Calibra Track/Show Project

[Lankybob]

Hi All.

I recently aquired a Calibra at the end of September to use as a weekend project/Potential Track Car-Show Toy. The car is a 1993 2.5 V6 and came with a number of modifications, these are as follows:

* Cream Heated Leather
*17" Multi-spoke Alloys
* Astra GTE Digi-Dash Conversion
* Blue LED Switches
* Induction Kit
* Smoothed Bodywork





The car has been stood for the majority of the past two years and has a few small issues that need sorting:

* Filler has lifted on Smoothed Bumpers and Roof Rails
* Digi Dash Rev Counter has ceased woring
* Carpets Torn and ripped inside
* Windows jam at the top of the runners
* Noisy Thrust Bearing
* Notchy Gearbox
* Small Oil Leak
* Water Leak into the front footwalls
* Noisy Water Pump
* A few blown interior bulbs.
* Interior fan speed 1+2 (And possibly 3, i can't remember if it has 3 speed settings or 4) do not work so it's all or nothing.
* Roof lining is not secure at the back of the car.

It sounds like a lot of issues but for the price i paid (£300) i couldn't turn it down and with 11 Months MOT and a smooth engine i think all in all i've got a pretty fantastic deal.

The plan is to eventually turn the car into a mint track/clubstand car so will be the bane of my life for the next year or so.

First step was to get the car on the ramps at a friends garage. He instantly diagnosed the route of the problems as the Rocker Covers (highest point of the leak). While there we also managed to fix the gearbox - it was simply a case of a mis-adjusted clutch cable - the gearbox is now like butter. Unfortunately though the tax ran out the same day so has been stood at my nans house since.

I managed to finally book a dry day off work yesterday to strip down the interior, the Seats came out, the carpet, the sound deadening, the centre console, the side trims, the lower part of the dash etc. I now have the offending switches out to be sent off for new LED's and the bulb for the heater console so i can match the bulb up for a blue LED at the same time. I just need to get the blown LED from the digi-dash so i can match that up too but the clocks will have to come out to chase the rev counter fault so it's not an urgent priority.

This is how the car now stands - next step is to trace the water leak into the footwell.




Regards
Gareth

[mike_nova]

Its good to see you making progress on my old car mate - it'll be good to see it when it's all done!

[Shand]

Sounds like a bargain!!! good luckwith it!

[MSG]

water leak into footwells can be caused by many factors, one that plagued my first Calibra was due to speaker cable entering from the door pillar (hinged side pilar) into the door, everytime it rained (continuous drizzle all night for example) would fall through the door gaps even when doors are closed there is approx 1/4 gaps and the rain enteres these gaps, intersects the speaker cable, clings around it and then runs along the cable due to garvity and clinging properties of water, and runs into the door, once inside the door it will leak just where the bottom of the door is inside the car around the bottom door seal.

yours could be due to another cause, but the thing to watch out is does yours collect water when it rains? or does yours collect water everytime you drive? rain water can eneter through scuttle panel and when its drainage is blocked so clear these drain holes and so on.

internal heater matrix can leak inside the car, but then you would know that wouldn't you as the coolant level would go down each time.

[marblegary]

looks a bargain mate will be nice when its finished.

the heater blower has 2 fuses, one for full blast and one for all the other speeds, so most likely the fuse if it works on full blast

[mikegray]

Bargin there, I do like the cream interior Good luck, looking forward to updates