Astra GTE 16v Group N race car

[farley]

This is my Astra Group N race car which I used in the National Saloon Car Championship years ago. At the time, Charlie Cox was winning races in an Escort Cosworth sponsored by a new London phone retailer called Carphone Warehouse and the other classes were led by BMW M3's, Mk 2 and Mk3 Astras, Honda Civics, with a Nisdsan R32 offering the only real opposition to the Cosworths for outright wins.
Despite having only 1600cc, the semi-works VTEC Civics were much faster than the Astras and the only time I could mix it with the Civics and BMW's was in the wet. One of the Honda junior team went on to better things. His name: James Thompson.http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c363/balgreen/AstraDonington2.jpg

[Brett]

James Thopson ended up having his debut in the BTCC with Vauxhall in 1995 IIRC.

Is that GTE and 8v or 16v, if its a 16v I'm astonished it couldnt live with the Civic VTi's!

Ive been watching the 1989 BTCC video, pleanty of RS500 and M3 Action on that, shame theres not more on the GTE 16v's.

Im building a Track car GTE at the moment, prgress here -
http://www.astra-mk2.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2292

if theres any tips regarding things you learnt competeing in one, I'd be most interested to hear them.

cheers!

[teej]

I think the Civics were run by Mardi Gras and had a lot of backing from Honda. They went on for years, dominated Road Saloons as well, until all that went under. Those and the CRX's still cut it.

There's talk of bringing back Production Saloons for '07, a possible project if it does go ahead, but I think i'll stick with the Astra in clubbies first.

Do you still have the Astra? Did you have much backing / success running it?

[astrasteve23]

what is the full spec on the suspenion on your astra? what wishbones etc?

[farley]

You have to build the car to meet the regulations of the championship you are contesting so for group N only limited modifications were allowed. Apart from the welded-in cage and usual safety features (always get the best!), we were allowed coilovers, competition clutch, minor engine mods (such as GpA rod bolts, baffled sump, GpN cams, chip), bias brake valve and brake pad material was free.
The Civics had lots of fancy homologated bits and were producing 200 BHP so we were on a hiding to nothing unless it rained, which only happened once.
We were tyrue privateers and virtually all the teams were professional or well sponsored. We had to travel from Scotland so had no opportunity to test midweek, unlike the opposition. Our car was also 100% legal but was slower in a straight line than all the other Astras, so draw your own conclusions.
I still have the car but it is now bright yellow and has not raced for several years but we used it recently as a base for making some styling parts.

[astrachamp]

i noticed superspeed over your astra anything to do with superspeed in edinburgh noticed quite a few mk2 sitting outside there place in the past ,

[Gteman]

More photo's please :)

[GazJevs84]

i noticed superspeed over your astra anything to do with superspeed in edinburgh noticed quite a few mk2 sitting outside there place in the past ,

i think he owns superspeed or something along those lines, he mentioned it on another thread something opposite timberworld?

[farley]

Sorry, no more photos available.
Yes, I am the owner of Superspeed but the shop will close soon and we will thereafter only sell by mail order.

[astrachamp]

do you have a rolling road there, i was in a few weeks back with my gte to see about seats