Project Go Slow Ls....lol

[MikeBmth]

Hi all this is my first ever project diary online so please be nice.

I have just bought a

Blue Vauxhall Astra 1.4 Ls (1994 M-Reg)

Currently its a bit of a shed with the trademark rust in a rear arch and at the end of the O/s sill which is gonna need welding up so if anyones in my area and handy with a welder gimme a holla please.

Otherwise its pretty stock, no alloys yet and currently a grey interior with a collapsed driver side bolster from the Fatty who owned it before me I presume!!

Also found out how slow it is, my old J reg Astra 1.4 Glsi Mpi would leave it for dead and after my corsa 1.2 it feels sluggish.

It was a bargain though I think as got it for £450 with 6mths Tax and a Full Year of MOT on it, dunno how it passed a mot but it did.

Anyhow I named it Project Go Slow for two reasons:

1. To say the least its slow (topped out at 90 on M3 and then it backed itself off to about 85)

2. Its gonna take me some time to get it looking how I want due to lack of funds and a cr**y job that dont pay enough.

My first jobs have been:

A good wash and wax with a bit of T-cutting here and there
Hovered her out and stuck some matts in her
Fitted my Kenwood Cd headunit

Went out today to try and get some clear side repeaters but no one has any in stock!!

Things I wanna do include:

Colour coded front bumper with fogs
Gsi bonnet
Late spec interior with rear headrests
15 or 16" alloys
Lower 40mm
Exhaust, filter, plugs, leads etc
Smoke tint windows
Mesh grill
Would like to do Angel Eyes but not sure as yet

May do electric windows but not competant with electrics past fitting stereos, amps etc.

Gonna try and get some bits done asap as cant drive it around without some rims on it atleast as has horrible plastic trims at the moment!!

 

[MikeBmth]

Forgot to say I will get some pics up as soon as possible so you can see the standard motor before I do anything to her.

Now just gotta find my Sony Eriksson Cable or pinch me Mrs digi camera and get her to email me the pix!!

 

[MikeBmth]

Thats it got permission to pinch the Mrs digi cam today so pics will be up by this evening I hope. In the meantime I was using Tinypic.com and needed to do a tester so heres a pic of my old Corsa, its nout special but was a quality ride.

 

[MikeBmth]

Just took some pics of her in her current guise, all I have done is given her a wash & wax and had to T-cut a few scratches out of the panels. There is a dent here and there but love the colour and cant wait to get cracking on modding her up.

 

[MikeBmth]

Put last two up again as didnt upload for some reason, what ya think? I like the colour and think it will look good once I get some rims etc.

 

[MikeBmth]

Just to add and only just found out its got some Ministry Of Sound front speakers in it, never really rated them but they give off good quality sounds and quite a bit of bass.

It also came with a Clifford alarm system fitted so a bit of a result really, needs work but I already got my eye on some 6 spoke Astra alloys on Ebay!!

 

[Andy_Mk3]

Nice base car, a lot of potential for sure One of the best colours also. But yes, they really are just horrifically slow! Mine's the 1.6spi, with 20bhp more than the 1.4, so the 1.4 must be just afwul lol. Nice plans though, engine change on the cards?

 

[MikeBmth]

Cheers Andy.. Yea I love the colour too, think its the same one Vauxhall used on the Gsi so getting bits should be pretty easy I hope after my carabic blue corsa which was a nightmare to find bits for!!

Dunno what to do about the engine as yet, my insurance is way overpriced as lost all my no claims as no car for 3 years and now only got 1 years Ncb and Elephant are charging me 55 quid a month fully comp.......Cant recommend avoiding them anymore than that!!

Tied into a policy with them til next feb then if its all going well may try and find a 1.6 or 1.8 for it, maybe a 2.0 conversion but plenty of time to think!!

 

[Andy_Mk3]

That's the only good thing about red, it came in a GSi so no need to spray stuff

Ah well, good things come to those who wait, and I'm paying roughly 3 times what you are on insurance!

 

[KinG^Lee]

nice, i started off with a 1.4 spi in my shell so i know how slow they are, maybe one day a engine upgrade?

few things to help the 1.4, de-restrict the airbox with a nice uprated filter, good service including plugs leads and fuel filter, then maybe something for the exhaust a cat back system, this gave mine a 10bhp gain.

 

[MikeBmth]

Sweet cheers Lee, will probably start doing bits over weekend while at work as have so much to do...Not!!

Where is the fuel filter on these? And my Tempreture gauge dont work right, changing Thermostat sounds like a bitch of a job but thinking bout changing Water Temp Sensor as fan dont kick in til near 100 degree..

Any advice gratefully accepted guys..

 

[KinG^Lee]

Fuel filter is in under the car on drivers side, follow the blue fuel lines back to the tank you will see it.

Yeah u might as well change the water temp sensor only a few quid, i cant remember now of the spi's have a separate sensor for the dials i know my v6 has not sure on spi's maybe ask in mech section.

Basically the water temp sensor goes to the ECU, and then there is a second water temp sensor that goes to the dials.

 

[Vectra-Arctic]

Its got potential, a good bodywork prep and lose the rust will make it look so much better. You should be able to find a better front seat in a scrappy.

As for the clear side repeaters, the one's off a Corsa C will fit exactly and should be available from your VX Dealer or Astra Mk4 ones will fit. That's what I have on my Mk3.

 

[rdmky]

Car looks tidy and the arch doesn't seem all that bad.
I agree about the colour, they look real nice after a good wash and wax, good luck with the project.

 

[danh]

Sorry to burst your bubble a little, your car looks like its cermaic blue and not the spectral blue GSi's came in.

Other than that, its a nice looking base car.

 

[MikeBmth]

Sorry to burst your bubble a little, your car looks like its cermaic blue and not the spectral blue GSi's came in.

Other than that, its a nice looking base car.

Oh thanx Danh!! Just kiddin matey..

Checked the paint codes and you are infact correct its Z286 which shows as Ceramic Blue Mica (95-) which is bizarre as the car is a '94 but not sure when it was registered as still waiting on the V5 to show up!!

All good though as way too many Gsi replicas around and with only a 1.4 Spi I would look pretty stupid with a full Gsi replica. I intend to find the colour coded bumpers with fogs off a later spec astra mk3 then maybe add a irmscher splitter to it.

On the plus side I am waiting for a auction to end on some Gsi rear lamps that are not tangoed!! Hopefully the price wont go silly as normal on Ebay.

If I get them I will get pics up asap..

 

[danh]

Sounds like a plan, i know what your saying about 1.4 spi gsi reps but thats not stopped me lol. Although if i was starting again id probably go a totally different route with it.

IIRC you can still buy the front splitter new, but the rear irmy ones you cant.

 

[dark-ryder]

ive got a black dash and all black interior plastics if you interested, maybe you might wanna take a look when you come for the bumpers.. need to get it all stripped first lol

 

[MikeBmth]

ive got a black dash and all black interior plastics if you interested, maybe you might wanna take a look when you come for the bumpers.. need to get it all stripped first lol

Nice one mate, will have a lookie but depends how talented im feelin...lol.. Never changed a dash before so sounds a bit scary...lol

 

[MikeBmth]

Small update with pics to follow when bits bolted on:

Just got a set of Astra Gsi (detangoed) Rear clusters and Dark Ryder posted at just the right time with the bumpers I was after (Cheers Mate!!).

So all that leaves me requiring on the outside is a Gsi Bonnet which I have found you can get brand new unpainted for about 70 quid, clear repeaters and obviously rims are a high priority so if you got any decent ones going cheap (15's or 16's) gimme a holla.

Will get pics up as soon as bits start going on her!!