Super Touring Project

chris_veccy · 28-03-2008, 15:52

Well i was gona sell this up until the other week but just couldnt bring myself to do it so i kept it......

had to go somewhere yesterday so jumped in the car got the 20 miles to my destination no problems, did what i had to do and jumped back in the car and went to put in gear and it wouldnt go, yeas the gearbox had went no warning or nowt so after some cursing and the tow back i got on to the lads at DFD Vauxhall who sorted me with a new box (an F16 close ratio rather than putting an F18 back in)

Got the box home and put it in the kitchen (have an understanding lass) while i pondered what to do. the box i got had been painted gold and appears to be in mint condition.....but gold just wont go in my car so this morning i sent wor lass to the autoshop to get some yellow paint when she came back i opened the tin gave her a paint brush and a wire brush and told her to paint the box obviously under my supervision lol what makes this better is today is her birthday haha so next time ya forget something an anniversary a birthday or somink and ya lass gans mental show her this thread and remind her it could always be worse.

Well enough of the blabbing and more of the car the plans so far obviously as time goes on there will be other things to add

the car was an insurance write off cat c (for a wing and a door) which was put back on the road in january this year bodywork wise theres not much i can do as the car has had a full respray back in december when it was repaired by the lads at DFDso the bodywork itself is pretty mint and being the model it is i aint gona modify any of the body as i like its styling already

Plan of Action

Exterior - the carbon requires replacing on the drivers side
Fit Facelift Headlights

The 16" speedlines either need refurbed or possibly replace with some white 17s

Single Arm Wiper Conversion

Interior - I aint a big fan of the seats so will be putting in a Half Leather

The carbon fibre on the steering wheel has some scratches etc so gona have a
look at refurbing it

Convert all dash to blue LED's

Engine - the car has a 2l 16v ecotec which i plan to turbo (so on the look out for
a VXR Turbo) obviously it more than just bolting on a turbo so will be looking into
how i gona do this

Run on F16 close ratio box

Various other engine detailing

Decent exhaust

As you can see i only been thinking bout this a day but already quite a list as this is also my everyday car (well for the time being) the work will revolve around that so first thing first is to fit the f16 so i can at least get mobile again some pictures of how the car looks at the moment are posted below along with the newly painted gear box

**Melv** · 28-03-2008, 16:20

looks to be a cracking project there.

would you be aswell fitting a z20let rather than putting a blower onto the 2.0 Eco thats already there?

3.0 V6 from an omega would be a good idea too.

Fancy getting your lass to paint some bts on my car??

chris_veccy · 28-03-2008, 21:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melv

looks to be a cracking project there.

Fancy getting your lass to paint some bts on my car??

aye whey aye 2 camels and she yours

chris_veccy · 31-03-2008, 08:16

well after recovering yesterday after the weekend i decided to get the car round the back and make a start....

a friend had told me about the subframe trick to remove the gear box without taking the engine out so up on the axel stands it went off came the wheels. popped the shafts out of the gearbox and undid the passenger side suspension to give a bit more space to work in. Ok so the subframe trick worked still fiddly to get the box out but after a bit of persusasion was sat in the kitchen looking at the 2 boxes.

i set about changing the hydraulics out of the f18 into the f16 and hit a snag the small hydraulic piping snapped away from the male connector so off today to get a new bit of pipe made then it will be back on with the F16 and fingers crossed the car back on the road.

the old gear box itself had next to no oil in it so gona strip that down as well and have a look at the extent of the damage as it locked tighter than a nuns ****

will get some pictures up later of the work done

chris_veccy · 31-03-2008, 20:05

well managed to get a replacement pipe (once again thanks to the lads at DFD. pipe changed over and on went the box (this is where i wish the engine and box had of been oot the car) but after 3 hours and lots of swearing box was back fitted up and in its mounts. tomorrow will get the little bits sorted the gears set up dropped back on the ground and run her for a wash, will then get some pics up and will have the new badgeless grill fitted tomorrow also

vxlgsi · 31-03-2008, 20:33

Im looking for a v6 one of these, they look superb

**Melv** · 31-03-2008, 20:35

Was it the F16 in there originally?

chris_veccy · 31-03-2008, 20:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melv

Was it the F16 in there originally?

nah mate it had the f18 in originally

chris_veccy · 01-04-2008, 18:22

well piece of piss day the day as all hard work had been done. first things first went to halfords and picked up gearbox oil and some brake fluid (got 6 quid knocked off with me trade card saving pennies already haha)

back at the car the gearbox oil went in the clutch and brakes were bled the gear selector was set wheels put on and car was back on the road

put the carbon fibre on the drivers side gets the side looking like it should again also fitted the badgeless grill on.

hopefully weather staying all and it arrives through the post i will be fitting the single arm wiper kit at some point this week

apologies for the pics car needs a good wash now lol

lost the pictures of doing the gearbox and theres not much you can see in photos of it on the engine

chris_veccy · 07-04-2008, 10:18

right bit of an update had some really bad luck after getting the car on the road the clutch didnt felt fine went round the blocks a couple of time and hey presto no clutch.... my own stupid fault should of replaced the concentric slave cylinder and thought i would get away with out changing. so once this bloody snow clears up the gearbox will be off again and new slave fitted...

have also been looking around for some goodies to fit and got a couple on there way will post pics of those when they arrive

the deal i had on the single arm conversion kit fell thru so still looking for one of those

and been looking around for a z20let manifold and turbo unit have also considered getting say a t3 and fancy manifold but theres none to be found (manifolds) or maybe i just looking in the wrong places

chris_veccy · 09-04-2008, 18:59

Right got the car on the road again gearboxes on vectras well got it down to a knack now removing them. so gearbox fitted up new concentric slave cylinder fitted and back on its on wheels

had quite a think on how to progress this car and decided rather than converting the current engine into turbo its gona be easier and better fopr future mods just to drop a z20let in plus it will make life easier for future mods (so now time to save up)

in the mean time gona concentrate on making everything else mint the interior is coming out very soon as not a fan of it and will be replaced with a half leather

the front headlights are gona be changed in favour of xenons just gona buy bits at a time as i want to make sure everything is done right and from now there will be no corners cut

**Benn** · 09-04-2008, 20:08

Quote:

The 16" speedlines either need refurbed or possibly replace with some white 17s

Single Arm Wiper Conversion

If you can find the 17" ST rims, they would look very sexy in white.
Dont single wiper it tho...

Looks very nice tho dude.

chris_veccy · 11-04-2008, 11:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benn

If you can find the 17" ST rims, they would look very sexy in white.
Dont single wiper it tho...

Looks very nice tho dude.

yeah am starting to move away from the thought of putting a single wiper on but this an ongoing project so who knows might change me mind again lol

wheels i am gona have to put quite a lot of thought into as we all know how alloys can change the looks of cars obviously will have to be white or get them powder coated white.

work i will be getting on with over the weekend

1 - fit induction kit
2 - fit some xenon look bulbs (tempoary measure till i source some new headlights)
3- Is booked in to valletters on sunday so will come back valetted and machine polished

then next week am looking to strip the interior out ready for its new interior this will gis a chance to lift the carpets and check the floor out,fit blue led switches, get a new computer display as mine has missing pixels, fit a blue and red led heater pannel

so the interior should come along way by this time next week will post some more pics up of the work done

chris_veccy · 13-04-2008, 13:29

well just got her back from the vallet place and am well impressed with how she came back roll on this week got quite a bit to be getting on with

**Benn** · 13-04-2008, 13:40

Cant really see anything in the pics dude, sure she looks great tho.

chris_veccy · 13-04-2008, 13:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benn

Cant really see anything in the pics dude, sure she looks great tho.

yeah its the stupid camera phone will get some better pics later with better camera

chris_veccy · 15-04-2008, 17:22

right well what do they say wait and a bargain will come up well today was one of those days along came a vectra leather cheap as chips and in great condition so out came my super touring interior (nothing wrong with it apart from a small cig burn in the back seat) and in went the leather interior along with door cards. whilst the interior was out i had a look under the carpet at the floor which looked in really good condition and gave the carpet a good hoover while there was no seats in the way

took some pics but must apologise for quality of pics i really must get a new camera soon and stop using the rubish phone one i got

now this wekk is just a waiting game as got the following being delivered

Facelift headlights
Irmscher back box
red and blue led heater pannel

then all i have left to do to interior is to get some blue leds and a new mfd as mine currently has a few pixels missing but until i check what colour plug it is i cant get a new un

elgan · 15-04-2008, 18:03

do a search i made a post in mech and elec about a diy 2.0 ecotec turbo conversion. had some good advice!

chris_veccy · 15-04-2008, 19:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by elgan

do a search i made a post in mech and elec about a diy 2.0 ecotec turbo conversion. had some good advice!

yeah have had a look mate all sounds pretty good but still reckon me best bet gona be to wait and do a full engine swap a z20let been keepin me eyes on the salvage auctions but could be a while before i have enough pennies

chris_veccy · 17-04-2008, 16:22

well a lot of the parts have now arrived but the weather hasnt been good enough to fit all the parts that and i went for interview earlier in week and then got another interview tomorrow (more funds for car haha)

Firstly the exhaust arrived i decided to give it a fresh look of paint then i strated thinking seeing as the gearbox is painted yellow i might as well paint the irmscher backbox yellow so out came the paint and it changed from this

to this

next my red and blue led lit heater controls had arrived so in went those (easiest job i have had to do so far apart from fitting the blue switches) just need to get the plug in leds for behind the clocks and mfd now to finish the leds off

hopefully after my interview tomorrow i can get back fit my facelift headlights and protectors and fit the exhaust

chris_veccy · 21-04-2008, 16:56

well just a quick update.... the car now has her facelift head lights in and protectors in place just about to put the exhaust on and then apart from engine thats the majority of the work done that i wantsd to do apart from engine.

on the engine i have completely done a u turn am just gona tidy the engine bay up a bit few chrome bits here and there and then maybe do an engine transplant in the winter. So fo now thats all the mods i gona do and enjoy her over the next couple of months

chris_veccy · 28-04-2008, 16:03

well with the exhaust fitted i decided to do a quick check of the leads and spark plugs big shock and glad i did seems the rocker gasket had gone and oil had leaked into the spark plugs so drained the oil away removed the plygs and threw them away along with the leads. took this opportunity to change the rocker cover as had a yellow one lying around replaced the rocker gasket fitted new leads and plugs also took the opportunity to change the induction kit back to the standard airbox, gona renew the rose bushes tomorrow

chris_veccy · 22-06-2008, 18:16

well its been a while since i updated this, Have now fitted a 2.5 V6 lump have recently purchased one wishbone still got another one to get gona replace the drop links the rear bushes have also been replaced along with the mfd so now theres NO pixels missing. the 2l ecolump that was in is gona be used for my next project which will be something quite different