'89 G Reg Belmont SRi

[Norm]

Thought I might aswell start one of these, best way to introduce the car is to say it's following on from this thread here:

Astra MK2 Owners Club

Bought her from Dougie a couple of weeks ago after seeing the advert on PH, I'd already decided I was bored of my Vec B 2.2 SRi DTi I'd had for 4 1/2 years and wanted a change. Looked around for anything from a mk2.5 MX-5 to a late cav SRi saloon, ph2 Ren 19 16v Chamade, Carlton GSi 3000 etc.

So, one saturday I drag the wife upto Scotland for my new purchase, pit stop at Edinburgh P+R:

on the way back:

She never missed a beat all the way down, stopped a couple of times as the wife hadn't driven my car that far before and to dip the oil in the vec as the MID keeps saying it's empty every 20 minutes (dipstick always fine, sump level sensor kerfuffed but the oil's done less than 6k and it's a sump off job to change so that one can wait!)

Back home outside her new abode:


Then the long slog of clearing years of car parts and other associated sh.... out of the garage began along with the accusations of "you weren't this enthusiastic when you wanted my car in the garage...." from the wife.

Dude, where's my foglight?

Replacement already obtained, just need bumper off to fit. Don't know what's been chewing at the bottom of the bumper either...

First week, discovered a split AFM-TB hose was causing idle problems, by the time I'd bodged the hose my box of goodies from one of the guys on Astra-mk2.com with a replacement had shown up. Also found a K&N recharger kit in the back of the garage (who said hoarding was bad!) as the cone was like a black cat on a dark night:


Idle still not great when cold, so I whipped the aux air valve off:

Manky, so it's gunked up and needs a good clean. Also the hose from the TB to the valve has had a bit of a repair:

Could do with a replacement methinks.

Need to find out where the strong smell of petrol is coming from, I originally wondered if it'd been spilt in the boot but everytime I open the garage door I catch a big whiff of it. Rear brake pipes also look a bit suspect so will probably get them replaced.

The Kenwood in there had such a faded display you could hardly read it, so I found my old Kenwood cassette radio and pulled the one out of the car to find - Holy wiring mess batman!

Found a spare ISO block with about 6" cable on (who said hoarding was bad! #2) and I'll sort it out.

Think the exhaust is now blowing as the tailpipe nudged some boxes at the back of the garage when I reversed it in in the dark (oops).

Not going to be a daily driver as I commute to work on a Scott Sportster 60 (pic not mine but same bike):


Only plans are:
Fix everything that's broke.
GTE twin slash backbox modded to fit (bore will need matched to centre section and tailpipes will need extended).
Lowered maybe -40mm.
Diff alloys - 16's - sympathetic to the age and style of the car - as I hate hate hate hate hate hate the std ones.
Find an OEM Cassette radio to put in.
4 branch manifold.
Put std airbox with panel filter in (I'm too old for cone and it's encouraging me to hit the loud pedal too much!).
GTE rear lights (mate some with a spare set of Belmont ones) and boot panel.
Clear indicators.
Get all the bodywork tip top.

I keep thinking about tb's or carbs but I don't know if it's taking it too far from original and I don't want to sacrifice driveability and fun factor for all out power.

[Craig-S]

Love the car. keep engine standard but healthy, Tidy up, Re-fit some 15" sport steels with 195/50's and enjoy (in my opinion).

[Rob 01]

Very nice purchase. A bit jealous really, miss my old sri hatch.

They go very well for what they are. I'm going to watch this thread.

[Melv]

I've always liked the belmont. Your plans sound good.

[Norm]

Thanks for the replies

Love the car. keep engine standard but healthy, Tidy up, Re-fit some 15" sport steels with 195/50's and enjoy (in my opinion).

I agree, I'd put 15" sport steels back on if I could find any, there's one set on gumtree but they're in Aberdeen which is a 500 mile round trip

Was fancying Golf G60 steels after seeing them on a white corsa on here, but apparently they'll rub on the Belmont Can't find any 16" Speedline Mistrals in the correct offset either. Thought about Corsa C Exclusiv 16" but haven't photoshopped it yet.

I can see the choice of wheels being a problem with availability in the right fitting, my own personal taste, and what suits the car all in the mix.

[Melv]

The Aberdeen ones are also very, very expensive. Have a trawl around local scrap yards for them. They are in the boot of most Mk3 Astra's with alloys, some Tigras and were fitted to 1.6 and TD Mk3 Astra sports.

16s may be a bit on the big side but so long as they are the correct offset I guess all will be good.

[Norm]

Bit of an update:

Got the clear front indicators , new front grille, then washed, de-tarred, clayed (my first ever attempt) till my arm cried out no more, bumper care on the grey plastics then a quick coat of wax (first ever attempt #2 which looks like i've done a really bad job as I think it's very patchy )



Spoiler looked a bit matt beforehand, but came up a treat:


I now need an aerial, as mine went for a flying lesson on the A19 one day, I just saw it whip past the drivers window and it was gone!

I've also now got a retro-tastic Philips 681 in the car as I sorted the wiring mess out, no pics of it yet though

The smoked rear lights FINALLY turned up (took 2 months off german eBay!) so I wasted no time:

Wondering about whether to fit a GTE style black strip across the boot, will have to photoshop it first I reckon. Would keep the red SRi and Vauxhall stickers though.

....

[Norm]

...

Got a n-o-s handle on the boot which now needs a clean around the top edge:


New rear fog lense is a cracking replacement:

The writing on the lense is the correct way up, I even had to refit the other side to match, anyone think I'm taking it too far *cough* OCD? *cough* !

I've also put the std airbox back on (but had to bodge the fixings to the wing as they were non-existant!).

Next:-

Full service kit and fresh numberplates before she goes anywhere else.

Won this vauxhall astra gte 16v c20xe redtop rear exhaust box mk2 twin exit standard | eBay arrived in the week so will get it modified to fit or copied but with the longer tailpipes I need but the same style.

Raise the cash for a 4 branch manifold.

Raise the cash to get some rubber on the mk3 sport 15" alloys and them refurbed (white?).

[corsablue]

looks like a great project mate

[carnegstar]

whats a n-o-s handle?

and yeah i think the wheels would look good white

[Melv]

NOS = New Old Stock. Basically parts that have been sitting around at dealers in bags / boxes gathering dust.

[carnegstar]

Cool. i love parts like this then

[Norm]

Cheers all

Hopefully got a brand new rear bumper coming soon, will need the slots cutting to fit the valance. Looking back through the old TV mags I've got the bumper that's on was done the same as you can't get any Belmont SRi rear bumper parts anymore. The valance doesn't quite sit right atm and it's annoying the **** out of me so will be pleased to get it off, changed and realigned.

Also have a brand new pass side headlight washer to replace the broken/missing jet one and I can replace the leaky washer bottle at the same time and get the front bumper that's also annoying the **** out of me realigned too.

I can definitely recommend a clay bar to those who haven't used one before, the difference is like night and day! Downside is you can now really tell the front wings are a different shade of white, but they'll be replaced eventually.

[GaryVaux]

Glad its gone to a good home!! I will be keeping an eye on this

[nova danny]

I looked at buying this on the astra-mk2 forum glad to see it's gone to a good home,like your plans and will be watching this

[big e]

Great little motor, keep it tidy and original..

[Broomster69]

Nice to see this one :-)

I have an original Belmont SRi in Carmine Red. Going to to a ground up restore on mine.

[Broomster69]

A couple of pics of my little bit of history

[dan vx]

dougie would be happy if a c20let went in lol . nice car m8 deffo looks like its gone to a good home (none rude)

[Norm]

Red one ^^ looks well, not many left now!

Been a bit quiet as I've had a lot else going on (including a towing pole failing on me - long story) and mostly as she's been tucked up in winter hibernation for a good few weeks now.

Got a set of Astra 15" sport steels at a reasonable price at last, will need to decide between these and the Astra sport 15" alloys and then send whichever set off for refurb and get some tyres. She's now got a GTE bonnet on, it's a bit rippled between the headlights and the paint's a little tired, fitted a bid badly but I did it on my own!

I've got the brand new rear bumper, a garage full of parts and I'm watching something, interesting, on eBay.de. Also bagged a cheap set of preface cav SRi skirts, quickly tried them against the car but not sure if I will fit them or not:



cutout for the front wing will need extending, and about 7cm off the length. Can sell on if I decide I don't like them, least they're VX SRi skirts, same era, just off a diff model.

Not much going to happen until the bad weather is over to be honest, but I'll keep hoarding any parts I can find until the spring when hopefully it'll be strip down to get the bodywork squared away and rebuild.

[Benn]

Maybe look for 5door gte skirts? As i bet they'd fit better. Lovely car.

[gazza1984]

love it!!!

[Broomster69]

Only 6 left now, two have been broken for parts, one is a pickup and one heavy modded plus yours and mine as far as I know

[Norm]

I'm not sold on 5dr GTE skirts without GTE style (Opel Monza) bumpers tbh. plus you can't get them anymore. Infact I'm not totally sure on any sideskirts at all yet. The cav ones fit surprisingly well if I had the clips on the sills for them, it's only the length that needs attention and a little trimming at the front wing.

I know of four white SRi's - Justin's LET that was in TV, an E plate snowplough bumpered one in N Yorks, a standard one over Swindon way then mine. Have seen a dark blue one then with your red one that makes 6 I'm aware of. Think howmanyleft said about 9 taxed 9 sorn'd last time I looked.

[Broomster69]

It's nice to know there are still a few left.

I wish I still had mine from the 90's, it was a peach. I had a 5 door GTE sill kit on that with the rear arch extender on the back of the rear doors (dont think you'd get hold of them any more :-( )

I will scan some pictures of my original one and post them up :-)