Danny's Astra

[Dannyc]

Posted about this before, but time to start a new thread to mark the start of the work.
My Astra 16v needs some welding work so I have a solid base to work from as I want to build a track day/road car.
My local garage kindly let me put the Astra on their lift on Saturday (November 4) to asses the rot.
Not too bad, but also noticed a split driveshaft gaiter plus the rear brake pipes need replacing, which will be done this week.
The work won't be done until January because the MOT is due on November 13 and there is no way it will pass.
To get round this, the car will come off the road and stay at my mates place until he gets the chance to sort it.
Also included a gratuitous shot of my ride on the ramps.
Will post pics as and when the work is done.
If anyone has a tax and tested runabout for about £400, and is in/near Kent please PM me.
Take care, dudes and dudettes.

[BazW]

Re: Danny's Astra

seen (and owned) worse mate

[Dannyc]

Re: Danny's Astra

Thanks, Baz.
Yeah, it's not as bad as some so I'm lucky.

[MK2-JOHN]

Re: Danny's Astra

not looking too bad there danny, as baz said..owned & seen much worse, at leasts fixable

[BazW]

Re: Danny's Astra

my first GTE I took the skirts off and there was no sill. the only thing holding them on was the self tappers either end, the paint was just about holding the rust together

[Sipo]

Re: Danny's Astra

Aye, she doesnt look too bad, but a great time to hop onto it as its starting

Good luck, is this one mistral grey or silk violet? Cant tell from the pics.

[DarrenH]

Re: Danny's Astra

familiar looking rot there ! although my inner sills werent "as" bad.

dont want to be a misery monger, but if the inner sills are like that, then theres probably free air conditioning system hiding under your side skirts!!

amazed ive still not seen you around, is it your daily driver ?

[mking]

Re: Danny's Astra

doesn't look too bad there. real nice colour aswell, looks mistral to me?

[Dannyc]

Re: Danny's Astra

Thanks for comments lads.
I'm not sure whether it's mistral or silk violet to be honest.
Pretty sure it's Mistral.

Oddball.
The car is my daily driver and gets used pretty much everyday.
However, not being used today because it's got a suspected shot head gasket.
Checked expansion tank yesterday and nearly all the water had gone.
There were no obvious signs of leakage from pipes so can only think it is the head gasket.
Gonna get it sorted this week along with split nearside driveshaft gaiter and replace the rotten rear brake pipes.

Thanks for the words of support.

[BazW]

Re: Danny's Astra

However, not being used today because it's got a suspected shot head gasket.
Checked expansion tank yesterday and nearly all the water had gone.
There were no obvious signs of leakage from pipes so can only think it is the head gasket

check the water pump first, before mine went I was topping it up once a week. mine was loosing coolant with no obvious leaks and it wasn't until I ran a radiator flush through it that it went properly. it was leaking for ages but evaporating before it got to the floor so there was never a puddle

[Dannyc]

Re: Danny's Astra

Thanks Baz.
The car had a new water pump in February this year, so might not be this.
Got a mate who works for Vauxhall's looking at the old girl tomorrow anyway, so hopefully should all be sorted V soon.

[Dannyc]

Re: Danny's Astra

Finally said goodbye to my Astra for a while after dropping it off at my mate's.
Work probably won't start until mid January because he's got a lot and doesn't do bodywork for a living.
Anyway, this is the Astra at my mate's Tony's.


And this is one of his projects to give you an idea of the sort of stuff he takes on.
I know it's a beetle but he loves em, and each to their own.


In the meantime I have bought an Austin Metro as a runabout which I will post pics of soon so you can take the Pi55.

I don't care tho, it's cheap and unlike the astra is not a joyrider's favourite.

[Dannyc]

Re: Danny's Astra

The project's starting to gain pace. The Astra was moved from its storage on Saturday, April 14 and transported to another bodywork dude I know after my mate who was gonna do the work, couldn't.

After a quick assessment of the car, my bodywork dude found that when he opened the driver's door to its full extent, then pushed it a little more, there was too much movement on the A post.

This happened on both doors and means there is lots of rot. Not good.

Apart from tidying the offside arch, dent in the nearside wing and bubbling on the roof, there isn't anything else to do.

TBH it's make or break time (literally). If the repairs run into silly money then I'm gonna have to face facts and break the car.

If it can be done, next on the list is this:
Full service
MOT
TAX
Snap off steering wheel
Aftermarket gaitor, gearknob and pedals.
Eventually it will be stripped out with two bucket seats.

Here's some pics.

[bigdrifter]

Re: Danny's Astra

Very nice looking car, shame if the rot is terminal

[James C]

Re: Danny's Astra

I hope it will be ok!

Brightside though, if not you can get another, and the current one will live on in donor bits.

Its the sad reality of Mk2 ownership