91 replies to this topic

[GFWilliams]

Per the silver jokes... One of the best VX pics taken was GFWilliams silver NA. So yes the primer bit is pure banter. But for me it is always Europa or Coral

 

I still wish I had a blue VX though... 

[Mangham54]

 

Per the silver jokes... One of the best VX pics taken was GFWilliams silver NA. So yes the primer bit is pure banter. But for me it is always Europa or Coral

 

I still wish I had a blue VX though... 

 

 

The paintwork on my Europa NA was impeccable, as it had spent 3 months at Vauxhall in their Quality Assurance team (being taken apart, stripped, painted, reassembled and repeated) due to a previous blister above the exhaust tail pipe. The bill for liquid paint back to Head Office was just over £2k, as the 'labour' value was "to negotiate".

 

Not sure how the paintwork is now, as it was being rebuilt following a write-off some point after my ownership. 

[Graeme Lambert]

 

 

Per the silver jokes... One of the best VX pics taken was GFWilliams silver NA. So yes the primer bit is pure banter. But for me it is always Europa or Coral

 

I still wish I had a blue VX though... 

 

 

The paintwork on my Europa NA was impeccable, as it had spent 3 months at Vauxhall in their Quality Assurance team (being taken apart, stripped, painted, reassembled and repeated) due to a previous blister above the exhaust tail pipe. The bill for liquid paint back to Head Office was just over £2k, as the 'labour' value was "to negotiate".

 

Not sure how the paintwork is now, as it was being rebuilt following a write-off some point after my ownership. 

 

 

Cars that had their blistering paintwork rectified by Vxl under warranty were repainted by a Bentley specialist down the road from Luton HQ  

[cressey]

Guessing the ship of warranty blistering set sail long ago. Mine has a serious case of acne.

[Nev]

I don't really understand people's concentrated focus on getting paintwork pristine. If you drive the car hard, within 1,000 miles it will be chipped up, within 10,000 miles it will be shot blasted. Better to spend the money on petrol IMO and drive the thing, though clearly the paintwork has to be vaguely presentable (ie not silver!).

[turbo boy]

Great thread and really good to see the VX passion. For me the Europa blue would win every time and the fact that the car has sentimental value. Actually I believe that Europa blue is the best colour. When I was last at MMG there were a few coral blue examples but my Europa blue actually looked better and that was the opinion of most people who visited. Good luck with the cars. Jon

[cressey]

Cheers all. I'm a but OCD and the paintwork does bother me as its a well cared for car mechanically. I do less than 5k a year in it so the paintwork shouldn't suffer too much I hope. Finally got to the bottom of the VIC and MOT business. The silver one is booked for an MOT on Thursday and I've applied for the VIC check. Only thing is, the MOT tester has already told me it won't pass with the front 3/4 number plate but I can't get a new one without a V5, can't get a V5 without a VIC and can't get a VIC without MOT. Who creates these crazy rules!

[Mangham54]

Cheers all. I'm a but OCD and the paintwork does bother me as its a well cared for car mechanically. I do less than 5k a year in it so the paintwork shouldn't suffer too much I hope. Finally got to the bottom of the VIC and MOT business. The silver one is booked for an MOT on Thursday and I've applied for the VIC check. Only thing is, the MOT tester has already told me it won't pass with the front 3/4 number plate but I can't get a new one without a V5, can't get a V5 without a VIC and can't get a VIC without MOT. Who creates these crazy rules!

There must be someone who can sort one for you, or is there anyone at the DVLA that could provide an authorisation number for a plate manufacturer for you.

[cressey]

Fortunately the MOT tester is a neighbour of mine so he's looking into sorting one out for me.

[cressey]

Test for the silver one is now tomorrow as I've had to have a number plate made.

 

My next problem is to try and stop my neighbours smug cat from using the soft top as a sun bathing hammock. I believe I've now tried everything but it just doesn't seem to be getting the message.

 

[cressey]

* Double post

Edited by cressey, 18 June 2015 - 04:54 PM.

[Rickwoo118]

Test for the silver one is now tomorrow as I've had to have a number plate made.
 
My next problem is to try and stop my neighbours smug cat from using the soft top as a sun bathing hammock. I believe I've now tried everything but it just doesn't seem to be getting the message.
 

Lol

[Rosssco]

Test for the silver one is now tomorrow as I've had to have a number plate made.

 

My next problem is to try and stop my neighbours smug cat from using the soft top as a sun bathing hammock. I believe I've now tried everything but it just doesn't seem to be getting the message.

 

 

Perhaps more concerning, whose the very dark figure looking at you from the top right bedroom window across the road..?

 

Sleep well tonight..
 

[cressey]

Must be a concerned neighbour. Actually, the guy who's doing my MOT tomorrow lives there. It's great. I chuck him the keys, he drives it to work and then puts it back on my drive with a Cert for £35.

[cressey]

Right, time for an update.

 

Finally handed in the last assignment for my degree last week and have been busy working on both cars since. Every night I've been under one of them. I'll start with the silver one.

 

Jobs done

 

- MOT complete (2 minors - nothing serious)

- Thorough clean inside and out

- Soft top cleaned, re-proofed and fitted

- Front splitters fitted

- Exhaust heatshield re-attached

- All rusty engine bay bolts replaced

- Saggy seat leather sorted

- New discs and Mintex pads all round

- Brakes bled

- New number plates front and rear

 

Though this is all minor stuff, the car looks a whole lot fresher. Can't believe how mint it is underneath. Way easier to work on than mine. Anyway, here's a few pics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CHILL Gone DUTCH]

That car does look spotless under there

[cressey]

One of the things I was most pleased with was the effect a little heat had on the leather seats. It had a few creases which was surprising given the mileage of the thing. A quick blast with a heat gun and it was sorted. 

 

Before

 

During

 

After 

[cressey]

I've also been doing lots of work on the blue one. Basically I've been spending all my money on bits for it. List of bits I now have are

 

- Larini backbox (brand new)

- Larini Sports Cat (brand new)

- Gaz Gold Pro II (2nd hand - refurbed)

- Oil catch tank

- Dave Hardwick high flow plenum

- Dave Hardwick 80mm inlet pipe

- Dave Hardwick airbox outlet

- Lots of Silicone hosing

 

I've also been making a bracket to mount the oil catch tank and am in the process of designing a custom airbox.

 

First, some pics of recent work. The Gaz Gold's arrived last week. Despite a couple of hours sleep and a horrific hangover, I jumped out of bed, greeted the postman in my boxers and then set about fitting them immediately.

 

Don't look anything special as they have some surface corrosion and these are temporary until I do a suspension refurb when I'll be fitting some Quantum's.

 

 

Took me quite a while to get the ride height sorted and I had to turn the front shocks the other way up as there's a stupid bracket on the driver's side and the C-spanner you get with the shock is useless as the upper wishbone completely restricts access with the adjuster at the top. 

 

 

Really pleased with the way it looks although the harsher ride is taking some getting used to. I went about 25mm lower all round. It needs a clean I know.

 

 

[CHILL Gone DUTCH]

I'm not 100 % but shouldn't the helper springs be at the bottom of the shock? Also turn the bit with the knob on 180 degrees so it can be adjusted easily

[cressey]

I've since set about making a bracket to mount my oil catch tank. Fortunately I'm a master of CAD (Cardboard Aided Design)

 

 

Work in progress. Trying to keep it OEM with a couple of triangles in there for 'lightness.'

 

 

 

Success

 

Just got a bit of drilling and painting to do before it'll be finished.

 

I've also been butchering an airbox to make it 80mm all the way to the Turbo. All the re-inforcing ribs have been a total PITA. Makes what should be an easy job a really time-consuming one and fiddly one. Some pics of work in progress and a trial fit.

 

 

 

 

I was prompted to make this airbox after seeing what a horrific shape the original one is. Think it's the same one used in an Astra but usually sits on top of a suspension turret. It's therefore lumpy and appears to restrict airflow to at least 30% of the filter. I wonder if this is the real root cause for intake pipes collapsing as it's essentially the same as sucking on a straw with your finger covering half of the other end. Vauxhall tried to fix this by adding re-inforcing to the pipe and it's the main selling point of the alloy intake pipe.

 

Honestly, who the hell designed this?

 

 

Inspired by Dave Hardwick's airbox, I've now started designing and building my own. Will post back soon with some juicy details that the Mathematicians can gorge on. Progress so far below. Is it a bird, is it a plane........?

 

 

Finally getting the silver one VIC checked tomorrow but have to drive all the way to Kidderminster (160 mile round trip) and be there for the emergency appointment for 8am in the morning. I then get to pay an extra tenner for the privilege. Silver one is then going to MMG for a cam belt replacement, full service and inspection. Then it'll finally be ready. Hooray!!!