Dave's 1991 Astra GTE 16v
Discussion
Thought it about time to do a thread on here about my GTE 16v. I have owned her for 8 years now and the post below has beened copied from another forum I use.
(June 2008) I have been working on the car over the winter, just to keep her original.
Pictures from this weekend...
August 2009.
Just a mini update,
As some of you may know last year Astra Dan had a Stag do At Castle Combe. Here is a picture of 2 weapons on track
Shortly after that I took her down to Bourdeax (in France) stopping off at Le Mans for some pictures..
Mulsanne Corner.
A few months ago she was blessed with new KYB shocks all round and now has a full set of decals thanks to Harvey.
Here she is with her mates, Dad's Champion and Dan / Sharon's Cabriolet..
and a recent picture in the New forest.
I have also just become the proud owner of Dec's wheels (of Nova Sport Fame)
and while at Billing in July Olly Hewitt took some photos for me..... (Cheers Olly)
Time for a brief update.
Billing 2009
Billing 2010 - Winner of Best Standard Car.
Total Vauxhall (Castle Combe) 2010?
2 young ladies insisted on sitting on her....
March 2010
It was my GTE's birthday today, She was registered 19 years ago today so to celibrate I took her our on a day we will not forget....
Got up at 05.30 and headed to the local Pistonheads Tunnel Run where we blew out lots of cobwebs, put the brakes through some serious heat cycles and no doubt woke some sleepy residents round Hampshire followed by a full on breakfast.
Pics of some of the 45 - 50 cars that attended....
Also whilst on the run her clocks turned a milestone.....
Was a proper bonkers day out and one I will never forget.
Happy Birthday old girl.
In Oct 2011 we (South Central) had a Rolling Road session at Janspeed in Salisbury, Figures were lower than expected (133bhp and 132Lbs ft torques at the wheels) and the poor old girl was a lil smokey on overun so got me thinking. more on this soon.
Some pics...
LRU with some of her mates...
She has pretty much, since then, sat in disgust because on the way home from the rolling road she sprung a water leak from the water pump so intrest was lost.
28th March 2012 - Happy 21st Birthday...
Born on 28/3/1991
June 2012
3 weeks ago a plan was set to about sorting the water leak, Astra Dan popped over where we swapped my MK4 over to 308s and made a start on taking the water pump out of the GTE.
Out popped a knackered pump and new parts ordered, then a braintrump happened, As the cam belt was off and the car wasn't needed why not do the stem seals too.
Full Elring Head Gasket set ordered (Thanks Benn - Elring are a pain in the arse to deal with it seems as the wrong part was sent out)
Head coming off...
Grinding in valves...
New stem seals...
Block ready...
Head ready...
(Seen the damage on the head / pistons, very strange, no damage to the valve seats)
All went together ok, Turns out I also was only running on 90% throttle as a small breather pipe was jamming in the throttle stop, will wait till the next Rolling road to see what happens.
Massive thanks to Astra Dan for the work over the last few weeends.
Just back from a roar, god I love this car.
More soon!
(June 2008) I have been working on the car over the winter, just to keep her original.
Pictures from this weekend...
August 2009.
Just a mini update,
As some of you may know last year Astra Dan had a Stag do At Castle Combe. Here is a picture of 2 weapons on track
Shortly after that I took her down to Bourdeax (in France) stopping off at Le Mans for some pictures..
Mulsanne Corner.
A few months ago she was blessed with new KYB shocks all round and now has a full set of decals thanks to Harvey.
Here she is with her mates, Dad's Champion and Dan / Sharon's Cabriolet..
and a recent picture in the New forest.
I have also just become the proud owner of Dec's wheels (of Nova Sport Fame)
and while at Billing in July Olly Hewitt took some photos for me..... (Cheers Olly)
Time for a brief update.
Billing 2009
Billing 2010 - Winner of Best Standard Car.
Total Vauxhall (Castle Combe) 2010?
2 young ladies insisted on sitting on her....
March 2010
It was my GTE's birthday today, She was registered 19 years ago today so to celibrate I took her our on a day we will not forget....
Got up at 05.30 and headed to the local Pistonheads Tunnel Run where we blew out lots of cobwebs, put the brakes through some serious heat cycles and no doubt woke some sleepy residents round Hampshire followed by a full on breakfast.
Pics of some of the 45 - 50 cars that attended....
Also whilst on the run her clocks turned a milestone.....
Was a proper bonkers day out and one I will never forget.
Happy Birthday old girl.
In Oct 2011 we (South Central) had a Rolling Road session at Janspeed in Salisbury, Figures were lower than expected (133bhp and 132Lbs ft torques at the wheels) and the poor old girl was a lil smokey on overun so got me thinking. more on this soon.
Some pics...
LRU with some of her mates...
She has pretty much, since then, sat in disgust because on the way home from the rolling road she sprung a water leak from the water pump so intrest was lost.
28th March 2012 - Happy 21st Birthday...
Born on 28/3/1991
June 2012
3 weeks ago a plan was set to about sorting the water leak, Astra Dan popped over where we swapped my MK4 over to 308s and made a start on taking the water pump out of the GTE.
Out popped a knackered pump and new parts ordered, then a braintrump happened, As the cam belt was off and the car wasn't needed why not do the stem seals too.
Full Elring Head Gasket set ordered (Thanks Benn - Elring are a pain in the arse to deal with it seems as the wrong part was sent out)
Head coming off...
Grinding in valves...
New stem seals...
Block ready...
Head ready...
(Seen the damage on the head / pistons, very strange, no damage to the valve seats)
All went together ok, Turns out I also was only running on 90% throttle as a small breather pipe was jamming in the throttle stop, will wait till the next Rolling road to see what happens.
Massive thanks to Astra Dan for the work over the last few weeends.
Just back from a roar, god I love this car.
More soon!
Little update...
Picked up the GTE today from Dad's as I have just moved house to one with a garage.
She has been parked up under a tree since September so got her home and jetwashed her to within an inch of her life. she is now soaking wet, in her new home with the dehumidifier roaring.
A few pics before jetwash....
ewww
After...
Will give her a serious polish over the next week or so and will update.
Turns out my new next door neighbour had one of these years ago too.
Picked up the GTE today from Dad's as I have just moved house to one with a garage.
She has been parked up under a tree since September so got her home and jetwashed her to within an inch of her life. she is now soaking wet, in her new home with the dehumidifier roaring.
A few pics before jetwash....
ewww
After...
Will give her a serious polish over the next week or so and will update.
Turns out my new next door neighbour had one of these years ago too.
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