Discussion
Hi guys.
This is a bit of a hello too with being the new guy around but wanted to get some photos of my pride and joy up. I've owned the Omega for a few months now after getting it off a friend as a swap for my old Vectra. He loved this car and it was very well treated. It was fitted with an MV6 front bumper with the bottom part of the grill painted black to make it more aggressive at the front and MV6 wheels. It was already looking much nicer than it was as the 2.2 CD it started as. Various bits of the interior were carbon fibre wrapped and a new wood trim added to the interior. Next on the cards was the engine. A K&N panel filter was fitted to the drilled airbox, backbox removed and replaced from the centre boxes back with a custom Powerflow system. The inlet manifold and throttle body were ported and polished then the fuel pressure was played with. The end result was 182bhp (was 144bhp) on petrol and 163bhp on gas. Brakes were then upgraded to 300mm discs from the MV6 (if I remember right). The interior was then replaced with cream leather. Cream leather and black carpets were never originally a factory option but it's a combination that works very well. Various other little bits and pieces were added like the parcel shelf with the electric blind in and the engine bay was given a real hint of blue. The work is a credit to Chris - the previous owner. I don't think there's another Omega like this one.
Anyway onto the pictures. I don't have any of the interior yet but I'll try and get some tomorrow.
This is a bit of a hello too with being the new guy around but wanted to get some photos of my pride and joy up. I've owned the Omega for a few months now after getting it off a friend as a swap for my old Vectra. He loved this car and it was very well treated. It was fitted with an MV6 front bumper with the bottom part of the grill painted black to make it more aggressive at the front and MV6 wheels. It was already looking much nicer than it was as the 2.2 CD it started as. Various bits of the interior were carbon fibre wrapped and a new wood trim added to the interior. Next on the cards was the engine. A K&N panel filter was fitted to the drilled airbox, backbox removed and replaced from the centre boxes back with a custom Powerflow system. The inlet manifold and throttle body were ported and polished then the fuel pressure was played with. The end result was 182bhp (was 144bhp) on petrol and 163bhp on gas. Brakes were then upgraded to 300mm discs from the MV6 (if I remember right). The interior was then replaced with cream leather. Cream leather and black carpets were never originally a factory option but it's a combination that works very well. Various other little bits and pieces were added like the parcel shelf with the electric blind in and the engine bay was given a real hint of blue. The work is a credit to Chris - the previous owner. I don't think there's another Omega like this one.
Anyway onto the pictures. I don't have any of the interior yet but I'll try and get some tomorrow.
You lot have got me reading now.
Blonde bimbo cheerleader!
Anyway, back on topic. Yeah the bodywork is a right sod on a lot of these now. I'm lucky with this one because it's pretty damn good. The rear wheel arches are starting to go and there's a little bit here and there but nothing bad at all. Had a quote off a couple of bodyshops around £300 to sort the lot out so will be doing that before it gets any worse.
Urban Dictionary said:
An attractive, boyish-looking, young gay man. The stereotypical twink is 18-22, slender with little or no body hair, often blonde, dresses in club wear even at 10:00 AM, and is not particularly intelligent. A twink is the gay answer to the blonde bimbo cheerleader.
Well, the only bit it got right in there is the age. Blonde bimbo cheerleader!
Anyway, back on topic. Yeah the bodywork is a right sod on a lot of these now. I'm lucky with this one because it's pretty damn good. The rear wheel arches are starting to go and there's a little bit here and there but nothing bad at all. Had a quote off a couple of bodyshops around £300 to sort the lot out so will be doing that before it gets any worse.
Yeah they do look nice at night, something is just right about them. Standard dials in mine though. No bright blue in this one yet. Having said that the only colour I'd really want to change them to would be bright white. Keep it looking almost standard.
Baryonyx said:
Give the kid a break, he's just found out what his username means!
You think thats bad? When trying to get the cat in before I've been shouting come on Twink down the road at it. Won't be doing that again.RB Will said:
I looked at this thread as I have a bit of a soft spot for Omegas. My Dad had a dark green MV6 when I was 13-15 and getting into cars. Made a lovely noise. A friend of mine also had a newer MV6 a few years back.
How much did you pay for this car OP? A MV6 can be had for under £1k and is superior in every way to what you have. Although am I right in saying yours has LPG which is a bonus.
The wood and cf mix looks awful and why is the engine bay blue?
Sorry I don't mean to sound nasty and if its something you like then that is all that matters but this could be had for about £700 I reckon http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3431254.htm
Be a boring place if we all liked the same thing though! How much did you pay for this car OP? A MV6 can be had for under £1k and is superior in every way to what you have. Although am I right in saying yours has LPG which is a bonus.
The wood and cf mix looks awful and why is the engine bay blue?
Sorry I don't mean to sound nasty and if its something you like then that is all that matters but this could be had for about £700 I reckon http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3431254.htm
The car was a swap for my old one - I used to have a 2.2 diesel Vectra C but with issues arriving with the engine and much head scratching between me and Chris we came to a deal, we'd swap the Omega for the Vectra and he'd break or sell the Vectra. As it turns out the fuel pump which we both thought was on its way out was fine, and a 40 quid vaccum actuator for the turbo was knackered. Someone else has the Vectra now and it's going around Nottingham with no issues at all. The Omega was going up for sale anyway - He was happy to swap knowing it was going to a good home and he'd see it being looked after.
Yes, it does have an LPG conversion, and what a blessing that is! It's nice to be able to fill the 65 litre tank for about 40 quid. I quite like the wood and carbon fibre, aside from it hiding dull grey plastic (believe me, there was enough of that in the Vectra) I like the old wood look with a bit of modern thrown in. Much like the blue engine bay, it's very marmite. The painted engine bays are a bit of a theme with a few mates, Chris did the Omega blue, another guy has done blue, my old Vectra was lime green and black and someone else has done black and red. Just makes a dull bland motorway cruiser a bit 'woah' when you open the bonnet and see that.
I'd never get rid of this purely because of the love that has gone into it.
This was the old Vectra (incidentally even with the knackered vaccum controller and having covered over 200,000 miles it still made 10 more bhp than standard at 135bhp and the torque was bang on the money with 210 ft/lbs) - put your sunglasses on.
Mr Tumble said:
MV6 has either 2.6 V6 and 3.2 V6, only real differences are cosmetic, bespoke front bumper, recaros and xenons, IIRC they are pretty basic inside same trim level as the GLS, I would take a 3.2 Elite.
I definately need to get one of these, serious bargains, RWD V6 with more toys than argos for 4-500 quid! the 2.5 (bmw engine) diesel is getting pretty rare, top spec models have built in nav and a very nice bose sound system in them, heated leather rear electric blind, shame they never put the v8 into production, shame you dont see cars like these being produced (big engined RWD saloon from a run of the mill manufacturer) anymore
(off to ebay/AT/gumtree)
OP, question for you mate, what is the auto box like to live with doing short journeys a2b non motorway stuff?
The auto in this is pretty good although it's not the box that came as standard with the car. It's fitted with the AR35 model that has lockup on third and fourth if I remember right. In traffic it's fine, always nice and smooth although its a tad more jerky on gas. If you're gentle with the accelerator though you won't feel the difference. It's pretty quick to change down in sport mode if you boot it too. Kickdown can be quite addictive!I definately need to get one of these, serious bargains, RWD V6 with more toys than argos for 4-500 quid! the 2.5 (bmw engine) diesel is getting pretty rare, top spec models have built in nav and a very nice bose sound system in them, heated leather rear electric blind, shame they never put the v8 into production, shame you dont see cars like these being produced (big engined RWD saloon from a run of the mill manufacturer) anymore
(off to ebay/AT/gumtree)
OP, question for you mate, what is the auto box like to live with doing short journeys a2b non motorway stuff?
martynr said:
I'd say good choice. I was looking for one nearly two years ago. But could not find one locally in a decent condition so bought Accord and regreting it every time I am in it 
Never seen anyone tuning the 2.2 engine. I have read that the 2.2 engine chain/tensioner issue is not uncommon?
It can be an issue but they never fitted that version to the Omega. I know the chain engine (Z22SE) went into the Vectra and maybe the Astra but the one in the Omega (Z22XE) is belt driven. The Z22SE engine is in the VX220 too thinking about it, and some people are running serious power on them. Supercharged too in some cases.Never seen anyone tuning the 2.2 engine. I have read that the 2.2 engine chain/tensioner issue is not uncommon?
Weitec 30mm lowering springs for the front ordered and Koni adjustable shocks all round should be here next week! Thinking of track days once it's all sorted... Bit of body work to attend to in the next week to keep a little rust at bay. Need to ring the insurance people tomorrow and see what it does to the price. It's already well into 4 figures.
All in about £400 - £450. Stupid really because the car isn't worth much more than that but still. I've always had the modifying itch and it needs to be scratched! That's it though. No more spending... For now...
Ordered all the parts from DCPerformance.co.uk - great service and would use these guys again. Spoke to a lovely guy called Dan a few times. He really knew his stuff.
Ordered all the parts from DCPerformance.co.uk - great service and would use these guys again. Spoke to a lovely guy called Dan a few times. He really knew his stuff.
Well head gasket has been replaced and the head has been skimmed. She's much better now! However the shocks are proving to be a pain. The back ones are on fine but the fronts involve cutting up the old strut and some of the clearances are very tight. It's also leading some rather interesting handling now with the back being much more firm. It really wants to spin a lot!
Into a local garage today for them to have a look at the fronts.
Into a local garage today for them to have a look at the fronts.
The springs are on now but not the shocks. They had to go on really because of damage to one of the springs already on. It is a bit lower than I thought! I park on a gravel part of the driveway and there isn't a lot of space up front now. Put your hand flat down and look at the width of it across the knuckles, that's the clearance when parked on the gravel. Wow does it fly round corners now though. Feels much more planted than it did.
Excuse the bad photo but thats it parked in work this morning (still with knackered shocks on the front) - it scraped over every speedbump coming in. The sump is taking a bit of a battering, really need to get these shocks changed which will raise it up a little then get the tracking done. So far I'm very impressed by the Weitec springs though. Much less body roll but it doesn't feel like a rough ride at all. Very well designed.
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff