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22-03-2008, 14:48
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 #1 | | MIGClub Member
Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Oxford Drives: Saloon of Doom MKII
Posts: 9,298
| Senator 3.0 24v (ex-police)
This isn't strictly a project car or a restoration, but I think it's worthy of a thread: Vauxhall Senator 3.0 24v 1993
Police spec (manual transmission, no sunroof, manual winders all round, police specific 160mph calibrated speedo, white paintwork)
Paid £250 for it, needed minor TLC and its taxation class changed from Disabled (being a police car) to PLG.
So far I have done:
Oil change (10w40 semi, VX oil filter)
Fuel filter
Gearbox oil change
Rear diff oil change (80w140 oil with LSD additive)
New lamda sensor
New coolant temperature sensor
New thermostat
Removed CAT's and replaced with home made replacement pipes (made a big difference)
Enlarged throttle body (from standard 64mm to 69mm including removal of wedge)
Home made short shifter
After this work the Senator was used to drive to Scotland (Glasgow and the highlands), the work returned some impressive results in terms of economy:
Oxford start to Glasgow, average speed 70mph: 36.1mpg!
Total miles covered: 1100miles (this included a lot of small journeys round the city, up into the highlands at low speeds, twisty turns and maybe a little drifting!)
Total journey economy: 33.9mpg
List of work to be before RAF Marham race day (April 13th):
Change pads all round for EBC redstuff
Fit Autobahnstormers Mk3 Club chip (mapped for use with cat replacement pipes and enlarged TB)
Remove viscous fan and replace with electric item + thermostatic switch
Replace N/S/F engine mount (current one is on last legs and may causing a problem at Marham)
Borrow front coilovers off Carlton project and fit 400lb springs
Borrow rear adjustable dampeners off Carlton
Fit rear 40mm lowering springs designed for a Vectra estate (these only lower a carlton/senator by 20mm)
Fit 17" Omega Elite wheels with Yoko A048R semi-slick tyres (already purchased) Some pictures:  
The engine: 
CAT replacement pipes: 
Enlarged throttle body: 
The senator is a daily driver now, once the race day is over it will be returned to original suspension and wheels.
More pictures of it in the Highlands coming soon! | 
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22-03-2008, 17:11
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#2 | | MIGWeb User
Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: suffolk Drives: Corsa Tbo n Prelude
Posts: 5,418
| my gsi 3000 does better mpg than my old mk4 astra gsi. crazy when you think about it..
senator looks superb matey...
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22-03-2008, 17:15
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#3 | | MIGClub Member
Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Oxford Drives: Saloon of Doom MKII
Posts: 9,298
| cheers chap, I love it and for £250 its crazy performance and comfort for your money.
How are you getting on with Mark's prototype flywheel for these engines? I am tempted myself seeing the quality of the V6 one you did for me | |
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22-03-2008, 17:18
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#4 | | MIGWeb User
Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: lichfield Drives: senator 24v/saxo
Posts: 363
| nice and tidy mate good mpg aswell .wish i still had a senator | |
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22-03-2008, 22:32
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#5 | | MIGClub Member
Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Lancashire Drives: Calibra Turbo
Posts: 955
| nice effort that. well give us a shout if you need any bits one of these in the yards don the road from me so know they are hard to find now a days.
top motor, and old cars economy i think is alwasy better than new stuff. | |
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22-03-2008, 22:47
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#6 | | MIGClub Member
Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Bath Drives: Astra 3.0 V6 / F20
Posts: 3,872
| Top condition looking motor.
Had a few Senators, and one ex-Police one which i was gutted to have to get rid of 
Where did the enlarged throttle body come from?
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I buy scrap/mot failures in the South West
Athiests.....a non prophet organisation | |
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22-03-2008, 22:49
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#7 | | Regional Co-ordinator
Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Fareham,Hants Drives: A shineeeey Nova
Posts: 40,525
| Looks like a bit of a weapon.
__________________ Quote: |
My life so pitafull, the futures so bright.. Well i'd look a head but it burns my retinas
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22-03-2008, 23:11
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#8 | | MIGClub Member
Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Oxford Drives: Saloon of Doom MKII
Posts: 9,298
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22-03-2008, 23:14
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#9 | | MIGClub Member
Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Oxford Drives: Saloon of Doom MKII
Posts: 9,298
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Galahad  Top condition looking motor.
Had a few Senators, and one ex-Police one which i was gutted to have to get rid of
Where did the enlarged throttle body come from? | Condition is very very good, only rust on the entire car is bottoms of three doors (just replace doors when they show up for sale) and one rear arch is a bit scabby. Paint isn't too bad, you can see the blowover on the roof where the lightbar holes were filled.
The enlarged body is done by an ABS club member on exchange, and he only does them for club members IIRC | |
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22-03-2008, 23:27
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#10 | | Administrator
Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Southampton Drives: GTE 16v/Vectra CDX
Posts: 3,665
| What mileage has the car done? She looks very solid. | |
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22-03-2008, 23:29
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#11 | | MIGWeb User
Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: glasgow/oban Drives: like its a hire car
Posts: 4,873
| 
carpark near tarbet on loch lomond side?
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Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming... "f*ck, what a trip!" | |
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22-03-2008, 23:33
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#12 | | MIGClub Member
Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Oxford Drives: Saloon of Doom MKII
Posts: 9,298
| Quote:
Originally Posted by GTE 16v What mileage has the car done? She looks very solid. | about 136K | |
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22-03-2008, 23:34
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#13 | | MIGClub Member
Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Oxford Drives: Saloon of Doom MKII
Posts: 9,298
| Quote:
Originally Posted by alistairolsen
carpark near tarbet on loch lomond side? | yes mate, we were in fact on our way to Oban!! | |
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23-03-2008, 00:08
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#14 | | MIGWeb User
Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: glasgow/oban Drives: like its a hire car
Posts: 4,873
|  ,should have called in. I do that road twice a week commuting to uni!
you enjoy the twisty bits? tarbet to crianlarich and then tyndrum to dalmally? | |
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23-03-2008, 00:13
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#15 | | MIGClub Member
Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Oxford Drives: Saloon of Doom MKII
Posts: 9,298
| yep, we stopped in Crainlarich I think for some lunch (the place thats having huge amounts of roadworks going on at the moment and also there is a castle type place as you enter that looks like it belongs in Disneyworld).
Nice roads, but so many HGVs, Coaches full of old biddies and general 40mpg old biddies that I couldn't enjoy many of them like I wished. | |
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23-03-2008, 00:51
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#16 | | MIGWeb User
Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: glasgow/oban Drives: like its a hire car
Posts: 4,873
| yeah, theyre best at night tbh, or properly early morning. | |
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23-03-2008, 19:53
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#17 | | MIGWeb User
Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ayrshire, Scotland Drives: 1989 Nova gte
Posts: 1
| bet that car could tell a story or two if it could talk. Must have seen a fair amount of car ch44ses! | |
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24-03-2008, 13:23
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#18 | | MIGWeb User
Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: oban, scotland
Posts: 650
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny A yep, we stopped in Crainlarich I think for some lunch (the place thats having huge amounts of roadworks going on at the moment and also there is a castle type place as you enter that looks like it belongs in Disneyworld).
Nice roads, but so many HGVs, Coaches full of old biddies and general 40mpg old biddies that I couldn't enjoy many of them like I wished. | thats inverary youre talking about, but by the pics i can see you went home via crianlarich and tyndrum so you got a taste of it all.
drive those roads in a loop most days for work, its not so bad.
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competition nova parts needed! see below...
migweb.co.uk/forums/cars-items-wanted/375558-competition-high-end-nova-parts.html | |
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24-03-2008, 13:44
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#19 | | MIGWeb User
Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: suffolk Drives: Corsa Tbo n Prelude
Posts: 5,418
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny A cheers chap, I love it and for £250 its crazy performance and comfort for your money.
How are you getting on with Mark's prototype flywheel for these engines? I am tempted myself seeing the quality of the V6 one you did for me | it was nearly done last time i looked  | |
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24-03-2008, 15:03
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#20 | | MIGClub Member
Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Oxford Drives: Saloon of Doom MKII
Posts: 9,298
| Quote:
Originally Posted by vxlgsi it was nearly done last time i looked | Nice, as I have to help him get the car ready for Marham and for some reason he isn't answering his phone 
Do you think it will cost about the same as the V6 one?? | |
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24-03-2008, 15:35
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#21 | | MIGWeb User
Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: suffolk Drives: Corsa Tbo n Prelude
Posts: 5,418
| It was slightly more as it had to be designed from scratch which takes ages, then a cnc program has to be written, but i think he was going to organise a group buy on them?!, in which case we should be able to drop the price to around the 2.5v6 price, just depends how many we make. | |
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24-03-2008, 19:27
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#22 | | MIGClub Member
Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Oxford Drives: Saloon of Doom MKII
Posts: 9,298
| I think there will be a bit of a call for them as the dual mass fly is a pig, it weighs a LOT and is prone to failure. | |
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24-03-2008, 19:43
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#23 | | MIGWeb User
Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: suffolk Drives: Corsa Tbo n Prelude
Posts: 5,418
| i hope so cos were at a loss with them at the moment. They are 17kg and the one we just designed is around 8 so it should be awsome! | |
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24-03-2008, 19:56
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#24 | | MIGClub Member
Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Staffordshire Drives: Cavalier 1.7 TD
Posts: 13,357
| Ooooh, those CAT replacement pipes look awesome. 
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Cavalier TD: Going strong, 160'000 miles and 169ftlbs.
Corsa 1.6 16v: New inlet manifold! | |
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24-03-2008, 20:28
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#25 | | MIGClub Member
Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Oxford Drives: Saloon of Doom MKII
Posts: 9,298
| u mean rusty?
I didn't think they were too bad considering I welded them up in those strong winds we had a few weeks back. | |
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