Changes to my valver

[untouchable]

Ok, most people on here have guessed i didn't like the whale-tail or bumper that the car came with, so we have started to aquire bits to replace them.

One rooftip spoiler (thanks to slingy :D)

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/2343/rooftipfx1.jpg

One new fogless front bumper (thanks to Gteman :D)

http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/8062/nakedbumpervz1.jpg

My little helper hard at work (he's going to hate me soon lol) sanding and chopping as its going to be big mouthed and meshed

http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/9929/sandingdownnk9.jpg

And the subtle one that makes me smile the most...my numberplate back on a Mk2 where it belongs :D

http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/463/numplateia5.jpg

Going to drop the rooftip spoiler and front bumper off at the bodyshop Tuesday to be sprayed, the whale-tail is coming off later today and being sent to its new owner (you know who you are ;)) The holes will just have to be covered with duct tape for the minute as i will need a couple of them for the rooftip.

Im very tempted to get either a Mattig or a badboy bonnet, just so the general look is different from my turbo, I'm not really happy with the vent as it seems to create a fair amount of downforce when driving on the motormay and gives you the impression the bonnet wants to flip up :eek:

Anyway, I will update the pics as we go along :)

[Ross_Mk2]

Very nice i wish i could get things moving that quick!!

Just out of interest how much would you be paying to have the bumper and tailgate sprayed? I'm looking at getting a tailgate and bonnet sprayed and wondered a rough price!

[untouchable]

well when I got my white bonnet resprayed and a couple of tiny dings taken out, it was £50, I haven't got a whole tailgate resprayed before, but mine has the traditional bubbling rusty bits just under the rear screen, sothat will have to be dealt with asap.

[bigdrifter]

If you want a Badboy bonnet I still have the one that Zoe had done. £50 for respraying your other was very cheap- cost me 3 times that for get one done in Silk Violet:dizzy: :bigcry: :banghead: :shocked: :eek:

[untouchable]

Few more progress pics so far today...

There were a few chips on the rooftip..

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/4333/othercornerchippedpw7.jpg

So the filling/repairing started

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/7637/filleronspoilerqb7.jpg

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/8738/morefillerak8.jpg

Now repaired

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/3132/rebuiltcornerju9.jpg

After wet and dry rubbing down, a coat or two of filler primer

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/2562/filledcornertn7.jpg

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3262/fillercorner1vb4.jpg

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/9607/fillerrooftipgc6.jpg

Bumper big mouthed and sanded

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/5884/middlecutoutgd6.jpg

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/4494/sandedbumperhw9.jpg

[Ian T]

Looking nice Mel, better progress than I'm making at the moment.

Right, that's it. I'm off to the garage this afternoon to see if I can paint my doors while the weather holds. :)

Ian.

[vauxmad]

another project on the way by mel with changes coming fast by the looks of it, hope the project goes well

[James C]

A nice moddification to the garden chair too. Plain white is pretty boring ;)

[untouchable]

Bumper half done, just needs sanding down and primering when the rest is finished.

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/6330/filleredbumperqz4.jpg

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/8685/filledbumper1up6.jpg

James, The chairs are just used as rests, got the good ones in the shed :D

[untouchable]

In between rain showers, we got the whale-tail off and were left with a naked looking bootlid

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/7053/barebootzi4.jpg

Then we lined up the new ones to go on

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/478/spoilersnf3.jpg

The bumper might not be ready to drop off at the sprayers tomorrow, as its a bit tricky to sand it down with the weather the way it is today :( but the spoilers will be going there in the morning :)

[Tom]

Looking good Mel :applause:

Just thought, might want to fibreglass behind where the filler is in this pic to reinforce it, because I did the same on my bumper and its cracked :(

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/6330/filleredbumperqz4.jpg

[untouchable]

Already done it Tom chap :D

G fiberglassed in a piece of plastic, then fiberglassed over the top, sanded it down to get the shape, then skimmed the finishing filler over the top :)

[Ian T]

Blimey, is he unstoppable or something?

I was even shamed into spending much of the last two days on mine, prepping and painting the doors. Hoping I get some more decent weather before the next Westerham meet to finish them to save coming along in a Vectra. ;)

Ian.

[Kris]

Doing good mel ,ive had mine on axle stands dor the last week and ive managed to do







Nothing ,ha

[Tom]

Already done it Tom chap :D

G fiberglassed in a piece of plastic, then fiberglassed over the top, sanded it down to get the shape, then skimmed the finishing filler over the top :)
Ah right good man :thumbsup:

[GTE16v]

Oi, when are we going to see pics of the whole car, been waiting for ages to see it Mel.

[untouchable]

Oi, when are we going to see pics of the whole car, been waiting for ages to see it Mel.

ahhhh now if you were a member, you would have been one of the first as theres pics in the members area :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v679/baileydog/s7.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b325/justinwilloughby/DSC00899.jpg

[Belmont_GTE]

did you say you've already sold that front bumper?

[untouchable]

Not sure, got someone interested in it, i will PM them to see whats going on :D

[GazJevs84]

looking good mel

[untouchable]

Car is currently laid up as she split her top rad hose on the way back from the bodyshop...

But i still love her :D

[untouchable]

Right, after much thought and weighing up of costs/risks the head is coming off today to be sent off to the nice man to get it skimmed and sleeved. Should hopefully be back by the end of the week, then she will have a new head gasket, cambelt, rollers and tensioners :D

[astrachamp]

will be as good as new!

[untouchable]

Getting ready to take the head out...

http://img389.imageshack.us/img389/2695/strip1wn5.jpg

My not such pretty water in the header tank

http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/4594/ickywatersr3.jpg

Head off..

http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/1921/enginebayft7.jpg

One head, in suprisingly good condition :D

http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/5961/headtb9.jpg

Thats being couried by next day delivery tomorrow, so will post pics of the freshly skimmed and sleeved article as soon as it comes back :)

[GazJevs84]

nice work

[untouchable]

Well, hopefully the man got the head yesterday, so I went out and bought the head gasket, cambelt kit etc...got to order the inlet manifold gasket today, so it will all be here ready for when the head comes back :D

Now for the poo news, G is going away with his work for the weekend, so wont be able to put it back together until Monday night :(

[GTE16v]

cant you do it Mel?!

[vauxmad]

cant you do it Mel?!

hope your joking, look at her sig and you'll get the answer

[untouchable]

lol @ Dave! I could probably do some of it, but when it comes to the tensioners and the 'important' bits, I would probably get it all wrong :o

Im not a happy bunny at all today, i got an email from the fella last night about the head saying that Parcel2Go hadn't collected it. I booked them to do a next day delivery so in theory it should have been here today. Well typical, it goes tits up yet again, which in turn leaves it really close to getting the car into the bodyshop Thursday to have the tailgate rust sorted and it get resprayed with new spoilers fitted...

Why is it, when you have everything all so neatly planned, it always backfires :grumpy:

[BazW]

Why is it, when you have everything all so neatly planned, it always backfires :grumpy:

sods law strikes again, it's the same for me, paid £100 for a trackday and my cars fooked :(

[untouchable]

Got the head back...finally!

All skimmed and spangley :D

http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/2486/skimmedheaddg8.jpg


G is on the case fitting it now, have to wait until after 5pm for the thermostat housing to arrive as my one was sheared off in transit :grumpy:

[Ian T]

At this rate, p2g will owe you money, rather than just a refund.

Have you got one sorted yet? There are usually people breaking dead XEs on MIG / eBay. If there's anything local to here I can collect for you.

Ian.

[untouchable]

lotuscorsa has got one if i cant find one over the weekend Ian, I dont use Mig now but if you see one on there, give me a shout :)

I will post up progress pics tomorrow :D

[untouchable]

Well I dropped the GTE off at the bodyshop this afternoon to get the rust on the tailgate sorted, and the holes filled where the whale tail was, then resprayed and my rooftip and GTE spoilers fitted.

Had her up on the ramps at a friends garage today and had a good poke around, she seems pretty darn solid underneath which is a godsend as I didnt want to be forking out for new sills etc etc.

Looks like the person who fitted the skirts forgot to fix the wing to the sill on one side, but thats easily sorted. I would love to be able to get the skirts taken off and re-fitted as they have dropped a little bit and the filler has a slight crack, but it certainly wont be happening this year.

I will post up pictures once I get her back on Saturday :D

[astrachamp]

excellent stuff, cant wait to see the pics when you get it back

[mutznutz]

looking foward to seeing it mel!!

[GazJevs84]

as above glad to hear all is ok underneath too

[Sipo]

Aye glad things are going well - really hope to see it on Sunday :thumbsup:

[untouchable]

Well, collected the car at lunchtime, and really pleased with how she looks now...it still has the tape on to make sure the spoiler bonds, will be taking it off in a couple of hours :D (excuse the reflection of the divvy photographer lol)

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/7128/bootlid1jb6.jpg

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/4083/bootlid2uo0.jpg

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/3118/bootlid3qv6.jpg

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/9747/bootlid4ai8.jpg

Next stop will be the front bumper, but will probably have to wait until after the baby arrives for that :)

[Ian T]

Looking good.

At least the photographer has clothes on, always a good cringe on eBay when you spot something you didn't want to.

No excuses now then Mel... you'll have to come down to the next Westerham meet. :)

Ian.

[untouchable]

No excuses now then Mel... you'll have to come down to the next Westerham meet. :)

Ian.

My name is already down Ian, unless anything else goes wrong lol

[Mjl16vGTE]

Cool looking good

[mutznutz]

looks much better than the waletale!!!, any more pics mel?

[untouchable]

Will probably get more pics tomorrow chap, I agree, its so much more subtle than the mahooooooosive whale tail.

Thanks for the comments people :D

[Tom]

Are you keeping those chrome badges on ?

[untouchable]

We pulled the Irmscher one off the back to see what it looked like, and I will probably take the rest of them off TBH. Will keep the other ones on the skirts for now, just in case the tugging to get them off agitates the filler lol

[GazJevs84]

looks nice that spoiler

[untouchable]

Well the weekend of dash changes arrived...had real problems yesterday trying to beat the old steering wheel off, so gave up and borrowed kiran_s's puller for today. 2 mins after starting, the wheel was off :duh:

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/6553/dash1cs8.jpg

http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/6559/dash2dm0.jpg


Black dash 'in situ'

http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/773/dash3nm5.jpg

All in, just needs a couple of bits sorting, black kick plates/runners etc then shes all done (note my old turbo steering wheel has replaced the standard one:D)

http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/4285/dash4jy3.jpg

Then as G had washed Noodles, I thought I had better show willing and give mine a quick going over.

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/3666/cleanfrontwl3.jpg

Took the rest of the chrome badges off

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/539/cleanbootbm8.jpg

Courtesy shot of the skirts lol

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/583/sideshotex5.jpg

[Belmont turbo]

looking good the black dash makes the inside ten times better imo

[Tom]

looking good the black dash makes the inside ten times better imo
So does the removal of those badges :thumbsup:

[Mr-G]

Just a quickie post to say that i have now bought the car from mel, woohoo my first 16v astra GTE happy times ahead lol.

[Dale]

nice, keep it looking good

[mutznutz]

any plans for it?

[mutznutz]

do you know if shes getting another mk2?

[untouchable]

Maybe one day, but it would have to be another Letted beast, because I just dont seem happy unless my car has 'turbo' in the model lol....Ive bought another astra, just not a mk2, so Im still flying the vauxhall griffen :D

[Mr-G]

any plans for it?


not many at the moment just get it the way i want it to look, changing the bonnet and the front bumper and i am going to look into getting the skirts refitted as the filler is cracking.

Engine wise i am going to clean the bay up a bit but that will be about it, its a non-cat model so should be making 155bhp thats enough for me to play with for the minute.

[roybacer]

Ive still got that front bumper i bought off you years ago!

you could have it, but its a fair bit of travelling