Non Nova! Mk3 Astra Convertible

[KSRY]

Hello, I've been on here quite a while but about two weeks after joining I sold my beloved Nova (even cried when it went, yes I'm that sad!)

(In back to standard form, and yes the rear spoiler was a bit OTT, but I could always find it in ASDA carpark!)

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/Picture021.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/Picture023.jpg


Anyway I moved onto a 2001 Seat Ibiza 1.4 cool./S

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/Cars020.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/Cars021.jpg


But it just didn't have the appeal of a Nova or even a Vauxhall for that matter, so then, on Ebay, I saw this:

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/4720_41-1.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/4719_41-1.jpg

A 1996 1.6 8V Astra Convertible that had been a Cat-D write-off but never repaired, I was outbid by just 20p so was rather anoyed, but 3 days later, got a phone call saying the buyer hadn't made contact and did I want it, Yes of course, was my answer!

Anyway got it home, just in time for my birthday, wasn't sure what I wanted to do it yet so left it for a little then, found that used convertible petrol caps were rarer than rocking horse do-do, so when I saw a blue 1 on the bay for £15 I snapped it up even at that price (£70 from Vauxhall new)

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/Astra088.jpg

Then I experimented with some alloys

the standards

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/Astra087-1.jpg

(Sold to Gneral Baxter, his saloon changed my mind about loons, love them now, especially Count Vaux's!)

Saw some calibra wheels cheapish so snapped them up

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/Ebay119.jpg

Then saw these (forgive me)

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/Astra106.jpg

I know, what was I thinking :confused: :confused: !

Luckily I saw sense and promptly sold both the Cally Aloloys and the fugly venoms, and bought a set of TSW 16 inch Imola's

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/Astra109.jpg

Much better!

The grille was a bit battered so at the VBOA spares day picked a cheap GSi grille

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/PICT0041.jpg


Andfound a cheap let of 'angel eyes' in the paper, though they were kinda home-made 1's!

Then came the dreaded M.O.T.....

[KSRY]

Fail Fail Fail!!!

Failed on 8 things,

The Lights made up 5 of them, eek!

As well as the steering rack,

Drivers Sill,

And a brake cylinder,

so was a bit down about this and did consider scrapping it, but after a couple of weeks decided not to, and so needed a run-about and was offered this

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/PICT0027.jpg

Good god! What a shoite car, is the worst car i've ever owned and think I ever will own, the only thing I liked about it was the sunroof, that was it, was even slower than my 1.2 4 Speed Nova!


So I prompted sold the lights and started poking around the Astra to see how bad it really was... and well.....


Driver's sill

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/P1010508.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/P1010507.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/P1010505.jpg

End of drivers sill (Eeek)

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/P1010502.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/P1010503.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/P1010504.jpg

and other such rusty areas!

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/P1010500.jpg



passenger sill wasn't too bad!

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/P1010509.jpg

and the drivers wing!

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/P1010506.jpg

[KSRY]

Then saw this on ebay, and as it was only £23 more on the insurance, had to have it for the meagre sum of £128! Was a rust bucket but ran very smoothly and had 6 months M.O.T on it

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/P1010512.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/P1010510.jpg

however, I wasn't 'allowed' to keep it and then sold it a week later for £300 so wasn't too bothered but it still left me with the Escort

Then I couldn't do much for a while as I worked 38 days solid in two jobs, which left me knackered but rather rich!

So I thought I'd treat myself to a holiday and some goodies for the Astra,

GSi bonnet,
Morrettes,
GSi skirts,
2nd set of 17 inch Alloys,
A pair of brand new reclinable bucket seats,

As well as the above there were a few minor goodies, too much to list really, all at good prices so I'm rather happy!

the morrettes

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/P1010661.jpg

[KSRY]

Having ssen another Cabby with morrettes, decided they weren't for me so sold them on, again at a nice profit!

Thankfully I had a phone call from my Dad, someone at his work was scraping their Vectra, did I want it, yes thank god, an end to the Escort!!

What he didn't tell me was that I was getting a bargain!

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/P1010700.jpg

A 51 plate 1 owner from new Vectra estate with 127k on it, all for £150, admittedly it only had 2 months M.O.T on it but still!
Did have some slight damage on it though (I must like rear passneger side damage lol)

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/P1010702.jpg

Then Disaster struck!

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/spavosry/P1010734.jpg

I had a collision in football and broke my nose, eye socket, cheek bone and fractured my teeth for good measure, left my nose bleeding for 3 days and spitting it up for two weeks, and could only sleep on one side for a whole month