ hows your head?

Ahh, still been busy with three different cars, I finally sort the V6 stuff. Suspiciously easy to do.
Corsa owners take note!

The front struts and rear beam is from a Cavalier V6. The advantages being the discs are massive, the calipers are bigger, and there are five studs instead of the four.
I've got one side done, here's the other:

Cav v6 on the left, Astra GSi on the right. Astra discs are brand new and both had been left outside for a few days, look how they rust!!


Tops of Cavalier/Calibra strut are completely different to the Astra ones.


Everything from the damper upwards comes off.


This is all you need:


Depending on whether you are keeping the Astra/Corsa damper, the Cav's damper rod is thicker, and will need the top mount drilled through, and whichever bearing fitted.

Wheel bearings can stay, they use the same driveshafts (phew):


Brake comparison:

Good old Hammerite! If you are painting anything that gets hammered by bits of stone or rain, put a coat of Hammerite on it, it will never chip through to bare metal and rust. It also gives a smooth finish, magically filling in bumps and valleys, esp. on brake calipers! You can then apply any old spray paint on top. I'm either sticking with black or silver, I'm not that fond of painted calipers.





Here's one side done, with brakes fitting snuggly in the 16"'s.


and the back (ignore the arch and flatness of wheel )...


Will post the top mounts tommorow, and the rear hub conversion on t' weekend.

I just love this topic,
there is somthing for everyone.

Its pretty much becoming the Astra Re-build topic.

Loving the advice, and pictures.

Keep them coming, you cant be that far away from the finish now.

TOP TOPIC.

ive got them brakes on my corsa an the stoping power on my car is amazing in the dry weather an even the wet

Yeah, I might even get to try them out by next year!

Sorting the other side out now, on the final hurdle so to speak and have been here before. I cannot get the nut off the top even when the suspension rod is being held in really big mole grips, it just spins in the grip! And if you look at an astra top mount, the nut is recessed so you can't get a grip of the top of the rod any other way- *groan*.

Anyone know of any tools that will grip like a bugger??

i had the same problem with my corsa i jus cleaned it an clamed it as hard as i cud the other option is borwing an inpact socket