RE: Vauxhall Astra GTE (Mk1): PH Heroes
Discussion
loved these, although the mk2 16v was a huge step up in performance,
saw an indicated 150 in a tweaked mk2 16v a few times down the A92
turned to the dark side for a bit with a silly spend Escort Turbo alongside a few novas both 16v and with naughty 8vs on twin 45s
always said that a Nova with a 16v lump fitted was the ultimate in hot hatches. utter little weapons.
saw an indicated 150 in a tweaked mk2 16v a few times down the A92
turned to the dark side for a bit with a silly spend Escort Turbo alongside a few novas both 16v and with naughty 8vs on twin 45salways said that a Nova with a 16v lump fitted was the ultimate in hot hatches. utter little weapons.
OldGermanHeaps said:
The mk1 handled noticably better than the mk2, which became even better if you combined the best of both. In my a plate mk1 i fitted the pas rack, braking system, engine, gearbox and digi dash from a mk2 16v. With sticky rubber and spax suspension it made an excellent b road blaster and quick enough to earn me a ban.
A mate's dad had a mk2 16v. Amazing engine. Awful chassis. How they could let it out the factory handling like that is beyond me. Glasgowrob said:
loved these, although the mk2 16v was a huge step up in performance,
saw an indicated 150 in a tweaked mk2 16v a few times down the A92
The non cat ones would do a genuine 136/137 when new saw an indicated 150 in a tweaked mk2 16v a few times down the A92
At 100 mph true the digidash was showing about 106.........and ran out of headroom at 157!
s m said:
greenarrow said:
That's a very good point which I've been musing over myself, although in the case of the E30 M3 and 964RS they were always pretty highly regarded.
In Modern Classics Magazine its interesting that the original road test winner often isn't their favourite on the day. Cars like the MG Maestro Turbo get a positive re-appraisal when revisited as classics. Makes you wonder how much badge and image influences journos when these cars are new, less important perhaps when testing years later
That is true, a lot of the older stuff was highly regarded but I remember the Sierra getting the verdict over the M3 a fair few times and the 964RS was often slated for being too unrefined, too expensive and too stiff for the road. In Modern Classics Magazine its interesting that the original road test winner often isn't their favourite on the day. Cars like the MG Maestro Turbo get a positive re-appraisal when revisited as classics. Makes you wonder how much badge and image influences journos when these cars are new, less important perhaps when testing years later
Certainly depends on the journos doing the writing and it’s interesting to see a few of the also-rans from years back being lauded. Badge helps a lot too
Journalists are sheep.
Edited by llcoolmac on Wednesday 21st November 20:52
OldGermanHeaps said:
MX6 said:
Or possibly the IACV, if it has one...
It did kind of but it was a wax thermotime element controlled bypass valve instead of the solenid valve on the motronic version. It needed careful adjustment to tickover right from cold. There was a couple of adjustments in the airflow meter as well that most garages could never get rightIt's an unusual setup by modern standards in that the Bosch LE Jetronic only controlled the fuelling, and had no control at all over ignition timing. The ignition was an entirely separate system of a conventional electronic distributor type setup which was entirely independent of the fuel injection, and which could be adjusted in the traditional way by rotating the distributor and using a strobe (remember them?) on the crank pulley markings.
Thing is, it all worked really well. The engine in my Cavalier SRI never gave any trouble, apart from the auxiliary air valve never quite giving the right idle when cold (it was fine once warmed), and also once burning out a fuel pump relay, which was also a common issue. After that, I carried a spare in the glovebox, but it never happened again.
They were lovely engines for the time. Smooth, responsive, torquey and they pulled really hard right up to the red line, sounding pretty good as they did so. Good on fuel too. Even in the heavier Cavalier it had a crispness to its response, and a free revving feel to it that made other engines of the time seem prehistoric.
Edited by Limpet on Wednesday 21st November 21:00
I lusted after one at the time, but work said no. Fast forward a few years and work's policy relaxed and I ended up with a virgin white GTE Mk 2 as my first (and incredibly, only) company car. It seemed a big step forward from the Mk 1 - much more slippery, space age digital dash, big brakes and finally that gem of an engine. Sequential injection, torquey yet revable, sodium cooled exhaust valves - seemed so sophisticated at the time, for a humble hatch. It powered the Caterham HPE later. I do miss it.
Edited by millen on Wednesday 21st November 22:20
Half forgotten ?
What b
ks !
My second car was a mk1 SR and I would kill to get it back, but the prices have gone absolutely crazy, and SR's are even rarer than GTE's
Fantastic fun, very light and the brakes were not wooden, even when I set mine on fire. Gas struts and fairly long travel suspension meant I could enter my standard road car into the motoring news rally's round Newtown and get serious air at masebury marsh canal bridge.
Did 100,000 miles in mine, and only had to replace the camshaft and fuel pump plus a few brake pads. Even had its original exhaust.
185 tyres in the 80's gave a good balance of grip and adjustability and the rear could be easily pushed out when you wanted on the brakes/steering.
Nice regard seats and in deep red and black spoilers/vinyl it looked amazing, great car to have at 17, swapped it for the first in a string of manta's but my Astra has a special place.
What b
ks !My second car was a mk1 SR and I would kill to get it back, but the prices have gone absolutely crazy, and SR's are even rarer than GTE's
Fantastic fun, very light and the brakes were not wooden, even when I set mine on fire. Gas struts and fairly long travel suspension meant I could enter my standard road car into the motoring news rally's round Newtown and get serious air at masebury marsh canal bridge.
Did 100,000 miles in mine, and only had to replace the camshaft and fuel pump plus a few brake pads. Even had its original exhaust.
185 tyres in the 80's gave a good balance of grip and adjustability and the rear could be easily pushed out when you wanted on the brakes/steering.
Nice regard seats and in deep red and black spoilers/vinyl it looked amazing, great car to have at 17, swapped it for the first in a string of manta's but my Astra has a special place.
These never really appealed to me to be honest. Always thought the looks of the MK3 Escort XR/RS models were much better resolved, as was the Golf GTI. My dad had a couple of 16v GTEs as company cars back in the day and a Belmont SRI.
Don't get the comment about fast Vauxhalls all being a disappointment. I drove an Astra J VXR and was really impressed by it.
Don't get the comment about fast Vauxhalls all being a disappointment. I drove an Astra J VXR and was really impressed by it.
llcoolmac said:
s m said:
greenarrow said:
That's a very good point which I've been musing over myself, although in the case of the E30 M3 and 964RS they were always pretty highly regarded.
In Modern Classics Magazine its interesting that the original road test winner often isn't their favourite on the day. Cars like the MG Maestro Turbo get a positive re-appraisal when revisited as classics. Makes you wonder how much badge and image influences journos when these cars are new, less important perhaps when testing years later
That is true, a lot of the older stuff was highly regarded but I remember the Sierra getting the verdict over the M3 a fair few times and the 964RS was often slated for being too unrefined, too expensive and too stiff for the road. In Modern Classics Magazine its interesting that the original road test winner often isn't their favourite on the day. Cars like the MG Maestro Turbo get a positive re-appraisal when revisited as classics. Makes you wonder how much badge and image influences journos when these cars are new, less important perhaps when testing years later
Certainly depends on the journos doing the writing and it’s interesting to see a few of the also-rans from years back being lauded. Badge helps a lot too
Journalists are sheep.
Edited by llcoolmac on Wednesday 21st November 20:52
It’s like with the supercars of old, people finding out now that many weren’t actually that great to drive. With stuff like that very few people are in a position to argue over the journos reviews
Had one of these that I bought stolen recovered. B610 PNC if memory serves, kept if for a while with a janspeed exhaust and fitted some Jamex springs with yoko tyres. Handled and cornered quite well ( I never crashed it at least). Also had an early mk2 Astra Gte (B185 RHP) a while later and didn’t like it as much. Prior to this a mk1 Golf gti and after that a mk2 Golf gti 16v. Still have a mk2 Golf Gti but would love a mk1 Astra Gte again.
Trophy Husband said:
I will never forget watching the LED dash hit 125 as a speed mad 17 year old.
I had a different experience the first time I drove a MK2 GTE (8 Valve). I had borrowed it from a mate who was in the trade as there were some issues with the Sierra I had bought from him (that's another story in itself). Edited by Trophy Husband on Wednesday 21st November 15:11
I picked it up from him in Woking and was driving home to Sittingbourne on a Sunday evening on the twisty uphill bit of the A249 just after you come off the M20 with Whitesnake 1987 on the stereo so the world was a happy place, but then the digital dash went completely blank!
Still I got home and thought no more of it. On the way to work the next morning I went to put some petrol in it. Just after I had fuelled it up the engine died before I had even left the garage - turns out the cam had seized! So I don't have good memories of the MK2!
But there was a silver lining - I had his XR4i for a couple of months instead.
Jon_S_Rally said:
My dad had a couple of 16v GTEs as company cars back in the day and a Belmont SRI.
My old Mk2 16v is still going strong according to the MOT history siteNot surprised considering the amount of Waxoyl and rustproofing I did to it - no mention of corrosion in advisories- just run of mill ball joints, dust covers etc
Was a brilliant car - mine handled like a 205, little lift into corners and use the power to hammer through.
Had some brilliant drives in it
We had these back in the day Gte mk1 and mk2 and lots of Cavalier Sri - what was great about these cars was the engine and the seats. That 8v Vauxhall was a lovely sweet Revvy engine at the time made these cars feel very quick - compared to a Golf Gti or 205 Gti the handling was rubbish - wooden feel and set up to give understeer.
They were cheap had nice spec and great engines that’s what they were good at the time.
They were cheap had nice spec and great engines that’s what they were good at the time.
Shakermaker said:
XK140 said:
IMHO the Manta GT/E,which would have sat alongside the Astra in the Vauxhall showrooms at the time, was the nicer car.
Yes, but it was a class above in terms of size etc. The Manta was the Cavalier/Ascona sized car, the Astra a smaller and cheaper option for buyers 
I went for the larger, faster, rwd Manta GT/E 2dr coupe, but did enjoy driving Mk1 Astra GTE loan cars while the Manta was being serviced, and they certainly handled better than the Mk2 Astra GTE's which replaced them, imho.
rallycross said:
. That 8v Vauxhall was a lovely sweet Revvy engine at the time made these cars feel very quick - compared to a Golf Gti or 205 Gti the handling was rubbish - wooden feel and set up to give understeer.
.
The 8V Mk2s were understeery compared to the 16vs - the 16v was set up to be far more neutral. A 16v would bite you quick if you mashed the throttle and then backed off quick as it was a lot stiffer at the back. In effect, 2 anti roll 'bars' on the rear end..
My brother in law had a new one of these in red, his wife had a new white one. They parked outside their new house in Harrogate and in the morning both had been stolen!! They got them both back eventually however BOTH had been used in a robbery!! The white one was damaged but red one was ok.
I love the proper dash with the oil pressure and battery gauges. A far cry from modern cars where you're lucky if you even get a temperature gauge. It shows what people respond to now. Take my M140i for instance. No coolant temperature gauge, never mind oil pressure, but it does have gimmicky power and torque meters that serve no practical purpose whatsoever.
Whether it's a lack of instruments, or burying engines under plastic "nothing to see here" covers, it makes you realise how increasingly disconnected a driver is now with the mechanical parts in cars, and has promoted a culture of "just drive it until an idiot light comes on". It's a complete non-issue for many (most) people, but I personally think it's a shame. Most of my formative driving years were spent tinkering under the bonnet, and learning how things worked, and for me it was a big part of the overall experience.
This was a golden era of cars in my opinion. Reliable and tough, started in the mornings, but you could still get your head around how things worked, and troubleshoot and repair with a degree of confidence, and without expensive kit.
Whether it's a lack of instruments, or burying engines under plastic "nothing to see here" covers, it makes you realise how increasingly disconnected a driver is now with the mechanical parts in cars, and has promoted a culture of "just drive it until an idiot light comes on". It's a complete non-issue for many (most) people, but I personally think it's a shame. Most of my formative driving years were spent tinkering under the bonnet, and learning how things worked, and for me it was a big part of the overall experience.
This was a golden era of cars in my opinion. Reliable and tough, started in the mornings, but you could still get your head around how things worked, and troubleshoot and repair with a degree of confidence, and without expensive kit.
Edited by Limpet on Thursday 22 November 09:20
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