Calibra Turbo LE

[tiff_lee]

Hi all just a wee thread on my calibra LE I picked up late last year, I was hoping to have a quick turnaround from purchase to getting it on the road but have since had a couple of setbacks.

Anyhow onwards.... first up a couple of pics of the car






When I picked the car up the work it required mot wise was fuel lines replacing (I have since done with nylon tubing) and the calipers/brakes sorting.

After removing the old seized calipers it was quite obvious the brake lines would also need doing when this happened



after further investigation it looked like the steel lines corroded around clips and corners so I removed all the lines and plan to replace them with cunifer pipe, I also ordered some goodridge braided hoses to replace the worn rubber flexible s.

The car did come with a replacement set of calipers removed from a cally in the scrappy however I am tempted to just replace everything now and just get some reconditioned ones. If I had aspirations for 300bhp in the future would standard stoppers do the job or would I be better off putting the money away for an upgrade?

One of the seized calipers



the spare ones



I'm also considering replacing the bottom wishbones, track rods etc just as a matter of course as at least one ball joint is split and it all looks somewhat scabby anyhow, any advice on what I should be looking to renew?

I have missed quite alot of photo opportunity's as it was only suggested today I make this thread but I will be under the car again soon.

[Nemesis]

Hiya, lovely car. Without a doubt the best Vauxhall ever made! What build number is it? Does it have a plaque?

Standard sized brakes (288mm) will be fine for 300bhp if you've got braided lines, good discs and fast-road pads. I recommend EBC discs, and greenstuff pads (or Mintex fast road)

Change the wishbones, they come with balljoints fitted to them already. It's not really possible to just change the balljoints on their own. I'd only do drop links if they are broken, or the rubbers look perished/collapsed. Post up a pic

[corsavalver22]

my old car had that last year lol

[tiff_lee]

Thanks Nemesis, I can't wait to drive it! it is No.6 complete with the plaque.

On the whole the car is tip top, underside seems very solid its just the niggly bolt on bits which seem to have corroded and flaked away when the car has been stored, ill get some pics over the weekend when I get teh wheels off again.

On a positive note it now runs sweet as a nut after I replaced plugs, dizzy cap/rotor and fitted some gucci magnecor leads.

[Nemesis]

Good stuff

I've added you to the register for Turbo LE's Hope you dont mind. We're trying to trace all of them
ClubCalibra.net • View topic - Calibra Turbo LE register (FAO all LE owners)

[tiff_lee]

Not at all mate, you chavtastic I take it? I am a member on .net (same username), can't remember which thread it was but I did mention I picked up no.6 but meh

Any good places to pick up brake calipers apart from ebay, prices seem around the £50 mark.

[ryan_warman]

lovely looking calibra mate will keep an eye on this

[Nemesis]

Yep thats me. I dont use .net as it's too quiet, Clubcalibra.com is the place to be

[tiff_lee]

After scouring the net for some replacement calipers I have stumbled on a few threads where people mention a standard 308mm vauxhall setup that will fit under 16" wheels, could anyone enlighten me as to what setup they may be referring to?

If it is relatively easy to fit and considering I will be getting new calipers and discs anyhow perhaps may just be worth opting for that.

[Nemesis]

Right there are two types of 308mm setup:

a) Vectra B ones (off a 2.6 GSi I think) - these are a direct fit if you use discs, calipers and carriers

b) Astra Mk4 Z20LET, Zafira Z20LET and maybe more.... these will not fit. These are far more common than the above so be careful!

LMF vauxhall sell replica Vectra carriers, so you can use your existing calipers and any 308mm disc just fine. See my Calibra thread in my signature for part numbers, prices etc...

[tiff_lee]

Cool I'll check it out now, thanks again!

[tiff_lee]

Took a few pics today with the wheels off, its kind of scary how scabby it really is, check out that crank pulley!






and the other side




Like I said before I was just planning on replacing the lot, wishbones, track rod ends and ARB links

[Nemesis]

Jesus wept. I've never seen a Calibra like that underneath. I'd be having a good poke around a few more areas! That lot can be replaced or refurbished quite easily... but deffo check

1. Inside the boot, the metalwork that the rear lights bolt to, and the bit between them, Also the spare wheel well, where it faces the back of the car.

2. Bulkhead, behind the sound deadening

3. General underbody/floor

Deffo buy new wishbone bolts from Vauxhall / Autovaux when you do the wishbones. They will definitely be rotten and possibly seized! Soak it all in WD-40 for a few nights before tackling them.

[felton]

that is a nice cally mate they look nice and sleek in black but would defo check what nemesis put down mate for the rot and i would say replace them bottom arms and stuff good luck with the work mate

[RodOGW]

Lovely looking Calibra - but how can it look so immaculate bodywise but rotten as a peach underneath it all?
Actually that makes me think off my first wife......

[Paul]

Has it been living near the sea?

[tiff_lee]

As far as i'm aware it has been stored in a garage in Newcastle for years so whether the floor has been constantly damp or something I don't know.

I just got under the car for a few pics sorry about the bad angles









from what I can see the floor is solid with the odd surface rust here and there where the paint/underseal has been scraped off, it just seems everything else that has been bolted to the car has rusted away?

[diyivi]

That bad is the rust in UK

[tiff_lee]

Ok so very little progress on this car, well in fact pretty much zero progress! With me living/working away from home alot of the time (and having a separate R5 project) i'll be cracking on with the majority of work on the cally mid/late march when I finally get a good chunk of leave.

Meanwhile I have had a few goodies turn up at home...



Not sure what everyone else thinks to these lights but I thought personally they would look quite smart but I guess we'll see once fitted.

Also got some replacement brake calipers and LMF carriers, all I need now is the discs and pads which i'll be ordering come payday



I have considered painting the calipers possibly yellow to contrast with the black and go with the yellow DTM flashes and was going to do a similar thing under the bonnet with a black/yellow rocker cover combination and yellow silicone hoses, any thoughts?

[Nemesis]

Oh god no, please dont fit the lights!!! They are seen on every single council-estate Calibra 8v owned by a chav! Other similar mods are lexus lights, jap style bodykits etc...!

Don't do it!

Or if you must, keep the original lights as well and pass them on with the car!

[tiff_lee]

ooer not a fan then! although I totally see where you're coming from, there will certainly be no lexus lights or bodykits trust me was just the headlights but we will see :s

[tiff_lee]

Any opinions on painting calipers? I know for some its a bit of a marmite thing

[Nemesis]

Any opinions on painting calipers? I know for some its a bit of a marmite thing

I'd say red looks best on a black car personally (as per Porsche/Evo)

But yellow would match your badges.

[vxlgsi]

yeah paint em silver or black, anything else just looks silly unless they are brembo's

no to lights aswel sorry.

[tiff_lee]

But yellow would match your badges.

Thats what I was thinking, then under the bonnet yellow hoses along with a black/yellow/black rocker & cover. Well I thought it would look good it may look tosh.