Bodywork restoration on Zender Kitted Mk2

[Jags C20LET]

She bady needs a respray, so i started checking the bodywork.
The sills were showing a bit of rust, so, a couple of prods later........well, i'll post the pics asap and you'll see.
Anyhow...the moral of my story is...Mk2 Astras rust, especially 14 year old ones.

[James C]

Re: Bodywork restoration on Zender Kitted Mk2

haha ain't that the truth

the only time really that i'm glad that i dont have a Gte is because both my astras have been 5drs without sideskirts, thus water has been able to run off the sills rather than invite the rust gremlin to stay over!!

luckily its usually all repairable tho (i hope)

get some pics up so we can see the kit too

[Jags C20LET]

Re: Bodywork restoration on Zender Kitted Mk2

Yep...it's repairable....2 new full outer sills fitted, £300.(GULP), and thats before a new drivers Door, 2 front wings, and 2 rear outer arch skins, and maybe inner arches too. and then fit a new kit (currently sitting in my loft).....and then a respray....about £2K!!!

These pics are about a year old..If anybody is interested, I'll post some more.
There is also a pic of the air filter / engine bay segrator i made last week...

[Jags C20LET]

Re: Bodywork restoration on Zender Kitted Mk2

Right, the cars booked in for next week for a new pair of full sills....but I'm in a dilemma.
Do I rebuild to current bodywork spec i.e. bodykit and ET20 alloys, or rebuild to standard bodywork (new front/rear wings, and remove the Zender) and buy some nice shiny 17" wheels. This would deffo be less hastle in the long run, insurance, paint cracks on bodykit/panel joins, etc.

What do you guys recon, as I really could do with some input. I'll probably be at Santa Pod on Sunday, and checking out ALL your motors for ideas.

Thanks Guys

[Steve Heley]

Re: Bodywork restoration on Zender Kitted Mk2

The kit looks good, but i personally think with the age the cars are getting, the more original they look, the better..

[Astraoid]

Re: Bodywork restoration on Zender Kitted Mk2

I like the Zender kit - got one too, but I've aslo experienced hassle as the car has got older - the kit needed cutting to get to repair the rusty sils underneath.

If you do decide to ditch the kit - Please PM me as I'm looking for a spare kit.

[Gteman]

Re: Bodywork restoration on Zender Kitted Mk2

The kit looks good, but i personally think with the age the cars are getting, the more original they look, the better..

Maybe i'm showing my age but i'm with Steve on this one. They look great modded but if people keep modding them their will be none left original and that would be a sin.

Graham

[Jags C20LET]

Re: Bodywork restoration on Zender Kitted Mk2

OK...well she went in for the sills today and the nice man at the bodyshop took the arches off while i was there and this is what we found.....needless to say, she needs some (expensive) TLC. Basically 2 full inner arches, 2 new full rear quarters, 2 new full sills, 2 new front wings. I dunno if i can get away with reusing my wheels as they're ET20. That lots gonna cost about a grand, NOT INCLUDING RESPRAY!!!!!!!!!!!

BACK TO STANDARD........Does anybody know where i can get a pair of side-skirts, i binned mine about 7 years ago and I didn't think i'd need 'em again....OH BUGGER...


Yes, that is daylight....

[DarrenH]

Re: Bodywork restoration on Zender Kitted Mk2

i think most mk2 owners with major projects can relate to those rust pictures. me included. just a shame the skirts are such a water trap, standard stuff too. the kit is quite dated, but its contemporary. its the same age as the car, so i think its cool.

full body resto and put the zender back on, i reckon.

[Jags C20LET]

Re: Bodywork restoration on Zender Kitted Mk2

Thanks for the input guys, but the decision is made in my head ..well almost....just waiting on accurate pricing....so i may need new wheels....I spy some OZ Record 17" that would house some 308mm brakes nicely.
I also will probably be flogging the kit which is a fibreglass copy, and my spare kit (minus the front bumper spoiler) I will have

both rear bumper corners (x2 sets)
both front bumper corners (x2 sets)
N/S Rear arch (X2)
O/S Rear arch (X2)
N/S Front arch (X2)
O/S Front Arch (X1)
Door Sills (x2 Sets)

I may have to flog the wheels too.......I'll keep any interested parties posted as to what I eventually decide to do.

[Dan Gliballs]

Re: Bodywork restoration on Zender Kitted Mk2

A grand is a bargain for the whole job sprayed up mate........mine cost almost double that.

I love that arch kit TBH

What's the engine spec? That's a great heatshield for the induction kit.............you're giving me ideas

[BazW]

Re: Bodywork restoration on Zender Kitted Mk2

I like the zender kit, i'd hang on to it as in the future it'll be remembered the same way that the dimma kit is on the 205 gti's

I think theres hardly any of on here that haven't had to do some welding in fact i'm even looking into learning how to weld myself to save a few quid

[Jags C20LET]

Re: Bodywork restoration on Zender Kitted Mk2

Dan, the bodywork is going to be about £900, maybe £200 more if we use genuine vauxhall rear wings (imported from the land of the big sausage and beer), returning everything back to standard, and then spraying the whole car ontop of that, and probably some new wheels...(OZ Record 17" ET42, 205/40/17....£700), so i'm looking at the fat and ugly end of £2500.....but she'll be bulletproof for years and i'm thinking of getting a sh***er for the winter months (all 11 of 'em).

If anybody is interested, i can post up plans for the heat shield.

Engine spec is:

C20LET from cav @ standard boost
standard cav rad/intercooler/metal fan
piper-X cone filter
cut'n'shut downpipe mated to full magnex exhaust
FSE F.P.R.
F28
Custom strut-brace

205 bhp@5450 rpm / 235 ft/lbs at 3700 rpm
santa pod last year 14.667 @ 96 mph

I was bored so did a VERY rough mock-up of how the beast will look......now and 2 possible afters....waddayarokon?

As she is now


Possible 1


Possible 2 - Zender front spoiler and painted rear bumper lip

[Dan Gliballs]

Re: Bodywork restoration on Zender Kitted Mk2

235 ft/lbs sounds VERY healthy on standard boost

Mine knocked out 217bhp before the EDS FMIC, but only 222ft/lbs for some reason...................though it's off to V-Tuning for more 'fiddling' this week

[Jags C20LET]

Re: Bodywork restoration on Zender Kitted Mk2