Paul Maxwells GTE rebuild (not 56k lol)

[Rob_S]

hope its ok to post up a picture diary of the work thats going on Paul :cool:

http://16vastra.usererror.org.uk/RSC%20Website/images/SIMG0003.JPG

http://16vastra.usererror.org.uk/RSC%20Website/images/SIMG0004.JPG

http://16vastra.usererror.org.uk/RSC%20Website/images/SIMG0005.JPG

http://16vastra.usererror.org.uk/RSC%20Website/images/SIMG0006.JPG

http://16vastra.usererror.org.uk/RSC%20Website/images/SIMG0007.JPG

http://16vastra.usererror.org.uk/RSC%20Website/images/SIMG0008.jpg

http://16vastra.usererror.org.uk/RSC%20Website/images/SIMG0009.JPG

http://16vastra.usererror.org.uk/RSC%20Website/images/SIMG0010.JPG

http://16vastra.usererror.org.uk/RSC%20Website/images/SIMG0011.jpg

http://16vastra.usererror.org.uk/RSC%20Website/images/SIMG0012.jpg

http://16vastra.usererror.org.uk/RSC%20Website/images/SIMG0015.JPG

http://16vastra.usererror.org.uk/RSC%20Website/images/SIMG0016.JPG

http://16vastra.usererror.org.uk/RSC%20Website/images/SIMG0017.JPG

http://16vastra.usererror.org.uk/RSC%20Website/images/SIMG0018.JPG

http://16vastra.usererror.org.uk/RSC%20Website/images/SIMG0019.JPG

http://16vastra.usererror.org.uk/RSC%20Website/images/SIMG0020.JPG

[_Steven_]

Some propper good pictures there!...

[Rob_S]

not for poor old paul :( i think i made him cry ;)
cant wait for the 'getting there' pics where it all takes shape :D they will be up in just over a week as i am off on my hols :p

[_Steven_]

Did he not want to fit full quarters?

[Rob_S]

the rust is mostly cosmetic on the arches, its the sills, back panel and around the door hinges where the actual rot is

[Brett]

they dont have the repuation they do for nouthing.

Im interested to know what you do about the rust on the inner sill at the back there, expaosed once the older outer sill is cut away. Mine has gone in a similar way there.

[Rob_S]

wheel it down and seal it up, i leave it all to the body monkey aka fraser :p

[traffman]

i cant believe the arches are actually not the worst bit!

mind you they were done by the previously owner.

but they were done so that the metal an the filler werent bonding an i pushed the bubble an a nice jet of water shot in my eye!

[Rob_S]

lol i am sure fraser will sort em out

[Mace]

Nasty, will be nice to see it come back to life, it reminds me exactly of the one i bought and took apart gone in all the same places... scary at first... lost my bottle and bought the blue one i have now... but the guy who bought my old one turned it in to a minter track car... what could have been...

[Gander]

Ouch, I was lucky with the Opel, it was fairly solid, saying that though while grinding in the front wheel arch the other day I found some more rot:(

What paint code it it Paul? Looks like the same colour as the Kadett:cool:

[traffman]

i cant remember the paint code , but its met black, or starmist

[_SBD16v]

i am very lucky to my shell is quite solid hehe

[Rob_S]

update, just a couple of pics cos it got whisked away to get measured for the sills and rear arch chopping

http://16vastra.usererror.org.uk/RSC%20Website/images/SIMG0040.JPG

http://16vastra.usererror.org.uk/RSC%20Website/images/SIMG0041.JPG

[_Steven_]

would it not be worth doing full quarters if you've gone that far?

[Jon S]

rust adds charachter. lol .
what the latest on the welding?

[Brett]

bloody hell! is there anything that isnt rusty on that car???

[Brett]

I meant to ask, what sills will you be using? Proper GTE ones with the 'studs' that the clips for skirts go on?

what sort of quality are the parts being used and where did you get them? Ive got to start thinking about doig mine sooner or later!

[Rob_S]

unfortunately for paul's wallet the panels are very good quality, but at least it will be solid once done!!
the full skirts have the markings for the clips to be fitted yeah, but there are no holes already there. pic is on page 1

[_Steven_]

Look like Hadrian panels... you wanna price this stuff up for genuine!..

[Rob_S]

yeah, they are better than the panels i had on my old astra. rear panel is a great fit too, i was pretty impressed myself

[Brett]

Cant see any of the sutds for the sideskirts on those sills.

Who made them, where did you get them and how much?

rear sills, arches and rear bumper bit is something I only plan to do once on mine!!

[Rob_S]

the studs arent there, not seen a panel with them fitted tbh as you have to respray them....
there are dimples for fitting them as i have a poke about and assume thats what they are as they look in the right places!!
i dont know the price, i dont deal with the bodyshop crap ;) errr i think the rear panel had 35 quid on it tho if that helps lol

[Brett]

If you could find out who made the parts and where they came from mate, Im sure it wouldnt only be of use to me but lots of people on here!!

[Rob_S]

they are hadrian and we have a panel book here cos they supply us :)

[Brett]

Cheers mate - are these widely avalible?

[Rob_S]

i have no idea, but we could supply them if you need
i will chat with the bodyshop bloke and get him to give a proper opinion on them as he is putting them on

[_Steven_]

Have a look on www.carpanels.co.uk it shows all the pattern parts that Hadrian make / supply.

[Brett]

Cheers for the website link Steve, not very often sites are that well laid out!!

If you could supply them I'd like prices on:

full sills both sides (62-04-006 and 62-04-007)
Lower rear corner, both sides (62-04-514 and 62-04-515)

Im going for round rear arches so dont need to worry about those, and thank god this the only major corrosion on my car!

[traffman]

im off to bed to dream about solid panels.

[DarrenH]

has this car been parked on a beach for the last 10 years ? its mad. its not small areas with devastating rust, its just mild rust but everywhere. never seen anything like it.

[Gander]

I must say the GTE I broke and chopped up wasnt as bad as that!
Good to see that things are coming along though:)

[stt]

brett,
rich can get hold of hadrian panels thru his work,

cash price - say no more!!!!!

[traffman]

its a car thats lived in scotland poss all its life, all the solid gtes are in england warmer climes an all that.

[Rob_S]

and here are the arches to prove it

http://www.rscmotorsport.com/images/gterebuild/SIMG0013.jpg

[DarrenH]

all over the floor you mean lmao

[Brett]

brett,
rich can get hold of hadrian panels thru his work,

cash price - say no more!!!!!

its things like that that are music to my ears!

[Rob_S]

had a chat about the quality of them too, they arent too bad, they are a good strength and usually require just minimal work to fit properly :)

[Rob_S]

update (which i cleverly put on the wrong thread!!!)

more...

strengthening strips put in, just to rebuild the inner bit of the sill as there wasnt much there

http://www.rscmotorsport.com/images/gterebuild/SIMG0047.JPG

http://www.rscmotorsport.com/images/gterebuild/SIMG0049.JPG

and the sill offered up, fit looks good

http://www.rscmotorsport.com/images/gterebuild/Image(003).jpg

http://www.rscmotorsport.com/images/gterebuild/Image(004).jpg

[Rob_S]

and some more...rebuilt inner rear wing and a vid!!!

http://www.rscmotorsport.com/images/gterebuild/Image(008).jpg

http://www.rscmotorsport.com/images/gterebuild/Image(009).jpg

and quicktime movie (http://www.rscmotorsport.com/images/gterebuild/Video(01).3gp)

[traffman]

cheers rob , its good to see metal going back on . :)

[Rob_S]

and the sills are both on now, needs seam welded along the lower edge for MOT purposes...thats being done later, now its tidying it all up
but heres the pics :p

http://www.rscmotorsport.com/images/gterebuild/SIMG0056.JPG

http://www.rscmotorsport.com/images/gterebuild/SIMG0057.JPG

http://www.rscmotorsport.com/images/gterebuild/SIMG0058.JPG

http://www.rscmotorsport.com/images/gterebuild/SIMG0059.JPG

http://www.rscmotorsport.com/images/gterebuild/SIMG0060.JPG

[traffman]

Fab new metal ! , i reckon ill find some more grip now when cornering .....hmm roll cage.

have you mentioned to trevor of another one possibly coming your way , or do you think he ll run a mile! :o

[Rob_S]

he knows mate lmao thats fine, we have taken on a mechanic, so theres a little more time (well there will be once he has got the jist of things!)
want a cage? lol

[Gander]

Thats a fine job there, a lot of garages will just spot and filler! Thats put a lot of strength back in to the shell now, you might notice the difference.

[traffman]

im sure therell be a hell of an increase in torsional ridgedness in the shell.

ermm how much are cages rob perchance?

[Rob_S]

well i have the SD, but they are moaning about pricing as steels gone up
i am wanting to do a few options, would people mind paying more for the cage if we subsidise fitting? kindof a daft question as you pay roughly the same, but people like the big names. trevor wants me to look into osbourne cages (not that i can find them!!) as they are the bollox apparently, but well priced, but as i say, noone knows them lol
i wouldnt mind some feedback actually on cages, will bang up a post in general and let you know what the score is :)

[traffman]

im not really that up on roll cages, i only know that alloy ones aint approved?

as for names im not that bothered as long as its stiff enough. also fitting one increases the torsional strength further doesnt it. Rob im sure im stating the obvious here though, lol.

[Rob_S]

oh aye, rock hard. makes the whole thing handle better, everyone should have one :p

[weekenny]

yeah its unreal how stiff the shell becomes :)

[traffman]

ah hello kenny.

[Rob_S]

right, i have finally had 2 mins to sit down and do stuff LOL so here are some update pics of how to rebuild an astra and sorry for the delay!

heres the back end spotted on
http://www.rscmotorsport.com/images/gterebuild/Image(086).jpg

and the other side, erm, missing lol
http://www.rscmotorsport.com/images/gterebuild/Image(087).jpg

wooo
http://www.rscmotorsport.com/images/gterebuild/Image(089).jpg

rebuilding
http://www.rscmotorsport.com/images/gterebuild/Image(090).jpg

http://www.rscmotorsport.com/images/gterebuild/Image(091).jpg

nearly there now, paul, we are looking to get it in the booth this weekend as i said the other week there. will keep you up to date as to how well we manage that!

[REMUS]

Christ that car needed/needs alot of work!

[Rob_S]

saying nowt lol

[weekenny]

ah hello kenny.

Hi mate
:)

[traffman]

oh more pics, still using the same camera rob, an hello again kenny.

ps a camera with slightly less reolution would enable me to cry less into my bowl of cornflakes every morning!

[Rob_S]

and thats the rear rebuilt and plated inside
http://www.rscmotorsport.com/images/gterebuild/Image(094).jpg

[traffman]

cheers rob, is it brighter in there? , or is that light at the end of the tunnel!

[Rob_S]

naaa the lights are fixed :p

[Gander]

Looking gooooood, nice to see the inner parts of the chassis being put back in, most places would just nock the crap out then put the repair panel over the top!

On a slightly different note....
Black Astras rock;)

[traffman]

thanks gander, keeping it black aswell.

[Gander]

Good man, we both know that Black is the best colour for them;)

[weekenny]

although red is the fastest ;)

[_Steven_]

How's this getting on?

[traffman]

still ongoing , allbeit getting there, ill be checking.