Vauxhall Astra 888
Discussion
Was on here years ago but forgot the login details so reintroducing myself and starting from scratch
Been doing trackdays for years, mainly running Astra's...why? I have no idea, for some reason I like them and seem to do OK throwing them around tracks.
Started off with an Astra GTE16v Champion Edition. It was a show car that I treated to the engine and box from a crashed Calibra Turbo. Ran it like that for years but fancied using it on track and eventually ended up like this
300BHP, 6 speed box, Quaiffe ATB, cage, buckets etc and was a bit of an animal and all was good until the box broke again (I went through 6 in 4 years) and it ended up being off the road for years as replacement gearbox parts were a nightmare to get hold of. While it was off the road I bought a Mk3 Astra GSi as a runabout, this also ended up on track. I was up at Cadwell with a few mates spectating when the water pump failed on my mates car so swapped into mine and threw it around Cadwell. It surprisingly did quite well to say it was a crappy 130 BHP Ecotec
While the other car was off the road indefinitely I robbed the cage and buckets for this, later on throwing the Ecotec away and fitted a 20XE. Did a few days in this until I got bored and decided to get rid of both cars and get something that didn't need welding once a year to get through the MOT so a Mk4 SRi Turbo was bought
It was a great car on track and handled really well, unfortunately it had too many electrical issues so didn't survive it's next MOT. There was a Mk4 GSi Turbo after that but it was crap on track so only did one day and that. It was far too heavy and handled awful compared to the SRi...looked good but that was about it
Finally got the Mk4 I was after but as only a 100 were built it took a while
Fell in love with it on the first trackday (about 3 weeks after I bought it). It was totally original apart from the rear bench out and a Sparco fixed bucket because the factory reclining Sparcos sit too high. Handled perfect with plenty of grip and even with just 200 BHP it was as quick around Cadwell as my 300BHP GTE
So far it's done 2 Ring trips, 4 Cadwell trackdays (mainly p***ing it down) and one at Oulton park. I've swapped the tyres from Pilots to NS2R's and fitted a Quaiffe ATB and that's about it
I know the BTCC kit and spoiler isn't to everyone's taste (mainly Yaris drivers bizarrely) but I like it and it seems to work so I don't care. It's hopefully back at the Nurburgring in May with a evening trackday before as a shakedown as my rebuilt gearbox wasn't as rebuilt as I asked for and it chewed up the third gear syncros at Cadwell last week
Been doing trackdays for years, mainly running Astra's...why? I have no idea, for some reason I like them and seem to do OK throwing them around tracks.
Started off with an Astra GTE16v Champion Edition. It was a show car that I treated to the engine and box from a crashed Calibra Turbo. Ran it like that for years but fancied using it on track and eventually ended up like this
300BHP, 6 speed box, Quaiffe ATB, cage, buckets etc and was a bit of an animal and all was good until the box broke again (I went through 6 in 4 years) and it ended up being off the road for years as replacement gearbox parts were a nightmare to get hold of. While it was off the road I bought a Mk3 Astra GSi as a runabout, this also ended up on track. I was up at Cadwell with a few mates spectating when the water pump failed on my mates car so swapped into mine and threw it around Cadwell. It surprisingly did quite well to say it was a crappy 130 BHP Ecotec
While the other car was off the road indefinitely I robbed the cage and buckets for this, later on throwing the Ecotec away and fitted a 20XE. Did a few days in this until I got bored and decided to get rid of both cars and get something that didn't need welding once a year to get through the MOT so a Mk4 SRi Turbo was bought
It was a great car on track and handled really well, unfortunately it had too many electrical issues so didn't survive it's next MOT. There was a Mk4 GSi Turbo after that but it was crap on track so only did one day and that. It was far too heavy and handled awful compared to the SRi...looked good but that was about it
Finally got the Mk4 I was after but as only a 100 were built it took a while
Fell in love with it on the first trackday (about 3 weeks after I bought it). It was totally original apart from the rear bench out and a Sparco fixed bucket because the factory reclining Sparcos sit too high. Handled perfect with plenty of grip and even with just 200 BHP it was as quick around Cadwell as my 300BHP GTE
So far it's done 2 Ring trips, 4 Cadwell trackdays (mainly p***ing it down) and one at Oulton park. I've swapped the tyres from Pilots to NS2R's and fitted a Quaiffe ATB and that's about it
I know the BTCC kit and spoiler isn't to everyone's taste (mainly Yaris drivers bizarrely) but I like it and it seems to work so I don't care. It's hopefully back at the Nurburgring in May with a evening trackday before as a shakedown as my rebuilt gearbox wasn't as rebuilt as I asked for and it chewed up the third gear syncros at Cadwell last week
Always liked these, had a very unusal 'verde' Astra Coupe Turbo, which was my first car which i considered quick. Had that for a few years and missed it when it went. Also had a mk4 GSI and agree; I preferred the coupe. My first car was a mk2, then a mk3, the two mk4s, and wife currently has a mk6 (soon to be gone). Its fair to say i think you can do a lot worse than an Astra!
Cheers for the comments, it's a bit of a marmite car to some people. I don't bother explaining the boot spoiler anymore, if people want to think they're only for downforce I leave them to it
It's a 2.0 turbo, round 200 BHP. Along with the front decat and sport cat it has a VXR turbo...doesn't make it any quicker, just supposed to be more reliable and standard Z20LET turbos aren't available anymore. I've fitted a bigger front mount intercooler and binned the aircon system, more for weight and cooling than power gains. At some point I'll remap it, there were a few sections at the Ring and Oulton Park where I could have used another 50BHP
I've got an article on these when they were built and it's surprising just how many changes they made to the standard coupe other than the OZ wheels, kit, seats and Eibachs. Peddles are closer together, gear lever is raised, loads of subtle things like that to make it better on track. I haven't had to do much to it other than the diff and servicing. It's off to get the gearbox fixed next week
I can't fault the NS2R's at all. I ran the OE Pilots before but couldn't justify them being 50 quid a corner dearer than the NS2R's. I've done 4 wet days now and not had any problems. I started with 120's on the front, 180's on the rear but swapped them round to even the wear out
Skip to 10 minutes, it's the unedited video and I was all alone for most of the session...
Cadwell Park in the rain
Got a few video's from Oulton Park, the Nurburgring, Blyton Park and more from Cadwell if anyone's interested
It's a 2.0 turbo, round 200 BHP. Along with the front decat and sport cat it has a VXR turbo...doesn't make it any quicker, just supposed to be more reliable and standard Z20LET turbos aren't available anymore. I've fitted a bigger front mount intercooler and binned the aircon system, more for weight and cooling than power gains. At some point I'll remap it, there were a few sections at the Ring and Oulton Park where I could have used another 50BHP
I've got an article on these when they were built and it's surprising just how many changes they made to the standard coupe other than the OZ wheels, kit, seats and Eibachs. Peddles are closer together, gear lever is raised, loads of subtle things like that to make it better on track. I haven't had to do much to it other than the diff and servicing. It's off to get the gearbox fixed next week
I can't fault the NS2R's at all. I ran the OE Pilots before but couldn't justify them being 50 quid a corner dearer than the NS2R's. I've done 4 wet days now and not had any problems. I started with 120's on the front, 180's on the rear but swapped them round to even the wear out
Skip to 10 minutes, it's the unedited video and I was all alone for most of the session...
Cadwell Park in the rain
Got a few video's from Oulton Park, the Nurburgring, Blyton Park and more from Cadwell if anyone's interested
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