My lil Expression

[Golygus]

Car:

1991 Vauxhall Astra MKII Expression Special Edition
Milage: 199000
Engine: 1.4L Vaux 8V (14NV)

Exterior:
Std, with many a bump and a scrape

Plans:
Bodywork - retouch the rear arches, de-lock passenger door, take out the dint in drivers door (damn supermarkets), touch up scratches etc. Remove Radio Ariel
Colour Coded Bumpers, preferably with front Fogs.

Wheels:
15" Champion Rims Shot Blast and re-sprayed Std Silver, Goodyear Eagle F1 195/50/R15 Rubber

Interior:
SRI Clocks, Taylored Car Mats

Plans:
NEW Seats, New gear gaitor. - possible a complete re-trim.

ICE:
Sony CDX680 CD Head Unit + 6Disc MP3 Changer
Sony F6922 6x9's

Engine Bay:

Inlet + Fueling:
Twin Weber 40's, 45mm trumpets and pipercross trumpet socks
Facet 'Gold' Racing Fuel Pump

Engine and Gearbox:
Courtney Sport CS-10 Head
Piper 270 Cam Shaft
Piper Lifters
Piper Followers
Piper Vernier Pully
Head Skimmed (again after courtney - giving compression ration 1:10.4)
Chambers Evened (also after courtney work)
Re-bored Block (to 1405ccs to take new pistons)
Lightened and Balanced Pistons, Rods, Crankshaft, Flywheel and Clutch Cover Plate
F13WR Gearbox + std Driveshafts

Revs reasonbly quick (it is only a 1.4 after all). Pulls to 7K and beyond by don't wan't to push to hard to find out.

Exhaust:
4 - 1 manifold
2" Powerflow system - short backbox, single 2.5" round Tailpipe

Plans:
285 Cam, new lifters, plans to look at the distrubutor side of things, Bigger trumpets, new lifters, new exhaust, more headwork

Handling:
OMP Alu Strut Brace
Koni Yellow Adj Gas Dampers
Std Springs

Plans:
I have a 20mm front anti-roll bar to go on, Also have lower strut brace, but haven't fitted it yet
Possible Koni Lowering Springs

Brakes:
ATE Sliding Calipers
ATE Power Disks
GM Pads
Braided Lines
Std Servo/clyinder
Std rear drums

Plans:
GTE 16v Servo/clyinder
Rear Discs (have the beam and hubs just not ready to do it)

I think that just about covers it, i'll put up some pictures once i wash and clean the car!

Choo think?

Pics (more to come):
Cleanish Older (http://www.rdlans.co.uk/personal/cfnt.jpg)

[GazJevs84]

sounds good mate you got any pics?

[Golygus]

added a pic, will add more as and when :)

[GazJevs84]

looks like a nice clean example mate

[Black Magic]

yes, lower strutbrace will fit.

strut is at top, wishbones at bottom, so im unsure which u mean, but both will fit just for the record ;)

[Golygus]

black, i mean i9 havn't fitted the lower brace, i'm unsure where to or which way it goes, the bace bolt holes are resessed - i assume it goes on using the wishbone bolt - tho i may be wrong and don't want to mess it up. :)

[Ross_Mk2]

Sounds like a lot of work has gone into it! If you don't mind me asking how much has the engine side of things set you back? I mean courtney tuning and pistons and so forth?

[rhydgte]

Sounds good mate, engine spec sounds impressive :applause:

[Golygus]

Sounds like a lot of work has gone into it! If you don't mind me asking how much has the engine side of things set you back? I mean courtney tuning and pistons and so forth?

Yes indeed, and a lot. The head work by courtney was £350 ish. pistons i think were £60 ish each. Also new bearings, oil pump etc! in other words far too much money :confused:

[James C]

Do you know where an adaptor plate can be had to change a Pierberg 2E3 carb to the webber 32/34??

I have searched far and wide and just cannot get it on!!

[Golygus]

it would have come with a new webber, but if not try:

Alden Autos on : 01384 572553

[Golygus]

minor changes and updates. new pics soom!!!!

Also the occasional thought to sell has been floating around. any ideas on value...?

[Tony K]

Get that mo-fo to Retro next year!

[Golygus]

Get that mo-fo to Retro next year!

Perhaps if its finished. And i get the time off work, or have done the right thing and quit, lol.

[Golygus]

Presently off the road with 5 bent valves amongst other things.

Sniff

I miss my mkII

[GazJevs84]

Why what happened fella??

[Golygus]

Lets be honest. For once i wasn't ragging it. I mean, i do have a nasty habit of revving the damned thing, but this one night no. it was misrable, and i was tired...

pull up to some lights and he dies on me. just like that. I thought perhaps some water in the carbs etc, (bear in mind its ****ing it down, real bad style), so out i hop, push the thing round the corner through the lights and from the junction.

I start to check under the bonnet, dry trumpet socks. how odd. check the cam belt, seems tight, electrics seem ok. try starting, odd noises, no life. hum.

Opened oil filler to find bits of cam follower - and i mean bits - loose around in cam box.

Damn. tow home, and next day get head off. find 4 bent valves, a few mashed followers, but nothing unfixable.

get the head sorted and re-build. (tho i found that the head work done when the engine was re-built is/was shockingly bad!!!).

Re-buiilt ready to go. Start first time. leave at idle to warm up, go have a drink, while haveing drink and chatting - BANG and engine stalls.

go ta a look - one snapped cam belt - odd new cam belt.

Take a look, 5 bent valves.

Dizzy has completly had it, loads of play in the shaft. when the 40's were put on the rolling road op had fiddled with the vernier pully, unbenown to me (i should have checked when i put all back together, but made a bad asumption!)

and thats about it right now. Sitting with 5 bent valves. possible piston damage, possible bottem end damage, teh head isn't pretty (a long story, perhaps one day).

So, to save fafing, i've sourced a 1.6 and f15 box.

The 1.6 is being re-built (only this time not by a nob, and much closer to home) to standard. The head is being skimmed, ported + flowed and add a piper 285 cam shaft, back on with the 40's and see what happens! Oh and i'm seriously considering a LSD or ATB in the box. like really wanting one :)

[GazJevs84]

Ouch not having much look then good luck with the new engine fella

[CAU998]

Like the sound of your project shame about the cambelt snapping, im looking to do a similar thing with my 1.4 how much did it cost to get it to the spec you've built it upto? Good luck sorting out your 1600!

[James C]

What 1600 did you go for small block SV?

Should be good - if you have the SV you'll like the extra life that more torque adds.

:thumbsup:

[Ross_Mk2]

What 1600 did you go for small block SV?

Should be good - if you have the SV you'll like the extra life that more torque adds.

:thumbsup:

Second that!

[Golygus]

i went for the nice free 1600 lying around. tbh havn't looked to much at it yet, not had the time, so can't say which lump it is :)

CAU998 - don't bother ;) switch to aa weber 32/34, put in a 285 cam, bit of headwork and leave it at that. my wallet has been dinted badly for nothing really. If i were to start again i'd do exhaust, weber 32/34 bit of head work, cam and spend the rest elsewhere. until i could afford a bigger engine :)

[Golygus]

well, found the info on my new engine:

Its an E16SE.

so, when my wallet recovers, I'll be on said engine, (re-built, possible re-bore and pistons) with some headwork, a piper 285 Cam shaft and twin weber 40's.

Hoping for 130bhp plus.

In the meantime, i'm in a Mk3 1.4. Have had some headwork, my old 270 cam and my old weber 32/34 and exhaust. Lowered 30mm and stiffened. i need to re-do the pervious owners naf bodywork, but all in good time!!! Not bad for a spare car.

[Golygus]

now for sale, with much regret. :(

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190362194684

[5 door sx 2.0l xe]

thread with out pics pointless

[Golygus]

I removed the pics ages ago (well where i was hosting them), though the links were in the first post.

as its now on ebay, there are pics there.... so... rtt?