Craig Green's Mistral Grey 16v

[CraigGreen]

Hi this is my F reg GTE 16v that was kindly donated by STT (thanks very much). My previous GTE 16v came to a sudden end on 2nd of January this year (05) on a particularly greasy bend. I bought the old car as a run around whilst my Nova was off the road, however I quickly fell in love with the charm & character of my fave car from my childhood.

My intentions for the 'Grey one' is to get it on the road, running sweetly & hopefully restore the bodywork with new rear arches (already aquired) & new wings & a cheap coat of paint. The interior is clean for the mileage & the engine bay will be steam cleaned prior to the XE engine from my last car being fitted & the usual repair to the bulkhead/steering rack mounts. The old GTE will serve as a donor for various parts naturally.
My main aim is to have a tidy GTE as a 2nd car.

some pics prior to its first wash;
http://tinypic.com/28nvuv

http://tinypic.com/28nvvp

http://tinypic.com/28nvwk

http://tinypic.com/28nvxc

heres the Bordeaux Red one;
http://tinypic.com/28nvqs

[Gander]

Shit thats a rather upsetting photo there, good to see that you have yourself another one, get some pics of it up in a cleaner state though:p

[CraigGreen]

Ok she has been washed.

http://tinypic.com/28nvy0

http://tinypic.com/28nvyr

http://tinypic.com/28nw2s

Currently sitting waiting for the bulkhead to be welded & then all the steering can be re-assembled & brake servo & master cylinder plumbed in again. Going to de-grease & jet wash the engine bay prior to installing the engine.

Speaking of engine: the XE needs a new sump gasket, cam belt & tensioner (gates kit), rocker cover (snapped in crash) & dizzy cap.

[CraigGreen]

damn!! pics

[DarrenH]

not to be picky, but thats probably steel grey, as its an F plate. thats the best silver anyway :p

mistral has a more bluey tinge.

[CraigGreen]

I thought there might be a colour called Steel Grey... cheers Oddball.

Looks a dog dont it??

[DarrenH]

front wings are rear arches, same old places !

it will scrub up fine though, i'd have a look under ths side skirts if i were you !

[CraigGreen]

I'd rather not (haha)

Its been washed & looks way better tho. Ive got arch panels for it & I'll stick a couple wings on it too. It'll have 15" Cav GSi rims on it when she's done. They will be Matt Black with Yokohama A520's.

[DarrenH]

what you gonna fix the rear arches to ? thin air ? hehe.

[Brett]

not bad for a free car mate. I have to admit when I saw it sitting at simons farm I thought it was a dog but It'll scrub up fine thats for sure!!

[CraigGreen]

what you gonna fix the rear arches to ? thin air ? hehe.


I was gonna space em out from the body on long coach bolts, spray em pink to match the Porsche splitters Im having up front. Should contrast nicely with the Chrome 'spinner' hub caps Ive got lined up for when I get my Birthday vouchers.
Seriously though, I think the repair panels go up to the windows almost, should be some sound metal up there.

[CraigGreen]

http://tinypic.com/2aoins


http://tinypic.com/2aoiok


http://tinypic.com/2aois9

See. It does clean up alright. Engine is going in on Saturday coming.
Need that Gates belt & tensioner kit methinks.

[REMUS]

free! well thats pretty good going, it's going to need some work to get the bugger mint again but it will be worth the trouble no doubt.

[Brett]

Craig - mistral grey GTE parts aint hard to come by - Simon has a load down at the farm including a bonnet I think - although its upside down on what I think is a trailer tent so might not be too good:(

there are loads of grey'uns being broke.

Im pretty sure craigs is Mistral grey TBH looks the same as mine.

[DarrenH]

someone been sledging on that bonnet ? eek

[astrasteve23]

i have a front bumper in mistral grey if you are interested, its complete with fogs etc. ill have to check if it has a towing eye cover and washer jets. im pretty sure it has both. only problem is it has a small crack just below the grille on the flat about 1 1/2" long.

[stt]

i have a bonnet in pretty good nick, pop down and have a look round, im pretty sure i have other bits too

Can u pm me your address, so i can send off this tax form to get out of the SORN fine!

Cheers

Simon

[astrasteve23]

craig u still lookin for an XE cam cover? http://www.migweb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=188318 dunno if its sold or not, worth askin.

[CraigGreen]

Thanks Steve. I'm picking up a flip painted jobbie on Friday evening hopefully....

Opinions on Matt Black bodywork anyone???............(hey its cheap)

[astrasteve23]

matt black would look mean!

[CraigGreen]

Yeah, saw that matt Black car in the Outkast 'Roses' video. Thought it looked mental with the Red flames detailing.

Counting down to fitting the engine. Welding the bulkhead tonight (Weds).

[Ian T]

<gets chalk ready...>

Looks to be in similar condition to mine and I PAID for mine!

Got to be worth saving, and I bet you'll be swearing at the rust nefore it's finished ;)

Ian.

[CraigGreen]

STOP PRESS!

She is running with the XE now slotted in. Runs like a dream. Smoked hideously on start up but then again wouldnt anything if it was stood for 3 mnths & last ran upside down.

My lowering springs have a snapped coil so have bought some new ones, & Ive found another 16v I can rob a decent bonnet & very mint wings from. All coming together for the S.W meet. Still no TAX or Ticket until next month though.

[CraigGreen]

[QUOTE=Ian TI bet you'll be swearing at the rust nefore it's finished

[/QUOTE]
According to my mechanics, its rather rot free underneath. Even the sills are solid..

[astrasteve23]

glad to hear the engine is runnin ok! what have you got left to do apart from t&t?

[Ian T]

According to my mechanics, its rather rot free underneath. Even the sills are solid..

LOL... you're lucky then.

I went probing about last weekend and decided to do more drilling, cutting and welding. I'm going to fit new full sills, inner arches and rear lower corners and go for it big style. I'm going to keep it anyway, poor thing!

Have the sill covers off (outside) and give it a good going over, prod any rust bubbles several times each with a screwdriver and reject anything that deforms or goes through.

I've also bought some shallow drill bits for drilling the spot welds out of the sills, should save hours with the angle grinder!

Ian.

[CraigGreen]

glad to hear the engine is runnin ok! what have you got left to do apart from t&t?

Gonna fit the front seats from the last car, fit CD player & disc changer, fit lowering springs & uprated dampers from my old car & Ive secured the bonnet & wings from this other grey GTE. Ive got a Stainless PECO r/box coming from Dan Gliballs (on here) & then cut in the new rear arch panels.

Hopefully will be looking nice for the meet in Cheddar :cool:

Ian T; go easy with that screwdriver :p

[Ian T]

Ian T; go easy with that screwdriver :p

Yeah right ;)

Sometimes I wish I could, but it wants to be pretty rust free before I start consuming paint and lots of effort on it.

Be nice to see a bunch of them together (not ALL grey I hope ;)) soon.

Ian.

[CraigGreen]

Car is up & running. its had tax & test for a week now. I'm sorting little niggles here & there.

Got it lowered 40mm, fixed a shorting electrical wire from behind the dash & its had one wheel arch replaced. The other is 'gaffa taped' for now. Front ings & bonnet have been replaced with newer looking items in the correct colour.

The engine is suffering a misfire under high load/full throttle. Ive tried fixing & swapping loadsa bits that are beginning to point at the battery. Hmmm?

Photo's coming.

[richie00boy]

Why the battery? The alternator provides the power once the engine is running.

[CraigGreen]

If the battery is past its best then I guess it cant cope with deep cycle current draw. I dunno. I'm still miffed at the prob. I'll try a mates battery before I buy one. I'm sure the 'Battery centre' will be able to suss it anyhow if it is Alternator/Battery related. Short of the fuel pump, I cant see what else it could be. :confused:

[CraigGreen]

Still suffering from the misfire/engine cutout. I have found a hole in the FPR though, will look into sealing the hole with Chemical metal.

Fingers crossed this is the source of the problem...

[Ian T]

Probably much easier to swap the whole fuel rail to be honest...

Ian.

[CraigGreen]

Probably much easier to swap the whole fuel rail to be honest...

Ian.

Didnt make the slightest bit of difference but making a new earth strap for the alternator has solved it... ignition was running out of juice under high load. I was losing 20 amps of charge through the alternator bracket.

[astrasteve23]

brett has deleloped a slight missfire and has replaced plugs, leads, cap and rotor and hasn't solved it so might have to do a new earth strap and see if that solves it!

[pajero1]

yup id say it could be that 2 my old gte did the same but just wouldn't charge at all called the aa out as it was raining and 2am, they tried to say it was the alternator but that was only 2 month old and the wire was black in the middle, they wouldn't replace it so i got it towed home and as it came off the truck the front bumper got ripped of

[CraigGreen]

brett has deleloped a slight missfire and has replaced plugs, leads, cap and rotor and hasn't solved it so might have to do a new earth strap and see if that solves it!

Yeah, well she rips right up to the limiter now.. 126 in 4th. Must be fixed! :)

[astrasteve23]

i think your speedo over reads a bit craig they will only do 115ish in 4th!

[astrasteve23]

we fixed bretts missfire. we took all visible/easy electrical connectors off and WD40'd them and its fine now!

[CraigGreen]

i think your speedo over reads a bit craig they will only do 115ish in 4th!

What Vauxhall dosent over read?? I just use it as a reference. I know it used to pull up there in the old car.

Got some new wheels to go on aswell. cavalier SRi Fan Blade type rims. Gonna do em Gloss Black. Put the Satin Black Cav GSi rims on my Nova.

[astrasteve23]

smart they will look good in gloss black! put some pics up when they are on.
when are you gettin those rear arches sprayed?

[stt]

any news on my bits?

[CraigGreen]

smart they will look good in gloss black! put some pics up when they are on.
when are you gettin those rear arches sprayed?

Arches are still as they were at the Cheddar meet + some random stickers thrown at the unrepaired side to take your eye off the gaffa tape. I'm hoping to get the other arch repair panel welded in for Billing & perhaps get the back end of the car sprayed to match the Mistral Grey that is on the wings & bonnet & roof & tailgate etc.

Looking into it I reckon the car was re-shelled at some point as the VIN plate says she was Carmine Red. Oddly most of the shell is Mistral Grey but the doors & rear 1/4's are badly sprayed in Steel Grey (at a guess), most of this can be rubbed off with my finger nails.

On the engine side of things, Ive just done the sump gasket to try & cure the oil leak but its still there. A mechanic buddy reckons crank end oil seal. TERRIFFIC!!