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89 Astra GTE 16v

16K views 83 replies 28 participants last post by  wooly101uk 
#1 ·
Well the mot has just run out and the tax runs out at the end of this month, so im going to use the opportunity to make a start on the old girl. Just collected the first few bits today, won this boot from ebay at what I think is a bargain price £15, considering its mint. Just the wrong colour lol, also got a new sun roof glass for 50p and lot's of other bits, the seller is a top bloke. Im going back later in the week b4 it goes to the scrappy to cut the complete bulk head out of it and the foot wells.
Well this is the car as it is; it's pretty solid apart from.





* Both rear arches need replacing
* Front bumper is missing washer jets, and has a small crack.
* Rear bumper has gone orange :rolleyes:
* Drivers side front foot well has some rust around the drain plug.
* Boot has rusted around the mount for the spoiler. (See replacement)
* Bulk head may need some attention.
* Bulk head sound deadening needs to come off.
* Engine coming out for a good clean and paint, and to give access to the bulk head.
* Sunroof leaks and is seized
* All the front bushes need replacing, or new bottom arms not sure yet.
* And a full repay in vx red :)

Good points

* Both sills are still perfect not quite sure how.
* Both the engine and gearbox or brakes need no work.
* The inner arches are good.

New Boot cost £15



Im going to do all the work myself so will post up pics to show progress, going to start with the bulk head.
 
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#59 ·
Had this afternoon of work, so I managed to get a few jobs done that I have been meaning to do for ages, first on the list was to change the front calipers as mine had the older slide type, next I wanted to fit my magnex 4-1 manifold and adapted my middle section to mate up to it.

Started of well and removed the old brake setup.



While removing the brakes I noticed some play in the wishbone, first I thought it was a worn bush but it was actually the main bolt that was loose! That would explain the bad torque steer then :eek: I also welded a washer onto the chassis as the mounting hole was slightly oval. My anti corrosion system seams to be working well, this is oil from when the oil pump gasket went.





Once that was sorted I fitted the new brakes and replaced the brake fluid.



Old and new manifolds, the exhaust rap could be neater but I didn't have time to redo it today.



Manifold on.



Middle section with magnex end piece welded on.



Didn't have time to take it for a long run, but it does sound different, will reset the ecu and take it for a test drive tomorrow, not expecting much improvement as the rest of the engine is standard but will find out in October on the rr day.
 
#60 ·
Blimey another year past without touching the poor Astra, well I have booked next week off and the plan is to get it MOT'd and taxed and finish as a rolling resto.

Last year has taken its toll after sitting in this.



First problems are rusty brakes and failed master cylinder, so after calling round for a replacement cylinder and being quoted silly money had a look on eBay and found this.



It's NOS the seller wasn't sure what car it was for but had listed the part number which turned out to be the 22.2mm cylinder that I needed, and for £12 plus postage, bargain.
Going to remove the servo and give it a freshen up at the same time, put a charged battery on it and it fired up like it had been used the day before which surprised me as the fuel must be 3 years old now, but I’m going to drain it all out and use it in the mower lol and put fresh filters on the Astra.
 
#61 ·
Decided to paint the tail pipe as the chrome was beyond saving so now has the lotus Carlton look.





Tomorrow my rear arch panel for the passenger side should turn up so started to have a poke, some of the arch is still solid so hopefully I can save some of the inner, Sill if fine apart front the end which will get chopped out anyway.







Front wing is shot at the bottom though, has any one got this lower section from a rotten wing as the rest of mine is fine.

 
#63 ·
Spend the day under the rear of the car today cleaning of surface rust and old under body sealant, what a messy job, managed to get two coats of antirust primer and some red hammerite on, will do the complete floor in stages.





Panel supplier ordered a mk3 arch instead of a mk2, hopefully will get the correct one tomorrow.

Started drilling out the remaining spot welds and took some measurements to help line up the new panel.



 
#64 ·
Let down again with a different panel supplier, so no rear arch today :( So sorted out the crusty front passenger foot well, at some point in its life it’s been jacked up on the footwell which probably damaged the factory sealant and caused it to start rusting. What a hateful job removing the sound deadening, revealed some more scabs that will need some attention. Just as well I enjoy welding.





 
#66 ·
Another day on the Astra :) Picked up the rear arch repair panel, but it's a poor pressing it should have defined lines around the arch but this one is rounded and towards the rear it looks like it has two folds.



So finished the passenger foot well, cut out some more rot at the front, luckily it's just the footwell not the wishbone mount underneath.



Also cleaned up the underside which was about an inch think in oil and muck, but the vauxhall underseal was starting to peel off so pleased I cleaned it back.
 
#67 ·
Only had an hour on the car today so thought I would have a quick poke, had a couple of scabs on the passenger sill, :doh:

Anyway made a patch using an old nova sill I had.



Ten pence rust hole but cut right back to good metal.



Butt welded it in so you won’t be able to see the repair.






Etch primed just needs a skim of filler.




Bit boring but needed to be done, really want to get the arch sorted now so I can make it look less like a shed.
 
#68 ·
Managed an hour tonight before rain stopped play :mad:

Inner sill is fine just some surface rust,



Got another rear arch from Spankee :beer: which has a much better shape. Started to cut it to shape.



Once the inner arch is repaired I will butt weld it in which will take a while as i don't want it to warp.
 
#69 ·
Managed an hour tonight so started the repairs to the inner arch, again cut back to strong metal, got the cardboard cad out and made the first patch panel.



Out with the welder again.



Had these for ages but it's really good, once the car is all welded every nook and cranny is going to get both of these pumped into it.



RC800 applied.



Really looking forward to getting to the point when I don't have to sweep up my car after working on it..
 
#70 ·
Got the arch on today :Banane44:

Did make a school boy error though, didn’t notice the wiring loom behind the panel and slice through a couple of wires, so soldered in some new sections.



Now well out of harms reach while welding the arch on.



Finished the inner arch repairs then butt welded the outer arch on, this took ages as I was trying hard not to warp it.





Will fill in the gaps tomorrow, then the fun starts with the filler, hoping it will only need a fine skim.
 
#72 ·
Slow progress but getting there, remember why I decided to replace the quarter panel on the driver’s side instead of using the repair panel, I hate all the prep work, fill sand fill sand etc.

Some high build primer, happy with the shape now.



Just the lower corner to finish



Some guide coat

 
#73 ·
Well most of 2011 and all of 2012 came and went and the poor Astra had no love at all, mainly due to the arrival of my second son :)
Had today off and was determined to get some work done, and the plan is to get it back on the road this year..

First problem was getting it out of the garage the handbrake had stuck on so had to get it fired up to drive it out, with some fresh fuel and a battery it fired up pretty much straight away albeit very tappy but it soon sorted itself out and ran nice a quiet.

Decided to get the front bumper off and both front wings to hunt for more rust that might be hiding, anyway I was pleasantly surprised with how rust free it is behind the wings and on the A pillars,











So now it just needs two front wings or repairs to the current ones and a small section of sill to finish the bodywork, and then prep for a respray.
 
#79 ·
Yeah that was probably the last time it was on the road, was interesting seeing it a full throttle while standing next to it..

Was a bit embarrassing turning up with it looking like it does lol, especially with tape on the arch that got it through the mot lol, your 1.8 turbo looked immaculate along with a few others that day.

Thanks for the comments on the work so far really need a good summer this year to get the paint done.
 
#80 ·
Had a couple of hours down the garage today so I thought I would have a go at sorting out one of the front wings.

It's pretty rotten at the front but other than that it's ok, also got to try out a new toy, picked up a power file from Aldi wasn't sure how good it would be but it's great for getting into tight spaces.






Bargain from Aldi.





Took me a while to make the patch panel as I had to find all my random bits of tub and angle iron that had been put in a safe place..





Hopefully tomorrow I can add a skim of filler and get it in primer, the other wing is missing the bottom section where it bolts to the sill so I will have to get creative to rescue it.
 
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