The restoration thats gone a bit far!!!!

[DICKO]

Well thought id start a diary of my own little project, although i use the word little loosely!!! It all started when i bought an F plate valver for £800 and decided to take it off the road to strip it "a bit" and "tidy" it. i wanted a clean and tidy mk2 to drive. Ha tidy and a bit has long been replaced by totally and modify lots!! The list of mods just keeps getting bigger so far the list reads as follows......
ive bad boyed the bonnett,cut in mk3 cav door handles, smoothed in the lines that run down the side, smoothed over both sets of fog lights, welded up and smoothed over fuel cap (new location TBC) and bad boyed the tail gate oh and got rid of the side repeaters.
Im gunna add pictures very soon when i work out this new fangled computer gizmo!!!!

[Gteman]

Welcome sir, sounds like a lot of work

We are all photo junkies on here.

If you have any hassle putting pics up try here

http://www.astra-mk2.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3513

[Harvey]

Thought about removing the fuel cap myself but decided against it as I wanted to retain the OE exterior looks. Lets see some pics then...

[DICKO]

Well this is the thorn in my side about 6 months ago when it all started!!!
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e158/thebullitproofmonk12/P6060073.jpg (http://photobucket.com)


Do ya think the wife went mad when the spare room vanished over night answers on a post card to..............


http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e158/thebullitproofmonk12/3859e529.jpg (http://photobucket.com)

This is the start of the door handle what a ball ache this turned out to be


http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e158/thebullitproofmonk12/P8170139.jpg (http://photobucket.com)

[a4r8n]

nice work

[GazJevs84]

sounds nice mate get some more pics up lol

[DICKO]

The door handle finally finished

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e158/thebullitproofmonk12/Picture002.jpg

The hatch took me forever too get right its a nightmare i will never do it again!!! the plate runs the length of the hatch, so does the filler!!!!! There were so many dips in the metal that came about when welding.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e158/thebullitproofmonk12/Picture003.jpg

The bonnett was a piece of pi**

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e158/thebullitproofmonk12/Picture001.jpg

[Ross_Mk2]

Didn't know you could do that to the tailgate!

[James C]

Nice one off mod tho, never seen a bad boy boot hatch before. Smooth

I guess the sky is your limit tho with modifications, as long as

A) You have the money
B) You have the know how or (refer to A again)

[Brett]

lot of work gone in there mate, fair play wish I had metalwork skills like that. lmfao at the spare room, my garage and bedroom are the same, I expect that the earbashing I got of the parents wasn't as bad as the wrath of a woman finding herself in 2nd place to a car!!!

only thing I will point out is to do with that tailgate, it looks like you are covering an awful lot of the top light - which is the tail/brake light, I'd want people to see all of that, but mainly are you sure it will pass an MOT like that?!

[gtejon]

good point that brett, but defo a nice different mod for the a55 end.

lmfao at the spare room, i'd love to be able to do that, but i value my balls too much, i'm not even allowed to bring my champ seats indoors!!!

[bigdrifter]

Some pretty impressive mods going on there- like the handle idea

[DICKO]

Im trying to build this thing to a fairly tight budget, luckily ive not got to the point were i have to spend much cash, yet!!!! the tail light problem i have solved with a spot of rewireing, the reverse light will become my brake light and ill temp mount a reverse light under the bumper for the mot, no flys on me just the marks were they've been!!!!!
I didnt give the wife any choice with the spare room it all just appeard there one day when she was in work lucky for me im fast on my toes

[bigdrifter]

Reverse lights aren't needed for an M.O.T anyway so I wouldn't worry

[DICKO]

Sound atleast thats 1 job crossed off that ever increasing list of mine got this week off work so im locking myself away in the garage tomorrow much welding to be done you know the usuall archs and sill and rear chassis out rigger already finished drivers side hopefully have pas done tomorrow

[a4r8n]

very nice mateso wish I had a gargae but I aint :( will look very nice when finished

[astramad]

nice one off ideas i love the handles i was thinkin bout the rear lights mot wise
good thinking

[GazJevs84]

i have seen a blue gte with the same tailgate mod it was on ebay a few months ago and that had mot but as you said you have already had it covered

[DICKO]

Well i spent all day and most of the evening in the garage yesterday thats gonna cost me big the wife wants takin out now DOH!!!!!!! Atleast i got nearly all my welding done N/S rear arch N/S chassis out rigger 2 plates in the back panel N/S door handle 2 plates in N/S front inner arch and N/S hinge post. Going back tomorrow (thurs) to weld on sill and start the massive task of all the filling see if i go tomorrow i can take the wife out friday and grovle for the 2 nights in 1, no flys on me!!!!!

[Black Magic]

erm, thats so illegal, that wen u brake, u aint gunna see the brake light come on! Good job uve re-wired it.

second off, i see u say its a ball ache for that door handle. could u not just
1. swop the plastic surround from the dawoo to ur mk2 door?
2. if that didnt fit, get 2 doors from the Nexia, & be done with it?


& i can say, wot costs more? modding ur astra, or taking ur wife out? lol

[DICKO]

I like the shape of the cav door handles they just look right at home in the astra doors i think youll agree. the wife costs me a fortune and what i have to spend on her i could be spendin on the car gutted!!!!!!

[Black Magic]

go for a separation ;)

but yea, they do look nice. Im sure the daewoo ones are exactly the same

[DICKO]

i could always separate from her move into garage for few months finish car then reconcile with her she may smell a rat though when i come back with a shiny mk2 oh and coz i dont have a shower in the garage

[mking]

looking good mate. where are you thinking of re-locating the fuel cap then? i've seen them re-located to inside the door before, just under the door catch thing, they look well nice.

it looks like you're gonna have a spanking motor in the end :bananajump:

[richie00boy]

Like the handles, some good work going on there.

[Valver]

Ah, brings back so many memories, good & bad!!
Nice work matey, keep it up & hope to see it at a show soon :applause:

[DICKO]

Im thinkin of puttin the fuel cap in the boot it should just be a case of addaptin the original filler neck to turn the top of it 180 degrees my mate put his inside the door shut and had problems filling it it took too long to fill coz of the angle of the pipe work. I wanted to get her finished by pvs but i think ive got no chance its gonna start costin big money soon with engine suspension and paint!!!!

[DICKO]

Well its been a hell of a long time since i touched my mk2 due to dreaded house buyin but im finaly in the position to make my way back to the garage to get on with what needs doin (which is alot)!!!!! now this is were i could do with a bit of help from you guys!!!! i need a bit of input said the actress to the bishop! do i
a)sell my tastie smoothed mk3 cav handled doors hatch and bonnet and put on new rear quarters and make a quick track toy or
2)carry on with the mods as they are!
im torn between the 2 so any input would be very much appriciated.....

[mick g]

"Youv'e started so you may finish" As Bamber Gascoigne used to say!! Keep going dude, youv'e put such a lot of good work in.

[GazJevs84]

i agree mate go for it as you were

[Harvey]

Leave as is and get it finished as it's looking good and can only get better.

[Dale]

yer carry on going as you are! looking good

[DICKO]

Im Now Sellin Modded Bits Their In The For Sale Forum

[banburygtecab]

hi ya mate how easy where them door handles to do i was going to do that to mine

[DICKO]

Not to bad providing your ok with a welder and filler