Astra mk3 Arctic 3.0 V6 + F28 with Quaife

[harvey]

Subframe wire brushed and ready for painting.


First coat of Hammerite applied and left to dry over night.

 

[harvey]

Removed the Astra mk4 side skirts and found the sills in tit top condition so all good. Old skirts will be going in the bin as we bought some nice subtle replacements a few years ago from LMF, pictures when I dig them out of storage.







I then set about making up the front to rear brake pipes using the originals as templates. Took a bit of doing but I’m pleased as they look OE fitment.

 

[harvey]

Dug out the fuel tank last night and prepped it for fitting.


Then bolted it on. I’ve got the filler cap to mess with so haven’t properly fitting the filler neck for the time being.


Old 16mm front ARB compared with 20mm replacement. On the lookout for a series 2 GSi 24mm if anyone can help.

 

[harvey]

Filler neck fitted, took some wrestling but I won.



Then decided to see what the resin adaptor for the aero filler cap would fit like. Requires a fettle here and there and will need bonding on to the quarter panel and filler neck so I’ve taken the decision to leave it to the bodyshop to fit as it’ll save me messing it up.





Last for this evenings updates is the rear beam is on, yippee. The Powerflex bushes were a stupidly tight fit as I expected they would be so it took copper grease and lots and lots of hammering to get it in there.



Darn tight rear beam bushes. Nearside bush


Offside bush

 

[harvey]

Dug out the Koni adjustable shockers last week that were purchased a few years ago. They are Astra mk2 fitment but will go on the mk3.


So the mission possible is to fit this kit of parts to build up the front strut legs. Just like a big Technic Lego kit.


To begin with I wrapped insulation tape round the top of the shock so it correctly centred in the strut lock nut as there was a few mm gap.



Fitted the shock into the legs and tightened the lock nut.


Popped the leg into the vice, fitted the bump stop, lower rubber spring seat and began compressing the spring.


Then it was time to fit the spring seat and bearing. These are mk3 items taken from the original small block mk3 legs I removed as the top hardware is the same as big block.



Next up was to fit the top rubber mount, 6mm spacer I made for the top nut and the nut to hold it all together. As I’m using mk3 tops on mk2 struts you require a spacer to take up the slack as the mk2 tops are thicker than the mk3.



When bolted together I was left with the top shock adjuster poking up so I drilled out the plastic caps for a nicer looking finish.



Job done.

 

[harvey]

To build up the rear suspension I had a choice of fixed rate (left) or progressive Eibach (right) springs. In the end I decided to use the Eibach progressive as the fixed rate (unknown brand I ran on my GTE) seemed a little too firm. To help lower the rear a little more I don’t run the rubber upper or lower spring seats and just wrap the top and bottom of the springs with duck tape. Used this method before and works well.


Lots of faffing later the rear end was fully built and complete. Hubs, brakes, shocks, springs and handbrake cable all fitted.

 

[harvey]

Rear ABS looms. Astra mk3 top and Vectra B bottom. I couldn’t believe how similar they are which is a bonus as I’m using the Vectra loom.


ABS loom fitted



Fuel tank strap is a perfect place for the loom plug motorsport fixing.


Just need to feed the loom through inside the car and then wire in the main ABS pump loom.

 

[harvey]

Front arches now scrubbed clean and had a good coating of bitumen. That’s now the complete underside finished, yippee.









Plugged in the ABS loom for wiring at the pump but still got that to sort. Rear sensor loom feeds now inside the car.



I then took the plunge and began sorting the front end so I could tuck the coolant rad under the slam panel. Not an easy task when you want to keep the existing aircon and have to move the lot forward.

Original front stripped and ready for cutting.



Slam carefully removed and aircon fan housing welded back on as I made a mistake with the cutting and would never have been able to remove the rads forward. No room to remove them in the engine bay once the V6 goes in.



Lower panel is the removed one, top is a scrappers find from the other week in the same colour just in case it went pear shaped.



Lots of cutting to get this lot to move forward 50mm. Condenser (aircon rad) mods and coolant rad mods required.





More cutting yesterday.



Time to sort the removable slam so I gently pulled the top back together with a ratchet strap as it had moved out by a couple of mm.



Chopped up the spare slam to make some support brackets and welded them on…poorly





Sat the slam on to check it all and it was perfect.



Then out came the new rivnut tool and decided to use M6 fixings.



All sorted and removable panel done…now for the rads and fan housing to add the strength back.

 

[harvey]

Nice shiny bolts to hold the slam in place.



The removed condenser fan housing that needs some fancy welding so it can be bolt on/off.



It doesn’t look like I’ve done much but after lots of faffing the condenser and coolant rad are finally fitted under the slam panel. I had to do some bending of the PAS pipes to bring the cooling fins forward.



PAS pipe clamp is usually holding the horizontal pipe but it had to be pulled forward around 50mm so I managed to move the clamp to the vertical pipe.



Condenser required moving over to get a better fit under the slam so I moved it over a few cm.





Had to wrestle with the aircon dryer (dehydrator tank) to get it where I wanted it so the coolant rad would fit.



Rads nicely tucked under the slam…finally.

 

[harvey]

Had today as holiday so cracked on with the mk3. Those with a nervous disposition or if you are easily offended then look away, shonky welding alert (still learning).

To space the condenser fan housing I chopped up some angle iron and started gluing the tabs in place on the car.







With the easy bit done I mocked up the housing and tacked it in place.





Then it was time to drill some holes.





I then welded some captive nuts to the fan housing so it could be bolt on/off.







Got the rivnut tool out again so I could make a top support bracket from fan housing to slam panel. I was able to utilise the original drilled out spot welds and used my flush fit M6 rivnuts.







Front mods now all completed. Just got to waft some etch primer on tomorrow to stop things rusting away.

 

[harvey]

When I finished off yesterday I refitted the front bumper to keep it safe and found the metal bumper iron just touched on the offside so I sorted it today.

Bumper iron removed.





Just touching so marked it and cut it.



Slight chop and all good.





Stripped everything off and popped some etch primer on to stop the rust monster in its tracks.

 

[harvey]

I was perusing eBay and doing my normal random searching and found someone selling a pair of brand new Black Diamond drilled and grooved rear discs. As the one’s on the car aren’t the best I thought I’d take a punt and I won them cheap so happy days.

 

[harvey]

I got my *** into gear yesterday (with a little help from the wife) after having a couple of months off doing stuff ‘n’ things. First off was to drag the V6 out from the corner of my shed and get it off the engine stand onto a wheel dolly.



I cleaned up the rear of the block and installed the crank seal, F28 billet flywheel and clutch.







Next job involved a brief wrestle with the F28 before bolting it on.



Trip up the garden being careful not to fall off the wood and damage the imitation grass.



Engine may I present your new home.



Wheeled into place ready for hoisting into position.



As if by magic it went straight in with no drama at all.



Loads of room for cambelt changers thanks to the V6 being 23mm narrower than a four pot.



Even the PAS and aircon pipes are in the perfect position.



Next job is a bit of head scratching followed by loads of wiring.

 

[harvey]

It’s been a while and I’ve been doing a few bits and pieces on the mk3 so thought it was about time added some pictures.

Once the engine went in I knew I’d had to add the top engine support bar as it’s so top heavy so set about making one fit. Ended up having to use some alloy spacers and wanted it bolt in.





I then trial fitted the strut and found the nuts inside the wheel arch were fouling on the nuts so out came the welder and I made this.







All done.

 

[harvey]

23mm spacer kit fitted to the equal length drivers side shaft, fits like a glove.

 

[harvey]

Front ARB fitted to the subframe so the subframe, wishbones and front struts are now fitted making a rolling chassis. I couldn’t source a later Phase 2 GSi Irmscher ARB but will keep my eyes peeled just in case one pops up.



All the brakes are now bled and feel nice and firm with no pedal drop which you sometimes get with the model ABS pump I’m using off the early Vectra B V6.



The main engine management loom is installed and I had a play with ECU location but at the time hadn’t decided where to fit it.







Wires everywhere!

 

[harvey]

In the end I decided to bite the bullet, buy a hole saw kit and make some large holes to allow the ECU to be mounted inside the car above the glove box.

 

[harvey]

Manifold time so I did some trial fitting of the tubular setup that was from a mates Vectra B. The manifolds fitted a treat but the equal length downpipes will require a bit more work.

Painted the manifolds in some special paint that is used in power stations, don’t ask me what it is as a friend gave it me years ago.



It was then heat wrap time. I won’t lie, they were a pig to do and it took two of us to sort them.





VHT paint on top of the wrap which most people don’t do and then wonder why the wrap starts falling off, it should always be sealed after fitting.



I then tweaked the gaskets as there will be no SAI (Secondary Air Injection).





All done and fitted, rear was a pain to fit and torque as access was tight.

 

[harvey]

I had a flash of inspiration to assist me with access for the wiring as the drive is only 2.5m width so off the doors came and for safety they have been stashed in the conservatory.

 

[harvey]

The projector headlights were Euro spec for lhd so I decided to strip them down and flip the beam angle so it would make them rhd. They only got through an MOT last time as I had them wound as low as possible and they only just scraped in for a pass so I wanted them correct.

The projectors are convex so the light is 180 degrees making the pic below a lhd with the flick going to the right, this is what I needed to change.



Started stripping the headlight.



Removed the projector.



Set for lhd with right flick for the beam.



Now changed to UK spec rhd with left flick for the beam.



How it looks now in rhd setting.



So once I’d figured it out I did the other headlight.



Then taped up after sealing the lenses on.



All done so I just hope I don’t get damp ingress.