Re-shell of a champion

[Kev Read]

Thats right the old champ has out growen its skin like a fat snake and is going to be re-shelled in to this unsuspecting beast -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v393/Kevread/thenextgenenration001.jpg

A mint 1.6 GL auto!
It has all its original panels and the arches and sills are solid as.......something really solid!

There wont be a lot of progress for a while as Im not taking the champ off the road until the end of the show season, but Im going to get on with seam welding the shell and painting the inside and other bits.

Watch this space!

[Brett]

Starting with a good solid rust free shell is such a major bonus mate, makes life so much easier!

Looks like a Merit shell that to me, poverty spec headrests and those wheeltrims!

top find mate!

[Kev Read]

Had a few hours spare toda so I thought Id do something to the latest project.

Started to strip it out ready for seem welding!!!

Cant belive how clean it is! theres a few little bits that need attention but the sills and arches are ultra clean which is the main thing.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v393/Kevread/thenextgenenrationpart2003.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v393/Kevread/thenextgenenrationpart2002.jpg
Boot pan is solid, suspension turrets are solid.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v393/Kevread/thenextgenenrationpart2005.jpg
The floor pan is unbelivebly mint as you can see.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v393/Kevread/thenextgenenrationpart2010.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v393/Kevread/thenextgenenrationpart2006.jpg
These inner arch joins are almost always rotten or you can see where a new arch section has been welded on. Not even a sign of rust on this beast!!!:bananajump:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v393/Kevread/thenextgenenrationpart2008.jpg
This is the only bit that needs plating. The old bloke who owned it for the last 18 years desided to bolt a halfords pedal thing to the floor pan! now it needs plating up. Overall very happy so far with this car. Hope the autos arnt to diffrent from a normal astra!

[Kris]

Clean just doesnt quiet cut it on this on Kev

[Belmont turbo]

Hope the autos arnt to diffrent from a normal astra!

its the same and evry think just bolts on my car was an auto.

[westurbo]

looks like a well mint shell m8...

[Black Magic]

luky bugger

[bigdrifter]

That shell looks mint- a very fortunate find

[mking]

awesome find! it's astounding how much rust there isn't!! good luck with it :bananajump:

[Kev Read]

Forgot all about this thread!! Im bored so thought Id put a update post up!

My champ is not going to be re-shelled in to this now. A friend of mine has gave me a deposit on my champ and will be buying it off me shortly.

I recently purchased another champ quite cheap and robbed everything off it for the merit (bumpers, leather, loom etc etc). But not the engine!!

Oh no, this astra will have a diffrent engine from the great LET or XE.
And that will be my last post on this thread, I will be starting another thread soon (I hope), showing my intentions and progress for this shell.

Its going to be diffrent, hopfuly fast and defently one of a kind. Stay tuned.

[Sipo]

Very much looking forward to it Kev, it's going to be a monster :thumbsup:

[Ronin]

Sure is. I think your mad personally, but good luck with it mate I know you like a challenge.

[astrachamp]

every project kev is involved in gets better and bigger than the prievious one so im really interested to see what comes out of the kevsters garage next!

[richie00boy]

Skyline engine in a Mk2?

[GazJevs84]

where do you find all these shells/champs etc lol

looking forward to seeing what you have up your sleeve for this then