Astra Mk2 1.4 - 2.0

[Arkle]

Evening all, this is my Astra Mk2. I started a thread for my last Astra a few months ago - a blue one that turned out to be about as solid as Bran Flakes! Needless to say its gone to the great scrap yard in the sky now, but for £100 you can't really complain.

Anyway I bought this 1.4 one in August for £300. It came with T&T and almost no rust, which made a nice change.

I'm the staff writer for Total Vauxhall so I can't share too many pictures unfortunately, but progress has been swift. Last month I took it up to Custom Colourworks in Doncaster, I've got to know Lee and Craig and they kindly offered to give it a lick of paint. As I type it's being sprayed a fetching Porsche shade of pastel grey.

Before this I had a Capri with twin 40 Solex carbs on. Needless to say I couldn't let them go to waste, so I'll be bolting them to an XE in the near future. (Courtesy of one of Knight Motorsport Engineering's manifolds) I'm well aware that 40's aren't an ideal size for the redtop, but I'll see how they cope and if all else fails I'll swap to bike carbs instead.

Exterior wise think low, smooth, clean with Rota Grids. With a bit of luck it'll end up like this rough round the edges photoshop.

^Of course the FWD offset ones I've got don't have as much dish, but I think they'll look the part.

Anyway, apologies for the massive amount of words compared to pics, but I'll try to keep this thread as up to date as I can.

P.S; If anyone wants their car to possibly be featured in the mag, feel free to send some images and a bit of info to jamie.arkle@futurenet.com. Can't promise we'll feature your car, but we always love seeing what you're building.

[Ardenblueroy]

Nice plans there dude. When's the mag out this month?? And when is my zafira going in the mag..lol.

[Turbodave]

'Arkle's Astra - The Sequel' is most positively, definately better than the first attempt! Great colour choice... sort of hints at the old school colours but is bang up to date, if that makes sense. I'd have gone for grey wheels myself, hides the brake dust better! A smoothed, minimalist engine bay is a must!

[neilb1798]

nice side to go got to admit love my mk2 astra wanted one for ages now i have owned for two years i love it might send you some pictures of the astra i have nearly got it finished now i were staying standard but gone off track kept the main features of the style of the car but a new engine upgrade after doing twin 40s on the original 1.8 engine standard in the 1.8 astra wanted better fuel economy and more power look forward to reading more in tv good luck

[GaryVaux]

cool project, looks a clean xar you have!

[Arkle]

'Arkle's Astra - The Sequel' is most positively, definately better than the first attempt! Great colour choice... sort of hints at the old school colours but is bang up to date, if that makes sense. I'd have gone for grey wheels myself, hides the brake dust better! A smoothed, minimalist engine bay is a must!

Hahaha! Yea I agree, it's great to have a project I can get my teeth into again, rather than having to worry about epic amounts of welding before I even start. I've actually gone for gunmetal grey Rotas - with a bit of luck they'll be here by Friday.

Cheers for the nice words guys. Hopefully it'll be finished early next year, just in time for the cold weather. You can't beat swearing at a set of carbs on a frosty morning as a start to the day.

Neil - send away mate, I'm a massive fan of Mk2s so I'd love to have a look at your car.

The next issue of TV will be out on the 24th, tomorrow in fact. Let us know what you think.

[neilb1798]

ill get some out to you when i get some better pictures its been off road for a few months now im gutted

[Arkle]

Afternoon guys, just a quick info request really. Megajolt is a bit out of my budget at the moment so I’m going to use a 1.6 Cavalier Mk2 dizzy for this project. Anyone have one lying around that they want shot of?

I’m also going to have to invest in a FPR and new fuel pump. Does anyone have any suggestions as to which are best suited to the job? I’ve heard good things about Webcon and Facet but nothing speaks louder than personal recommendation.

[neilb1798]

when i did mine i used a filter king regulator worked wonders and a redtop facet pump

[8valve-craig]

Subscribed...... Love 3dr mk2 base models. Yours looks like a nice clean one.

[Arkle]

^Cheers Craig, I'm a big fan of the base spec-ness of it too to be honest.

Went with the webcon pump and FPR in the end and I'm speaking to H&H about getting one of their dizzy kits made up. Should have some more progress post-Christmas when we put the XE in.

[8valve-craig]

The guys at H+H are brilliant. I sent them my dizzy for a refurb, re-weight and to have the vac removed. They were ace and had it back to me in no time.

Really helpful on the phone aswell (the bloke's voice cracks me up)

[Melv]

Afternoon Jamie, how's things?

Base models with engine transplants are great fun. Get some 14 or 15" steels, uprated suspension and then leave a box of tissues and a flat cap on the parcel shelf.

Sleeper - done

[neilb1798]

the guys at h and h made me one up for my 40 cost 250 with leads what a kit shame its just sat there now with the 40s

[Arkle]

Thanks all. Almost certainly will be going for the H&H kit - I'm utterly ****e at wiring and the idea of having something bespoke for the project appeals.

Melv - I've always had a massive soft spot for banded steels so at somepoint in the future I dare say a set will find their way onto the Astra. Wonder if I can track down some 17in Lotus Carlton steel spares to band.

[davetdcorsavan]

Dave,

Please leave comments like these out of Jamie's project thread. You have a thread in car chat throwing around accusations so lets leave it at that..

Regards
Melv

[Paul]

Sounds a glowing reference

[davetdcorsavan]

Dave,

Please leave comments like these out of Jamie's project thread. You have a thread in car chat throwing around accusations so lets leave it at that..

Regards
Melv

[Gordo]

TBH, I'm surprised he could still walk around!

[8valve-craig]

Sounds very far fetched.... Most likely a little truth and a lot of chinese whispers

[Arkle]

Sounds very far fetched.... Most likely a little truth and a lot of chinese whispers

My thoughts exactly.

Thanks for the warning Dave, but I've met Lee plenty of times and I've seen no trace of underhand behaviour or deceit, he's gone out of his way to help me out in fact.

I appreciate it's a small world when it comes to this kind of thing, and rumours can rapidly get blown out of all proportion.

Back to the Astra - got my H&H kit delivered on Friday so I'm off up to the car this weekend coming to get some much needed progress underway. The poor things been totally unloved over the Christmas holiday!

[Melv]

Sorted.

[munsterbigfeet]

Afternoon guys, just a quick info request really. Megajolt is a bit out of my budget at the moment so I’m going to use a 1.6 Cavalier Mk2 dizzy for this project. Anyone have one lying around that they want shot of?

I’m also going to have to invest in a FPR and new fuel pump. Does anyone have any suggestions as to which are best suited to the job? I’ve heard good things about Webcon and Facet but nothing speaks louder than personal recommendation.

I have a mk2 cav 1600 dissy spare.......

[Arkle]

^Thanks for the heads up mate, but I plumped for a H&H kit in the end

[neilb1798]

should of said would of sold you mine only covered 300 miles or so full kit for h and h at a cost of 250 quid