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My 1988 F reg GTE16v Full on Restoration.

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  • My 1988 F reg GTE16v Full on Restoration.

    Not been posting on here for a while. I did start a thread years ago when I first started this but time, money and life hindered progress. However now is the time for it to finally happen.

    I have owned my GTE 16v since January 1997.

    It was the first and only one I saw and wanted a white one so wasn't thrilled with this one as it is red, but after a test drive and a bit of negotiation it was mine. I guess I grew to love it as I couldn't part with it ever, even though I have thought about it when all seemed lost I couldn't get rid.

    While in my ownership I have

    Taken it around Silverstone in 1998, Up the drag strip at Santa Pod and been to a rolling road day where after the engine had been screemed upto it's maximum with just over 196,000 miles on the clock and only having two valves and a clutch I was expecting a bang or hoping for about 130bhp.
    Instead I got 157bhp.

    However as with most Vauxhalls rust is the killer.

    After a spot of welding to fix a dropped passenger side door the side indicator wire kept shorting out blowing the fuse so after a look and pull back on the carpets I thought a bit of TLC was required so out with the interior and carpets and boy oh boy was a bit more than TLC needed.

    Scrap or repair?

    Probably scrap was the best option but the fun and enjoyment I've had with this car it's not going anywhere, Anything can be repaired if you really want it to be.

    It's being done for me, not to make money but for me, so all the comments of "is it worth it" float over my head and beyond.

    Anyway I will try and post up some of the old pictures and will post all the pictures of it's progress.

    The plan - I want the standard look but with a few tweeks like the wheels, Speedlines will be added. They could be classed as standard as they look so good and so many other Astras have them.
    Inside will be the black Rainbow interior as I sold the grey laser cloth many years ago but prefer black than grey.

    It will also have a few toys added like electric windows and sunroof, heated seats, cruise control plus the trip computer.

    Engine will be fitted with new bearing, rings and seals and gaskets, as it has covered 201,000 miles and was making factory power it's probably ok but may as well freshen it up whilst it's out of the car.

    Eibach springs and B6 Bilstein shocks will sort out the handling and I already have a front top strut brace.

    Everything will be cleaned and painted before fitting back to the car.

    The car is currently away to be dipped in acid at Surface Processing Ltd and once done will go to a local restorer for all the welding and panel work as I can't weld. I have ordered loads of new panels as pretty much everything needs replacing.
    So far I have a complete new boot floor from Germany, Front floors, Both outer sills, rear corners, rear inner wings, rear panel, front panel where the headlights go, A piller repairs, front inner wing repair panels. I think that's it. So if anyone has any new panels I could be interested.

    Once welded and looking complete again it's back to Surface Processing Ltd for a re dip and E coat, then off to be sprayed in red. May not go for it's original Carmine red but something like flame red.

    I have new bushes etc for all the suspension and engine mountings.

    I will then have the pleasure of putting it all back together. As I can do that bit.

    I'm hoping to have it all complete by 2018 so the car can be back on the road for it's 30th birthday.

    Pictures to follow.

  • #2
    My first photo once I bought it

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    • #3
      One of the last photos of it on the road. Also my favourite picture thanks to Allen Mead.

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      • #4
        Hi Graham your project sounds very interesting and seems like you have a good recipe for a good build, looks like your all sorted in the parts department your list of parts sounds like Allahdin's cave , best of luck with having it dipped its not something i would do but each and everyone to their own hope to catch up with some updates once the ball starts to roll best of luck..

        btw your pictures won't show because photobucket want you to upgrade your free account to a paid account without adds i have had the same issue so iv'e moved over to flickr.com for free picture hosting flickr takes a bit of getting used to but once you get the basic's then its plain sailing.

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        • #5
          worse than that, photobucket want 400 dollars a year off you to be able to hot link (3rd party host)

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          • #6
            photobucket is utter toss ;-)

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            • #7
              How do you upload photos from flickr?

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              • #8
                Bottom right hand side of a Flikr image screen you will see a right turn style arrow ... click that and choose BBcode and choose a size ....

                Cut & Paste that url into here and thats it ......

                I trim mine down to just the section between the "img" brackets rather than the dros around it NOTE: I've stuck a dash against the tags below so you can see the kind of code your looking for .....

                [-url=https://flic.kr/p/WMmomn][-img]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4327/35956485221_b79a8054f3_k.jpg[/-img][-/url][-url=https://flic.kr/p/WMmomn]SAM_1693[/-url] by [-url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/pinelodge/]Laurie Baker[/-url], on Flickr

                So just to show the image I'd use this section :

                [-img]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4327/35956485221_b79a8054f3_k.jpg[/-img] ..... below is what it will produce "without the extra - { dash's } inside the img tags ......
                .




                Oh and yes this is my septic tank after having it pumped and lifting out the broken into 5 parts concrete (5 inch thick) top yesterday.. Oh i get all the lovely jobs up here :P

                Good Luck
                Laurie.

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                • #10

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                  • #11
                    Thanks, how did you do that?

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                    • #13

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                      • #14
                        Astra GTE 16v by Graham Evans, on Flickr

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                        • #15
                          At last figured out how to get pictures to show. This is the car when I first bought it in January 1997

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