Friday 19th October 2007

SOTW: Carlton GSi

It's fast, it's rear drive, it's bright red and it's made by Vauxhall.

---

The PH Maestro goes up for sale this weekend, and I hope to be able to tell you all about our profitable return next week.....hmmm. So in the meantime it's business as usual for the shed department with a theoretical £1000 burning a hole in my pocket.

As I can't get my head around the new Auto Trader (it refuses to show me any cars most of the time) I have moved over to the Exchange & Mart, and it has come up trumps.

3.0 straight six, rear wheel drive, 149mph and 0-60 in 6.6 seconds. Sounds promising eh?

The Carlton GSi 3000, overshadowed in Carlton folklore by the Lotus Carlton but still a damn good car nonetheless. Launched in 1987 it offered the company executive a chance to blat down the Motorways to business meets, drift around the local roundabout or pile in the family and head off to B&Q. Truly a car for all occasions and a relic from the days when you favoured either a fast Vauxhall or a fast Ford- I was always a fan of the former.

In true range topping style, the GSi comes loaded with kit. This car comes with adjustable comfort seats with part leather, central locking, trip computer, electric mirrors, electric windows, headlamp wash/wipe and the obligatory body kit with boot spoiler and front fogs. Annoyingly this car comes with the optional automatic gearbox. A killer for some but it could make a great, relaxing old smoker and in my opinion it still has bags of attitude and appeal.

Our early example is advertised with 106,000 miles, now this means it's only covered around 5500 miles per year over its 19 year life so maybe that needs checking out? There is no mention of a service history either but the seller is asking only £995 so I guess you can't have it all?

Advert says:

VAUXHALL Carlton 3.0 GSi 3000, 4 Doors, Automatic, Saloon, Petrol, 1988 F Reg , 106,000 miles, Red, MOT-10-2007. Adjustable Comfort Seats, Original Main Dealer Alloy Wheels, Central locking, Child locks, Computer, Electric mirrors, Electric windows, Head restraints. Insurance Group:16. £995

 

 

 

[exgtt]

Nice shed! Body looks well, don't think an Auto 12v will do 60 in 6.6 though! : - )

[chocolatebruce]

Must not look at....too tempting....

[TEKNOPUG]

24v manual would be tempting but there are far better ways to waft along in a big engined auto for less than a grand than this weeks shed...

[anonymous-user]

Best shed ever. I used to love these cars...........

[Pissed On Head]

It's fast , it's rear drive , it's bright red and it's made by Vauxhall .

[chrisbr68]

I would love one of these babies, I think I will have to get one one day.

Did look into getting one earlier on in the year but I stand by my choice. Nice car, but it would have to be a manual for me.

I agree, that 60 time looks a tad optimistic.

[bob1179]

Now that is a cool shed. It seems to be in fairly good shape too, I thought most of these had no rear arches by now?

Is that a standard exhaust poking out of the bodykit?

I'll give it an all round

[Big Rod]

exgtt said:

Nice shed! Body looks well, don't think an Auto 12v will do 60 in 6.6 though! : - )

Agreed, I think the 170 BHP would take a little longer than that. Although the 12v's not shy, I would say that's more like the 204 BHP 24v figure.

[Sam_68]

Yep, 149mph/6.6 seconds to 60 was the manual 24 valve. I have very fond memories of mine - it was a much under-rated performance saloon.

IIRC the manual 12 valve was about 134mph/7.6 seconds to 60. The auto will be slower still.

[cqueen]

You think thats a bargin? My car should be shed of the year!

I bought a Saab 1999 3.0 V6 turbo (at auction) with 120k and FSH, lovely condition throughout for.. £1000.

Let the good times roll...

[Donman911]

It doesn't have any history at all - but it will have 1 yrs MOT - I phoned them as i saw it on ebay. They're traders so have credit card facilities too which makes it that bit more tempting!!!!!!!!!!!

[cirian75]

If its rust free, or not too bad, get it fixed, a give it a full waxoyl treatment.

[NiallOswald]

I hate Vauxhalls on principle, but at least this one has some redeeming features

[Neomagic]

NiallOswald said:

I hate Vauxhalls on principle, but at least this one has some redeeming features

+1 I would love to have a go in a manual 24v!

[chocolatebruce]

I may be being stupid, but where does it say 12 valve??

[Twincam16]

chocolatebruce said:

I may be being stupid, but where does it say 12 valve??

Yeah, I thought all the GSI 3000s were 24v

[astrsxi77]

Twincam16 said:

chocolatebruce said:

I may be being stupid, but where does it say 12 valve??

Yeah, I thought all the GSI 3000s were 24v

The first ones up until about 90 were the 12v straight six (I think as found in the Monza et al) but after that, they plonked the new 24v head on along with Dual Ram induction (two airflow metres!!!)

[joz8968]

Twincam16 said:

chocolatebruce said:

I may be being stupid, but where does it say 12 valve??

Yeah, I thought all the GSI 3000s were 24v

No. There were indeed 12V and 24V variants (the coppers loved em' ). But you're right, I cannot see 12V in the story (unless all automatics were only 12V - or the 24V was introduced after 1988?). Anybody out there enlighten us?...

[joz8968]

astrsxi77 said:

Twincam16 said:

chocolatebruce said:

I may be being stupid, but where does it say 12 valve??

Yeah, I thought all the GSI 3000s were 24v

The first ones up until about 90 were the 12v straight six (I think as found in the Monza et al) but after that, they plonked the new 24v head on along with Dual Ram induction (two airflow metres!!!)

Argh. You just answered my question a tad before my post

[disco1]

This just got me thinking:

Does anyone here remember Max Powers 'Project Carlton'?

3 spoke alloys, horrible cream/yellow paint job...etc..etc