My GTE 16V Restoration Thread.

[the flash]

Its cellulose and its as thick as funk you reckon 180 hmm ok i've got 240 i'll run it over in that got filling primer.

[Benn]

oh.
then yeah as it will crinkly and crack with you paint over the top,
so yeah mightbe easyest to 80 it,
but then 180 then 240,then ech primer it,then a few good think coats of primer,800 it off then paint..

[the flash]

Will heed your advice and get it done thanks

[Benn]

ok dude,

[Astra Dan]

Thanks for all the replies and positive remarks. Just to make it clear, only the rear wings have been resprayed, I wouldn't hope (or want, probably) a full re-spray for £400. The rest is, as far as we can tell, original paint, so some credit to the previous owners I guess!

Um, I've not owned a Starmist, but obviously it flies compared to my mk2 (1.3) and my mk3 (2.0i 8V).

Been driving it quite a bit today. It's only managed 95 miles to £20,although the plugs are nice and light brown, so I don't think it's over-fuelling. Will monitor the MPG, I would expect to get near 30MPG.
Also one of the track rod ends broke the other day, so replaced both today and got the tracking reset, much better.

Next on the list is to re-wire the brake pad senders with the new items I got from Billing as this is the only part of the check control that doens't work. Then I need to dismantle the exhaust and replace the centre section and salvage the back box somehow. They're £110+VAT from Vaux!

[the flash]

95 miles hmmm redex give it a clean, adjust/fine tune dizzy ? hmm injectors give them a test.

[Benn]

, adjust/fine tune dizzy ?

xe dizzy is fixed...
and red-x is crap,

[Astra Dan]

Yesterday I replaced the brake pad warning sensors. I got a pair of new Mk3 Cav ones at Billing for £3 each. They're about 200mm shorter than the GTE ones.
So I cut the broken ends off the old ones and found two of the right female sockets, on from an old Vectra sensor I had lying about and another was from the oil level sensor connection from a XE engine loom I randomly found.
Now the pad warning light goes out and I have a 100% working check control.

Also went to a local exhaust place and found Bosal still make the standard 16V back box, which sells for £56, less than half the Vauxhall price. It comes in tomorrow, but I made sure they know that if I don't like the look of it I won't buy it.

[nrj]

the bosal one should come with a silver end, just paint it black.

[Astra Dan]

My current GM one has a silver end...

[Joe]

Very nice car indeedy!!!

[richie00boy]

So Dan you made some little extensions, not cutting the original loom?

[Tom Williams]

leave it silver dan, it is the right spec for the car

the vauxhall heritage centre car has a black back box with silver tail pipes

[mattcoupturbo]

Will you be cleaning up the engine bay dan or leaving it as it is?

[Astra Dan]

So Dan you made some little extensions, not cutting the original loom?

Of course! No wires cut on the whole car except for the immobiliser as far as I know.

[Astra Dan]

Engine is getting some treatment soon. First an oil leak to fix (dizzy I think) which I've just re-sealed. Then a general clean up and a re-spray for the rocker cover and (metal) spark plug cover in as close to original colours as possible.

[JaguarJohn]

Very nice Dan

[Astra Dan]

Hey John! Thank you.

[The Simps]

I've seen this car in the flesh. You can smell the mintiness walking up the driveway!

Simps.

[Astra Dan]

Why thankyou

Today I got to see what a £56 +vat Bosal replacement back box is like:





To be frank, utter ****e. My hopes weren't high, but that takes the piss. To not even bother putting the outer trim on straight must mean the quality control is total crap. Looks far more restrictive than the GM box too. Makes me feel much better about paying £110 for a genuine item if I can't get a decent 2nd had one.

[richie00boy]

Who in their right mind would buy that, it's shocking! Even if it was assembled straight, it would still look pants due to the peashooters.

[Astra Dan]

Yep. I took one look at it and told them to send it back. I wouldn't have accepted it off the delivery lorry myself.

[richie00boy]

I've been kicking myself how much I let a genuine used but excellent nick one go for a while ago.

[Byron]

****in hell. thats awful.

[Astra Dan]

RANDOM DRIVE REPORT

Had a bit if time this afternoon and was going to replace the tank to pump pipe on the GTE, but realised it'd be easier if there was less fuel in the tank. And I've not really driven the GTE properly yet. So out I went to some national limit roads.

My WORD I've never overtaken that many people in one afternoon. I'm not the most 'sportiest' of drivers, as some will know, and I've not driven many fast-ish standard cars either, mainly engine conversions. But I do like a good blat and I'll overtake almost whenever possible and safe.
The GTE LOVES it. The pull from the car from almost any revs is nothing I've experienced in any standard car. Not as fast as a LET Mk3 Astra or a Nova obviously, but for something straight out of the box (it still has the cat, too) I'm amazed. Much quicker than the Leon Cupra R I drove (most dissapointing, frankly).
I actually started laughing to myself as I scudded a line of 3 cars and a van and noticed I changed UP into 5th whilst doing it, such was the ease. No wheel wobble or brake juddder, brakes felt firm and responsive. Her ass got a bit light around some corners and under heavy breaking, but black Bilsteins at the minimum are on the cards. No plans to lower, though. I think I've blown out some of the insulation in the exhaust somewhere, too. Whilst not making a classic blowing/ farting noise, it's got a real mean rasp to it now, which is actually fun.
Oil pressure seemed perfect to me, 4 straight bars (full) when thrashing, three bars when cruising in 5th and 2, sometimes 1 straight bar on hot idle. Temperature constant on 2 yellow bars. Engine sounds OK, no tapping or knocking, but there's been a funny sort of harsh noise from the bottom pulley area for a while, but I've fitted a new belt and rollers and pump, and had it apart again to check and everything seems OK to me. Belt is a smidgen tight, you can just hear it whining when hot. Well happy.

Pic: