Mk4 Astra SRI

[Astra Dan]

The company is called Vintage Wireless. 01619 730438.

[Lugy]

The company is called Vintage Wireless. 01619 730438.

I'm sure they'd have the skills to sort something out. Even cooler would be a period radio in the Mk2, I used to have one of the AM only non tape ones from a Merit til not long ago

[CraigGreen]

nice project. Is a change from "im ripping all the interior out" threads.

Too true!

[Astra Dan]

I'm sure they'd have the skills to sort something out. Even cooler would be a period radio in the Mk2, I used to have one of the AM only non tape ones from a Merit til not long ago

Yeah, I keep meaning to take the GTE's correct period stereo and simply unsolder the wires on the back of the tape head and connect them to a flying lead with a headphone plug to go into me Walkman. Could in theory do something similar with the CDR500, but I'm less willing.

[Benn]

But you have about 4 spare....

[alistairolsen]

See I can understand updating a cd500 because the amplifier is actually pretty good. An 80s GTE stereo however........

[Lugy]

Ideal for concours type stuff or if you just want it to look original, especially if you were to hide other ICE type stuff.

[Astra Dan]

^ what he said. My GTE only stands out to some because of it's originality, not because it's a minter (not by a long way!).

[Astra Dan]

A little update.
After reading a few threads, I ordered some Insignia washer jets for a giggle, something like £2.80 a pair. They look like this:



You push the old ones out from above, after pushing aside this little clip:



Whilst the easy-to-remove scuttle panel is out, now's a good time to have a clear out of leaves etc:



...and inspect/ oil the wiper linkage:



It's a kinda fun mod, you get the whole windscreen misted in water rather than two jets.

Then a few weeks ago in fairly heavy rain I had a right old brown trousers moment. I'd just passed a BMW on a dual carriageway to a roundabout, where I was turning right. I wasn't going very fast at all, and I've driven this road many times on my commute. But to my horror, the back end swung really wide, and I over-steered to correct, which sent me fishtailing the other way. This happened another 2 times before I got it under control, luckily missing the car behind and the kerb. It was my mistake for swapping the Rainsports to the front and the Champiros to the rear. So I got to work, and went straight to My eBay page where I'd been investigating tyre prices. I clicked buy it now and the next day I had a nice pile of new rubber:



Mmmm, Toyos. Got these fitted by a local place. Of course I removed the wheels myself to avoid bent sills etc. Also means I can get another comedy no wheels pic:



You can spot the almost dormant Mk2 relaxing there. It's hardly moved since it passed 200k and Sharon's new Nova entered service! Whilst the wheels were off Benn kindly gave them a bit of a scrub up.



Never realised the inside of the wheels is white!



On the road the car feels much more planted, with all trace of steering vibration eliminated. I've not really pushed it yet, but it's certainly better in all respects.
Totally loving it at the moment. Taking it to work a lot more recently and doing all the driving instead of sharing it with Sharon. It's two different worlds from the almost silent Mk4 that glides over bumps, to her noisy growling bumpy Nova.
It performed flawlessly on our little road trip last month. We went from here to Bristol where I relived school memories and had look around the ss Great Britain, then onto a Hotel. From there we went to east Wales to visit my mum for the first time since she moved out that way. Next day saw us travelling to Telford, via Aberystwyth, to see my Aunt and Uncle. Next day was home. A total of 569 miles over 4 days, whilst averaging 42 MPG. I was well chuffed with that. There were some stunning mountain roads in Wales where you can see for miles and literally drive on the right for ages and overtake a string of caravans. I wasn't nearly being light on the throttle, part of the point was to actually drive the car and not pussy about. I managed all of the driving except for the last 90 mile leg of the drive home.

[richie00boy]

Yeah, I keep meaning to take the GTE's correct period stereo and simply unsolder the wires on the back of the tape head and connect them to a flying lead with a headphone plug to go into me Walkman. Could in theory do something similar with the CDR500, but I'm less willing.

Unfortunately you can't do that as the level from a tape head is low (so you'd need the walkman turned right down), but more importantly there is equalisation applied to counteract the frequency response of the tape head, so it would sound a bit odd from a walkman.

The CDR500 would actually be easier to mod in theory but harder for the uninitiated to find where.

Keep up the good work. Wish I'd got a tidy mk4 instead of the dog.

[Big Col]

I'll be curious to see how you get on with the Toyo's. I tried them on my Astra and didn't rate them at all.

F1 GSD3's far superior IMO.

[richie00boy]

I don't think you realise how good F1s are though until you try them and compare them directly.

[Benn]

I swapped from F1s to Toyos a few years back, was much happier wit the Toyos.

[TINTIN]

Toyos on mine and i love um

[alistairolsen]

I dont rate either of them and would have gone for rainsports or KU31 ecsta sports.

[Big Col]

I swapped from F1s to Toyos a few years back, was much happier wit the Toyos.

on an Astra G? with 205/50-16's ?

[Astra Dan]

Hmm. Well I had a pair of Goodyear Eagle F1s on the Saab, in the same size even, and they were sooooo noisy on the front I had to swap them with the Nexens on the rear.
I did fancy Rainsports all round actually, but they are £100 each!

[MattJ]

you sure you just didnt hit a patch of diesel or something? Cant see how having a cheap tyre on will try and kill you when your going slow? No tyre does **** on a patch of diesel.

[Astra Dan]

I dunno, but it seems suspicious that on the first wet day with some cheapo tyres on the rear it steps out large style. As said, all four tyres were out of balance and were at least 5 years old, so replacement was over due anyway.

[MattJ]

yeah, sound like they needed changing anyway

[Astra Dan]

So, I picked up some electric wing mirrors from eBay. And fitted them. To the car.

Took the tweeter cover off and found the wiring. Sweet. Dug down behind the top of the door card, I managed to pull the wiring out.



Same with the bit where you put the bit that controls the directions in which the mirrors move and that.



Same on the passenger side. Just about got the wiring out, so no need to remove either door card. Noice. Cos taking it off is extra effort and I'd most likely break something. So that's good.

Annoyingly, the passenger one was a brand new copy; I'd assumed it was a second hand one like the other side. So, whilst transferring the mirror cover over was easy on the o/s, the n/s was a disaster. The cover won't clip on fully, the mirror seems too large. I might get away with gluing it. I can't really be bothered sending it back as that'll cost me money and hassle.



Whilst poking about under the 'hood' I noticed the coil pack was starting to suffer the usual swelling and cracks around the sides. I had heard many stories about cheap pattern ones, so whilst at the local dealer I bagged one. £42 trade club style.







Also whilst I had the use of an easy bleed set I bought some 5.1 Dolby Surround fluid and renewed it all. The clutch was a bit fiddly, but the rears are well designed, didn't even need to take the wheels off.
The last fluid I've not changed now is the gearbox oil. The F23 is a cool widget in that it has fill, check and drain plugs, so the job's a snap! Of course the cursed manual simply states to use Vauxhall specified oil. Gr8. So some research in the interlobes finds that the F23 along with the other much stronger boxes like the M32 and M45 and things uses a special type of oil, to a Opel Spec, 75W-80. I think it might be synthetic too. Parts guy apologised and said the Opel part number I had was no use on his system. Jolly good. Wondering what they'd do if I booked the car in for a cog box oil swappage, I went back to the interblog. Obie Oils list a product that meets Opel's spec for £9 a litre. Us Miggers get a tickle too. It's been delivered and is sitting in our neighbour's lobby (wasn't in when courior delivered). I'm well impressed. Set up the accound and paid with Pay Schmal in minutes. Will endevour to change that out tomorrow. Clean cogs.

[pgeddes79]

Dan, what is your opinion on the Toyo's? What are they like in the wet?

Nice work on the car

[Astra Dan]

TBH, that moment has really out the wind up me and I've just not had the bottle to really give it any juice on corners, especially in the wet. However, occasionally I'd feel a bit of a wiggle or a little bit of scrabble around some fast bends, had none of the since fitting the new tyres.

[Astra Dan]

Changed the gearbox oil on Firday. Had to order the stuff from Opie Oils as the local dealer just didn't know what the F23 needed. Superb service, arrived 2 days after ordering, no fuss and easy to use ordering system.

Fuchs TITAN SINTOFLUID SAE 75W-80 synthetic manual transmission fluid

It meets Opel spec 19 40 757, which is what Autodata lists for the F23.

I drained out what looked like the standard red GM gearbox oil to me. Maybe a little runnier.
It's pretty easy, although you'll need to cut the end off your 8mm allen key to fit in the gap nest to the subframe. I got 1.5 litres out, apparently it needs 1.9 like most big block boxes, so I stuffed all 2L in of the synthetic 75-80 goodness. I used the bottle and another tube from another bottle of the stuff we put in Sharon's nova, made very handy funnels.



Also changed the engine oil; it's been just over 3k since the last. This is the third engine oil change Ive done, it's now on just over 92k!

[Benn]

Nice work.