Project Redrum

[Astraguy09]

Right, 3rd MK3 Astra that I have bought, this one is:

1.6 16v Astra Sport, 1997 ph2, flame red, standard except CD player. Just drove it back from Bracknell & it was brill, poked about and dug out the history for the car, from what I can tell its got about 95k on it, however the speedo cable has been broken for the last couple of years (yes YEARS) and for some reason the clocks show 885'449 miles on it.

Digging about it was serviced in:
2001 had 35121 miles
200 2 had 43247 miles
2003 had 49937 miles

The history goes dry for a couple of years until the MOT computerization kicks in & it shows:

2006 had 65723 miles
2007 had 87299 miles
2008 the speedo cable broke and it now showing 885'489 miles

According to what the lady told me when I bought it that she changed the cambelt in 2008, which makes me happy for a year or so.

Just reading the receipts for the work done its had suspension work, new exhaust & cat, service, 2nd hand gear linkage, clutch, service all done in the last couple of years.

Now Dont tell the missus, but my plans are:

De-cat
Exhaust (not sure about what im doing with it yet)
Black alloys
Tinted rear lights
Angel Eyes (?)
lowering 60mm
Pannel Filter
Find Key Fob & programme
Sort Foibles out
Change Speedo Cable

Thats what I can figure out for now, im sure some things will change along the way for financial reasons or what not, and the above list isn't in order of what I plan to do with it.

My first job will be a sodding good valet & mop this weekend, and im hoping to have another speedo cable for it tomorrow afternoon!

Pictures , in my defence I have just driven it back and nothing else, I thought that it would have been the clocks that had buggered up hence the steering coversl etc being off.

The only rot I can see as of yet

Needs a RED LED dash kit.

 

[Andy_Mk3]

Looks nice mate. Not much rot

 

[astranaut]

Looking good, i wonder where the original alloys went? On another note is your mk4 escy an Eclipse model?

 

[Astraguy09]

Not according to the 2007 MOT

Apparently EVERYTHING was rotten

 

[Astraguy09]

Looking good, i wonder where the original alloys went? On another note is your mk4 escy an Eclipse model?

Yes.... yes it is

 

[Andy_Mk3]

Lots of patchwork on the underside though?

 

[astranaut]

So its had some work for the MOT then? or were they just ****heads? Thats not much grot at all as said, i've seen a few doors go like that, wonder what it is? An eclipse in good nick is a rarety these days, and they're in quite high demand. Have you put it on any of the Ford forums or did it sell in the end? Wish i could have had it!

 

[Astraguy09]

Lots of patchwork on the underside though?

No dont think that it is, the sills are solid and haven't been welded. Think that they were being bell ends!

So its had some work for the MOT then? or were they just ****heads? Thats not much grot at all as said, i've seen a few doors go like that, wonder what it is? An eclipse in good nick is a rarety these days, and they're in quite high demand. Have you put it on any of the Ford forums or did it sell in the end? Wish i could have had it!

Not Advertized in any ford forums no, but high demand you say? ooo Ford Escort Owners Club here I come Its not sold yet, so if you want it then come get it

 

[astranaut]

There was an article in Fast Ford last year, they are very nice cars imo. Good luck with it mate, i would bite your hand off if i had the money!

 

[Astraguy09]

ooo will have to look that up then

Still, back to the sport, REALLY needs a new speedo cable so im off scrappie diving tomorrow to see that I can pull out of something!!

 

[astranaut]

Could you not pull your clocks and cable out of the Kiddy Kart mate?

 

[MikeBmth]

Nice looking motor mate..

Starting to wish I had bought a higher spec one as sooo much missing on these low spec Ls..

 

[Astraguy09]

Could you not pull your clocks and cable out of the Kiddy Kart mate?

Got the clocks out, went to get the cable out but screwed that up on the way out BIG time, so need another one.

Nice looking motor mate..

Starting to wish I had bought a higher spec one as sooo much missing on these low spec Ls..

As your finding out chap, its not hard to spec these cars up, most of the parts are VERY interchangable.

 

[Astraguy09]

Oh goodie,

Just went down to check that the lights are working and several aren't

One of the MFD bulbs is gone, so meh, will change that for a LED when I get round to it, as are all of the heater bulbs, again, meh will get round to it soon

However, I also noticed the EML light wasn't working..... I shant be happy if there is a serious issue with it!! Im going to plug it in tomorrow after I get back from scrappies to make sure that there is nothing stored on there that I should have known about! Fingers crossed its just the bulb has gone!!

Also what would cause the Rev counter to under read? whilst at normal idle it reads zero, nothing, engine not running!

 

[joycey]

Looks good mate, everyone knows red astra's are the best

 

[tintin]

I would suggest changing the cambelt and kit just for piece of mind. At the end of the day its better to be safe rather than sorry.

 

[Astraguy09]

I intend change that to soon.

 

[Astraguy09]

2nd update in as many days.... no photos this time, will get some more when I polish it.

Today, I popped to silverlake (and another scrappie, so im getting a GSI spoiler soon ) and grabbed myself another speedo cable after a factors told me that its rare to find one in a factors, usually onlay main dealer, so popped to vaux, spoke to John (diamond bloke!) who found one and told me the nearest he can get it to me is Tuesday, not good , got to silverlake went in and WIN MK3 Astra Estate on the floor with a 1.6 16v in it! so undid the 10mm nut, and pop it come straight out the pulled it out of the clocks, paid £1.75 (yea 1.75 because that was all the change I had in my pocket) popped it into redrum & drove home.... WITHOUT a speedo again! so got home pulled the clocks out & swapped them out for the ones out of Kiddy Kart give it a proper poke about and WIN I now know how fast im going!! only trouble is that its a bit loose so the speedo wobbles below 30. Put the plastics back on and forgot to check the back lights were ok, theyre not, LED Kit AHOY!

On another note I saw the front tyres were a bit dodgy, so swapped those for my Vectra 5 Spokes, then took it for a wash.

Now I know how fast im going I have had the confidence to give the lump a poke with a pointy right foot. good lord it shifts! i was shocked coming on to the motorway I buried the throttle of the round-a-bout and found myself short shifting to make sure I didn't end up doing a ton before I reached the end!!

 

[Andy_Mk3]

They're pokey engines that's for sure My 8v feels just as quick though!

Nice work on the clocks, is the 'W=' number the same?

 

[Astraguy09]

you betcha it is! W 1773.


However im still confused as to how it ended up showing 885k on it? unless something in the speedo broke which sent it wild!