My humble 1.3 astra swing!

[4doorvalver]

Well il start of by introducing myself,my names graeme,ive been registered on the site for a while now and i just decided to put my hand in my pocket to pay for membership.
My car started life as a basic 1.3 swing and has undergone some changes since then.
I bought the car over a year ago for £500 with the red top engine in on a pair of twin 40 dehllorto carbs,it wasnt running but just needed a fuel pump and few other bits to finish.
The car is now of the road as im rebuilding the engine and seem welded the engine bay,and just giving it a general tidy up.
well here it is during the strip down and rebuild.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/graemespics067.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/graemespics068.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/astrafront.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/graemespics064-1.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/graemespics061-1.jpg

The battery tray and any other non essentual brackets have been removed to save a little weight.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/baypainted4-1.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/baypainted1-1.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/enginebay5.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/covers2.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/enginein.jpg

Ive rebuilt the engine with a 4 layer steel headgasket,courtney cams,verniers,still waiting to buy a few parts like alloy bottom pulley and arp rod bolts,im going to be running it on motorbike carbs when its finished.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/SP_A0156.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/SP_A0157.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/SP_A0170.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/Ashtray.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/SP_A0182.jpg

It now has a cavalier gsi front bumper on it due to an unfortunate accident getting it of a recovery truck:thumbsdown1:
ive still got plenty left to do,im running the brake pipes and fuel lines inside the car,i will put some pics of it up wen i can find them of the gsi bumper on it ,in my oppinion it looks quite nice.
all coments bad and good welcome.

[Dave bowers]

nice work there . ever thought of putting the 16v gear linkage in whilst your on. i did it with my 8v and its easy enough to do. free's up a little tunnel space underneath.

[4doorvalver]

I was going to,a mate of mine smashed his 16v up and i was gonna have the linkage and all associated parts of it,but the insurance company took the car so that buggered that idea.
What sort of job is it to do anyway?

[Paul T]

Looking good fella, looks like you put a lot of hard work in there keep it up :2thumbsup:

[Ian T]

Welcome to the club, great to see something different as well, we don;t have very many 5 door models at all. :)

Ian.

[4doorvalver]

Thanks for the welcome guys,i shall get some more pics up when i get of me arse and get some more done,should hopefully have the bumper,sideskirts and grill back soon from being sprayed,then il get some pics of it with the gsi bumper on.

[red top lee]

look's lovely pal

[F'astra 16v]

Hey bud not a bad job, im doing the same to mine, all you do to fit the 16v linkage is get a 1.5 inch hole cutter and cut right next to the heater matrix coil retaining bolt, roughly at the 4-5 o'clock position. (the small bolt just under the two flow and return pipes in the middle of the bulkhead) i'll be updating my thread soon with pics so keep an eye out.

[sri kid]

Great job bloke.....glad you feel like us.... and its still ..alive looks like you have bought yourself a place in heaven !!!!:applause:

[Astranomical Lee]

Nice looking car mate were in Devon u b?

[4doorvalver]

F'astra 16v= i will keep an eye on it mate,i do want to change to the 16v linkage at some point,i had a look at my mates 16v and got a rough idea of what i'd have to do.

Astranomical Lee=i live in torrington in north devon mate.

[4doorvalver]

I take it you mean the hole has to be here?

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/gearlinkage.jpg

Check out my paint skillz!!

[GazJevs84]

Hi and welcome mate

Nice looking car looks like a lot of hard work benn put into it keep us updated:2thumbsup:

[Brett]

Thats where the hole comes through mate yeah.

Nice car! Did you put any extra bracinf on the steering rack mount under the servo or reinforce the welds? its a common weak spot!

[4doorvalver]

I've plated it and seam welded around both sides were the steering rack mounts.

[Harvey]

Nice thread you have going on here. This is a pic of my 16v bulkhead just before it got painted for referance where the gear linkage hole needs to be.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/harvey.emsley/GTE%2016v/body%20shop/P1210059Medium.jpg

[4doorvalver]

Cheers for that mate,as soon as i can get hold of the 16v linkage and every thing to go with it i shall do it!and if any one has the set up for sale i will be interested.

[4doorvalver]

Well it's been a bit slack on the car building front this week,I have managed to fit my cavvy gsi oil cooler,and heat wrap the exhaust mainifold,i will be heat wrapping the rest of the exhaust when my scorpian backbox arrives,the heat wrap was a bargain from here (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/High-Temperature-Exhaust-Wrap-550C-30m-x-50mm-x-3mm_W0QQitemZ180138293443QQihZ008QQcategoryZ38786Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem),i thought it would be really poor quality but it's actualy good stuff!except i've been itching like a barsteward all day:irked:
There was enough to do the whole manifold and i still got loads left.


http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/myastra90.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/myastra96.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/myastra94.jpg

[4doorvalver]

Well i finally bagged me a set of motorbike carbentooters,bought of a very nice chap of the mk1 astra oc,he had 2 set's of r1 carb's already jetted 4 a redtop so me and a mate bought both set's for £200:veryhappy: .Just gotta get a manifold made up now,but my mate that bought the other set has a good friend that owns an alloy fabrication business so shouldn't be to long and they'll be on.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/random%20pics/carbentooters.jpg

[Sxi-T40's]

have ya still got those 40's

[4doorvalver]

have ya still got those 40's


I haven't im afraid mate their long gone.

[4doorvalver]

Well,ive also bagged myself a roll cage this week,it,s actually out of a mk1 fiesta,its only a year old and fits almost spot on.All i have to do is chop the rear legs and position slightly different so they meat the rear arch,and make up a bit of box section to lift the rear up rite parts a little bit,all i need now is a manifold for my bike carb's and a dizzy and it will be up and running:Banane44:

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/Image009.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/Image010.jpg

And my new plate's.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/Image013.jpg

[Danny]

That's looking realy nice mate.

[4doorvalver]

Been busy this week trying to get the interior finished of.I also got some braided hoses and 20metres of braided brake hose and a box of various fittings which might be for sale if anyone's interested.


Bars welded in for the bucket seat's.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/PICT0012.jpg


Roll cage welded in.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/PICT0003.jpg

The usual rust sorted.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/PICT0013.jpg

And some shiny new brake hoses.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/PICT0014.jpg


The roll of braided hose may be for sale so if any one is interested pm me,it comes with a box full of various fittings to make your own braided brake lines.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/83d2_1.jpg

[4doorvalver]

Not a lot more progress really to report, While fitting my braided hoses i noticed a bit of rust around the o/s rear spring cup, so in true butcher stylee i started digging, and ended up with this....:applause:

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/DSC00047.jpg

So I decided to take the rear axle of and fit my polly bushes, braided houses, remake the rear brake pipes and repaint it.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/DSC00032.jpg


All painted up inside now, started making the brake pipes and fitting my 16v gearlinkage (which hasn't been as easy as i thought), I didn't realise that i would have to cut the heater box up..

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/DSC00044.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/DSC00045.jpg

Parts waiting to be fitted, the seats are my old ones that are up for sale, their mated to mk2 runners.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/DSC00046.jpg

As i got the car with a smooth bootlid, I want to revert it back to standered (so up for a swop if anyone wants it:applause: ), And im after GTE or SRI bumpers now aswel.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/DSC00040.jpg


Still got loads to do, but it keeps me busy in my lunch brakes.:thumbsup:

[Montytronix]

if you debadge and bin your 1.3 swing decal can i have first dibs for it?

[4doorvalver]

It has no swing markings left on it im affraid, they were all gone when i got the car, i wouldnt mind getting the decals back on it though at some point.

[Turbo Tom]

Looks like a wicked project mate

Like the whole '5 door' think....looks unusual and very clean :D

[Montytronix]

N0.1 Swingers choice ...no doubt :thumbsup: lol
err......... dont go to dark car parks in it tho m8...you may bump into stan colleymore! lol

[4doorvalver]

Looks like a wicked project mate

Like the whole '5 door' think....looks unusual and very clean :D


I was quit lucky with it really, ive known every one of its owners, and the one before my mate i got it of, Is a spayer and panel beater, and he put 2 new rear arches on, 2 new sills and new front wings, and fully resprayed it, roughly about 2 years ago, bar a few stone chips,and were some little C-unit lightly keyed it, it's still in good nick body wise.

I want to restore the outside back to standered, hence im looking for GTE bumpers, standered boot lid, standered lights etc. And then get some swing decals just to complete it :applause:

[4doorvalver]

N0.1 Swingers choice ...no doubt :thumbsup: lol
err......... dont go to dark car parks in it tho m8...you may bump into stan colleymore! lol



You no's it :thumbsup:

[4doorvalver]

Just a little change, I've replaced the headlights with standard ones now, they were only £20 each new, i prefer the standard look and those twin jobbies aren't much good on the back lanes.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/DSC00096.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/DSC00094.jpg

[4doorvalver]

UPDATES...



Well its going a bit slow at the mo, got the winter 'I cant be bothered' blues.



Made all the brake pipes up and i actually have a brake pedal that works now, the facet pump has been mounted behind the drivers seat in a custom box (no pics yet), seats and harnesses are all in, and ive done a bit more lightening (door skins).

Also found some rust behind the rear bumper on the nearside, so ive cut it out and got a repair panel for £10, it seams to be totally rust free now, (for how long though??).



http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/DSC00246.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/DSC00255.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/DSC00248.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/DSC00254.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/DSC00249.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/DSC00251.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/DSC00252.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s239/rs-wideboyo7/car%20build/DSC00253.jpg




Need to get an alloy raiser block made up for the 16v gear linkage and the interior is pretty much done.[/quote]