RE: PH Heroes: Vauxhall Astra GTE 16V

[Shropshiremike]

OnlyMX5ives said:

I had a few of the 16v and only 15" with decent rubber they handled pretty well.

Yep, they were definitely under-tyred as standard UK models. German Opel Kadetts ran 15" with 195s. I had F1 GSD2s on mine in 15" and the difference was night and day.
ISTR the Champions had this size on as well.

BTCC winning car of 1989 as well

[BazW]

Shropshiremike said:

OnlyMX5ives said:

I had a few of the 16v and only 15" with decent rubber they handled pretty well.

Yep, they were definitely under-tyred as standard UK models. German Opel Kadetts ran 15" with 195s. I had F1 GSD2s on mine in 15" and the difference was night and day.
ISTR the Champions had this size on as well.

BTCC winning car of 1989 as well

mine, how it used to look

[Urban Sports]

BazW said:

Urban Sports said:

gti-ted said:

Urban Sports said:

My Renault 19 16 valve had the measure of the astra.










When it worked

Dont talk poo!!! The Astra would trance the 19 no problem. I know i had 8 16v Astra's and 2 19 16v's no contest

Nah don't think so. Not even a contest especially when a bend was involved, nowhere near.

you always get one an 8v maybe...and that's a massive maybe btw. a 16v not a prayer. GTEs are very capable in the twisties if you know what your doing. decent springs and shocks and swap the 14's for 15's with 50 profile tyres and the car is even better

Always get one what?

[OnlyMX5ives]

BazW said:

Shropshiremike said:

OnlyMX5ives said:

I had a few of the 16v and only 15" with decent rubber they handled pretty well.

Yep, they were definitely under-tyred as standard UK models. German Opel Kadetts ran 15" with 195s. I had F1 GSD2s on mine in 15" and the difference was night and day.
ISTR the Champions had this size on as well.

BTCC winning car of 1989 as well

mine, how it used to look

Oooohh I loved that colour.

I always seemed to get flat red or metallic grey ones.

[NotNormal]

The car that spawned one of the best engines ever built, red top lump responds soo well to tuning its been well used in many forms of motorsport and many a conversion. Even to this day they still use the C20XE in the current Chevriolet Touring Cars but its more famed for Clelands class win in 1989.



As mentioned a change in suspension goes a long way to sorting the handling on the Mk2 but for me I preffered the Mk1's looks.

Worthy PH Hero though

Edited by NotNormal on Friday 26th September 12:58

[Dougie.]

Vauxhall's Heritage Centre GTE is getting about these days.

The handling is easily transformed by fitted 15 inch wheels and good quality low profile tyres, along with quality suspension. With those changes made, it'll be up there with the best of them round corners.

[Mr POD]

Chainguy said:

I wonder of the VXR will be as popular in 20 years time?

Oh it will be.

I just want the engine out of one for the mk2 cavalier that I'm hoping to buy.

[BazW]

Urban Sports said:

Always get one what?

numpty that thinks his car was quicker. it isn't, it never was, it never will be. that engine even in the clio was still slower to 60 and top end to a GTE16v and that's in a much lighter car. don't believe go check the internets...the truth is out there lol. just because you "raced" one could mean anything...could've been a 1.3 in disguise, the driver wasn't even trying, the driver was crap, wasn't his car, you could be talking out of your arse etc...

[gti-ted]

Thats it Baz you tell him

[LuS1fer]

I had a GTE 16v. It was utter crap.

It never ever wormed it's way into my affections, not even remotely. I'd had a Scirocco GTi and a Renault 5 GT Turbo (amongst many many others) and had just spent 3 years with a Corvette C4 which was fabulous. This was just generally incompetent, scrabbled everywhere, had a silly digital dash, a CD player that skipped more often than a boxer in training and ultimately, it was sold on to someone else who had been fooled by the GTE 16v urban legend. Good riddance.

[BazW]

LuS1fer said:

I had a GTE 16v. It was utter crap.

It never ever wormed it's way into my affections, not even remotely. I'd had a Scirocco GTi and a Renault 5 GT Turbo (amongst many many others) and had just spent 3 years with a Corvette C4 which was fabulous. This was just generally incompetent, scrabbled everywhere, had a silly digital dash, a CD player that skipped more often than a boxer in training and ultimately, it was sold on to someone else who had been fooled by the GTE 16v urban legend. Good riddance.

3 spokes...nice

I can see why people don't like GTE's they're aren't an easy car to drive fast, you've got to know what your doing to get the best out of them

Edited by BazW on Friday 26th September 13:31

[Bobdenero]

Had a Dark Blue 1985 1.6GL Belmont ! (Astra GTE wasnt on the company car list)
Got an indicated 132mph on the M56, pretty good, even allowing for an optimistic speedo and the fact that it was downhill. After that always wondered what I could have got out of a GTE

[Shropshiremike]

BazW said:

I can see why people don't like GTE's they're aren't an easy car to drive fast, you've got to know what your doing to get the best out of them

Edited by BazW on Friday 26th September 13:31

Yep, they had an article in "Motor " when they came out, got Justin Bell, Paul Stewart and another up and coming racing driver to try them out alongside the 309 and Golf and basically concluded they weren't for a novice driver.

Anyway, they've got the Vauxhall Heritage 16 valver featured with a drive story in "Performance Tuner" mag this month for any Astra fans. The guy seemed to like it

[LuS1fer]

3 spokes not my choice, they were on the car when I bought it but were undoubtedly lighter than the originals. I'm sure if modified, they could probably be made good but never felt like throwing good money at a car I thought I'd like but didn't.

[largerandrock]

ooo i want another one!
Had a normal 16v and a champion both got nicked, was great while i had them though! Apart from the cornering which was urm a bit unstable to say the least!

Always remember watching police camera action where you would always see a nicked GTE out run the police! classic!!

[jpalmer]

The version we got in the states in the mid 80's to early 90's came by way of Daewoo and pimped as the Pontiac Lemans.

Man, that was a lame car. Looked good in an Ital Design kinda way, but lame.

[Sivraj]

I didn't get to the GTE but I did have the 1.8 SXI the Cavalier 1.6LX and a Nova GTE.
Loved the simplicity of the cars.
Fun to drive, easy to fix and cheap to run,
Perfect for me.

[skimmo]

BazW said:

Urban Sports said:

Always get one what?

numpty that thinks his car was quicker. it isn't, it never was, it never will be. that engine even in the clio was still slower to 60 and top end to a GTE16v and that's in a much lighter car. don't believe go check the internets...the truth is out there lol. just because you "raced" one could mean anything...could've been a 1.3 in disguise, the driver wasn't even trying, the driver was crap, wasn't his car, you could be talking out of your arse etc...

I've gotta back that up I'm afraid! I had a Clio 16v and the Astra GTE's were one of the only hot hatches of the day that embarrassed me on more than one occasion. The Clio used to stick with it round the bends but on the straights it was no contest.

[morgrp]

I hate Vauxhalls - but you gotta love the Astra GTE - Its so eighties-tastic! I loved the Comedy digital dash that couldn't keep up with the car!

[gti-ted]

Bobdenero said:

Had a Dark Blue 1985 1.6GL Belmont ! (Astra GTE wasnt on the company car list)
Got an indicated 132mph on the M56, pretty good, even allowing for an optimistic speedo and the fact that it was downhill. After that always wondered what I could have got out of a GTE

OOHHH Any easy 210mph in a Gte depending on the hill of course