Brett's Astra GTE 16v Turbo Trackcar Project - Page 19

**Brett** · 18-05-2008, 09:08

so far its not even limited to this car. I had a one year old Audi A4 2 weeks ago from work for 7 days, hit a badger in that

nothing I could have done. Foglights and part of the bumper wiped clean out

**Brett** · 06-06-2008, 19:08

Had a few days of work so have been sorting out the car which has been looking sorry for itself while Ive been moving house.

Started sorting out the front bumper. Its been grey since, well, my lack of skill on ice came to light in February.... Have a foglightless one here so I decided to get that one sorted and fit that for a cleaner look. I also decided I did want to refit the splitter. It'll never be perfect again but I'll get as good as I can. Today I just fibreglassed the two halves back together and braced it for strength. It'll get in there with filler and see what I can do over the weekend.

Also fitted the phase 2 Mk3 wingmirrors today, Im very happy with the finished result. Its a pinched idea from Mike Warners old red GTE 16v, cheers to Mike for the telling me where to find pics of his for reference! Lots of cutting, filing and reshaping involved in getting the bases to look right and all the holes in the door where it screws on needed some opening out to get it to line up. Not a simple job!

and finally mounted a spare wheel at last!!

**CraigGreen** · 10-06-2008, 20:30

All sounds good mate.

Later mirrors smooth out the shape a bit.

**Benn** · 11-06-2008, 07:25

Mirros look good, bumper doies look better with the spilter on it..
Rear brace would be better if it was welded to the turrets tho..

**LEE69** · 11-06-2008, 08:21

Mirrors look good mate.

**Brett** · 12-06-2008, 09:27

Im really happy with the mirros now Im used to them, glad everyone thinks they suite it.

Benn - yeah strut brace is ornamental I know. I dont really need to worry about welding it on as Ive got a harness bar on my rollcage which is about 6 inches forward of the strut brace doing the real work!!

Now got all the new wheels on, they are staying silver this time. Will add pics when Ive got the front bumper painted.

**CraigGreen** · 12-06-2008, 09:32

Silver wheels are the new black.......

**Brett** · 12-06-2008, 11:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by CraigGreen

Silver wheels are the new black.......

Never a truer word spoken!!

sbd16vastra · 12-06-2008, 12:00

cars looking good

mirrors look horrible !!!

tonkav666 · 12-06-2008, 18:41

Nice Gte had a few myself including a stripped out valver which was the best.

**Benn** · 12-06-2008, 18:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brett

Benn - yeah strut brace is ornamental I know. I dont really need to worry about welding it on as Ive got a harness bar on my rollcage which is about 6 inches forward of the strut brace doing the real work!!

.

Ah cool, more bracing the better so..

Gareth Colley · 14-06-2008, 17:55

**CraigGreen** · 21-08-2008, 14:13

Oi! Whats happened to this?

No updates on here or Astra-mk2.com.

**Brett** · 12-10-2008, 18:59

An update!

I guess moving out and not having money to spend on the Astra like I used has taken some getting used to, in a way it sapped my willingness to spend time on it. Sitll its got to the point now where its crying out for some repairs and improvement so Ive been cracking on again.

Since the last update Ive done my first dry trackday in it, at good old Castle Combe. It went way better than I expected and I set some great lap times even with a smokey old XE in there. It did do something to the engine, its not in good shape anymore! With this in mind Ive gotten on somewhat with building the LET engine. The bottom end is now fully assembled and Im not far off getting round to fitting the head and manifolds! Exciting times!

early crank thanks to stt

Crank about to go in...

Crank in, oil squirters in...

And thats when my phone battery died! No pictures of my clean baffle plate, steel rods, modded pick up pipe before the sump went on and hid it all away! Never mind. Imagine a built up block, thats what I've got on my garage floor now.

Of course there still loads and loads to do as you'd expect, but I treated myself last night to a spare XE last night thanks to Joe (Kneo Ghau), which turned out to be a late dizzyless one. In a way thats good but in a way its not, my LET being an early one! I was going to use it as spares but many of the parts I wanted wont fit - crank pulley, cambelt cover, coil. But its a spare engine which wont be a bad thing to have lying around. I plan on picking it up around the end of the month.

**Brett** · 12-10-2008, 19:00

Today Ive started another new dash, I think this is version 4 and its been refined again! I left my lights on at work and ran the battery flat, this caused the alarm to have a hissy fit and after jump starting it I realised there were a few things I really wasnt happy with in the electrics and have decided to get stuck in and sort them out. This meant dash out, and while its out I thought, might as well customise it and flock it while I can. The standard was only ever a quick fix, and I couldnt see the dials very well especially when on track with a crash helmet on!

Of the electrical problems, first was the indicator flash on the alarm, the fuse always blows so Ive fixed that today. Ive improved the routing of the lives from the cut of switch to the dash and changed a few cut of switches. I also never had a permanent live to the dash clock, so that was seen to! I still have to sort out the heater motor wire which is still melting the fuse box all the time, my original fix didnt last very long.

Inside the car at the moment...

The dash as she used to look...

'Skinning' a Mk2 Astra dash. The flocks doesnt stick to the vinyl well, so removing the card to expose the compressed card gives the flock a better adhesion.

Another lesson Ive learnt, this time Ive left the vinyl on the lower half of the dash and wont flock it. A flocked is really hard to clean!

I butchered a dash in a Mk2 at the scrappy for the instrument binnacle, and did my usual extended binnacle on this dash. Expanding foam is a great way of fixing it in place and filing the large gaps. I never get used to how much it expands

!

When its set its easy to cut with a knife, I make the basic outline of what Im looking for like this

This is what Im doing different this time. In the past I have retained the air feeds and analogue clocks part, I had the dials where the vents were before. This time Ive got an Escort Mk6 (I think!) digital clock and Im fitting that along with all 4 dials in this new bit, a few switches too.

Will carry on during the week

stt · 13-10-2008, 03:58

nice to see some progress being made again!

chip · 13-10-2008, 07:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by stt

nice to see some progress being made again!

+1

Hopefully by combe next year it will be flying

**Brett** · 13-10-2008, 08:22

Cheers guys!

April next year is plenty of time, but given my track record of slowness not guranteed!

stt · 13-10-2008, 08:45

I'd be more worried about your driving track record once you do get it finished

**CraigGreen** · 13-10-2008, 09:04

Good to see you found the old thread again mate. Crack on!

**Brett** · 13-10-2008, 09:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by stt

I'd be more worried about your driving track record once you do get it finished

LMAO! its been 6 months now since anything got in my way on the road! Probably as Im driving it less due to moving out though

Craig cheers mate! Will not allow it to happen again!

Shand · 13-10-2008, 22:54

Wicked Motor!!

**Brett** · 21-10-2008, 10:10

Am starting to think what I thought may be terminal damage to the engine may have been me getting a little pessimistic.

4 x new plugs and its running absolutley fine again! pulls like a train once more. I'm now more concerned by the ratles coming from the engine, which I had attributed to be related to the loss in performance. I suspect its coming from the timing set up so will be having the cover off as soon as I get home. Ive got an early type cambelt kit sat in the garage for my LET which I will fit if it does turn out to be anything under there.

**CraigGreen** · 21-10-2008, 13:03

XE's are stronger than that!

**Brett** · 21-10-2008, 13:16

I dont want to let this one die without good reason, its done 202,000 miles now would be a shame!