I suppose its only fair I share my 16v GTE part restoration with you all

[DarrenH]

i can just see you bouncing up that track in a series 3 109 laurie

its a shame about selling the gte, set of forest tyres it will whizz up there ! infact i'd go as far as saying the sale might be e-petition territory. especially if you keep the 1.8 track car (or is that gone going?)

[easytrans]

Jezzus! has it been that long since I talked about this car?

Well I guess not much to say really ... Its been down in Suffolk locked up and warm and cosy at a friends place since too long ago .. Last weekend I had to go down to Norwich for work for a few days so included a plan to spend a day in Suffolk cleaning the GTE following winter storage all ready for sale (she has to go as funds will be better spent here ) and then load her on the trailer to bring her North ready for an advert .. So anyway having got distracted by loading the MGB GT into the truck and finding there was no room for the bikes I changed plan. Out came the MG and that now went on the trailer with a stack of timber to fetch back either side, and the truck got loaded with a bunch of tool chests, bench tools 8v GTE spares and (all its original bits gutted for trackday) followed by 2 bikes and the bike hoist. That was then full to my max weight (at least)

So I brought the GTE out of storage anyway slapped some road tax on here and ran her to the hotel and back for a couple of evenings along with a visit to the ASDA jet wash to get some winter grime off. She drove nice as usual but still has that annoying flat spot when cold but I did turn up the new genuine Bosch temp sensor I had ready to fit to see if its that, I must remember to take it South with me again next week as its here in my pocket still .

When driving I thought to myself Hmmph! I could easily drive this home and I bet it wouldn't be the 7.6 hours it takes me in the truck + trailer .... But I conceded now is not the time it would for sure be like inviting the ex-girlfriend home and before you know it your planning to move in together again ... I'm sure it would just make the decision to sell a lot more difficult and anyway I still have the 8V to have fun with.

So new plan I'm heading down to Suffolk next weekend with the caravan (my drop in residence for a few months till Otley is cleared out) to start filling a skip and I'll get the polish out and brush the cobwebs away and take some happy snaps or the 16v in all its glory ready for the advert. At this point I'm thinking ?3k as being a fair price anything less it can store for another year at my mates he is happy to lift the cover and open the windows from time to time.

Meanwhile up here: The VW truck sailed through its MOT without laying a spanner on it!, The new roof is on the barn and I've been digging holes all over the place finding land drains to fix.

I'm now waiting on a quote for a bespoke workshop opposite the barn with decent eves height for a ramp and not only that but my neighbour "just down the hill" is hounding me to get a workshop setup so I can take on some of his bespoke fire manufacturing ... welding bits and bob's.

I've also just started digging out footings for Denise's stable block. So its a bit of a building site here at the moment but summer is coming and I'll have more time after work to get things done, Oh! plus tractor #2 arrives Monday and old Belarus 4x4 with bucket loader so that will make light work of a few jobs

Still what's the point of words without pictures





We stood up Denise's Mk4 SRI and she now has this as her daily for the 40 mile round trip to work 3 days a week



Boys toys .. saves pushing a wheel through a muddy paddock



And not a single GTE picture to be seen

8v is down the barn though it had a little run up and down the track last weekend just to inflate the tyres and assess the mouse damage (they must be partial to bucket seat padding and red crash foam .. little bugger's) otherwise its OK unlike the Matiz that they ate the water hose from the carb to the expansion bottle .. good job that's a scrapper.

Ah well the Weekend is here I can drag myself away from this desk and do something a little more exciting.

Thanks for looking

L.

[DarrenH]

again, shame about selling the 16v. you'll regret it for sure but seem pretty set on it, that's half the problem making the decision and sticking to it. plus you know up up front about future disappointment

would it be easier to sell "down south" being geographically and statistically nearer to buyers? not so convenient for selling though need to refresh myself on the condition of it, and you refresh yourself on current values, but 3k would sell quick!!

[easytrans]

again, shame about selling the 16v. you'll regret it for sure but seem pretty set on it, that's half the problem making the decision and sticking to it. plus you know up up front about future disappointment

would it be easier to sell "down south" being geographically and statistically nearer to buyers? not so convenient for selling though need to refresh myself on the condition of it, and you refresh yourself on current values, but 3k would sell quick!!

I know what you mean Darren, but not having covered more than ~ 300 miles in the past 3 years its just pointless. It needs running or it will end up like so many others "out of sight out of mind"
And yes the plan was to keep it in Suffolk at least for a few more months so its there if I get some sensible people wanting to have a look and make me an offer down south, I can always trailer it up or down if the need arises but while its south as you say its going to be difficult to set up viewing as I'm mostly Up't-North now

L.

[easytrans]

So briefly ... 2.1 decades on and WRT has a new home in pastures new but with others of here own kind (General Motors)

While its sad to know that its no longer there for me I'm really happy that its gone to someone that has a passion for Vauxhall's I hope they get as much enjoyment from her as I did.

Who knows she will probably turn up here in the very near future.

Saving factor for me is that I still have the 8v to keep my interest .. I just need my builder to crack on with the planned workshop so I can have a clean dry work area sorted before the end of summer.

Thanks for all the comments over the 6 or so years this thread has been running.

Laurie.