Now that Spring is round the corner, I thought I'd have a go at doing something again. I have a black Astra which is pretty clean, but I haven't seen it for two years. I took some photos just to show you what a mess it's become!!

It had been parked up in a lock-up for ages, and I finally went up the other day. I didn't know what to expect.
I saw this:





It was covered in a film of dust, two of the tyres were flat. I tried moving it out, but the flatness prevented me from moving it at all.


The interior was a bit musty - the wheel was covered in mould!!!


The power comes on, but the engine doesn't turn over; I had the wiring out when I left it, so it's probably not plugged in somewhere (steering wheel now clean)

I had hooked something up on the ceiling. It had come unhooked, and landed right on the brand new windscreen!


Before I put it in, I reversed out of the drive with the door open, and it bent the door back against the wing and knackered both:



I put these lovely wheels on to get it mobile:


I cleaned the whole lock-up up, I didn't realise I had so much stuff I've collected!! I got all the stuff that was rusty or un-needed together and took it up to the tip:



Next month, I'm going to put in the V6 engine from a Vectra, to replace the eight valve 1400 that is in it. It's a cheap conversion, and puts out 170bhp as standard, with really good mpg. I had Calibra door cards on, but want GSi ones back in (don't know where the hell they are though?) I've started to rip little things off like a new exhaust and tints and just putting it back how Mr Vauxhall in ellesmere port planned it.
It's a bit of a 'tramp'mobile, but badly need something to do that's 'normal', feels quite nice messing about with it again.

Gutted about the door and windscreen.

You manage to get it started in the end?

remove brakes to save weight?!

its a good idea that, I might do it too

Interesting project, good luck with it mate. Would be great to leave it looking like a shed with the V6 in. Could suprise a few people lol.

If there's no weight (from removing the brakes), then you switch the car off and it'll stop straight away. I'm going to open the boot for extra spoiler-age, and remove the windscreen for aerodynamics.

It's just a simple summer project, all the components are rusty, I'm going to change everything over with new stuff, it's all spanner work.

Good luck matey, theres a fair bit of work to get it tidy again

Maybe this one will make it to a meet

This has come on slower than anything I've ever experienced in my entire life! I discovered the thread somehow!

But I have made progress!

After a few disasters like things falling on top of it, thieves breaking in and stealing my tools (and then getting arrested with tools on the train! hurray!), I've been down now and then when I've needed to get out of the house ... mainly to brush up and just tidy up and sort all my 'parts' into their own special boxes!

Here's a very slow WIP. I've treated the body for it's bits of rust here and there and given it a lick o' white rust proof primer and black Hammerite:

Can't find the pics of the white, it looked awesome!





Aircon put in ... this was a frigging nightmare:



A GSi bodykit on:





Otherwise, I've popped an entirely new wiring loom in, new wishbones, new rear beam and bigger brakes all round, new interior, new doors are on when I get the old ones off (spent few weeks trying to remove them - the pins are rusted FAST). There's been a lot of new stuff bought from Vauxhall like bushes and stuff.

Hopefully get it on the road in a few months though!

Engine hasn't been touched. I got it to turn

lol 1 year and a day since the last reply.

WOW it looks mint in Black the Engine Bay, then you close
the bonnet lol...

I know you will turn this around you always do.
Glad you got your tools back

You and wiring looms what is it lol

what a difference.

good work

mate, you don't do things by half do you.

Antoher project lol, I want to see what you made the kit car into?????

knowing this guys projects Rhys this will be the finished project on the kit car

Haha, no! I don't actually think I'm making any progress at all, just taking it apart and putting it back together again. If I was driving it I'd be a bit more careful but can be a bit willynilly with this, it's stored away.
The car wouldn't move with the handbrake off, so I assumed it had seized somewhere. I pulled it out with my other car and it left a big skidmark on the left rear wheel. I dismantled the drum and out came a pile of black dust and rust that had been generating for 15 years! After faffing about as normal, I decided to push it back in.
Then I realised there is a ramp leading up to the garage, and it took about 15 pushes to get it in again.

Here's those pics of the white primer stuff:

thats quite a transformation already,after seeing the first few pics i was thinking that car is only fit for the bin,why not get a new base that doesnt need a new windscreen,door and wing,at least,but u've saved it.keep it up

respect, nuff sed!!