My mk1 astra

[bighed]

Well, it's probably the closest non nova to a novalollol



Well after realising I've not put a build thread up on my 1300S I thought I would do one.
I bought her back in 2010 from a chap in Anglesea who had her off the old boy original owner. I placed an advert on mk1oc in the wanted section for an astra with an anything goes attitude.
The owner (now a good friend) contacted me and said he wasn't really looking to sell, but as he has 3 others he would be willing to let Sharona (kids chose it) go. He then sent me this picture.....




http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/astra_history_18_1161.jpg


Now, obviously it was love at first sight. The fact it's a 3 speed auto put me off a tiny bit, but then she was very tidy, with just a bit if rust on the roof and back arch and only 60 thou on clock plus all MOT,s from 1987. I got on the train to Anglesea the next morning after a 12 hour nightshift and the owner picked me up in her from the station.


with the dirty deed done I got on the road for the 3 hour drive home. Stopping off at another mk1 owners house on the way to get her lowered.




http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/Picture456.jpg


I then booked her in to see Phil @ unique exhausts in Stafford....


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/Picture458.jpg



I gave her a good going over with a tooth combe. New belts, leads, plugs, filters, oil, coolant etc etc and just drive her to local shows etc and all was well until the show at St Asaph in North Wales. On the way back just coming out of Llangollen she decided to start making a very loud knocking noise. I pulled over, switched off and called AA who took me home. As soon as I landed the head was off for inspections and this is what I found....




most of the lobes were like this




http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/2011-04-19174847.jpg




http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/2011-04-19174825.jpg




So I bought this and replaced the lot....
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/2011-04-26154553.jpg










http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/2011-05-28204337.jpg




http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/2011-05-01180551.jpg




And all back together....




http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/2011-06-02172125.jpg








I dropped the the bottom off out of interest and found the shells worn. Possibly lack of oil








http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/2011-06-02172125.jpg




all were like this or worse so a trip to the local engine centre and I got some slightly undersized shells. Happy days.




http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/2011-06-23194718.jpg




Nearly done. I sent the standard Varajet 2 carb away to Germany to be serviced.




it came back all nice and shiney




http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/2011-07-04133347.jpg
but couldn't get her to start. She was over fuelling. Big time.

[bighed]

Once we had sorted the over fuelling problem which was that the float had somehow managed to get stuck all open in transit back from the fatherland, I decided to give everything a good clean over before the big moment of trying to start her up.




http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/2011-07-08210542-1_zps2505b290.jpg




long storey short, I got her started but the loud knocking noise was still there. I was gutted. I had no engine wise mechanical skills before this venture and had completed all tasks with an ipad in one hand and a Haynes manual on the other.
it was at this point I rang a friend who's mate had worked for vauxhall when these were coming in for servicing.




After about an hour the phone rang and my mates mate had explained to him how sometimes the torque converter bolts used to come loose and hit the side of the block making a right racket. Could it be that simple?




Easy answer. YES!!!!! 2 minutes later and I had found a torque converter bolt ever so slightly loose but very marked. I tightened that up, not even quarter of a turn and the noise was gone. One very happy Sharona and one slightly disgruntled Bighed.








I did did a few shows in the ole bird before getting bored and wanting to get more work done so I set about the brakes, fitting new discs, new ebc pads, drums, shoes, new calipers, arb drop links to name a few parts.








http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/2011-12-29152720.jpg








http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/2011-12-21184923.jpg
I painted the calipers and drums silver.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/2012-01-02143016.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/2012-01-08121200.jpg


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/2012-01-19191433.jpg


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/20120721_205410.jpg




and and fair play if your still reading. Cheers!!!

I then found a chap who reproduced stickers so had these done for under the bonnet and sprayed the dipstick up.


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/mail.jpg


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/2012-01-30171731.jpg




This is is how she stayed for about two years with maintenance the only things being done until I bought the black rocker cover and some MIM wheels.


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/20140303_101401_zpsc1353e88.jpg


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/20140302_135016_zps98e7cc63.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/20140301_160536_zps54b5b84e.jpg

This is how they are looking at the moment.




http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/20140501_091550_zps7aef7e7c.jpg


Repainted in anthracite keeping the black inner faces. I just need to repolish the dish's and get some rubber.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/image_zps949c7975.jpg
and the beast they come off. A plate mk2 Turbo Technics' golf.






the day before the Weston park show on Easter Sunday and my Varajet II carb decided not to play ball. Long storey short again I managed to nurse the old bird to Weston, ****e carb n all.


We all looked over the carb at the show and decided a couple of the gaskets were leaking.
Where we originally thought was leaking wasn't. The bubbles were from the WD40 stuff settling as it was bubbling what ever surface I sprayed it on. It seems that the gaskets are leaking on the right hand side. Fortunately the screws that hold the bottom sections together are accessable when the carb is upside down. These were all found to be a quarter turn loose so were tightened.
Now, upon closer inspection I noticed that the arm that activates the top flap in the carb when the choke is operated was in the totally wrong place. (Black roller with gold arm part in the pic shown by the white arrow.)
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/imagejpg1_zps8c253953.jpg
This is meant to be in a slotted part a little further down that properly activates the flap. Where it was it just so happened to half pull the slotted part almost by accident only giving me half choke but also not fully shutting the flap. This would definately cause the over fuelling I was getting.




Whilst it was off I cleaned it all up with carb cleaner, replaced the nuts and washers and replaced the manifold to carb gasket. The one that came with the carb service kit was probably only about 1mm thick. Yet all the ones I'm seeing now seem to be a lot thicker so I got one of those.




I just had to try and work out a way of keeping the black roller part where it should be...

[bighed]

Fast forward to now. I've pretty much given up with the varajet and treated her to a nice weber and K&N.

fitted these yesterday too Breather filter and a cheeky sticker,


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/20140503_091708_zpsa499d3d3.jpg


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/20140503_092621_zps2d167bc3.jpg





http://i1308.photobucket.com/albums/s619/bighed1234/20140501_201853_zps6454254e.jpg (http://s1308.photobucket.com/user/bighed1234/media/20140501_201853_zps6454254e.jpg.html)




Just needs a damn good cleaning all over and some of the filter straightening out. Didn't pay a lot really so bargain. Got to see the car it came off tho when I picked it up.




http://i1308.photobucket.com/albums/s619/bighed1234/20140501_174149_zps68f00c45.jpg (http://s1308.photobucket.com/user/bighed1234/media/20140501_174149_zps68f00c45.jpg.html)




That's the reason the K&N looks caked in mud :lol: :lol:




Whilst on a roll I also treated her to a nice kent sport cam and adjustable vernier. Thanks again 40p!!!!
http://i1308.photobucket.com/albums/s619/bighed1234/20140501_201911_zps300bcaaf.jpg (http://s1308.photobucket.com/user/bighed1234/media/20140501_201911_zps300bcaaf.jpg.html)




http://i1308.photobucket.com/albums/s619/bighed1234/20140501_201907_zps9f4e6ade.jpg (http://s1308.photobucket.com/user/bighed1234/media/20140501_201907_zps9f4e6ade.jpg.html)








http://i1308.photobucket.com/albums/s619/bighed1234/20140501_201922_zps7f9b4dc8.jpg (http://s1308.photobucket.com/user/bighed1234/media/20140501_201922_zps7f9b4dc8.jpg.html)




http://i1308.photobucket.com/albums/s619/bighed1234/20140501_201933_zpsbdcd2ff4.jpg (http://s1308.photobucket.com/user/bighed1234/media/20140501_201933_zpsbdcd2ff4.jpg.html)








I'm now on the look out for a 4 branch manifold and some magnecor (or similar) leads. She will then have the manual box put in after the show season ends and a trip to Aldon automotive for a proper tune up and rolling road session.
I was going to wait to do the cam and vernier but I get excited like a small kid at christmas (don't we all eh?) so that's next on the agenda. I've already got my head gasket set and head bolts.




To me, she's gonna bloody fly when done as the auto box and torque converter really help a load of horses escape. :lol:




I will update with pics once the work commences. Again.

[dgbnova#1]

Awsome story and good work plus love the look of it

just one thing the head bolts gasket are needed to put the cam in only it's not failed ? if so there is a tool to do it without doing that I have one here
gona pm you

[Damo]

Love it keep the updates coming.

damo.

[turbo-boy]

i love these, hopefully i will have one of these aswell loving the pictures and car is really clean

[Andy]

nice car,great write up too

[andyredtop83]

Very very nice, the wheels look so much better on the astra than the VW :thumb:

[scott.parker]

Got a lot of love for a mk1 Astra..
Nice car, cracking write up :)

[mk1nova_rich]

Love Mk1 Astras, looks so clean and cool :cool: I prefer the first wheels though

[bighed]

Bit of an update. Engines now out and on a hoist for a quick spruce up.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/20150112_134020_zpsaqbhrnlt.jpg

engine bay is looking bleak

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/20150112_134519_zpsprhixvxp.jpg

All the suspension parts are off for a freshen up or replace.

Took the steering rack off to freshen up too..

before..

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/20150211_130032_zpsx1qgqjot.jpg

After..

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/20150215_083423_zpsu44lawd9.jpg


Ive be got everything to repaint the bay. Just waiting for a decent warming day to get going.

[mowgli]

have a look at a period haynes manual. these early ohc engines had an oil flow problem on the camshaft, and there was a mod at the dizzy end to fix it.

[jimbob-mcgrew]

love old astra's

this one looks rust free :thumb: