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Bedford Astra Van

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  • #16

    cambelt and water pump fitted.

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    • #17
      The tailgate had a little rust spot right next to the window seal, I hopped this was just surface rust and after touching it with a flap disc I was right. A light skin of filler and all's sorted.
      i also had my mate recreate the decals.


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      • #18
        One of the biggest concern to me is the rear axle, does anyone have a replacement van/ estate one please? Some pillock has welded the shock absorbers to it.

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        • #19
          The front carpets were almost non existent. I found someone breaking a starlight so purchased the carpet out of it.
          picture hoster

          They wouldn't fit in the washing machine so I gave them a thourgh hot pressure wash.

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          • #20
            After 30 years of abuse the front seats were just about knackered. As I've got athritus in my hip I've bought a nice leather set out of a Calibra, one of the few upgrades that I plan on doing.

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            • #21
              Looking good, and some great finds with the parts there. There were so many of these around in the 1990s and now they are so rare. Always wanted a Mk2 van...tried to talk my previous employer into it when I was a TV engineer but he drew the line at an ex-Post Office 1.3 diesel Combo and would go no further! Offering to paint the Mk2 Astramax in the 1980s TV-AM livery cut no ice sadly...

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              • #22
                Yes definitely rare, on howmanyleft there's only one of this exact model left on the road and not many mk1 and MK2 Bedford Astras at all. The bumper actually came off my local Vauxhall dealer, had been in stock gathering dust since about 1993. This afternoon I've managed to purchase a new front cross member as the corner on mine has corroded quite badly. I'm guessing it had a minor bump when nearly new (the date stamp on the bumper is a year newer than everything else and the metal on the cross member slightly creased) and the paint under the bumper wasn't corrected, thus the rot has eaten through it.

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                • #23
                  cracking on rightly with that well done!

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                  • #24
                    Thanks, it's likely to slow down now over winter as I'm doing all the work outside. Never really done any welding before this project - bar tacking the odd patch on things so it's a learning experience. Hopefully the end result will be ok.

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                    • #25
                      Hi most of my photos seem to of vanished, am I doing something wrong?

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                      • #26
                        Originally posted by Bedford Astra View Post
                        Hi most of my photos seem to of vanished, am I doing something wrong?
                        You need to be very careful with relying on the forum images (upload offering) as they can go missing when the site software gets updated, historically it's been an issue so most people use something like Flikr or any other favourite image storage and then just link the images.

                        I'm not saying that's what has happened to your photos but, It's something that shouldn't happen but it often does and I can only assume its a quirk of the service provider for the site. Linking images from third party storage are easy and far safer.

                        Don't let that put you off posting as I enjoy seeing your progress and I find its a great reminder of some of the pain (well mostly fun) one goes through to bring these chunks of metal (and rust) back together

                        Laurie.

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                        • #27
                          Hi thanks, they seem to of reappeared again. At the moment I'm using postimage for my photos. I always used to use photobucket until they tried holding everyone to ransome.
                          i will keep plodding on and update as and when I've completed yet another job on this van. It's scary how much rot you uncover when you start poking under the surface.

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                          • #28
                            Originally posted by Bedford Astra View Post
                            I know it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea
                            youll find them very popular actually !

                            great start to the restoration, very thorough

                            nice to see another diesel (i have an estate version which are almost identical vehicles other than the windows) is it staying ?

                            re: the rear axle, it looks mostly sound and that pad for the shock absorber would be relatively easy repair judging by your work
                            Last edited by DarrenH; 15-11-2019, 01:40 PM.

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                            • #29
                              Originally posted by DarrenH View Post

                              youll find them very popular actually !

                              great start to the restoration, very thorough

                              nice to see another diesel (i have an estate version which are almost identical vehicles other than the windows) is it staying ?

                              re: the rear axle, it looks mostly sound and that pad for the shock absorber would be relatively easy repair judging by your work
                              That's good, thought most people preferred the hatchback,my every day driver is a late Mk5 van, wouldn't change it for the world.
                              Yes the diesel engine is definitely staying, all 54 hp of it lol. Repairing the axle will be the next option, however I want to get better at welding first.
                              I've seen your estate on here and am very envious of how solid it looks.

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                              • #30
                                As I have cut so much metal off the rear quarter I am a little concerned about it's strength using repair panels, so have been searching high and low for a replacement quarter. Last night after months of searching I finally turned up a new genuine one in Germany that has some light damage to the arch. After a bit of negotiating ( Google translate came in helpful) I've bought it and am now waiting for it to arrive. Just a little concerned that I may have to remove the inner arch again as I lined it up with pattern panels as I had given up ever finding a genuine quarter

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