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Thread: Pauls Astra Mk2 rallying adventures...

  1. #21
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    Oh, i didn't spot you off, were you running behind me at that point? Black Corsa number 26.

  2. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1396rally View Post
    Oh, i didn't spot you off, were you running behind me at that point? Black Corsa number 26.
    Hi - small world :-)

    Yes must have been. It was the last section before the finish. Came over a bridge with a photographer and then a straight and a tight left which I just didnt see as the fog closed in at that precise moment!

    Did you nearly get the back end of me at an SGW on a triangle turn left earlier in the night? I wasnt really on it at times....

    Paul..

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    Yes, that was me almost getting the rear of you at that triangle. Sorry about that, i hadn't clocked the SGW on the exit of the triangle. It was also our first event in that area. It was a good fun event. Found some of the whites a bit rough. Have you had a chance to look at the damage to the Astra, it does not look to bad from the pictures.

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    No probs. It happens when travelling a little in convoy :-)

    Was my first time at that event too - did 3 roadrallies last year (Bruce Robinson, 061 and VK) and nothing this year so very much still a novice otherwise and the car is built from bits and bobs so has never been quite right so I dont have that much confidence in it plus Im still getting used to driving roadrallies as such.

    Not much damage. Spots, front bumper, mirrors, a tweak on the wing and some paint needed from the prang. Had a bad knocking from the back from the first (rough) white all the way through and havent looked at that as yet but not too worried. We also stuggled on the special test as the heater failed so ended up driving with a steering wheel in one hand and a cloth in the other to wipe the screen.

    Got too much going on stagerally wise over the next few months to sort the roadrally car quickly but thinking Im going to either strip and rebuild this one properly or maybe reshell it into a better starting base as this shell is tired already.

    Paul..

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    So after last weeks exploits, thought Id better had a decent look at the black car. Spots off, front bumper off and out with the jetwash..



    Apart from the spots and bumper, the only other damage seems to be a dent in the front of the bonnet plus lots of paint marks / scratches from the bushes themselves and of course 2 wing mirrors.



    Also gave the engine bay a once over...





    and swapped new spots onto the subloom ready for refitting.



    Then started on the tarmac car to get it ready for a trackday in 2 weeks. Had a small leak from the long driveshaft oil seal so checked it under the car



    I found that the driveshaft wasnt full seated in the diff, and was far to easy to push in and out - the snap-ring wasnt locking it in properly. So driveshafts out, bottom plate off and diff removed so we could play on the bench with it. Even with snap-ring removed, the outer edge of the CV was hitting the diff casing before locking.



    So, Plan B was hatched. The black roadrally car also has a TranX diff fitted. So back out of the garage with that and stripped the shafts, bottom cover and diff off.



    Swapped the crownwheel onto a standard F20 diff from the spares box to keep the black car rolling



    and reassembled everything and put it away (again)



    So we now have 2 TranX diffs on the bench. The "black car" one locks onto the shafts properly whilst the "tarmac car" one doesnt. You can feel theres a difference in the way the sidegear grooves are machined within them with a finger inside it.

    The "black car" one has the snap-ring groove machined further away from the cross pins so the inner CV doesnt bottom out before the snap ring locks into place. It does make me wonder if we had this issue on the tarmac car prior to Barbados and never noticed it, and that led to the damage to the short inner CV and diff and our retirement..?



    This weeks next step is to take the diff to Big Dave and build one good diff with new plates and decent sidegears and to have the groove in the sidegears that arent right, machined to match those that are right.

    Paul..

  6. #26
    Senior User Iain's Avatar
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    Damage not so bad then. I'm booked onto blyton with you so should be good being out with you

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    Nope not badly damaged. Looking forward to Blyton as I need to get to grips with the car :-)

    Went over Daves last night to get diffs sorted. First job was to strip the diffs down...



    Then inspected the gears and found as we expected.. The snap-ring groove on the one that works is 3mm deeper / longer / wider than the one that doesnt.



    So rebuilt one casing with the new drive plates and correct side gears and that can be refitted at the weekend. Im going to speak to TranX (now Quaife) about the other ones but expect I will just end up getting these side gears machined locally.

    Paul..

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    Rebuilt diff ready to be fitted..



    Got that done, refitted the shafts, spanner checked everything and refitted the sumpguard

    Then fitted the MSA spec mudflaps - these are insanely big - need to be no more than 8cm from the ground and stick out 4cm from the wheel as well. But rules are rules...



    Also moved the passenger seat so the codrivers position is a bit better then rolled it outside on its "test" wheels which look pretty good in grey!



    I also got the "wrong" sidegears machined down



    and started rebuilding the TranX diff for the gravel car with it. However, it needs a new set of clutch plates fitted so have to order those.



    Just a gratuitous side shot :-)



    Ive got a scrutineer coming on Tuesday to (hopefully) give the car an MSA rally logbook then doing a trackday at Blyton Park next weekend (along with a bunch of other Astra mk2s and other Vauxhalls) as a test day and to give me seat time before Donington Park rally on 25th October.

    Paul..

  9. #29
    Senior User Iain's Avatar
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    What big flaps you have. Looking snazzy.

  10. #30
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    Thanks- glad your enjoying it.

    MSA scrutineer checked the car on Wednesday and gave the OK so I have a logbook receipt for the next 30 days and the MSA will issue me with a proper logbook shortly.



    Got asked by one of my service crew to take the rallycar to his local scout group to try to get some younger minds interested in motorsport so did that last night too. Lots of potential new marshals, competitors and service crew :-)



    Looking forward to the trackday on Sunday :-)

    Paul..

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