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Dave b's VXR Powered Gsi Diary

My floor went in the exact same place, that foam holds a ridiculous amount of water and it can't go anywhere :(
 
My floor went in the exact same place, that foam holds a ridiculous amount of water and it can't go anywhere :(

yea it didn't seem wet there but maybe it had been in a previously life, i was pretty shocked to see just one hole there, really weird and the metal around it is solid aswell!
 
So day 2, onto the nitty gritty. Time to show you guys what i am stripping this thing for, so side skirts off......

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OUCH.....

Tbh i knew it was going to bad and it hasn't upset me to find really, this shell has done basically 200k now and is 25 years old. Time for the old girl to get some serious loving. I would actually love to go for a shell dip and start again but money wise deffo not on the cards. But i have time not money so this is gonna be a super in depth resto....
Hopefully i make show season this year. It may even be in race car mode with no interior :lol: so time ot crack on and the more i took off the car, the more I thought to myself now is a good time to do it all. I probably have two month before i can spray anything, when i stick the heaters on i get condensation dripping from the roof onto the car! So now is a good time to get a bit ocd and make it even more OE+ :)

So carried on taking bits off....

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That was it for now, had to stop cause I'm working nights so needed some sleep, gonna start on the underside tomorrow, exhaust off and tank out, should be fun!
 
Wish I had your garage, workshop & house actually lol
 
All fixable though, bet you're glad to get stuck in.

The rear end looks like there's bits missing? Or is it just me? - The lower section looks like it's missing, the bit where the vent is on the lower section to rear panel corner? Also the lower bolt hole for the bumper looks missing too? Was that done at a bodyshop like that?
 
yea it didn't seem wet there but maybe it had been in a previously life, i was pretty shocked to see just one hole there, really weird and the metal around it is solid aswell!

I removed my foam when I first got the car as they were soaked, I never put it back in..... just have carpets in mine.
 
All fixable though, bet you're glad to get stuck in.

The rear end looks like there's bits missing? Or is it just me? - The lower section looks like it's missing, the bit where the vent is on the lower section to rear panel corner? Also the lower bolt hole for the bumper looks missing too? Was that done at a bodyshop like that?

Don't know if u remember years ago, that when Ronnie repaired it, I got him to put the turrets in for the coilovers and while he was doing it, he found the inner tubes weren't even connected to the floor and those pockets were completely gone lol

So those pocket have been fabricated and that arch bit for the bumper.fell apart while he had it!

Thats on my list of things to sort while she's all apart
 
Don't know if u remember years ago, that when Ronnie repaired it, I got him to put the turrets in for the coilovers and while he was doing it, he found the inner tubes weren't even connected to the floor and those pockets were completely gone lol

So those pocket have been fabricated and that arch bit for the bumper.fell apart while he had it!

Thats on my list of things to sort while she's all apart

Oh, fair enough... you will definitely want to add a section that joins that lower back section to that "pocket", will increase the strength on that rear panel a lot. Mine was missing from rot on my GSI, as you've seen I've managed to throw something together pretty easily.... was missing on my Derv too actually if you remember me repairing that?
 
Yea I remember you making that, tbh I forget it's missing most of the time, the bumpers are very rigid in the corners, but also my brackets are broken either side so it pretty much get secured with cable ties....

Although ironically the bracket is ok where that section if missing!

I've been thinking about it and I think to do the whole underneath the subframe has got to come out as well, so I think I'll take the engine out as well, I want to do the best job I can with it so it only has to be done once!

Engine needs to come out anyway cause of the damn oil leak!
 
BTW we need workshop updates.
 
BTW we need workshop updates.

what sort of updates? lol i need to finish boarding the walls and roof if that's what you mean.... but my money is otherwise taken by cars, lots of cars, the house of course and whatever my missis has planned.

Funny you mention it though because i will be ordering my sleeper and wood in march to finish these bits off!
 
Yea I remember you making that, tbh I forget it's missing most of the time, the bumpers are very rigid in the corners, but also my brackets are broken either side so it pretty much get secured with cable ties....

Although ironically the bracket is ok where that section if missing!

I've been thinking about it and I think to do the whole underneath the subframe has got to come out as well, so I think I'll take the engine out as well, I want to do the best job I can with it so it only has to be done once!

Engine needs to come out anyway cause of the damn oil leak!

Fixing it to a rotary? Would be able to go to town on it then! My rear bumper was also fixed with tie-wraps too, glad I wasn't the only one lol. I've still got to address the other side lower section and then I'll be able to secure again though so the end is in sight with mine :)
 
P.S. I'd love a lift like yours..... really need to invest in one myself! Would make my life a lot more easier, just replacing the tank was a struggle for me. Always lying on my back under my car with my forehead against the undersize.
 
P.S. I'd love a lift like yours..... really need to invest in one myself! Would make my life a lot more easier, just replacing the tank was a struggle for me. Always lying on my back under my car with my forehead against the undersize.
Yea man, honestly its awesome, just simple thing like not struggling to jack up each corner one at a time and stick stands somewhere etc, you can struggle with some things, but find ways round it and the plus sides far out way the bad sides!


Rot doesn't look terrible.. like you say it's old now! 25 years.. I've seen much worse rot on a 10 year old car haha.

yea i think rot wise its just the back of the door sills basically, but its getting whole sills cause the front is all squashed. apart from that there is alot of small bits and bobs, but its getting a proper going over!
 
So cracking on! Finished a night shift, 3 hours sleep and i was too excited so got back out in the workshop! The LEH has been in there 4 odd years now so been ages since i did a big rebuild on this, I'm pretty excited to be working on it again! go go go!

Exhaust off

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This exhaust really shows it's value, it was expensive and custom, but it came apart easy! Those welds too...

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mumma!

So going back to what Mr.Negative was saying above, this is the only issue with this lift and you have to think about what you will be working on. So i stuck the car on the lift on a certain way i could fully inspect the door sills and remove the skirts with ease. But now, the fuel tank is above the ramp and cannot be removed....

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So I put the wheels back on, dropped it down, moved the car back, and stuck it back on the ramp so the tank could be removed! All good
Love how bad man this looks with 888's and no front wings :lol:

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Badman...

Anyways filler neck out, now as well all know as mk3 astra owners, the filler cap area is scary stuff, so got the neck out, rubber is split :(.....

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but to my shock, contacted my friendly partsman at vauxhall and their still avaliable! So one of them is on it's way from germany along with some subframe bolts and side skirt clips :)

So tank out

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Its looking a bit sorry for it's self.... not really too sure how bad the rust is, i do have a brand new pattern part tank, I'm not completely sure what to so if i'm honest, I might see what the difference are between the tanks. Its either that or I could get the oe tank shot blasted and see how bad it is. hmmm! Opinions welcome!

So back to the filler cap.... Its doesn't look to bad! just need a little of loving to make sure it doesn't get worse, but in my opinion, Its pretty good!

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Tank straps, Pretty soft, but not too bad. But the question is, how the hell do they come out the bracket....

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:help::noidea:

Check out how clean and tidy this brake pipe i fitted though. Need to remove this load valve at some point as It isn't even connected to the axle so pretty pointless!

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I also went to the liberty of basically cutting all the fuel pipes in half. Their done done. Mega rusty, Mega old and cracking apart like billy. So they need to go. I still have a fuel system to fit anyway ;)

The brake pipe also need finishing off....

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Should of failed an mot by now surely :lol:

It was only at this point I thought subframe off next.... so back down, move car forward so i can get it off, lifted the car, checked it was stable and it was less than acceptable in my opinion, I think if i started levering or hammering something it could fall of the ramp! Gutted back end and engine still in. Dangerous.

So i stuck some ballast in the back

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More tomorrow!
 
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